The Girl Loves Cupcakes

My 100th Post

2011-12-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

A little less than a year ago I started a blog about one of my favorite things on earth - cupcakes. Now I am already on my 100th post and have had people from all over the world visit my blog.

For my 100th and final post this year, I thought I would let you know my top favorite cupcakes for 2011. I already narrowed down my absolute favorite cupcakeries (see side bar "My Favorite Cupcakes") but thought I would narrow it even further. I have tried SO many amazingly delicious cupcakes (at my favorite and other cupcakeries) that it was so hard to narrow it down to just five. (Quick note: Sprinkles Cupcakes Red Velvet would always make the list, but unfortunately I didn't get to visit a Sprinkles Cupcake this past year.)

So, in no particular order, here are my top five favorite cupcakes for 2011:

Coconut Mango

From The Sweet Tooth Fairy

Coconut cake with coconut mango frosting topped with fresh shredded coconut

Lava Fudge

From Georgetown Cupcakes

Valrhona chocolate cupcake with a rich fudge core topped with a vanilla icing with a fudge star drizzle

Razzle Dazzle

From Kara's Cupcakes

Chocolate cupcake filled with a raspberry cream filling and topped with a sweet raspberry buttercream

Little Devil

From Dippidee

Chocolate cake filled with a sweet creamy filling topped with a rich chocolate buttercream frosting

Chocolate w/ Buttercream

From Cakes De Fleur

Moist chocolate cake with a rich creamy buttercream frosting

So, there you have it - my favorite cupcakes in 2011. I can't wait to see what flavors 2012 bring. I hope you all have a safe and wonderful holiday season!

Make Lemon Cupcakes

2011-12-17T21:00:00.003-07:00

National Cupcake Day

2011-12-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Happy National Cupcake Day!! Do you know what this means? It means that you need to head to your favorite local cupcakery and celebrate!

Marble Slab Creamery is ready to celebrate. They will be giving customers one free ice cream cupcake today between 4 and 7pm.

I was so happy that my Holiday Assortment cupcake order from Georgetown Cupcake showed up last night. The timing was perfect and the cupcakes are delicious. (Yes, I started celebrating early. The Rudolph Red Velvet was so yummy.)

Have a happy and delicious day!

Holiday Cupcake Recipes From Cupcake Wars

2011-12-14T14:55:00.000-07:00

Season 4 of Cupcake Wars has already begun and so far the episodes have had a holiday theme. Check out some of the delicious holiday recipes from the show.

Episode: The Nutcracker

Recipe: Chocolate Cupcakes with a Chocolate, Orange, and Clove Infused Ganache Filling and a Chinese Spiced Tea Buttercream

Picture from Cupcake Wars (Food Network)

Episode: Tree Lighting
Recipes: Chocolate Peanut Butter Ball Cupcake, Chocolate Chip Cannoli Cupcake, Strawberry Thumbprint Cupcake, Sweet Potato Cider Cupcake w/ Marshmallow Frosting

Picture from Cupcake Wars (Food Network)

There has also been a Holiday Christmas Parade episode, but no recipes have been posted to Cupcake Wars website yet.

For even MORE Cupcake Wars recipes, click here.

Pinterest Recipe Of The Week: Spiced Chai Latte Cupcakes

2011-12-12T23:07:00.001-07:00

Spiced Chai Latte Cupcakes w/

Cinnamon Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

Don't these cupcakes sound divine? The spicy flavors of chai tea with a rich and creamy buttercream frosting. Heaven! This Pinterest recipe of the week comes from a website called Love and Olive Oil. You need to check out all of their delicious recipes - there is a ton and they all look amazing.

You can find their website, here, or follow them on Pinterest, here.

Cupcakes Are Happiness

2011-12-09T18:12:00.001-07:00

Pinterest Recipe Of The Week: Eggnog Cupcakes With Spiced Rum

2011-12-07T22:49:00.001-07:00

Eggnog Cupcakes with Spiced Rum Buttercream Frosting

Picture from bakersroyale.com

Are these seriously not some of the most gorgeous cupcakes you have ever seen? This Pinterest recipe of the week comes from a blog called Bakers Royale. (I posted another recipe of hers a couple of weeks ago - Toffee Crunch Cupcakes.) I just love her blog, she always gives great tips on making the cupcakes and even lets you know where to find the same sprinkles she used. What a perfect cupcake for the Holiday season.

Cake Push Pops

2011-12-07T22:14:00.001-07:00

Picture from mycakeschool.com

Lately it seems like Cake Push Pops (aka Cake Push Ups) are everywhere. What a fun way to eat cake, right? It's a layer of cake, then frosting, then cake, a filling, cake, and frosting again. Oh, and don't forget a cute garnish on top. With the fun Cake Push Pop containers, you push the cake up from the bottom until you get to the last bite. No forks required. I can't wait to make my Andes Mint Cupcakes into Cake Push Pops.

You can find Cake Push Pop Containers online, here. Also, check out the wonderful Cake Push Pop tutorial at My Cake School. Want to see more Cake Push Pops? Click here.

Pinterest Recipe Of The Week: Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

2011-11-28T22:42:00.000-07:00

Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

Picture from www.glorioustreats.blogspot.com

What a perfect cupcake to start off the Holiday season. This week's recipe comes from a blog called Glorious Treats. She has craft ideas, party ideas, and of course a ton of amazing recipes. She took her classic chocolate cupcake recipe and created a delicious peppermint cream cheese frosting. She even gives tips on how to achieve the red/white stripe in the frosting.

You can find her blog, here, or find her on facebook, here.

What is Pinterest? Where can I find past Pinterest recipes of the week?

Cupcakes Made "Oprah's Favorite Things 2011" List

2011-11-28T19:08:00.001-07:00

I absolutely love Oprah's Favorite Things list that she puts together each year. This year was no exception, even though I am sad I didn't get to watch her give it all away on TV. She has a lot of fabulous things on the 2011 list that also includes two cupcake items, check them out:

Baked by Melissa "In Chocolate" Miniature Cupcakes

www.bakedbymelissa.com

$25 for a box of eight

Oprah says "A perfect hostess gift, these miniature cupcakes come in flavors like Cinnamon and Cookie Dough. They're also - ingeniously - doused in chocolate."

Feeling Smitten Cupcake Bath Bombs

www.feelingsmitten.com

$10.50 ($8 if you use the code OPRAH)

Oprah says "I love these calorie-free bath bombs, which come in scents like Mellow Mimosa and Mint Condition and fizz with essential oils and Dead Sea salt when you drop them in the tub."

You can find the complete list in O Magazine and online. While you're online, don't forget to enter to be one of twelve lucky winners that will win all of her 2011 Favorite Things.

Starbucks Holiday Petite Treats

2011-11-28T16:36:00.001-07:00

Two new holiday petite treats are now available at Starbucks. They aren't cupcakes, but they both include frosting and cake. They have a Chocolate Creme' Whoopie Pie which is two small chocolate cakes with buttercream frosting in between. They also have Peppermint Chocolate Brownie Cake Pop which is chocolate cake mixed with buttercream frosting and candy cane pieces and then dipped in white chocolate and rolled in more candy cane pieces. I had the Peppermint Chocolate Brownie Cake Pop today and it was festive deliciousness on a stick. It was so yummy.

Fun news! You can buy a DIY kit to make Starbucks Peppermint Chocolate Brownie Cake Pops at home. Click here for more information.

Pinterest Recipe Of The Week: Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

2011-11-21T20:06:00.001-07:00

Sweet Potato Cupcakes w/ Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

What is more perfect for Thanksgiving than Sweet Potato Cupcakes? Break out your kitchen torches, puree some sweet potatoes, and get ready for some culinary fun. This delicious recipe comes from a website called Annie's Eats. She has a ton of recipes for appetizers, main dishes, breakfast, baby food, and much more. Check out Annie's Eats website, here, and find them on facebook, here.

I have to make this recipe for my husband because his #2 favorite cupcake is a sweet potato cupcake from The Sweet Tooth Fairy (a November flavor of the month).

Pinterest Recipe Of The Week: Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

2011-11-16T10:45:00.001-07:00

Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Picture from bakingdom.com

The Pinterest recipe of the week comes from a fabulous baking website called Bakingdom. She has very easy step-by-step instructions with pictures (love that!). These would be perfect for breakfast on Thanksgiving morning with a glass of milk and some fresh fruit, don't you think? I am totally planning on making them from breakfast (if eating cupcakes for breakfast is wrong - I don't want to be right). If you make this recipe I would love to hear your comments.

Check out this week's recipe and Bakingdom's website, here, or you can find them on facebook, here. You can also follow them on Pinterest, here.

What is Pinterest? Where can I find past Pinterest recipes of the week?

Goodie Girls Owner And Winner Of Cupcake Wars Announces Opening Of New Store In LA

2011-11-09T21:58:00.000-07:00

You're Invited

To: Goodie Girls Store Opening Celebration
.
When: November 20, 2011 from 5-8 pm
.
Where: 415 East Broadway #100, Glendale, CA 91205

One of the most popular posts on my blog was about the Cupcake Wars Season 3 Premiere Winner, Annette Starbuck (click the link to read the post). I just received an invitation to celebrate the opening of her highly-anticipated storefront, Goodie Girls, in Los Angeles on November 20... and you're invited too!

Annette will serve up her gourmet cupcakes including her signature Pumpkin Pancakes cupcake along with her popular Cake-Ups push pops during the 'petite treat affair' taking place from 5-8 pm. The first 75 attendees will receive an awesome gift bag including products from Pink Pewter, NuBar, Scentsy, H2O+, Soap Cafe, and pop artist a.n.t., plus a Cake-Up from Goodie Girls.

The grand opening will feature live music by DJ Arthur Galestian, appetizers catered by Kitchen 12000, a chocolate photo booth by Images Printed on Chocolate, wine from Cupcake Vineyards, decorations by Pom Flair, and lots of Goodie Girls samples. You don't want to miss this delicious event!

