Marisela totally rocked it with this awesome cupcake design that she created for her niece’s ‘Off to College’ Party.  Marisela got the idea watching DC Cupcakes where she saw them make two cupcake pictures using a company’s logo and planning it out on a grid in order to map out the picture.

Without time to do a trial run or practice at all, Marisela pulled this off brilliantly creating the monogram for the college.  She used no less than sixty mini cupcakes, all red velvet and topped with cream cheese frosting.  The occasion was a small BBQ, so she used a styrofoam base underneath covered in foil to hold each cupcake in place with a toothpick.  Now I think that is a great idea!

Well what did her niece think of all this effort?  She was totally stoked!!

Looking for a new ice cream topping? Smucker’s now offers their Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping in Cupcake flavor! Just in case you don’t know, the magic shell topping pours out of the bottle as a liquid then freezes in seconds to form a hard shell over your ice cream!

The Smucker’s website offers two options for purchasing this product, enter your zip code in the flavor finder to find the flavor at your local grocery store or purchase directly from their website.  When I go shopping this weekend I think I might have to pick this up just to try it!

Nomskulls - Silicon Skull Cupcake Molds by Fred & Friends

If I did “Nerdcake Product of the Week”, Nomskulls would be top of the list in the category.  These cutie-skull molds come four in a box for $12 from Fred & Friends (though you’ll have to go to Amazon or Pop Deluxe to actually buy them).  F&F also includes a recipe for the squiggly brain frosting shown on the above nomskullcake:

FRED’S BRAINY FROSTING

• 1 recipe for vanilla frosting (or a store-bought tub)
• confectioners’ sugar (for stiffer frosting )
• red or black food coloring (or both)
• pastry bag and a large round tip (#12 works well)

Add confectioners’ sugar to the frosting until it‘s stiff enough to hold its form, yet still soft enough to pipe. To the frosting add food coloring(s) to reach desired color. If your cupcakes aren’t dome shaped, pile on a small mound of frosting first. Then pipe two lines down the center of the cupcake. Finally, pipe a squiggly pile of frosting onto each “hemisphere”. Mmmm…brains.

Today’s newsletter from the Vegetarian Times features a vegan Glazed Chocolate-Avocado Cupcake recipe! 
Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 avocado, pitted and peeled
1 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup plain soymilk
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract Read the rest of this entry »

Laptop Lunches are practical food containers that aim to promote better nutrition and waste reduction.  I was pleasantly surprised when the sample laptop lunchbox arrived.  Inside the shipping was a purple lunch box, a user’s guide and two dividers.  Inside the lunch box are the bento 2.0 Bento Buddies which nicely divide the lunch box.  I particularly like the smallest Bento Buddy which is perfect for holding a serving of salad dressing.  I also liked that when you flipped the Bento Buddies over there was space for you to write your name.  This would be really helpful for parents who send their kids off to school and want to make sure they get all their containers back.

The Laptop Lunch User’s Guide states that it provides fresh ideas for making wholesome, earth-friendly lunches your kids will love. The user’s guide seems more like a mother’s go-to-guide for lunch ideas.  Not only does the guide provide creative lunch menus and recipes  its also filled with tips on how to feed picky eaters and reduce waste.  Topics such as childhood obesity, kids nutrition and using leftovers are also covered.

Read the rest of this entry »

What else would you wear to a cupcake party, but a cupcake dress!  Well that was Helene’s thinking, but when you cannot find the right thing you may just have to resort to making it yourself.  Helene is obviously pretty talented whipping up this gorgeous little lime green cupcake dress in just two days while also making a stack of cupcakes for her cupcake birthday!

It looks great teamed with a cardigan too, see below!

So next time you need to strike a cupcake pose, why not consider making one? Cupcake fabric is easier to come by than pre made cupcake dresses!

Bake me anything and I will be yours …. but bake me a cupcakes and you have my heart forever!

Check out this cute book I found at Amazon with over 100 ideas for cupcakes. I love it if just for the name!

Bake Me I’m Yours Cupcake: Over 100 Excuses to Indulge

If you are a Kindle lover they have a version for that as well!