My Mini-Cupcake Ordeal...(Via Made By Girl)

This past weekend I went on a baking RAMPAGE. I tried to bake mini-cupcakes for the FIRST time in my life!! First, I started off with baking cups from Bake it Pretty. I love their cup designs, especially for parties! However, I recommend ONLY baking white cake with these cups so that you can ACTUALLY SEE the designs. I tried some with chocolate & you could BARELY TELL tell how cute the cups really were! Duh.

Not sure what happened here (see below) , but the baking cups started coming away from the cake!! What the!?!? Does anyone know why this happened?!?

I was pretty surprised & it didn't happen once, it happened several times & ALL were minis! I was thinking it was probably this particular baking cup (the blue one with the pink flowers) because it was the ONLY cup that came apart from the cake!


All in all, I think I ended making about 70 mini-cakes because of this issue, so several were DUMPED or given to my dogs. They loved them & didn't COMPLAIN ....

I made 3 different flavors (banana, chocolate & white), below are the banana nut ones. How cute! Of course, I made them from a box, which means they weren't as tasty! 
I should have gotten baking tips from Sonja of Tied with a Bouw blog, she's pretty darn good at baking! My guy made the maple syrup FROSTING for these, he's such a great cook!

 

The mini cupcakes below were just plain CHOCOLATE flavored with a turquoise blue frosting & a piece of a gluten-free OREO cookie on top to adorn it!

images by jen ramos

After this experience, it's safe to say, I probably won't be baking mini-cupcakes again.....

Curious Chocolate Bars.....Mmm!

How neat is this company? Curious Chocolate Bars. I'm a sucker for anything chocolate, but my favorite is Dark! (The higher the cocoa, the better).  I really liked how they incorporated a letterpress style onto the wrapper, super cute! The company is based out of the UK, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that one day I'll be able to bite into one of their dark chocolate bars! Yum.

Southern Living's Halloween food & drinks .....

Anyone out there having a Halloween party?? Here are some creative Halloween appetizers & drinks for your guests to enjoy this Halloween, which is only 5 days away!! Via Southern Living.

Green punch

green dip with bone crackers

pumpkin patch cheese

apple bobbing punch

goblin dip crackers

monster eyes

onion bacon dip

Deviled Goblin Eggs
For all recipes go here

Saint Cupcake.....I want some!

I came across this amazing bakery called Saint Cupcake. They make some very interesting flavors....and I hear they can ship these yummy treats to you, even if you're not in their immediate Portland area! That is sweeeeet!

Hey cupcake, this does it for me....

Hey Cupcake Bakery has a wide variety of cupcakes for anyone's sweet tooth. As a matter of fact here are samples of their beautiful treats......it's like art! Isn't it true, that a great food shot makes you want to try it?? I know it certainly does for me! They also have the cutest little site & logo...check out Hey Cupcake bakery.

Via Oh Joy

Feels like falling in LOVE....

Tonight I had a craving for cupcakes.....so I baked these gluten free dark chocolate ones. I don't know about anyone else, but when I have a chocolate dessert I don't like being bothered. I like to drift away into that dreamy state it puts me in.......it's like falling in LOVE all over again.

What dessert would you like this V-day??

Been thinking a lot about what dessert I'll be having on VALENTINE'S day. Haven't decided just yet. Let's see what my prince charming has in mind, he says he wants to make one for me! Yum. These desserts looked so delicious I had to share them with all of you. The shots were taken by Lara Ferroni. Have you guys seen her work?? I've seen her shots in a few magazines, she's so amazingly talented! Take a look at her portfolio here.

Dinner...

A special guy made this dinner for me.....yum!