Pinterest Recipe Of The Week: Toffee Crunch Cupcakes w/ Caramel Frosting

2011-11-08T21:38:00.000-07:00

Toffee Crunch Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

Picture from Bakers Royale

I seriously can't wait to make these these! They are cupcakes dipped in chocolate, rolled in toffee, and then topped with a frosting made with homemade caramel. Yum! This recipe comes from a blog called Bakers Royale. It is a whole website of delicious recipes (be sure to check out all of their cupcake recipes, here). You can also find Bakers Royale on facebook, here.

Cupcake Gifts For Girls (Ages 0 and Up)

2011-11-05T11:00:00.000-06:00

If you have a little cupcake fan in your life, here are some perfect gifts just for them (click on the brand to find out more information or to order):

Trend Lab Cupcake Blanket Gift Set

Includes a velour blanket and three bibs

$26.99

Ages 0 and up

Little Tykes Cupcake Kitchen

Comes with all the cupcake accessories they could need. It also makes interactive cooking sounds.

$39.97

Ages 2-6

KidKraft Cupcake Stand Set

Wooden mix and match tops and bottoms with a 2-tier stand.

$24.17

Ages 36 months - 8 years

Melissa and Doug Wooden Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set

Wooden cupcakes, frosting, candles, and baking sheet with wipe-off markers so they can decorate their cupcakes.

$19.22

Ages 3 and up

Hatley Kids Umbrella

You can even order a matching rain coat and rain boots.

$19.98

Ages 3 and up

Creativity for Kids Bath Time Bakery Cupcake Soaps

Includes soap clay, glitter, shaping tool, cupcake holders, and bath salt sprinkles.

$19.19

Ages 5 and up

Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker

It comes with everything to make and decorate real cupcakes. Refills are available at an extra charge.

$19.99

Ages 8 and up

And for the older cupcake lovers, here are a few gifts for you too (this list could go on and on, but I will just share a few of my favorites):

Assorted Cupcake Banks

It's a perfect place to hide your cash. You can choose from three different colors.

All Ages

Home Classics Cupcake Flannel Sheet Set

Includes fitted sheet, flat sheet, and pillowcases.

$29.99-$59.99 (on sale at Kohls)

All Ages

Christmas Cupcake by Yankee Candle

They also have Vanilla Cupcake.

$22.99

You can also check out these posts for more great gifts ideas; The Cupcake Diaries by Georgetown Cupcake, Cake Pops DIY Kit by Bakerella, Cute Cupcake Aprons, and Sprinkles Cupcake Mixes.

Cupcake Popcornopolis

2011-11-04T21:43:00.000-06:00

Do you love popcorn? Do you love cupcakes? Well, you are in for a treat, Popcornopolis has Cupcake Popcorn. It is so delicious and sweet! I love it! Like their website says, it's like biting into a delicious cakey, creamy, vanilla cupcake with plenty of icing... and lots of colorful sprinkles.

I found my bag of Cupcake Popcornopolis at Harmons, a Utah grocery store chain. You can find a store that sells it near you by clicking, here. Or you can order online, here (if you order soon enter the code get25off for a 25% discount).

And The Winner Is...

2011-11-01T17:00:00.000-06:00

Crystal!

The winner of The Cupcake Diaries: Recipes and Memories from the Sisters of Georgetown Cupcake is Crystal! (Crystal, I will be in touch.) Thank you to all who participated.

Please check back soon for more contests.

This contest was for the followers of this blog only. You needed to become a follower by November 1, 2011 at 5:00 PM MST to have participated in this contest. The winner was randomly selected from the followers of this blog using Random.org.

News From Georgetown Cupcake/DC Cupcakes

2011-11-01T12:55:00.000-06:00

Picture from Georgetown Cupcake - "Holiday Dozen"

Attention early Holiday shoppers! Katherine and Sophie, owners of Georgetown Cupcake (and stars of DC Cupcakes), will be on QVC's "Gourmet Holiday" show this Friday, November 4th, at 4:00 PM ET (click here to check the time in your area). They will have a one-time only special price on Georgetown Cupcake's Holiday Dozen. Don't forget to tune in!

Their cookbook, The Cupcake Dairies: Recipes and Memories from the Sisters of Georgetown Cupcake, goes on sale November 8th. To buy the book or other DC Cupcakes products, click here.

Last, but not least, don't forget to catch the DC Cupcakes Wedding Special (Katherine's getting married!) on November 11th at 10PM ET on TLC.

Mind-Blowing Decorating Tips

2011-10-30T19:47:00.000-06:00

Watch this short video for tips on mixing several colors of frosting and only using one bowl and one spoon and how to fill bags with frosting with no clean-up. Her tips are genius!

Pinterest Recipe Of The Week: Blueberry Pancake Cupcakes w/ Maple Buttercream Frosting

2011-10-30T16:40:00.000-06:00

Since there are so many amazing cupcake recipes on Pinterest, I have decided to share one recipe from my 'Cupcakes and Cake Pops' pin board each week. I haven't made this recipe yet, but they look delicious, don't you think?

Blueberry Pancake Cupcakes with Maple Buttercream Frosting

Picture from Your Cup Of Cake

This recipe is from a blog called Your Cup Of Cake which has a lot of yummy cupcake, muffin, and cookie recipes. You can follow Lizzy, the blog owner of Your Cup Of Cake, on Pinterest at Lizzy's Cup Of Cake.

The Night Shift Coffee Company

2011-10-27T22:06:00.000-06:00

Red Velvet and Strawberry

If you live in Salt Lake City, UT, you are in for a real treat - The Night Shift Coffee Company located at 5171 Cottonwood St, Ste. 160 (on the Intermountain Medical Center campus) sells gourmet bite-sized cupcakes. They are only $1.00 and they are so decadent, moist, and delicious. You can literally eat them in one to two bites, but I promise these cupcakes will leave you satisfied. Did I mention they are only $1.00? Stop by for a cup of coffee and try one (or six) of these fabulous little cupcakes.

Cupcake Confidential

2011-10-25T22:05:00.000-06:00

New cupcake show alert! This one is on Cooking Channel and it is called Cupcake Confidential (I was channel surfing the other night and came across this fun new show). On this particular episode they followed three different cupcake entrepreneurs through the triumphs and trials of running a successful cupcake business. I am not sure if they will following the same three each week or if they will introduce others - I haven't quite figured this show out yet.

Here are the stars from this week's episode:

Brandon from Mission Minis in San Francisco, CA
Erica from Sweet E's Bake Shop in Los Angeles, CA
Hollis from Sweet! By Good Golly Miss Holly in Orlando, FL

All three have been on Cupcake Wars, so it was fun to see each of them in action and running a successful cupcake business.

You can find the TV schedule for Cupcake Confidential, here.

Cupcakes - There's An App For That

2011-10-19T19:04:00.000-06:00

Do you want a free Sprinkles Cupcake? All you need to do is download the Sprinkles Cupcake app. Each day Sprinkles makes a limited supply of FREE cupcakes. With this app you will get an alert that gives you the secret "whisper words" of the day. Then be one of the first into a Sprinkles Cupcake store and whisper the words to the Sprinkles employee for a free cupcake.

With this app you can also view the flavor schedule, send family and friends virtual cupcakes on facebook for their Birthday, find Sprinkles locations, and play games.

The app is completely free. You can download the iPhone version, here, and the Android version, here.

Cupcake Wars Season 3 Top Recipes

2011-10-09T12:29:00.000-06:00

Now that the third season of Cupcake Wars as wrapped, they have posted The Top 12 Winning Recipes on their website. You can find the recipes for Peaches n' Cream Cupcakes (shown above), Banana Toffee Cupcakes, Peach-Berry Shortcake Cupcakes, and more. To find all of the season 3 winning cupcake recipes, click here.

To read more about the Cupcake Wars season 3 premiere winner, Annette (her winning cupcake was the Peaches n' Cream), click here.

To find the winning cupcake recipes from Cupcake Wars season 1, click here. And season 2, click here.

I Pin Cupcakes

2011-10-04T13:45:00.000-06:00

Picture and recipe for Lime Cupcakes from Whisk Kid

I pin, do you? I have no idea what I did with my spare time before I discovered Pinterest. Pinterest is a virtual pinboard were I can collect all the beautiful, fun, creative, and delicious things I find on the web. In the past I would print, save, or bookmark cupcake recipes and now I have one place to keep all of my favorites.

On Pinterest you can browse through pins created by other people or you can create your own. If you browse through the millions of pins already on Pinterest you can discover new ideas and be inspired to try new things. Pins are pictures (or quotes) and if there is a how-to or recipe just click on the picture to get the web address. You can create categories for all of your pins. I have 16 different categories, including; things I want to make, places I want to go, things I love, styles I love, ideas for my little one, cupcakes (of course), and more.

There are so many cupcake recipes on Pinterest. So, if you are looking for beautiful photos along with delicious cupcake recipes, Pinterest is the place to find them and keep them organized.

You can follow my cupcakes and cake pops pinboard (and my other boards that interest you), here. Happy Pinning!

The History Of Cupcakes

2011-10-03T22:08:00.000-06:00

Click on picture to enlarge (this will open a new window - click again to zoom)

These fun facts are brought to you by All Culinary Schools. Are you are interested in starting your own cupcake business? You can learn more about baking school, here.

Kara's Cupcakes and Sift Cupcake and Dessert Bar

2011-09-30T23:00:00.000-06:00

For one of our family trips this year we traveled to Northern California. We drove to San Francisco and spent a couple of days, then headed north up the coast to Eureka and toured Redwood National Forest, and then we went to Napa to spend the last couple of days. It was such an amazing trip. During our travels I was lucky enough to visit two cupcakeries that have both made appearances on Cupcake Wars - Kara's Cupcakes and Sift Cupcake and Dessert Bar.

