Champagne Cupcakes - Happy Valentine's Day

Okay, I admit that there now appears to be a trend in my most recent postings . . .

But I had to try making these cupcakes after seeing a version of them on Cupcake Wars. The cake here is a variation on a standard white cake recipe with about 3/4 cup of Chandon Extra Dry Riche sparkling wine added. I think the sweeter the champagne (or sparkling wine), the better this cupcake is, although dessert wines would probably be overdoing it. When looking up other bakers' attempts at champagne cupcakes, there were many suggestions for adding strawberries or using strawberry flavored wines. However, I can tell you that a simple, standard champagne works perfectly well, and I was thrilled with how light and subtly sweet this cupcake was.

To get some berry flavors in there, I topped the cupcake with Chambord buttercream. For those of you who are new to Chambord, I discovered this raspberry liqueur in a magazine ad—the kind that has the "open here and smell" panel that usually accompanies perfume ads. Since then, I have been obsessed with this liqueur's delicious scent! Chambord alone doesn't add sufficient coloring (unless you're going to use the entire bottle . . .), so I added a dab of pink food coloring. Then I topped with some sanding sugar and white pearls. Sparkly, sprinkled pink cupcakes aren't normally my style, but hey, it's Valentine's Day.

Mojito Cupcakes - Happy Hour!

Mint, lime, sugar, why not? When I think of mojitos, I think of one of my favorite restaurants, La Bodeguita del Medio, which serves up delicious Cuban fare (and mojitos of course) on California Avenue in Palo Alto. I think I will have to try a strawberry or raspberry variation of this cupcake sometime.

The cake is a pound cake flavored with lime, oven-dried mint, cloves, and a bit of limoncello and dark rum. This is probably the most alcohol I have purchased in a long time, all just for the use of a couple tablespoons. We will take any cocktail suggestions to help use up the rest of the supply! The addition of the alcohol actually results in a rather odd-smelling batter, but once the alcohol is baked away, you're left with a very refreshing and nuanced citrus pound cake. I frosted these cupcakes with a rum Italian meringue buttercream, and topped with turbinado sugar and fresh mint leaves.

I went a bit light on the mint and rum, but I figured it might not be appropriate to induce the office to imbibe too early on a Thursday morning =)

Cosmo Cookie Bars - A Cocktail w/o the Alcohol

These "cosmo" cookie bars have a cranberry-orange filling, and a crust flavored with lime zest. If you like the fresh tanginess of a traditional lemon bar, you'll probably like this spin on the bar. Fun colors too!

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes - Happy Holidays!

My brother has an incredible camera lens . . .

I brought these mini cupcakes to family gatherings over the holidays. These chocolate cupcakes are filled with salted caramel, sprinkled with some coarse sea salt, piped with dark chocolate frosting, and additionally topped with a little more sea salt garnish.




Have chocolate and sea salt always been paired together, or is that a recent fad? In any case, I love how the combo tastes and sounds so gourmet.

Milo | A Dog's Life

Rub my belly please.


I like to fetch my ball and then roll around with it. Why chew my ball while standing when I can do it while lying down?

Marble Chocolate Turkey Cupcakes - Thanksgiving Part 2

This was inspired by a holiday coupon book, with pictures of Betty Crocker creations. The cupcakes are marbled vanilla and chocolate (made with cocoa powder for a dark chocolate flavor), with vanilla pudding mix. The frosting is silky smooth dark chocolate. The turkey feathers are piped semi-sweet and white chocolate, with a Hershey's kiss head.


Making both batches of cupcakes made me late to Thanksgiving dinner, but I was a baker-obsessed.

Pumpkin Brown Butter Cupcakes - Thanksgiving Part 1

You know that yummy sweet-savory buttery goodness that lines the layers of a cinnamon bun? Well, imagine that captured in a cupcake! Here, browned butter is incorporated into a pumpkin-sage cake, with browned butter icing on top. I've made the icing into a thicker consistency so that it holds form (for easier transport to Thanksgiving dinner). However, with the addition of more milk, this icing can drip off the edges of the cupcake for a nice gooey effect as well.

I have been working on my chocolate tempering work, so these cupcakes are topped with a bit of white chocolate flair.