Lemon Honey Bee Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes for Administrative Professional's Day. I adapted the recipe from Februrary's Woman's Day

Mini Cinnamon Bun Bouquet

I saw this post a few months back by some bakers who have written a book about bread (I wonder what the attraction for me is?). I had to try this out, and Principal Appreciate Day seemed like a good time to pull out this recipe to attach to our usual Starbuck's gift card.

Everything's better with raffia...


Another 'bouquet,' minus the chalkboard cup.

Lego Cake

Last year I made Lucas a Nascar cake, this year...he is getting a Lego themed birthday. The 'connectors' on top are made by dipped Double Stuffed Oreos in melted chocolate.

Cowgirl Baby Shower-Sheriff Sugar Cookies

Chocolate Dipped Peeps

I've seen this idea on lots...and lots...and lots of blogs. They were yummy!

Cake Batter (Saint Patrick's Day) Cookies

He-Man Cake

The inspiration for this cake came from the birthday girl's childhood hero, He-Man.

They used to make a pan in the shape of He-Man, but the only place you can find him now is on E-Bay. So, the decision was made to make a cake in the shape of his shield.
I also printed off some pictures to decorate the bottom of the cakeboard:

It was a little difficult to see the orange on red writing, but I wanted to be as authentic as possible to 'his colors.'
The Cake

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

I decided to try out a cupcake recipe I'd wanted to try for awhile, with a twist. I saw a few versions of a Reese's Cakes, and I decided I wanted to spice it up with a cupcake version. I decided to add a ganache to the peanut butter icing that would harden like 'the real thing.'
Inside

I thought they tasted like a cupcake version of buckeyes, very sweet.

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

I ran across this recipe a few months ago on the net http://heatherdrive.blogspot.com/2009/03/look-alike-hostess-cupcakes.html The cake batter is delicious, but it burned sooo quickly, and really didn't rise very well, which wasn't a problem since I needed it to be 'sunken' in the middle. BUT it also stuck around the edges to the pan, and fell apart on half of the cupcakes. I also think you should double the ganache-it barely went over the twelve that did turn out. The icing dries into a 'harder' shell, and it really was a great version of the hostess cupcake.

Conversation Heart Cakes

I saw this idea on Martha Stewart's website last year. I baked up a red velvet cake, and then cut out pieces (with a Wilton cookie cutter) in the shape of hearts. Ice...eat...repeat.

Storybook Cupcakes

My teammate is also a Mom at our school, and she volunteered with the PTA to collect used books to put towards the district's used book sale. The incentive for the classes was that the class in primary, and intermediate that brought in the most books would receive a special treat.
She's planning on going into each winning class to read a snippet from a familiar kid's book, and then serving up the cupcakes I made to match the theme.
Primary is going to read The Very Grouchy Ladybug

I googled "ladybug" cupcakes, and found a picture via google made with fondant. I don't know who did it, but I'm just saying-the idea isn't mine, and I didn't use fondant, but I'm OK with that.

Next up are Intermediate's cupcakes. The book selected for this read aloud is How to Eat Fried Worms


I didn't need to google this, I've made enough 'dirt' dessert in my life, but I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to find a few million cupcakes on google that look exactly like this.

Valentine's Treats

Oreo Pops

...not to be confused with....
Marshmallow Pops

Jo's Retirement Flowers

Jo's Retirement Cake

Ornament Cupcakes

I saw this cupcake idea a year ago in Hello, Cupcake (my very favorite cupcake decorating book...ever). At the time, I had too many treats already scheduled for my Christmas festivities, and so I set this aside for a year. The book, and site get much more detailed with all sorts of fun food manipulatives for decorating like fruit roll up stripes etc, but this was all I had left in me---red sprinkles, M&M's, and gumdrop, and red string licorice loops. I can live with these.
A Tree Full....or is it a Tray full of ornament cupcakes?