First cupcake stop - Kara's Cupcakes. They have six locations in California with two of those locations in the heart of San Francisco. We went to the Marina location (inside of store shown above). It was a small store with a beautiful display of cupcakes. I was so excited to try them because I had heard so many good things about them. To put it simply, they were delicious. Very moist cake, rich flavors, and perfect frosting. My favorite was the Raspberry Dazzle. I will definitely visit again.

Kara's Cupcakes

Second cupcake stop - Sift Cupcake and Dessert Bar. They were winners on Cupcake Wars and ever since their appearance I have been excited to visit. They are located in the heart of the wine country (Napa Valley). Again, the cupcakes did not disappoint. They were delicious. Especially the Almond Cupcake with Blueberry Tequila Filling (click for recipe). The Acai Berry Cream Cheese frosting was one of the best tasting frostings I have ever had. I seriously could eat it out of a bowl with a spoon. Also, when I bought the cupcake I didn't really know (or remember) that the center was a tequila filling. I bit into the cupcake and it was definitely the taste of tequila. It just caught me a little off guard and actually made me feel a little warm inside - like how you feel after taking a shot. I will definitely want to visit them again as well.

If you would like other recipes from Sift on Cupcake Wars, click here.

Sift Cupcake and Dessert Bar

Georgetown Cupcake on Dr. Oz

2011-09-19T17:06:00.000-06:00

Photo from www.doctoroz.com

Did you happen to catch Katherine and Sophie from Georgetown Cupcake on Dr. Oz? They shared their recipe for Georgetown Cupcake 50-Calorie Mini Carrot Cupcakes (click for the recipe). They are delicious and healthy mini cupcakes with a low-fat cream cheese frosting. Also, the DC Cupcake sisters announced that you can enter in a contest on Dr. Oz's website to win a trip to Washington DC for a personal baking lesson with them. To enter, click here.

For another healthy cupcake recipe by Georgetown Cupcake, click here.

My Favorite Tips From Cupcake Reality Shows

2011-08-24T23:01:00.000-06:00

Over the years I have learned some great tips from cupcake reality shows that have completely improved my own cupcake baking. I am not a gourmet baker at all, but I am good at following recipes and I know that making the smallest adjustment can make my cupcakes turn out even better.

I am going to share a few of the tips I have learned. They are simple things that will make your cupcakes even more amazing.

Tip from: Cupcake Wars

Add espresso to your chocolate cupcake batter to give it a more intense chocolate flavor. You can add a couple of tablespoons of liquid espresso up to 1/2 cup. Since all recipes are different you may need to taste your batter and adjust the amount you use.

Tip from: The Cupcake Girls

Make sure all of the ingredients that go into your cupcakes and frosting are at room temperature. This one made a huge difference in my own baking. My cupcakes turned out more fluffy and more consistent. Eggs, milk, butter, cream cheese, and other cold ingredients should all be at room temperature before mixing and baking. Not only does it make everything easier to blend, it will make your cupcakes more light and fluffy.

Tip from: DC Cupcakes

The girls on DC Cupcakes suggest using Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla. This is the king of all vanillas and is perfect for all types of baking. It's a rich and creamy vanilla and will make a big difference in your cupcakes flavor. I like the madagascar bourbon vanilla by Nielsen-Massey Vanilla. You can find this brand in fine grocery stores, culinary supply stores, or at Williams-Sonoma.

Nielsen-Massey Vanillas also sells vanilla bean paste, whole vanilla beans, vanilla sugar, and other cooking vanillas (shown below: Mexican, Madagascar Bourbon, and Tahitian). They also carry hard-to-find extracts like rose water, orange blossom, and more.

I hope these simple tips help you as much as they helped me. Happy cupcake baking!

Cupcake Wars Top Recipes

2011-08-21T21:44:00.000-06:00

Picture from Food Network

Do you love Cupcake Wars and you want to get your hands on the recipes from the show? Cupcake Wars has the Top 70 Cupcake Wars Recipes posted on their website. Now you can make delicious cupcakes like Mint Chocolate Chip and Fresh Mint Buttercream, Pretty in Pink Strawberry Champagne, and Pumpkin Spice with Brown Butter Buttercream.

If you want to narrow your search, you can find the winning recipes from season three, here, season two, here, and season one, here.

Cupcake Decorating Classes

2011-08-18T22:18:00.000-06:00

Picture from Butterlane Cupcakes

Do you want to learn how to decorate beautiful cakes or cupcakes but you aren't quite ready to sign up for culinary school? Check out your local craft store, grocery store, or high school. Yes, high school.

In my area (Salt Lake City, UT) there are several places to take classes to learn how to decorate cakes and cupcakes and they are pretty inexpensive. Michael's craft store offers Wilton Cake Decorating Courses (click to see class descriptions or find a class in your area). A local grocery store, Harmons, holds cupcake decorating classes every once in a while. We also have a restaurant and culinary supply store, Gygi's, that teaches classes like gluten-free baking, how to make sugar-art gum paste flowers, and other decorating classes. But, did you think to check at your local high school for cupcake decorating classes? Our school districts have continuing education programs where adults take classes in the evening for enrichment, career development, or just for fun. Granite Peaks Lifelong Learning offers cake decorating, gluten-free baking, cake pop making, and cupcake decorating classes. They range from one to four sessions and cost $15 to $39 per class (includes all sessions).

So, if you just want to learn the basics about cupcake decorating, check your local craft stores or schools. Also, don't forget to check out your local cupcakery - more and more are starting to offer cupcake decorating classes right in their stores.

The Cakery Fakery

2011-08-16T22:49:00.000-06:00

Don't the cupcakes in this post look good enough to eat? Well, don't do it. They aren't edible. They are adorable cupcake creations by The Cakery Fakery. The creator of these faux cupcakes calls them "cupfakes." She stated that she is a terrible baker so when she feels like making cupcakes, she goes to Home Depot instead of the supermarket for her ingredients. They are all fun, without the fat.

The are the actual size of a cupcake but are heavy enough to be a paperweight. They would make a "sweet" desk accessory. The Cakery Fakery sells them online and has a lot of choose from. You can find their Etsy site, here. Also, you can find their blog, here, or follow them on facebook, here.

Something else that is pretty sweet, The Cakery Fakery donates 10% of all sales to the St. Judes Children's Research Hospital. I love that!

The Cupcake Girls

2011-08-13T21:32:00.000-06:00

How did I not know about the reality cupcake show called The Cupcake Girls? Not only did I just find out about them, but they already wrapped their second season. Heather White and Lori Joyce, best friends and co-founders of Cupcakes by Heather and Lori, can be found on the WE tv channel (click to check your local listings). I caught two episodes today and totally fell in love with the show. The girls are funny, business savvy, and very charming. During the show you follow them through the trials and triumphs of running a successful cupcakery - they have six shops to be exact, all located in Canada.

Do want their recipe for Cherry Glazed filled Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting? Click here.

To follow The Cupcake Girls and find out what they are up to, you can find them on facebook, here. To follow their business, Cupcakes by Heather and Lori, click here.

To find out about other cupcake shows on TV, click here.

Miette: Recipes From San Francisco's Most Charming Pastry Shop

2011-08-10T13:48:00.000-06:00

Miette, San Francisco's most charming pastry shop, now has a cookbook. This hard-cover cookbook has over 100 recipes and 75 color photos of the sweets you can purchase right at the shop. Check out the scalloped edges on the pages, isn't that adorable? You can pick up a copy of this cookbook, here. You can also visit Miette's website, here.

I am really excited that I am going to San Francisco in a few weeks and will be able to visit this charming pastry shop. If you know of any other cupcake shops I should try between Reno, NV, San Francisco, CA, and Napa, CA, send me an email (besides Kara's Cupcakes, Miette, and Sift Cupcake - they are already on the list).

Heaven Cupcake

2011-08-01T14:48:00.000-06:00

I just got around to watching all the shows I recorded last week on my DVR while we were out of town. One of the shows was Cupcake Wars and I was so surprised (and happy) to see that one of the competitors was from Salt Lake City, UT. Erik from Heaven Cupcake competed against three other cupcake bakers trying to become the next winner of Cupcake Wars. He was one of the final two standing but didn't end up taking the grand prize because of a couple small issues - some cupcakes weren't decorated competely and not all of his cupcakes made it to the display table. Oops! I think he still should have won.

To view some of the recipes from this episode or find out when it will re-air, click here.

Heaven Cupcake is a cupcake delivery service. For information, click here. To find them on facebook, click here and Twitter, here.

Love At First Bite

2011-07-27T21:05:00.000-06:00

On our way to Yellowstone National Park last weekend we made a stop in Idaho Falls, ID to visit a cupcakery called Love At First Bite. I am so glad we made the stop - it is a darling gift shop with speciality fine foods and candy. They also have a huge case with cupcakes, cake truffles, hand dipped chocolates, and more.

We bought a chocolate cheesecake and a Red Velvet cupcake. Both were divine. The frosting on both was absolutely delicious. The Red Velvet cupcake was one of the best I have had. The frosting was a really rich cream cheese and wasn't overly sweet. The chocolate cheesecake was a delicious chocolate cake with graham cracker crust. The topping was a chocolate ganache with a cream cheese frosting and chocolate chips.

We also bought chocolates and cake truffles that were beyond yummy. I loved everything about Love At First Bite and can't wait to visit again.

The Cupcake Diaries by Georgetown Cupcake

2011-07-19T21:56:00.000-06:00

Katherine and Sophie, owners of Georgetown Cupcake and sisters on the hit show, DC Cupcakes, are finally coming out with their own cookbook called The Cupcake Diaries: Recipes and Memories from the Sisters of Georgetown Cupcake. It will be released on November 8, 2011 and you can pre-order by clicking, here. Pretty sweet!

