Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Ah, more Christmas baking... I am preparing for next Friday! I am starting with the treats that will store longer so I don't burn myself out all at once. Next up... Shortbread (I might even add white chocolate and cranberries to it... yummy!)

Sugar Cookies

I make a lot of cupcakes... So I decided to try out decorated sugar cookies using flood icing techniques for something different. I can't keep making my family eat cupcakes, cupcakes and more cupcakes!
I have such a great collection of sprinkles, sparkles, dragees, melting chocolate etc that these cookes actually turned out pretty fun and tastey! Watch out family... here comes more goodies!

Marshmallow Snowman Cupcakes

Katie! This cupcake is dedicated to you... since you will no longer see snow (now that your are in California)... and, I added the 'knit' scarf thinking of your new business 'Strawberry Bottom Baby'. I just know you are going to do awesome!

(yes... the nose is a real carrot!!)

First Shipment of Product!

Yesterday I got my first shipment of product for my online store! Very exciting.. These are the cupcake wraps from Bella Cupcake Couture. They are such a great way to make cupcakes pretty easily (especially if you do not have the time or the 'know how')

Happy Birthday to Me!

It's a couple days early but Amber, Kristie and Apple got together last night to make all these great Owl cupcakes for my birthday. I freaked them all out by getting stuck on the island last night! I did make it in just in time to be treated to such a wonderful unexpected surprise!

Cupcakes by Holly Website!

I have started my website! I have been thinking about doing this for quite some time and finally had the motivation to put it all together.

www.cupcakesbyholly.com

The website will grow and change over time. Right now, I kept it simple to see how things go. The main elements to the website are the Feature and For Sale pages. I want to feature something fun or something I am working on once a week or so. The For Sale page will eventually be changed into a shopping cart but for the moment, orders have to be emailed to me.

Hope you like the new website, feel free to email me any suggestions for fun products to sell or projects!

Westie Cupcakes & a lesson!

I was planning to make cupcakes for Amber's upcoming birthday and Apple wanted a lesson in cupcake decorating! I taught her how to make butter cream icing and we decorated some fun Westie cupcakes!

Just a slice...

Here is a picture of the Lusciuos 4 layer pumpkin cake before serving!

Luscious 4 Layer Pumpkin Cake

This cake seems to have replaced the pumpkin pie in my family! It came highly requested again so I finally made it! I put the recipe below with my little tweaks to make it lower fat (the original recipe can be found at http://www.kraftkitchens.com/) Mixing the batter

The top of the cake always comes out some what cracked like a pumpkin pie would... I like the effect.

I always cut the top off of one of the 2 cakes so the cake lays flatter (it also makes for a good test piece, gotta check out the flavor!!)

Even though you think you might run out of the filling, there actually will be left overs so you are able to be generous with the layers!

Here is a side view of the finished cake. Of course, it always looks kind of messy... once you cut it into slices, add whip cream and drizzle caramel on it... it looks quite nice!

What You Need!
1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix (I use french vanilla!)
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
4 eggs
1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened (I use the reduced fat version)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed (I use the reduced fat version)
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

Make It!
HEAT oven to 350°F.
BEAT cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.
BAKE 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. (for me it usually take about 40 minutes to cook, this is quite a thick batter) Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy (room temp works best). Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice; mix well. Gently stir in COOL WHIP (make sure the cool whip is not frozen hard). Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top layer.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I can't tell you how frustrated I am at myself! I had all these great 'in progress' pictures of how to make these cupcakes... and... I forgot to put my CF card in my camera!! Ugh! Anyhow, here are the finished products!

These guys are my 'pumpkin patch' some have little halloween faces, even though its only thanksgiving, you all know how much I love halloween!

Since this is for thanksgiving... they are pumpkin cupcakes with creamcheese centres!

Thanksgiving Turkeys! These were so much fun to make... they are chocolate and very heavy on the buttercream icing as you have to build up the feathers from the bottom! I am sure some of us sweet tooths' won't mind!

Are any of these headed your way you might wonder? The box of 4 is for Brian's mom and sister...

The sampler plate is for Brian's brother's thanksgiving dinner tomorrow night...

And this big tray is headed to Aaron & Steph's for their thanksgiving tomorrow night!

I hope everyone has a great thanksgiving!

Bird's Nests for Mom's Birthday!

So I decided that Bird's Nests would be a great option for Mom's birthday! White cake with Coco flavored icing and toasted coconut... Super cute... Everyone loved them!

I did a multi colored cupcake again and got a really interesting pattern! I used White, Yellow and Teal... I layered it, but it baked up the outside of the cup... still looks great!

Kristie's 30th Birthday Cupcakes!

So today at work Amber and I were talking to Kristie and found out it was her 30th birthday in July and she didn't even have a party! I volunteered to make the cupcakes (and we will surprise her with them tomorrow).
I was dying to try out my new dessert decorator (pictured at the bottom) and it works just as great as I had hoped. It allows me to ice cupcakes faster with 'bigger' icing tips meaning more yumminess all around!

If you think you are seeing sparkles along with the Silver dragees, you would be right! I put edible sparkles on these cupcakes... I promise it looks amazing in person, the camera just couldnt catch how neat it really looked.

The actual cake in these is a mix of white and purple... it should look great when you bite into it!

The chocolate medalions are made with melting wafers and my poor hand writing (my mom is soooo much better at that part).

This is my new dessert decorator... I love it!