Lavender Rustic Wedding Cake and Cupcakes

 

It's cold outside.  So why not warm up by thinking about beautiful, country chic weddings?

 

 

I don't know why I never posted this one.  Wait.  I do.  It's because I did way more baking than blogging in the summer of 2013.  And this wedding is one of my favorite's.  The venue was the lovely Rustic Oaks and styling was done by the equally as lovely Rustic Trunk.  I'm so glad I get to work with these two fabulous businesses.  Not only will you (hopefully) be inspired with desserts in this post, check out these displays!

 

The cake with hand made fondant roses and carnations.

Meander piping on the bottom tier and satin ribbon on both.

Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate cream cheese frosting, lavender sugar pearls and fondant carnations and monogram stamped medallions.

Mocha cupcakes and fondant carnations.

 

How adorable are these?!  Scale and stands from Rustic Trunk.

Lemon-Raspberry cupcakes with a new flower design I was working on.

Cupcakes in/on an old wooden crate = rustic love!

 

Now who's looking forward to summer?

 

Me!  I am!  ;)

Hockey Cupcakes

Saturday was a busy day for our house.  After the Silly Monsters Class in the morning, we entertained seven preschoolers plus a big brother in celebration of our youngest son's 5th birthday...

A month late. 

Poor kid.  If I could permanently change his birthday to January instead of "right after Santa comes" I would. 

Our not-so-little-anymore boys started playing hockey this year (despite my thoughts on the matter) and as it goes, our life has become one big hockey tourney.  Including this birthday party.  As one parent said to me recently "Well, you're in now!" Yup.  But at least I can still make awesome hockey cupcakes while I'm at it.

Fondant NHL jerseys were cut and drawn on free hand with edible ink markers. 

The "M"s are for the league the boys play in.  The birthday boy picked the hockey stick colors.

A mini Oreo as a "puck."  I had all intentions of dipping it in dark chocolate but I was parenting solo most of the week and...well...nobody killed each other and everyone was fed and bathed.  Mostly.  Plus, no one cares anyway!  ;)

"Our" favorite teams - MN Wild and Carolina Hurricanes.

And a Stanley Cup for the birthday boy.

Finally, I will leave you with this.  While I am reluctant to admit my status as "hockey mom," I do kind of want this shirt....



Silly Monsters Cupcake Decorating Class

I spent yesterday morning with a really delightful group of young kids and their helpful grown ups decorating cupcakes, silly monster style.  As always, it is so much fun to see their creativity grow and their personalities come out.  No two monsters were alike, just like their makers.  Here are a handful of photos (fuzzy and taken with my phone because I forgot my good camera) of their handiwork.

Little hands at work...

even the big hands couldn't resist.  ;)

This gal took her time, used different frostings for different features on each cupcake, even changed tips, and did almost everything by herself.  A future decorator perhaps?

Cute glasses!

Horns and hair.

I thought about including a mustache in my demo but didn't get to it.  I love that this little boy thought of it on his own.  He said this one was for his dad.  Very sweet.

I went to take a picture of her cupcakes and she quickly posed.  I'm guessing it's not the first time this cutie has seen a camera. 

Loved the "hair" on the bottom one and the "eyebrows" on the top.  Very creative use of supplies!

Some are mad, some are sad, and some are happy.  Hashtag real life!

So much fun!

The bottom right with the lips and the one eye reminds me of Mike Wozowski from Monsters Inc.

I see a kitty cat with whiskers and Cookie Monster.  Do you?

 

Thanks to everyone that attended this class.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!  :)

 

 

If you are local and missed this class (I know there are a few of you), I hope to do another one closer to Halloween.  Follow me on Facebook or check the class section of the Square One Kitchens website to stay updated.  The kids ages raged from 3 to 12.  Keep in mind that from ages 3-7 they need quite a bit of help, but 8 and up they are able to handle the pastry bags and do mostly everything on their own.

Baby Girl Baptism Cupcakes

You know, I'm not very girly.  Sensitive, yes, and sometimes(?) emotional, but not girly in the traditional sense.  Being surrounded by boys whose entire life revolves around sports and tooting on each other, there's no wonder my girlishness is lacking.  Maybe that's what initially attracted me to making cupcakes.  It allows me to nourish the part of me that needs a bit of ruffles and lace and pink.

One of my dearest friends had a baby girl recently (Yay!  A baby girl I can hold and promptly return at first whimper!) and today was her baptism.  What a beautiful ceremony it was, an adorable chunk of baby cuteness surrounded by family and friends who love and support her.  Afterward my friend hosted a brunch for the family and below are the cupcakes I brought along - pink and girly in all their glory.  Truly the BEST part of this "job" is making pretties for the people I adore.  Enjoy!

An "E" made out of variegated pink fondant flowers for Baby E.

 

Baby E's big sister pointed this cupcake out to her cousin and excitedly said "Guess what!  You can eat that whole thing!"  Made me smile.  :)

Hydrangea

You are loved!

Rose

Pinata Cupcakes

A friend of mine texted me over Christmas asking if I could make some piñata cupcakes for a family birthday party.  At first, I had no idea where to start.  Of course I turned to Pinterest right away but the all the results there were filled with candy which seemed to take so much away from the actual cupcake.  I don't like to waste what I've put so much effort in to making sooo....this is my version of the Pinata cupcake. 

The piñata her kids chose was a colorful star shaped one.  (Originally they were thinking the traditional burro.  The star is much easier, but the donkey would be fun to try some time too!)

The toppers on these are made from fondant and colored with edible ink marker.

 

*Note:  The below is my first attempt at a photo tutorial.  How on earth do you bloggers do these?  I much be really clumsy because I found taking photos while decorating cupcakes VERY DIFFICULT!  End Note.*  :)

Cut a small hole and fill with rainbow sugar pearls.

Aren't they fun?!



A little dollop in the center to build the swirl around.

 Start on the outside and circle outward a few times.

 

Add a few more mini rainbow sprinkles (not pictured) and...

Tada!  A fun surprise inside and still plenty of cupcake to enjoy with these piñata cupcakes!