For a sneak peek at some of the recipes inside the book, click here.

The Sweet Tooth Fairy On QVC

2011-07-19T18:08:00.000-06:00

If you want some of the best treats Utah has to offer then you must tune in to QVC this Sunday, July 24, at 8:00pm EST. Megan Faulkner Brown, owner of The Sweet Tooth Fairy, will be on during the "Christmas in July" Gourmet Holiday Food Show selling her famous Cake Bites. Seriously, they are the most decadent, delicious bites of sweetness in the world.

Don't forget to become a fan of The Sweet Tooth Fairy on facebook to find out all of the latest happenings.

Cake Pops DIY Kit by Bakerella

2011-07-18T23:41:00.000-06:00

Angie Dudley, author of the best selling cookbook, Cake Pops, and creator of the very popular wesbite, Bakerella.com, has a new Cake Pops DIY Kit coming out later this year. This kit will make it easy to make your very own cake pops at home. It comes with a booklet with step-by-step instructions, clear cello bags, cake pop sticks, gift cards, and ribbon to wrap 48 cake pops. The kit also comes with five new cake pop designs!

To get your hands on the Cake Pops DIY kit, you can pre-order it, here. Also, if you don't have a copy of Bakerella's Cake Pops cookbook, you can order it, here.

One Sweet Slice Is Now Open

2011-07-14T13:58:00.000-06:00

Great news Utah cupcake lovers - One Sweet Slice Custom Cake and Cupcake Shoppe in South Jordan is now open! They are located about 10600 S Redwood Rd (just doors down from Cafe Rio). They are currently having a soft opening and will have a grand opening celebration around the first week in August.

Yesterday I stopped in for some cupcakes and I got to meet the owner, Janell. She was as nice as she could be and her store was exquisite. It is probably the best decorated cupcake store I have ever been in. I have been anxiously awaiting to try her cupcakes and they did not disappoint. The cake was so moist and delicious and the frosting was so creamy and not overly sweet. I bought a Red Velvet, Snickers, Black and White, Vanilla, Princess, and Dirt. The Dirt cupcake (like a classic "Dirt Dessert") was so good and took me straight back to my childhood. It was a chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream frosting with cookie crumbles and crispy rice cereal (for dirt), and a gummy worm on top. All of the cupcakes were fantastic!

Cupcakes above are Vanilla and Princess

One Sweet Slice also offers custom cakes, cake truffles, cupcake shakes, and more. Also, they will sell their mini cupcakes at Tai Pan Trading (9000 South location) on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

To learn more about them and find out about upcoming events you can check out their website here or follow them on facebook here.

Scentsy Cupcake

2011-07-12T11:53:00.000-06:00

The Scentsy warmer of the month (July) is a cupcake. As soon as I heard I called my good friend, and Scentsy consultant, and ordered one. It is a mid-size warmer and very cute. Also, Scentsy's fragrance of the month is Happy Birthday (fragrant wax squares you melt in your warmer). I love having a Scentsy warmer on all the time, it makes my house smell so good.

Scentsy is a company that sells wickless candles, ceramic warmers, and other fragrant products. To purchase Scentsy products you need to go through a Scentsy consultant.

Hungry Girl Cupcakes

2011-07-07T21:42:00.000-06:00

Picture courtesy of Hungry-girl.com

One of my favorite people on the planet is Lisa Lillien, also known as Hungry Girl. This best selling cookbook writer, star on Cooking Channel and Food Network, and self-proclaimed "foodologist", sends out daily emails about healthy eating, healthy recipes, and so much more. Today's email from Hungry Girl was all about low-cal cupcakes. Recipes like Boston Cream Cupcakes (114 calories), Coconut Cream Fluffcakes (105 calories), and Banana SplitCakes (143 calories).

So, if you love cupcakes but you don't love the fat and calories that go along with them, you need to try these recipes.

Fun Gadget For Filling Cupcakes

2011-07-05T23:45:00.000-06:00

You can pretty much fill a cupcake with anything you want; frosting, jam or jelly, mousse, candy, curd, ganache, and more. The Cuisipro Cupcake Corer ($5, Williams Sonoma) can make filling cupcakes a cinch. Make sure your cupcakes are completely cooled and then twist the corer into the cupcake (a guard indicates how deep to cut). Pull corer out and push plunger to remove the core. Easy! Then you just fill your cupcake and frost.

You can find a lot of cupcake filling recipes online as well as other ways to core a cupcake. Click here, here, or here for some recipes and tips or do a search for "filling cupcakes."

Also, check out the DC Cupcakes girls favorite cupcake and filling combos.

The Chocolate

2011-06-24T22:56:00.000-06:00

The Chocolate, located in West Jordan and Orem, UT, are quaint little dessert cafes that sell fabulous treats like triple-layered cake by the slice, cupcakes, and more.

Carmel Chocolate cupcake and Cookies n' Cream cupcake

I stopped by the West Jordan location which is in a little old house at 9118 South Redwood Road. They have several beautifully decorated rooms with tables and chairs or couches where customers can sit and enjoy a delicious treat. It would be the perfect place to stop and have a slice of cake with your girlfriends.

Cupcake Wars Season 3 Premiere Winner

2011-06-16T23:26:00.000-06:00

Photo courtesy of DC Visions

Did you happen to catch the season premiere of Cupcake Wars Tuesday on Food Network? If not, meet Annette, winner of the season 3 premiere and owner of Goodie Girls Cupcakes opening this summer in Glendale, CA. (The cupcakery will be located just two blocks from the bustling Americana At Brand shopping and entertainment center.)

Annette, an adorable blonde dressed in a handmade tutu and bright pink hair bow, along with her Goodie Girl assistant, Jackie Brubaker (who is also the face of the emerging country/pop band, Jackie Brubaker and the Ex Boyfriends), whipped up cupcakes dusted with edible glitter that dazzled the judges. After surviving two elimination rounds, Annette advanced to the final phase of the competition held at Kentucky Derby 137 at Churchill Downs in Louisville.

Photo Courtesy of DC Visions

Judged by Candace Nelson (owner of Sprinkles Cupcakes) and Florian Bellanger (owner and chef of MadMac), the winning cupcake display included Derby-inspired flavors like Mint Julep, Peaches N' Cream, Bubbly (dark chocolate cake, strawberry filling, and topped with Champagne frosting), and Blueberry Pancakes, all dusted with edible glitter. I absolutely love her love for glitter! She is my kind of girly girl - glitter, pink, cupcakes. Love it!

Mint Julep Cupcakes - Photo courtesy of Mia Dolce

Here are two of her winning cupcakes (pictured above and below). To get the recipe for her Peaches N' Cream cupcake, click here. Check your local listings to see when they will re-air this episode. (Even though you already know who the winner is - maybe you just want to see her in action and see her amazing winning display that was featured at the Derby's star-studded Red Carpet event.)

Blueberry Pancakes Cupcake (Annette's signature flavor)

You can find out more about Goodie Girls and all of their upcoming events on facebook, wordpress, and twitter. Also, check out their website to find out the latest happenings and get on their "sweet list".

Goodie Girls, congratulations on winning Cupcake Wars and on your new storefront coming soon!

11/9/2011 Update: Click here to read about the Goodie Girls grand opening celebration.

Guys Love Cupcakes Too

2011-06-15T23:18:00.000-06:00

Cupcakes are a perfect treat to give Dad on Father's Day. A lot of cupcakeries are offering some sort of "manly" promotion to celebrate this special occasion. For example, here is what a couple of my local cupcake shops are doing to celebrate:

Dippidee - They are selling tool and tie shaped sugar cookies as well as four father-themed cupcake flavors (bacon perhaps?).

The Sweet Tooth Fairy - Bring Dad in for a FREE cupcake of his choice on Saturday.

So grab some cupcakes for Dad and enjoy them with him. He will thank you!

Cupcake Truffles

2011-06-15T11:42:00.000-06:00

Do you love candy and cupcakes? Well, now you can have both with these adorable Cupcake Truffles from the super cute New York candy store, Dylan's Candy Bar. They are handmade gourmet truffles made with Callebaut Chocolate and filled with rich flavored ganache. Dylan's Candy Bar also have Vanilla Cupcake Pencils and Red Velvet Cupcake Taffy. Just checking out their website will make you a kid in a candy store with bright eyes and a huge smile no matter what your age is.

You can see my last blog post about Dylan's Candy Bar, here.

Cupcakes From Ogden to Idaho Falls

2011-06-06T15:54:00.000-06:00

Over Memorial weekend we went to Idaho Falls, ID to visit and decorate the graves of loved ones. During the trip I planned to make a quick stop by two cupcakeries - Vintage Cupcake Co. in Ogden, UT and The Cocoa Bean Cupcake Cafe in Idaho Falls, ID.

First stop was Vintage Cupcake Co. in Ogden, UT. They are located at 470 24th Street and specialize in cupcakes and vintage decor. The shop was completely decorated in vintage decor - it was darling. It was really hard to make a decision because they had so many delicious flavors to choose from and they were all decorated so beautiful. I finally chose the BTA cupcake (Better Than Anything - chocolate cake soaked in S&D milk and butterscotch and topped with whipped cream and toffee) and my husband had the Cotton Candy (see below). The cupcakes were divine. They were not overly sweet, the cake was moist, and the frosting was really unique.

Vintage Cupcake

The next day we stopped at The Cocoa Bean Cupcake Cafe at 2545 South 25th East in Idaho Falls, ID. They also have locations in Rexburg, ID and Provo, UT. I had the Grasshopper, my Mom had the BTW (Better Than Whatever), and my husband had the Vanilla Bean. All three cupcakes were delicious! The frosting was so good and the cake was very moist. I also really loved the "cafe" feel. It's the kind of place you want to hang out and enjoy a cup of coffee and a cupcake while catching up on your favorite blogs and websites using their free Wi-Fi.