No Guts, No Glory-Red Velvet Cupcake Cupcakes Guts (it's a mix from Sprinkles), and Cream Cheese Icing.

Someday I'll make Red Velvet from scratch, but for now, I'm going to let someone else at least mix the dry ingredients for me, I had enough trouble with the wet-I've been through 4 beaters in the last 2 months (to be fair, the first one was four years old).

Snickerdoodle Cupcake

I saw this on Bakerella's Blog, and I had to try them out. I only got 12 cupcakes out of the batter, but that's because I like my cupcakes to be really full. I also noticed that the blog's recipe left off the salt in the cupcake directions (though it was listed in the directions), I checked the original recipe from Martha, and this goes in during the flour sifting. I also only made 13 cookies out of the cookie batter, but this is probably b/c my cookies were a little bit too large. They were very delicious, and very moist.

Melted Snowman Cookie

This sugar cookie idea came from the same site the turkey leg cookies came from (listed below). I thought I was going to have a heart attack when I saw them, they are soooo cute, these are the things that make my day. You should really check out the ladies site, her cookies are super cute. She used fondant for her parts. I used a cake ball for the head, peanut butter M&Ms for the buttons, a harvest mix candy corn for the nose (they don't have the white tip), and the same piped chocolate I used on all my Turkey Day desserts for the features, I was trying to use what was on hand.

Thanksgiving Cookies

I found the ideas for the turkey leg, and pumpkin pie slice cookie at www.chiccookiekit.blogspot.com, she has the cutest cookie ideas!

I have no idea which site I saw these on, I got lost in cyber space last night. I did see several versions of this corn cookie. I saw a few people that used tissue for the husk, one person used green fruit roll ups, I just grabbed some paper. It's a pretty cute idea for a cookie on a stick!

OK, I decided I had to figure out a cookie design of my own, so I cut out a round cookie, iced it, then covered it with red M&Ms, and then piped some 'crust'....it's my very own cherry pie, and I like it!!

Teepee Cakes

"
I saw this idea a year ago at the below link. I thought they were cute. You bake cake inside, then decorate the outside with sprinkles, and pretzels (lots of great ideas on the gal's site). The one contribute I made was that when I cut holes into the pie pan, I found a second pan to place the upside down pan on b/c I found my cones were poking down further than the surface of the counter, and this worked well for baking so they were steady. I also found these super cute sugar characters (the pumpkin, and turkey) at the Cake Carousel in town, and I added a door with piped chocolate. I'm sure you could easily pipe the turkey, and pumpkin, but....I have to admit, I'm not feeling THAT dedicated this year. I have since seen these cake teepees on several sites. They are cute, and last year when I saw them I thought they would make cute place tags. Here's the link with the instructions.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/images/2008/11/24/favoritethingsteepeecupcake.jpg&imgrefurl=http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/2008/11/index.html&usg=__RNiVcT_eNjwXFqKeypdRdxDPo58=&h=359&w=266&sz=43&hl=en&start=72&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=BTwF5PZV9XUC-M:&tbnh=121&tbnw=90&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dteepee%2Bin%2Ban%2Bice%2Bcream%2Bcone%26ndsp%3D21%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26rlz%3D1G1GGLQ_ENUS316%26sa%3DN%26start%3D63%26um%3D1

Turkey Pops

Of course, I got this idea off of Bakerella....I love that sight. My first of only two Thanksgiving treats planned for this year, but he's a cutie, and certainly easier to put together than a real turkey.

High Hat Cupcakes

I cheated, I made these with buttercream instead of meringue icing.....because I like my cupcakes sweet, and sometimes, I like my cupcakes sweet (are you getting the idea?). The hat isn't as 'high' with buttercream, but I think the flavor makes up for it!

Giant Cupcake Cake

This cake is for Kate's first birthday, she has a matching Lavender Cupcake Dress (shown below) to match the occasion.
Giant Cupcake

A View From Above

Individual Cupcakes