Pina Colada's!!! Summer is almost here

Summer is definitely in the air (this weather will make you a firm believer)!  The summer cupcake flavors are on the way, starting with this one below! I named it "Pina Colada", but I am searching for a new name, because I am not sure if I will stick with that one.  So far, I have considered 'Hawaii 5-0' and 'La Coco'.  What do you think of those two? If you don't think those are sound catching, then let's play 'Suggest a Name'!! 

"Pina Colada" - Rum & pineapple cupcake w/coconut cream cheese frosting topped w/toasted shredded coconut...Perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day!



'Olivia the Pig' Kid's Birthday Party

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of making cupcakes for an 'Olivia the Pig' themed birthday party.  I had so much fun creating the toppers and the cupcake stand.  Little projects like this bring out my creative side!

For the toppers I used a large (2 1/2 inch) scalloped hole puncher for the background layer and for the foreground smaller layer (personalized) I used a smaller (1 1/4) scalloped hole puncher. I placed each topper on a rounded toothpick and inserted into cupcake.  For the cupcake stand, I used two regular different sized wrapping boxes and decorated with wrapping paper, ribbon and glittered scrapbooking paper (for dots on top box - cut with 1/2 inch circle hole puncher).

Each topper was personalized

Boxes wrapped in wrapping paper and decorated w/ribbons and scrapbooking paper

Cupcake Flavor - 'Simply Strawberry'

Chocolate is Chocolate is Chocolate!

Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate!!!  How we love chocolate.  Chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate candy bars, chocolate covered bananas, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate muffins...well, you get my drift. You name any type of food, and I'm willing to bet a catrillion of these bad boys below, that chocolate has already found a way to be incorporated some way, somehow. 

Everyone loves some form of chocolate (rich, semi-sweet, milk chocolate) and we oh so love the baking creations...BUT!!! No one, and again I can place that bet...I mean NO ONE, likes to clean up the mess that is made from baking anything chocolate - me included! (raising both of my hands, with an extra one coming from somewhere to stress my emphasis on loathing this task).

While you can always keep a relatively clean baking space, chocolate has a mind of its own.  Chocolate in a powered form starts to pop up everywhere, melted chocolate often finds its way on every utensil you are using and when it's time to mix and combine, you're already dreading the cleaning process.  The batter goes into the pans alright, but everywhere else as well! Oh, I could go on and on - but I'm not.  I'll digress right...about...now! Whew! Like I said, Chocolate is Chocolate is Chocolate and while it takes a true labor of love to want to clean it, the end result of that treat going into your mouth is 'so worth it'!

In the picture immediately above - 'The Usual Too' - Moist rich chocolate cupcake w/Milk chocolate sour cream buttercream frosting topped with chocolate sprinkles and a mini chocolate coated cookie! The top two pictures are also 'The Usual Too', just covered with sliced almonds!  Savor every bite - Delish!