The Cocoa Bean Cafe

To our surprise, just a couple doors down from The Cocoa Bean Cupcake Cafe we discovered a new cupcakery, The Cupcake Factory. Located at 2631 South Hitt Road, Idaho Falls, ID. They specialize in square gourmet cupcakes. This time I ordered the S'mores cupcake, my mom had the cheesecake, and my husband had the BTA (Better Than Anything). I couldn't believe all three cupcakeries we stopped at had BTA cupcakes. I have heard of the BTA cake (aka BTW or BTS cake) but have never seen this flavor at a cupcake shop before. I really liked the cake but wasn't totally in love with the mousse frosting or marshmallow glaze. We thought the cupcakes were okay. (7/27/11 Update: On our last trip to Idaho Falls we noticed that The Cupcake Factory is no longer in business.)

The Cupcake Factory

The next night we went out to dinner and found yet ANOTHER cupcake shop in Idaho Falls. Who knew Idahoan's loved cupcakes as much as Utahan's? It was called Love At First Bite. Sadly it was Sunday and they were closed. We stopped by again on our way out of town Monday (Memorial Day) and they were closed for the holiday. We will stop again in July on our way to Yellowstone and let you know how it was. (7/27/11 Update: We finally got to visit Love At First Bite. Read my review, here.)

Overall we all loved The Cocoa Bean Cupcake Cafe cupcakes the best, with Vintage Cupcake Co. coming in a close second.

Cupcake Wars Season 3

2011-06-04T21:47:00.000-06:00

Great news for all of you Cupcake Wars fans - Season 3 premieres on Tuesday, June 14, at 8pm/7c on Food Network. Candace Nelson, owner of Sprinkles Cupcakes, and Florian Bellanger, chef and co-owner of MadMacs, will be back to judge again this season, as well as Justin Willman, the host of Cupcake Wars.

So grab a cupcake from your local cupcakery, sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Low-Fat Cupcakes! Hooray!

2011-05-26T16:56:00.000-06:00

Photo from TLC, DC Cupcakes

I try to eat as healthy as possible most of the time but I must leave room in my diet for an occasional cupcake. Cupcakes make me happy. So, if I make low-fat cupcakes I can eat more, right? Right. Well, the girls from Georgetown Cupcake (the Cupcake Sisters from DC Cupcakes) have shared a low-fat version of their Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes and I can't wait to try them. You can find the recipe, here.

Thank you Katherine and Sophie for giving us a healthy version of these super rich, super chocolaty cupcakes!

P.S. You can find the naughty (aka regular) version of their Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes, here.

Happy 5th Birthday Dippidee!

2011-05-26T16:03:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite bakeries, Dippidee, just turned FIVE! Between May 23 and June 4 they will be having instant giveaways, free mini cupcakes to all those that stop in, 15% off cake orders, a case full of birthday themed treats, and more. Also, they are having a contest where they will be giving away a whole year of sweet surprises. Check out the all of the activities and contest details, here.

Doggie Cupcakes From So Cupcake

2011-05-18T12:46:00.000-06:00

Earlier this week we stopped by So Cupcake to get some of their adorable mini cupcakes. It was really hard to choose just six from the 20 or so flavors they had that day. I noticed when I was picking out my cupcakes that they now sell doggie cupcakes and I just had to buy a couple. I was assured by the owner of So Cupcake that they are made with very dog-friendly ingredients.

Needless to say, the dogs went BANANAS over them. Madison (see smiling Jack Russell) took her cupcake out of the bowl, ran off the deck to the grass, and devoured it. I am glad I removed the cupcake liner for her.

Eddie (see Chihuahua) was a little more dainty eating his. He licked off the frosting first and then ate the rest in a couple of bites.

Sprinkles Cupcakes also sell adorable doggie cupcakes which our dogs loved.

Congratulate Your Grad With Cupcakes

2011-05-14T17:04:00.000-06:00

Cupcakes are the perfect way to say congratulations to that special person in your life that is graduating. For an added touch you can have them frosted in their school colors or if you live close to a Sprinkles Cupcakes you can order graduation cupcakes adorned with graduation caps (pictured below).

Along with the cupcakes you can give them a copy of Oh, The Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss (my personal favorite gift to give at graduations).

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

Dippidee Voted Best Cupcakes In Utah County

2011-05-10T22:15:00.000-06:00

The people voted and Dippidee was named best bakery, best cupcake, and best dessert in the Utah County Daily Herald. Congratulations Dippidee! You deserve it. If you stop in this week (May 10-14) and make a purchase you will receive one free fun size cupcake to celebrate.

I highly recommend the Little Devil cupcake. It is chocolate heaven and it's one of my 'top 5' favorite cupcakes. My husband recommends the Caramel White Chocolate. It is his #1 favorite cupcake.

Georgetown Cupcake on The Nate Berkus Show

2011-05-10T12:43:00.000-06:00

Today Katherine and Sophie, owners of Georgetown Cupcake and stars of the hit show DC Cupcakes, were on The Nate Berkus Show serving up tips and tricks about baking and frosting cupcakes and how they made these adorable cupcake flower pots (see picture above). To get all of their fun tips and their recipe for chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting, click here.

Click here for more recipes by Georgetown Cupcake.

Frosting Shots

2011-05-10T12:01:00.000-06:00

Do you ever just crave frosting, not the whole cupcake? There are several cupcakeries that just offer a "frosting shot" for a dollar or two. Most offer a variety of flavors to choose from and serve just the right amount in little sample cups. I recently heard a rumor that Sprinkles Cupcakes sell frozen frosting shots (see picture above). Doesn't that sound delish? I need to plan a road trip to Scottsdale, AZ just so I can try one out for myself.

If you want a shot of frosting but don't see it on the menu at your local cupcakery, just ask. Some offer them but just don't have it on the menu.

Utahans can get their frosting shot fix at The Sweet Tooth Fairy.

I Met The Sweet Tooth Fairy

2011-05-07T17:22:00.000-06:00

Today I went to The Sweet Tooth Fairy to get my three free cake bites for Mother's Day as well some of the new flavor-of-the-month cupcakes, including; Mayan Chocolate, Cinnamon Churro, and Dulce de Leche. I was so surprised to see Megan Faulkner Brown, the owner of The Sweet Tooth Fairy, walk out of the back room. I have seen pictures of her on their website and I've seen her on QVC, Rachel Ray, and Outrageous Kid Parties. I knew who she was the second I saw her. And guess what? She waited on me. She is like a celebrity to me - a celebrity that makes some of my favorite cupcakes. I wasn't the only one excited either, the people behind me in line were eager to meet her as well. We talked about our kids, cupcakes, and her TV appearances. I am so excited that I finally got to meet her and she really was as sweet as she could be.

Quick Update: One Sweet Slice

2011-04-29T21:54:00.000-06:00

Janell, the owner of One Sweet Slice, emailed to let me know that there will be a delay opening the store because they are required by South Jordan to add another bathroom in order to host events and parties like cake/cupcake decorating birthday parties. They will most likely open early to mid-June. As soon as I know the grand opening date, I will let you know. I am so excited!

Thanks for the update, Janell!

One Sweet Slice

2011-04-27T21:30:00.000-06:00

A new cupcakery is coming to Utah and I am so excited! It's called One Sweet Slice and it will be located in South Jordan at 10600 Redwood Rd (in the same strip mall as Cafe Rio). The owner, Janell Brown, has actually been creating cake masterpieces for six years in Utah, but this is her very first store front. You have to check out her photo gallery - her cakes are gorgeous.

According to One Sweet Slice's facebook page, they will be opening on May 16. They will sell cupcakes, wedding cakes, birthday cakes, and more. I am planning on attending the grand opening and I will post my review here. I can tell just by looking at the pictures on their website that they are going to be fabulous!

PB Cupcakes, White Chocolate Cupcakes, and Cake Pops

2011-04-23T21:18:00.000-06:00

This weekend I played around with cupcake recipes and made a couple of new fun creations. I made peanut butter cupcakes using the Andes Mint Cupcakes recipe (click for recipe). Instead of adding Andes Mints into the batter, I used peanut butter chips and topped the cupcakes with a whipped peanut butter frosting. If you like eating peanut butter straight out of the container, this cupcake will satisfy your biggest PB craving. They were so peanut buttery.

The whipped peanut butter frosting is; 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup of butter, and 1 cup confectioners sugar. Mix the peanut butter and butter together and then add the confectioners sugar 1/4 cup at a time. Whip until light and fluffy.

I also used the same batter and added white chocolate chips instead of Andes Mints. I made a butter cream frosting, but should have used a white chocolate frosting like this one. I frosted the cupcakes using a new technique I learned watching Cupcake Wars. I put the tip (size 807) right in the center of the cupcake, not quite touching the cupcake, and then squeezed my frosting bag without moving the tip. The more you squeeze, the farther out toward the edge the frosting goes, until it's a perfect round circle and just the right amount of frosting. I really loved the way they turned out.

And I made Cake Pops using my Bakerella cookbook. I made the Basic Chocolate Cake Pop recipe, dipped them in pink melting chocolate, and then added mini white nonpareils. Don't they look like the new Starbucks Cake Pops? They were very time consuming, but so worth it. My husband said they were amazing.

After all of that I am going to take a couple of weeks off from baking and just enjoy treats from a local cupcakery.

Wrap Your Cupcake Up In Style

2011-04-22T23:38:00.000-06:00

If you aren't really into decorating cupcakes but would like to make them look professional and stylish, look no further. Bella Cupcake Couture carry a ton of different wrappers to make your cupcakes look fantastic. All you have to do is bake and frost your cupcakes, stick them in a wrapper, and then wait to hear all the comments about how beautiful they are.

You can order them online or search for stores that carry them in your area here.

