Finally Back!

Wow, it has been over two years since I last posted.  Life became extremely busy, and this blog was put on the back burner (and eventually off the stove altogether) while I managed the craziness!  I started I job as a Parent Educator that I adored, but left me with an insane schedule.  I became pregnant with  my second child, and for six months after she was born my husband and I were working opposite shifts while watching the kids.  After some soul searching and happenings that were out of our control, I am now a full-time stay at home mommy!  I have been able to do more baking, and I hope to only go up from here.  So!  This is just going to be a long post with a smattering of what I've done over the past two years.  It's good to be back!

Sugar cookies with royal icing

So many cookies! for a "Milk and Cookies" party

Shortbreads with buttercream

Red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting 

Buttercream rosettes

Smash "cake": Cookies with sprinkles, cool whip/pudding frosting, decoration made from chocolate and sprinkles

Whoopie pies!

Smash cakes and cupcakes for a joint 3rd and 1st birthday party

Cakes were made with cool whip/pudding frosting

Wedding Celebration

A couple requested that I make them a wedding cake for just the two of them.  They were getting married in a private ceremony, and wanted to celebrate that day (and what better way than with cake?) and also save some for later.  They have had my cupcakes before, and loved the blueberry lemon ones.  So, for their cake, I just expanded on those flavors.  The cake was lemon with lemon cream cheese and blueberry jam in the center (one layer).  The cake was iced in buttercream, with buttercream flowers, chocolate monogram and carrot cake bites for the pumpkins on top.  I enjoyed making this for them and going outside of my comfort zone.  Cheers!

Halloween Cake Pops

Although I've been doing cake bites for some time now, cake pops, especially decorated cake pops, are on a whole different level for me.  This past week, I had the opportunity to make 150 Halloween themed cake pops.  One was for a party, and the other for an Elementary School class party.  These were so much fun to do!  I hope the customers were as happy as I am.

For the larger Halloween Party, there were a grouping of four different characters: Candy Corn; a ghost; a Witch; and Frankenstein. Each was a different flavor: Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting; Pound Cake with a Cool Whip/Cream Cheese/Cheesecake icing; Chocolate Cake with Mint icing and Andes mints; and Apple Cider Cake with Apple Cider Frosting.

For the school party, the Frankenstein pops were Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Icing, and the test tubes were Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Frosting.  Kid-Friendly flavors, but so much fun!  These test tubes were fun to "experiment" with (ha).  I really had no idea how to go about developing them, but I think they turned out well!  Notice the "liquid" on the bottom, how it swirls, and how the test tubes are "bubbling over".  Happy Halloween!!

First Birthday Party for Z

This birthday party was so  much fun! The colors were hot pink, white and black with polka dots, and brought to us by the letter "Z" and the number "1".  I'm thrilled with how the sugar cookies turned out!

Now, to be clear, I DID NOT MAKE THE CAKE.  The only thing I did were the black and pink monogrammed dots.  I did make the letters "Z" "O" and "E" out of chocolate (and made to stand up in the cake), but her mom and aunt covered them with a sugar transfer.  Props to them, because the cake was beautiful and delicious!!  I'm honored that they wanted me to be a part of it.

1st Birthday party for my baby!

I cannot believe that my little girl is ONE!  For her first birthday party, the theme was--what else?--cupcakes! 

Cupcake tower we made for the party with the smash cake.

My baby's smash cake!  Vanilla cake/buttercream.  I had SO much fun decorating this!

50th Anniversary

The ever-popular cake bites made the perfect dessert for the 50th wedding anniversary of a wonderful couple.  They were having an open house, and the bride wanted these cake bites to complement their wedding colors and to have something available throughout the party (they were getting a cake from the same baker that made their wedding cake; how neat!).  These were chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and carrot cake with cream cheese icing, all drizzled with colored chocolate.  The couple loved them, and I'm so thrilled I was able to be a part of their special celebration!

Special box for the customers (see above picture).  This way, I know that they are able to get some treats, and I can show my appreciation.

Placards to show the flavors, give allergy information, etc.  Plus, something pretty is never a bad thing!

This is going to require milk.

Now this is a Birthday cake!  Chocolate cake with dark chocolate chips throughout, peanut butter frosting between the layers and piled on the cake, drizzled with chocolate and cake crumbs.  This cake means business.  It also shows that your desserts don't have to be super fancy to be showstopping!  This cake is very simple, but the simplicity speaks volumes.  Don't you just want to dig in?!

Wedded Bliss

What a fun way to celebrate love than with dessert?  The lovely couple were having a dessert/coffee/wine reception, and the bride wanted some cookies and cake bites to compliment their cake.  The cookies are vanilla-almond sugar cookies with royal icing and chocolate monograms.  The cake bites are chocolate cake with chocolate frosting (green icing) and carrot cake with cream cheese frosting (yellow icing).  Can you say heavenly?! 

Labels so the guests know what they're biting into!

Celebrating Spring...with Chocolate!

I love cake bites.  They're fun, they're simple (and beautiful and delicious!) and they make such pretty presentations.  They can be changed up to fit any theme, any event, any party, any season.  These particular little beauties are all chocolate, but, as with most of my desserts, they can be changed up and as creative as you'd like!  I love trying different flavor combinations.  Previous yummies have been chocolate raspberry brownie bites, red cake balls, oreo cookie truffles, carrot cake truffles, lemon, strawberry cake dipped in chocolate...what is your favorite cake flavor?  What would you like to try in cake ball form?

Oldies but goodies

Before I started my blog, I enjoyed taking pictures of my food.  My photography skills have definitely improved (thanks to the Nikon my husband got me as a gift), but these are some "oldies but goodies".  Good for holiday celebrations, get togethers, or just a yummy treat to have around the house.

Snickerdoodle cookies for a shower

Whole wheat pumpkin apple muffins.  Very healthy, and very good!

Peach muffin with a pecan and brown sugar topping.

An amazing addition to brunch, or a snack.

Harvest cheesecake: All the flavors of fall!  Apples, nutmeg, cinnamon, pecans on a delicious pecan and graham cracker crust.

Side view of the yumminess.

Inside view of my most requested cupcake (lemon cupcake with blueberry filling, lemon cream cheese icing)

I accidentally spilled the sprinkles on this cake...at least it wasn't over the floor!  I just went with it.  Luckily, it was just for us and some friends.

Vanilla and almond scented cake, buttercream frosting, blueberry preserves filling and (homemade) lemon curd filling. I had a bunch of leftover filling/cake/icing from an order, so this is what happened!