Carpe Cupcakes!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Christmas Cupcake Sandwiches

What's my favorite sandwich? I love pimento & cheese, but these Christmas cupcake sandwiches have just moved to the top of my list. These are amazing! I am definitely making these when I go home to Mississippi for Christmas (with cream cheese icing of course)!

sugarswings

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

John Lennon (October 9, 1940 - December 8, 1980)

Today is the 30th anniversary of the death of John Lennon. I was in New York the last week of October and visited the Dakota building where he was murdered and the Strawberry Fields memorial just across the street in Central Park. I had not expected it, but was very moved by the experience.

P.S. Bonus - my friend Shelly and I saw Yoko Ono walking her dog in Central Park.

Strawberry Fields memorial

October 27, 2010

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Gluten-Free Cupcake Cookbook

For my gluten-free friends...a gluten-free cupcake cookbook scheduled to be published in the spring of 2011 from Elana's Pantry.

Elana Amsterdam

Elana's Pantry

Monday, December 6, 2010

Louis Vuitton cupcakes

My niece wants a Louis Vuitton handbag for Christmas, but the reality is that Santa probably won't be bringing a real one. Maybe some fake Louis....does anybody out there remember the Sir Mix-A-Lot song "Swap Meet Louis?" I am thinking some Louis Vuitton cupcakes are more in my price range!

ccyhan via Flickr

queene of tartes

sweetmother1

redcarpetcakes

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Recipe of the Week - Peppermint Buttercream

The holiday season makes me think about peppermints. I love candy canes and hot chocolate with a splash of peppermint schnapps! The inspiration for today's recipe comes from a Williams-Sonoma catalog I got in the mail this week. They had all flavors of cupcakes and frostings....except I cannot imagine people paying what they charge for a dozen cupcakes.

I would suggest a chocolate or vanilla cupcake for this buttercream - maybe even a red velvet!

Mara Bakes via Flickr

Peppermint Buttercream

8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), at room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1 to 2 tablespoons peppermint schnapps (or 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract)

Cream the butter with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy - about 30 seconds. Add the confectioner's sugar, 2 tablespoons milk and 1 tablespoon peppermint schnapps.

Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is well incorporated - about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy (1-2 minutes). Add up to 1 tablespoon milk if the frosting seems to stiff.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part I)

I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part I)...enjoyed it, but it was painfully slow. The last 10 minutes was really good and it definitely built up suspense for the next movie. Wish they would serve cupcakes at the concession stand...are you listening Century Theatres??

Cirencester Cupcakes

canusdirus

Deathly Hallows cupcake cake

Marshmallow Brain via Flickr

Happy Birthday Robert!

Wishing my brother a happy, happy day filled with cupcakes!

Made With Pink via Flickr

Friday, December 3, 2010

Giant Christmas Cupcakes

It's about time to break out the giant cupcake pan again....to make giant Christmas cupcakes!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

The DMV & Vampire Cupcakes

OK...so I am standing in line at the DMV in Carson City waiting to get a new license plate and I started talking to the guy in line behind me. He said he was moving here from California to help his niece build a new house. He said she wrote "some dumb book" and wanted to build a nice house with lots of land so she could have horses. The conversation went along and then he asked me if I had ever heard of a book called Twilight....yes, that was the "dumb book" his niece wrote!

Good luck building the new house!