Cupcakes For Baby Girls

2011-04-21T15:44:00.000-06:00

Just about every where you shop for baby you can find something with a cupcake on it. I just wanted to share a few of my personal favorites. (I apologize I don't have anything for baby boys. Cupcake baby products are just not very manly.)

The cupcake nursery clock and crib set are by Trend Lab. They also carry burp rags, blankets, bibs, and more. I have the burp rags and bibs for my baby and they are my favorite - and not just because they have cupcakes on them. You can also find some of the cupcake Trend Lab products on Target.com.

Boppy sells a cupcake nursing pillow cover. I found mine at Babies R Us.

The Children's Place has really cute clothes for both babies and little girls with cupcakes on them. I just love The Children's Place because the quality is really good and they're really affordable.

My very favorite baby blankets are by Aden + Anais. The are a 100% natural cotton muslin and they are so soft. I absolutely love them. This collection is called "Baby Cakes Swaddle" and as you can see the first one has cupcakes on it. I bought them at a cute children's boutique called Oopsie Daisy, but they are available other places and online.

Blue Lemon

2011-04-18T16:40:00.000-06:00

This past week my Mom and I had lunch at Blue Lemon in Salt Lake City, UT. It's a cafe and bakery that serves everything from gourmet entrees and artisan sandwiches to smoothies and cupcakes. As Blue Lemon calls it "it's pure clean food with a twist." They even offer gourmet cooking classes and catering. The Salt Lake location is part of the new City Creek Center and they also have a location in Highland, UT.

I heard Blue Lemon had amazing cupcakes, so I had to check them out for myself. We ordered the artichoke and tomato panini with sweet potato fries and two cupcakes to share. All I can say, is the cupcakes did not disappoint. (Actually, all of the food we ordered was delicious.) The "Oreo" cupcake was amazing. The chocolate cake was so moist and the buttercream frosting was indescribable. It was so buttery and not overly sweet. The top of the cupcake had Oreo cookie crumbles. It was a perfect cupcake. The "Vanilla" cupcake was really good as well. A rich vanilla taste with the same yummy buttercream frosting. I will definitely be going back to try more flavors of their cupcakes.

If you stop by to try a cupcake, take a friend to share. They are huge.

Click for locations, hours, and their menu www.bluelemon.com

Cupcake Wars Recipes

2011-04-16T21:47:00.000-06:00

I am a huge fan of Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. It's one of my favorite shows and I have watched it religiously each week.

Now that season two has wrapped, they have posted the top 12 recipes on their website. That's right, you can make the top 12 best tasting and best looking cupcakes on Cupcake Wars Season 2 including; a Sweet Potato Cider cupcake with Marshmallow Frosting, a White Russian cupcake, and a Pulled Pork and Sweet Country Corn cupcake. Click here to check them out. You can also find other recipes from Season 2, here.

Update (August 2011): You can find the top 70 Cupcake Wars recipes, here.

How I Frost A Cupcake

2011-04-14T23:06:00.000-06:00

I remember frosting cupcakes as a little girl. It was always my favorite part of the cupcake making process. My Mom would bake them and I would frost them. I would use a butter knife and put a large amount of frosting on the cupcake I was going to eat because I have always loved frosting. Today, I frost cupcakes using a decorating tip or spatula. See my "how to" tips below.

My How To Tip To Frost With A Decorating Tip:

To get the "swirl" look I use really big decorating tips - #806 (for small cupcakes) or #807 (for regular cupcakes). The only local place I could find tips this large was at Orson H. Gygi, a Kitchen and Culinary Supply Store. (If you can't find them in your area, do a search online for "decorating tips size 806 and 807" - I found several websites you can purchase them for less than $2.00 a piece.)

I use disposable decorating bags - size 12-16 inch. You can find these at craft stores or some grocery stores. I just cut the end so the tip fits about half way through and it's good to go.

Some people put a dollop of frosting in the middle of their cupcake and then start to "swirl" around it. I start my "swirl" in the middle and work out to the edge, around, and then up (a tip I learned from watching DC Cupcakes). The frosting in the middle prevents the top of the "swirl" from caving in. Caving = not a cute cupcake. Each time you circle, move closer to the center of the cupcake until you are right in the middle and then pull up.

The recipe for this cupcake can be found here.

See another technique to frost cupcakes (that I love) with a decorating tip here.

My How To Tip To Frost With A Spatula:
If you want your cupcakes to look more like Sprinkles Cupcakes, you'll want to use a small spatula. Take your spatula and place a dollop of frosting in the middle of your cupcake. Spread the icing out the edges almost like you are making a table top on top of the cupcake with frosting. Then take your spatula and circle the cupcake on the edge to give it a flat, smooth look all the way around.

You can find several how to videos on frosting cupcakes on You Tube. Frosting a cupcake should be fun. So take your time. Practice. And just have a good time. Just remember - messy cupcakes can taste just as good.

Peanut Butter And Co. Cupcake Mix

2011-04-11T23:05:00.000-06:00

Peanut Butter and Co. has a cupcake mix for Mighty Fine Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes. Chocolate and Peanut Butter - what could be better than that? As stated on PB & Co.'s website "It's an all-natural baking mix with a homemade taste." The mix makes 8 large or 30 mini cupcakes. I need to get my hands on a box and try them. You can get them here.

The Cupcake Cup Challenge

2011-04-11T22:33:00.000-06:00

It is time for the Second Annual Cupcake Cup Photo Challenge. I entered a picture of my Andes Mint Cupcake, which is now one of over 1000 entries. There are so many fun, beautiful, and creative pictures of cupcakes posted. Two lucky winners - one selected by the Food2 community and one by cupcake experts Nichelle Stephens and Rachel Kramer Bussel from Cupcakes Take The Cake - will each receive a deluxe baking and decorating set (valued at $75).

If you have a picture of a cupcake or cupcakes you would like to enter, just click here. Or just click and browse around. Like I said, there are so many fun pictures of cupcakes. There are only a couple of days left to enter and then the voting begins.

Mail Order Cupcakes

2011-04-06T22:39:00.000-06:00

There are several places you can order cupcakes from that will mail them directly to your door. Godiva (shown above), Williams-Sonoma (made by Perfect Endings from Napa Valley, CA), and Georgetown Cupcake to name a few. The shipping and handling fees can be a little steep because most require special handling and overnight shipping. Recently I ordered a dozen Georgetown Cupcakes for my Mom's Birthday and Retirement. They arrived the next day and they were in great condition. They were frozen and then shipped with ice packs to keep them cool. I just put them on the counter to thaw for a couple of hours before we enjoyed them. They were very fresh and delicious. I think they were worth spending $25 for shipping for. I am planning on trying the Williams-Sonoma cupcakes next - I will let you know how they are.

Note: Don't forget to search for coupon codes before ordering online. My friend searched "Georgetown Cupcake Coupon Code" and found a code for 15% off.

Cupcakes In The News

2011-04-06T22:13:00.000-06:00

Today on the CBS Evening News they talked about how cupcakes have become big business with over 400 different cupcake store fronts in the United States. Once a bake sale staple, it's now a fashionable and profitable food.

Click here to read all about it (and watch the video):
Sweet! The Big Business of Cupcakes

Cupcake Wine

2011-04-05T22:15:00.000-06:00

Cupcake Vineyards, located in Monterey County, California, have been making wine since 2008. As stated on their website, the wine label gets its name from the rich flavors in each of their wines - the tropical notes in their Chardonnay, the deep cherry aromas of their Merlot, the fresh berry notes in their Cabernet Sauvignon, and the lemon/key lime flavors in their Sauvignon Blanc.

I have found a couple of the Cupcake Vineyard wines in the Wine Store in Salt Lake City. If you can't find them locally and are unable to visit Monterey County anytime soon, then you can possibly order them online by clicking here.

They also have recipes on their website for gourmet cupcakes like Chocolate Blueberry Cupcakes and Lemon Rosemary Cupcakes along with the wine that pairs perfectly with each.

Cheers!

Update (9/30/2011) - Cupcake Vineyards now has Cupcake Vodka. Flavors include; Original, Chiffon, Frosting, and Devils Food. Click here to learn more.

Cute Cupcake Aprons

2011-03-30T17:03:00.000-06:00

For some reason baking cupcakes in a cute apron makes it so much more fun. I love girly, frilly aprons with bows, ruffles, and pockets. Not only are they cute, but they protect your clothes too. They are so functional.

Here are some fun cupcake aprons I found that you can purchase online:

Frosted Cupcake Apron from Cupcake Swirl. It's so cute!

Baker's Delight Apron from Anthropoloigie. Love Anthro! This apron also made an appearance in Sex and the City 2.

DC Cupcakes Flavors Apron from TLC. If you love Georgetown Cupcake and their TV show, DC Cupcakes, this apron is for you.

Filling Cupcake Liners With Batter

2011-03-29T22:22:00.000-06:00

There are several easy ways to fill your cupcake liners with batter; a spoon, a measuring cup, a ice cream scoop, or a pastry bag. You can find examples on filling cups with batter plus lots of other fun tips and tricks on Wilton.com. My favorite way is with an ice cream scoop like the one shown above. When the handle is squeezed it activates a little band that scrapes out the scoop and releases all of the batter inside. I have two different sizes, one for regular sized cupcakes and one for minis. If you watch Cupcake Wars, you'll see most of the competitors use an ice cream scoop. It's just really easy to use and mess free. I bought my scoop at Bed Bath and Beyond.

I think the pastry bag is a pretty genius idea too. I have never tried it before, but think I need to.

