~Chocolate and Cherry~

These are practice cupcakes for a request I have in 2 weeks...and I'm really feeling like an amateur at the moment. I feel passionately about quality ingredients in addition to putting time and effort into all my cupcakes so naturally I did that with these Cherry Chocolate cupcakes. I used dried cherries and "rejuvenated them" with 100% Cherry juice (thought about using a nice liquor....maybe next time). Coarsely chopped dark chocolate and lots of butter! The cupcake itself was very moist and the cherries were slightly bitter yet went very well with the chocolate. Although I followed all my recipe rules to a "t" they still fell in the center. But the result was so rich and delish that I can't complain. I used cherry juice and one whole vanilla bean to make a butter cream frosting. I love the pale pink color next to the dark chocolate cake. Pretty little cupcakes. I'm not 100% happy with them yet...so I'll keep working on them for now. I loved the red cupcake liners I bought but the color dyed my cupcake pan?! Oops! Well...at least they tasted good!50% cocoa chocolate chopped

folding in cherries and chocolate

cooling off

the results

just having a little girly fun with cupcakes & my fave tea cup

~Vanilla Bean Butter Cream on Pound Cake~

These are the same cupcakes as the previous post (pound cake) but without the Chocolate ganache filling. I topped these cakes with vanilla bean butter cream and large red fondant hearts. I had some paper ribbon with writing on it so I wrapped some around a few of the cupcakes...very sweet. There was no real purpose for making these cupcakes other than wanting to try a pound cake cupcake recipe. But right about the time I was done taking these pictures I got a call from family members requesting cupcakes for our Memorial Day BBQ tomorrow. Perfect timing & this way I can't eat them all! Happy Memorial Day everyone!

~Pound Cake filled with Chocolate Ganache & Browned Butter Cream Frosting~

These gorgeous little cakes couldn't have turned out better! The cake part is a Martha Stewart recipe that can be found in her book "Martha Stewart's Cupcakes" on page 270 "Pound Cake". They aren't extremely sweet cakes but simple and perfect if you want to add sugary frosting or toppings. I filled each cake with chocolate ganache then topped with browned butter cream. I fancied them up with multi colored fondant hearts. They are almost too pretty to eat...almost. ; )

So sweet.

~Coffee, Cupcakes and Cheese?~

My bestie brought a new creamer to the office this fine Monday morning....

After a long weekend and a serious need for caffeine...this deliciously sweet creamer in my cup of coffee was exactly what I needed. It pays to work with your best friend! Happy Monday Kara!



After work I went to Hobby Lobby (more addicted to that store than Target now) on a hunt for pretty cake platters or anything to display cupcakes...and look at what I found...half off!

The perfect little display for a single pretty cupcake...or as the clerk said...

"one amazing piece of cheese" ;)

~How's the weather?~

This is too cute....

I'm not a huge "sprinkle" fan...I think they take away

from the taste and texture of the cupcake itself.

But I can't deny this sprinkled cupcake is adorable!

~Chocolate Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Butter Cream~

These cupcakes are very rich...so if you don't like chocolate they're not for you.

I used a basic Chocolate cupcake recipe that I have had forever. It's a sure thing as well as the

frosting recipe. The butter cream called for less cocoa and more milk but I used more cocoa and less milk to amp up the chocolate. If ever you want a recipe just ask! I'm more than happy to share them.

These cup liners were just so cute, I found them at Joann Fabrics (never thought they'd carry cupcake liners?) and they were one of many. I love that the basic ingredients are listed right on the liners, how cute!

~Chocolate and Vanilla Cupcakes~

These are Chocolate and Vanilla Bean cupcakes made for two wonderful girls I know. It's their birthday party today! Happy Birthday Maura and Emma!! xoxo

Vanilla Bean Cupcake with Chocolate Butter Cream

Chocolate cupcakes with Vanilla Butter Cream turned purple...really purple!

Sixlets that Hobby Lobby sells in bulk sizes in many different colors

I went with brown for these cupcakes....

The frosting in the mixer was kind of shocking...glad it was more subtle on the cupcakes