strawberry cobbler...from cupcake to cake

When people order cakes and inquire about flavor options, I always tell them that pretty much any of our 380+ cupcake flavors translate to a cake, mainly because the cupcakes all have fillings and the cakes have 3 layers of cake and 2 layers of filling, therefore the main components are similiar.  Although every once in a while I'll have to think beyond that formula and figure out ways to integrate extra goodies into the cakes so that they have all the bonuses that the cupcakes have.  This week I received 2 orders for strawberry cobbler cakes. 

Here's what the cupcakes look like ~

Vanilla cobbler cake, filled with a house-made fresh strawberry "sauce", topped with vanilla frosting. 

The cobbler topping that's baked into the cake is what makes these so unique and texture rich, so here's the start of the cake...vanilla cobbler cake layers ~

I usually trim the top of each cake layer to achieve an even surface, but this time I trimmed from the bottom so I wouldn't loose any of that crumbly goodness.

Next comes the cake construction / layering.  The intese strawberry sauce is a bit too thin as is to act as a cake filling, so I mixed it with some vanilla bean pastry cream to add some thickness (there's a rim of vanilla frosting, acting as a "barrier" in-between each layer so the filling doesn't leak out).

After coating the whole cake in frosting, I added some baked, buttery cobbler topping to the bottom perimeter of the cake for added crunch (just like the top of the cupcakes) ~

The final product was topped with fresh strawberries.  Unfortunately I don't have a pic, but that's OK...I wanted you to see what's inside & around!

butterscotch + twine

flavor board #39

I love how these peanut butter blondie cupcakes, topped with butterscoth, have a rope / twine, swirly, messy look to them!

divine twine, yarn wrapped "love", twine light DIY, twine organizer, peanut butter blondie cupcakes, bouquet

black, brown & tan

flavor board #38

Many years ago I heard a fashion rule...don't mix brown and black.  I think that rule should be broken.  I love black mixed with different shades of brown and tan.   After making peanut butter & chocolate cupcakes this morning, where brown and black came together in a yummy combo, I was inspired to dress up in a long black dress with a little brown jacket.

brown chair, chocolate salted peanut butter cupcakes, brown & tan umbrella, black & tan diaper bag, mini black dress outfit, boots, glasses, belt

the tale of a tall cake

Jose Villa asked me if I would make a cake for a Fuji ad campaign photoshoot & Mag Rouge.  Of course I said yes (I love everything about Jose – not just his beyond stunning work, but the kindness and sincerity he consistently exudes), but I wanted to get try to get into his head and make sure I knew his vision because as I said to him, “I’m so honored you asked me to participate and I do not want to dissapoint or let you down…I want to be certain I make what you want.”

Jose sent me a couple visuals for inspiration.  One was a textured design and one was smooth.  I love textured frosting on cakes, it adds dimension and interest and it’s forgiving…extremely forgiving.  Texture hides bulges, crooked lines, crumbs, etc.  Frosting a cake with texture takes a fraction of the time is takes to make a smooth buttercream cake. So that would have been too easy, right?  I opted to go the smooth route.  Since I’m completely self-taught in the cake making department, I didn’t really know anything about smooth vs. textured buttercream cakes when I first stared making them.  In a sense I started the hard way, and for whatever reason, all of my first cakes had smooth finishes…I think that’s just how I thought they were supposed to be made.  Since I don’t use fondant (which gives a nice sleek look), by default I became very comfortable & at ease with making smooth buttercream cakes.  However, Jose also requested that the 2 tier cake be tall, very tall, about 20 inches tall.  That’s about double a standard 2 tier cake height.  I loved the idea of the dramatic height.  I just went for it and didn’t really think about the different challenges associated with making each very tall tier silky & smooth.  I love that this project stretched me and pushed me to work with different tools and test new techniques (& test my patience).  Thank you Jose, for having confidence in me, challenging me and for asking me to participate!  Please check out more photos from the shoot here on Jose's blog and featured in Mag Rouge.

an outfit inspired by strawberries & lavender

I try to spruce up my daily attire, but it is a bit challenging with only about 1/8 of my clothes actually fitting my almost 7 month pregnant belly.  I'm not one to run out and buy clothes that will only fit for the next handful of months, so instead I thought I'd do some "pretend" shopping for an outfit inspired by the beautiful colors of strawberry & lavender (these colorful and fragrant ingredients are featured in our strawberry lavender chardonnay cupcake flavor this week).  Below is a fun outfit that I won't buy or get to wear, but it makes me happy to look at it on my screen...a little pretend digital shopping therapy :)

purple scarf, pink & red earrings, pale pink stripes maxi dress, purple sandals, strawberry lavender chardonnay cupcakes

march calendar

Happy March!

Simply drag the calendar image to your desktop, set to print at "landscape" and Enjoy (the file size is 10.75 x 5")!

buttermilk french toast cupcakes & a vintage collection

I've never been a big "collector" (unlike my little girl who has rock, shell, dress, squinkie, stuffed animal and even toothbrush collections!).  I'm the type that's constantly purging and refreshing, not saving things.  However since we started this business, I have devloped an obsession with (not simply a collection of) cake stands, and more randomly - vintage syrup dispensers.  We were able to put our syup dispenser collection to use at Sierra + John's wedding, where we set up a cupcake topping bar.  Guests poured gooey sauces & toppings on (and in) their cupcakes, using the dispensers. 

Photos by Moore Photography

This week, we featured a buttermilk french toast cupcake flavor, and I couldn't resist putting the housemade buttermilk syrup topping in one of those cute containers.

Buttermilk French Toast...cinnamon sugar cake, with a creamy vanilla bean filling, topped with vanilla frosting & housemade buttermilk syrup.

ingredient spotlight: oats

Everyone pretty much knows that oats are good for you...good for a healthy heart + cholesterol, high in dietary fiber, minerals & vitamins, etc., etc.!  You can read more about the wonders of oats here .  Although when it's put on top of a cupcake it's not necessarily the healthiest treat (which is what we did this week at the shop with a vanilla chocolate chip cake, filled with honey mousse, topped with chocolate glaze & housemade vanilla granola)...

so I have some yummy (& pretty) granola recipes to share with you so you can pack your in your oat intake! Click on the links under each photo to get to recipes.

healthy homemade granola recipe

coconut chocolate granola recipe

healthy granola recipe

homemade granola recipe

Topping cupcakes with homemade granola wasn't a first for us this week, we did the same thing about a year and 1/2 ago, but with a different nutty lemon granola recipe.