Make Your Own Sprinkles Cupcakes

2011-03-24T17:34:00.000-06:00

Do you love Sprinkles Cupcakes as much as I do? Unfortunately, I don't live near a Sprinkles and don't get to visit as often as I would like. So, I buy Sprinkles Cupcake mixes at Williams-Sonoma, which are almost just as good as the real thing. You can also buy the mixes on their website. They come in Dark Chocolate, Red Velvet, Vanilla, Banana, and Lemon. They are so easy to make - you just add a couple of ingredients to the dry ingredients provided for you, whip up an easy frosting recipe which is included, and you have yummy Sprinkles Cupcakes. They even come with the Sprinkles signature buttons for the tops of the cupcakes.

Candace Nelson, owner of Sprinkles and judge on Cupcake Wars, has also shared some of her recipes. Here they are:

Sprinkles Cupcakes' Strawberry Cupcakes
Sprinkles Cupcakes' Vanilla-Peppermint Cupcakes

Sprinkles Cupcakes' Peanut Butter Chip Cupcakes (see video)

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2011-03-22T12:39:00.000-06:00

I love Red Velvet cupcakes. They are probably my favorite flavor of all cupcakes. They are a rich chocolate cupcake with a cream cheese frosting and they are absolutely delicious. I don't have secret family cupcake recipes, even though I wish I did, I have to find my recipes in cookbooks and online and just try different ones until I find a favorite.

The Red Velvet cupcake recipe I tried yesterday was really good. It had a nice dark red color, a rich chocolate taste, and the vanilla cream cheese was amazingly good.

I baked them in 2 ounce souffle cups (aka nut cups), which you can just stand on a cookie sheet. I love these because they make the cupcakes a perfect size. I filled them about half-way full which ended up making about 5 dozen cupcakes.

The recipe is by McCormick. Click here to get it.

Kneader's Now Sells Cupcakes

2011-03-22T12:18:00.000-06:00

Kneader's Bakery has introduced "The Year Of The Cupcake." They will sell two flavors of cupcakes per month in all of their stores besides all of their other super yummy bakery items. My good friend who works as a head chef at one of our local Kneaders told me that I needed to try one of these super fancy and delicious cupcakes. I stopped by and picked up the White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle cupcake. It was really good. It's an angel food cake dipped in white chocolate with a raspberry filling. The topping is a layer of cream cheese and a raspberry whipped cream frosting. The topping and filling were tart and the cake and white chocolate were sweet, which balanced out the cupcake nicely.

You'll have to stop by and try one for yourself. Again, don't forget to check back every month since the flavors will change.

Hummingbird Cupcakes By Georgetown Cupcake

2011-03-16T12:00:00.000-06:00

Recently Sophie and Katherine, owners of Georgetown Cupcake, were on Martha Stewart and shared their recipe for Hummingbird Cupcakes. Hummingbird Cupcakes are a popular southern treat and were given there name because they are so sweet (hummingbirds love sweet nectar). These deliciously rich cupcakes are made with ingredients like bananas, pineapple, and pecans and then topped with a classic cream cheese frosting. Click here for the recipe.

Here are other recipes Georgetown Cupcake have shared:
Chocolate and Vanilla Election Day Cupcakes
Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes
New Year's Eve Strawberry Champagne Sparkler Cupcakes

My Cupcake Supply Store

2011-03-16T10:02:00.000-06:00

A couple of people have asked me where I buy my cupcake supplies. I buy them pretty much anywhere - craft stores, grocery stores, etc. But my favorite place to buy supplies is at Orson H. Gygi Co. in Salt Lake City, UT. It's a huge kitchen and culinary supply store and they carry everything from cupcake liners to sprinkles. They have it all. I use a really big tip when I frost cupcakes and this was the only place I could find it. I also buy my souffle cups and madagascar bourbon vanilla here. You can buy any color of melting chocolate, 5 Ibs loafs of carmel, baking pans, cookbooks, cake decorating supplies... and so, so much more. I am telling you, they really have it all. You can buy most of their supplies online by clicking here.

Mini Cupcakes Book Signing

2011-03-15T10:29:00.000-06:00

Leslie Fiet, owner of Mini's Cupcakes and author of Mini Cupcakes, will be doing two upcoming book signings in Salt Lake City, UT. So grab your copy of this fabulous cupcake cookbook and head over to meet the author and have your book signed at one of the following events:

When: Thursday, March 24 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM
Where: Mini's Cupcakes, 14 East 800 South

When: Saturday, March 26 at 2:00 PM
Where: The Kings English, 1511 South 1500 East

Even if you can't make it to the book signings, pick up a copy of this cookbook anyway. The recipes are wonderful, the pictures are beautiful, and it's a book you'll want in your collection.

Cupcake Wars Audition Tapes

2011-03-12T17:14:00.000-07:00

I have been anxiously awaiting a Utah cupcakery to make an appearance on one of my favorite shows, Cupcake Wars. While looking through audition tapes on YouTube I found several videos from our very own Utah cupcake shops which I am posting for your viewing pleasure. I am so excited that two Utah cupcakes shops are trying out for next season.

Here are some from 2010 (last season's auditions):

The Sweet Tooth Fairy (6 Utah Locations)

Dippidee (American Fork, UT)

The Cocoa Bean Cupcake Cafe (Provo, UT and 2 Idaho Locations)

Here are audition tapes from 2011 (they are trying out for season 3!):

Mini's Cupcakes (2 Salt Lake City, UT locations)

Cupcake Chic (Orem, UT)

Exciting News From My Favorite Cupcakeries

2011-03-09T11:30:00.000-07:00

Cupcake Chic - They now offer Gluten Free Cupcakes. They are delicious whether you have a gluten allergy or not.

Dippidee - Cupcakes With Your Cutie. It's a Mommy and Daughter Night at Dippidee on April 1 at 5:00 pm. See the flyer below for more details.

Mini's Cupcakes - They are trying out for Cupcake Wars Season 3! This is the best news ever! I have been looking forward to a Utah cupcakery to be on that show. I am crossing my fingers.

Free Cupcakes!

2011-03-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

It's Starbucks 40th Anniversary and they are celebrating with FREE CUPCAKES and other petite sweets. If you stop by your local Starbucks between 2 and 5 pm on March 10-12 and purchase a drink they will give you one free Starbucks Petite treat (while supplies last).

The Starbucks Petite's include a Carrot Cake Mini Cupcake and Peanut Butter Mini Cupcake as well as Cake Pops in Birthday Cake (shown above), Rocky Road, and Tiramisu.

Cupcakes And Ice Cream

2011-03-07T15:08:00.000-07:00

It seems like one of the hottest new trends right now is to mix cupcakes and ice cream. Yes, like actually mixed together.

The Sweet Tooth Fairy offers what they call CupShakes. They mix a whole cupcake of your choosing, frosting and all, with vanilla soft serve to make it into a creamy delicious shake. This creation was even featured in Woman's Day magazine last fall. The are seriously so delicious. The grasshopper CupShake is amazing!

So Cupcake in Salt Lake City, UT combines two Utah favorites. So Cupcake's cupcakes with Nielsen's Frozen Custard. Any flavor of their cupcakes can be combined with any of Nielsen's Frozen Custard flavors to make So Custard Cupcakes. Yum!

Cupcakes from Cold Stone. They come in Sweet Cream, Cake Batter Delux, and Double Chocolate Devotion (shown above). They are yummy cake mixed with Cold Stone ice cream surrounded by a chocolate shell topped with frosting. They are frozen, sweet deliciousness.

Another popular ice creamery that now carries cupcakes is Maggie Moo's Ice Cream and Treatery. They have fun flavors like Cherry Chocolate, Carrot Cake, Cotton Candy, and Better Batter Cookie Dreams. You have to check them out by clicking here.

Andes Mint Cupcakes

2011-03-03T22:51:00.000-07:00

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Today I made delicious mini Andes Mint cupcakes. I used my Andes Mint cake recipe but made it into cupcakes with buttercream frosting. They were very easy to make because they were made with a boxed cake mix. I would usually prefer to make cupcakes from scratch, but who doesn't love a really easy, delicious recipe once in a while? I do.

First, I will share the cake recipe and then I will let you know what I did to make it into cupcakes. (I do suggest making the cake recipe at least once - it will make you an instant hit. Everyone loves this cake recipe! It is super moist and minty.)

Andes Mint Cake

1 Milk Chocolate Cake Mix
1 Large Package Instant Chocolate Pudding
2 Eggs
1 3/4 Cups Milk
1 Package Andes Mint Chips (divided in half)

Mix the first four ingredients together until blended. Add half of the package of Andes Mint chips into the batter and mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. After you remove the cake from the oven, sprinkle the other half of Andes Mint chips onto the cake and spread until even and melted.

Today I mixed the batter as directed above and then filled 35 2-ounce souffle cups (aka nut cups) 1/2 of the way full. If using souffle cups you can just line them up on a cookie sheet since they are strong enough to stand on their own. Tip: To see what I use to fill the souffle cups with batter, click here.

I baked them for about 22-25 minutes at 350 degrees. Keep checking on them and remember when you insert a toothpick and it comes out with chocolate on it - it may just be a melted Andes Mint. Next, I topped them with buttercream frosting (see below) which I added green food coloring to until it was a mint green. Tip: To see how I frost cupcakes, click here. Last, I made the decoration to go on the cupcakes. I melted the remaining Andes Mint chips and put small amounts, about the size of a nickel, on wax paper to harden. Then I melted white chocolate melting chips, then mixed it with green food coloring until it was a mint green, and then spattered it across the hardened Andes Mint pieces (see picture above - since they are not easy to explain).

Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup Butter (Room Temperature)
2 Tbsp. Milk
1 Tbsp. Vanilla
3 cups Powdered Sugar
Green Food Coloring

They were so delish - really minty, chocolaty, and rich! Enjoy!

Doggie Cupcakes

2011-03-03T11:23:00.000-07:00

I was going through some old pictures the other day and came across the ones from our trip to Phoenix, AZ and our first visit to Sprinkles Cupcakes. See the little cupcakes off to the side? They are doggie cupcakes from Sprinkles. Aren't they the cutest? The are sugar-free with a yogurt frosting. My dog, Eddie, loved them.

Utah Cupcakes At The Oscar's!

2011-02-27T14:54:00.001-07:00

Today while watching Megan from The Sweet Tooth Fairy on QVC she announced that Cake Bites were going to be in the swag bags for the stars at the Academy Awards tonight. Can you believe it? They have really hit the big time! They have been on QVC twice and also featured on Rachel Ray, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Outrageous Kid Parties.

Back to QVC, The Sweet Tooth Fairy was on earlier this month for the first time and is already a top rated seller. She was invited back to be "In The Kitchen With David" today and David couldn't say enough good things about Cake Bites. The 2200 orders of Cake Bites (36 per order) she offered today sold out within five minutes.

By the way, the episode of Outrageous Kid Parties that features The Sweet Tooth Fairy will re-air tomorrow night (February 28) on TLC (Look for the Disco Pirate Party).

I know I talk about The Sweet Tooth Fairy A LOT. And I know I follow her where ever she goes. That doesn't make me a stalker, right? I'm just very much in love.

Cupcake Toothpaste

2011-02-27T14:48:00.000-07:00

Sounds interesting, right? They also make cupcake flavored dental floss. Click here to check out all the cupcake stuff Archie McPhee sells.

Just a side note - they sell Bacon Toothpaste and Pickle Toothpaste too. Doesn't sound as good as cupcake toothpaste, does it?

Utah Cupcake News Flash

2011-02-23T14:35:00.001-07:00

Tune in to QVC this Sunday, February 27, to see The Sweet Tooth Fairy In The Kitchen With David. She was invited back because her cakebites were such a hit!

NOTE: Don't worry if you missed it - you can purchase these amazing treats on QVC's website or on The Sweet Tooth Fairy's website.

DC Cupcakes

2011-02-23T14:10:00.000-07:00

For my Mom's Birthday and retirement I ordered her a dozen cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcake in Washington DC. Did you have any idea you could order some of the best cupcakes in America online? They are $29 per dozen plus shipping. We were so excited to taste all of the yummy flavors (I ordered the assorted box). To sum them up in one word - AMAZING! Especially the Red Velvet. And the Coconut. And the Chocolate. Actually they were all delicious!

Don't forget to tune in to the 2nd season of DC Cupcakes this Friday, February 25, at 10:00 pm on TLC. You'll follow Katherine and Sophie, sisters and business partners, as they run Georgetown Cupcake.

Cake Bites/Candy/Balls/Pops Are Everywhere

2011-02-14T14:08:00.000-07:00

Cake bites/candy/balls/pops are little bites of cake and frosting mixed, smashed, formed, and then dipped in chocolate to make a heavenly treat. They are actually really easy to make. You can find recipes for them in several cookbooks, including Bakerella's Cake Pops. You can also find the recipe online by just doing a search for 'cake pops' or 'cake balls'. I personally am addicted to The Sweet Tooth Fairy's Cake Bites. She has perfected this tiny treat and I absolutely love them.

This past weekend I was out and about and found two new cake bite/candy/balls/pops cookbooks that have hit the shelves. Also, I went to one of my favorite markets and they had Cake Candy made by one of my favorite bakeries in Salt Lake City, Cakes de Fleur. I bought a little two pack, one chocolate, the other M&M, and they were delicious! This market also carries sweets from another Utah baker, Schmidts Pastry Cottage. They had Cake Balls and they were literally the size of a baseball. They were huge! I haven't tried them yet, but I do plan on doing so.

So, if you don't feel like making your own tiny cake treats just check your local bakery. They are all the rage right now and everyone seems to be selling them.

Cupcakes From Top To 'Bottom'

2011-02-14T14:02:00.000-07:00

This adorable kids Cupcake Beanie is available to purchase from Dylan's Candy Bar. If you have never heard of Dylan's you should check out her website. Dylan, the daughter of Ralph Lauren, loves candy. She opened her dream candy 'bar' in New York and it is adorable. They carry every kind of candy a kid (or big kid at heart) could possibly want. Plus, they carry cute stuff like this cupcake beanie.

Also, check out the super cute cupcake undies from Victoria's Secret, here.

Mini Cupcakes

2011-02-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

This weekend I made cupcakes from my new Mini Cupcake cookbook. They turned out really good. They are adorned with little chocolate hearts (below), which I made. They pretty much tasted just like the cupcakes that I had the day before at Mini's Cupcakes (Salt Lake City, UT). I am excited to try other recipes from this adorable cookbook.

Swirly Girls Gourmet Bakery

2011-01-25T11:24:00.000-07:00

The newest cupcakery, Swirly Girls Gourmet Bakery, can be found at Daybreak on Soda Row. They make gourmet cupcakes, cake bite truffles, and lots of other fancy desserts and pastries. My Mom and I went and checked it out ("stalked it" as we call it) the day before their grand opening and to our surprise they were having a soft opening. I have to mention how cute this place is decorated. They have cute little tables and even a tiny table for the kiddies.

I got a red velvet cupcake and a cake bite truffle. Did I mention all of their cupcakes are filled? Well, they are. You'll have to take a drive to Daybreak and check it out. You can also find them on facebook.

Poundcake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-01-23T13:50:00.000-07:00

This week I made poundcake cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. They turned out beautiful and the frosting was really good.

Poundcake bakes more like a muffin than a cupcake so they are a little harder to frost.

Here is a very easy and basic cream cheese frosting recipe:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups powered sugar

Mix the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla together until blended. Add powered sugar slowly until smooth.

Cream cheese frosting is great on cupcake flavors like spice or chocolate. It is also really good on pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.

Cupcake Chic

2011-01-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

My Mom and I discovered a new cupcake store over the weekend in Orem, UT called Cupcake Chic. The owners were inspired to start baking after visiting the famous Magnolia Bakery in New York City. In the summer of 2007 the decided to start baking cupcakes and opened their first store this past weekend. Cupcake Chic makes all of their cupcakes with the freshest and finest ingredients and they are delicious. They have a ton of fun flavors including orange cream, strawberry chocolate, banana, neapolitian, and even carrot ginger. They also have fun seasonal flavors like peppermint and pumpkin.

We loved their cupcakes and their customer service and will definitely visit again!

cup.cake chic

function: to satisfy

Located at: 727 East 1000 South in Orem, UT

http://www.cupcakechicutah.com

Big News

2011-01-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

Big News! Mini's Cupcakes have a cookbook coming out! YAY! If you have never had a Mini's Cupcake you should head over to one of their two Salt Lake locations. They are mini cupcakes which which means you can eat more, right? Right. They are also made with the freshest and finest ingredients - which makes them delish! The book is set to be released in March 2011. You can preorder it on Amazon.com right now by clicking here.

Also, my favorite little cakebites from The Sweet Tooth Fairy are going to make an appearance on QVC on February 7.

Way to go Utah cupcakes!

Sprinkles Cupcake Mixes

2011-01-11T11:31:00.001-07:00

Sprinkles Cupcake is my favorite cupcake shop. Unfortunately I don't live close to one. They have about ten locations across the United States with more coming... but I still think a location in Salt Lake is a long way away. Lucky for us we have Williams Sonoma which sells Sprinkles Cupcake mixes. For $14 you can bake your very own Sprinkles Cupcakes at home. They have a lot of different flavors including chocolate, red velvet, vanilla, and more. You even get a package of their signature buttons to put on the top. I found a can of the red velvet mix in my Christmas stocking this year and they were delish!

Don't forget to watch the founder of Sprinkles Cupcake, Candace Nelson, judge on Cupcake Wars (Tuesdays on the Food Network).

I Heart The Sweet Tooth Fairy

2011-01-09T15:19:00.000-07:00

The Sweet Tooth Fairy sells my favorite cupcakes in the Salt Lake Valley. It doesn't even matter which flavor because they are all amazing. The cake is so moist and the frosting is so thick and delicious. From my favorite flavor, pumpkin chocolate chip, to my husband's favorite, Sweet Potato Pie, they have a favorite for everyone. They don't only sell cupcakes; they have cakes, cookies, brownies, and other sweet treats.

The picture above are of their cakebites and they will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. They are tiny bites of cake dipped in chocolate and they are divine! I am truly addicted.

The Sweet Tooth Fairy now has several Salt Lake locations. Check out their website, friend them on facebook, and go by and pick up one of the best cupcakes you'll ever taste.

Chocolate Cupcakes With Yummy Buttercream Icing

2011-01-06T10:21:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I made Chocolate Sour Cream cupcakes with blue Buttercream frosting. The cupcakes were so rich and delicious. The chocolate in the cupcakes was real dark chocolate melted in a double broiler which made these cupcakes even more chocolatey and amazing.

The buttercream frosting is one of my favorites and it's so easy to make.

Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup Butter (room temperature)

2 Tbsp. Milk

1 Tbsp. Vanilla

3 cups Powdered Sugar

In a mixer, beat butter for 1 minute, gradually adding milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Mix for 3 minutes until frosting is smooth.

Cupcakes On TV

2011-01-04T15:43:00.000-07:00

It seems like everywhere we look these days there is something cupcake. A new cute cupcake store opening, fabrics covered in cupcakes, cupcake bandaids, lipgloss, and even cupcake floss. Well now there are even two shows on TV all about cupcakes - Cupcake Wars and DC Cupcakes.

Cupcake Wars is cupcake vs. cupcake. Food Network is trying to find the best cupcake baker in the country. The winner will get a sweet prize - $10,000.

Katherine and Sophie - DC Cupcakes

DC Cupcakes is a reality show about the two sisters, Sophie and Katherine, that started Georgetown Cupcake in Washington, DC. I have actually had part of one of these cupcakes and they are fabulous! They sell 5,000 cupcakes a day and usually have a 45 minute wait just to get in to the store. You can find DC Cupcakes on TLC.