IT WAS A CUPCAKE KIND OF DAY TODAY

I have a friend who owns a cupcake shop. They are looking for some new recipes and asked me to bake several kinds of cupcakes over the next few days for all the owners to try out.

So today, I started with making a "24 Carrot" cupcake.

It's a yummy carrot cake with creamcheese icing. It is baked in a gold liner and is topped with gold flecks on top. That is why it's called the "24 Carrot" cupcake.

The next one I made was a Red Velvet with Cream Cheese icing. I thought I would try a flavor that many people enjoy.

This cupcake is very moist and has a stronger chocolate flavor then most Red Velvets do.

The last one I made was a Strawberry and Cream Cupcake. The cake is a vanilla cake with fresh strawberries in it and then it's topped with a whipped cream topping.

I forgot to top it with a fresh strawberry before I took this photo.

I hope they like them. It is fun getting to try out different recipes and get paid to do so at the same time.

I have so many flavors I want to try out. I'm searching for a great Peach Cobbler cupcake recipe so if you have one, please let me know.

BAKING CUPCAKES WITH GIRL SCOUT COOKIES

The past few weeks I've been very busy with Girl Scout Cookie sales. Since I'm a Girl Scout leader I am the one who orders the cookies, picks up the cookies, keep tract of the sale of the cookies, sets up and attends all cookie booth sales and anything else that has to do with cookies.

With all these cookies I thought it would be fun to try to make some cupcakes and use Girl Scout Cookies in the recipes.


I went to my girl friends house and we spent the day trying different cookies to make different kinds of cupcakes.

The first one we made was more like a mini cheese cake with cherries on top. The crust was a Shortbread cookie. These came out great!

To make these you will need:

2 8oz packages of softened cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
12 Girl Scout Shortbread cookies
1 can cherry (or any other fruit) pie filling.


First line the pan with a cupcake liner. Then add a Girl Scout Shortbread cookie to each cup.

Mix all the other ingredients with a hand mixer. Spoon mixture over the Girl Scout Cookies. Bake for about 20 mins in a preheated 350 degrees oven.

When they first come out of the oven they will be puffy like a big muffin.

But then, as they cool, they sink down in the center. This is normal and what you want. Allow them to cool completely.

Then add the cherry (or other fruit) pie filling.

This will make 12 servings. Be sure to eat one quickly because before you know it they will all be gone! Everyone loves these.

The other cupcakes we made were Thin Mint cupcakes.

For this one, we just did a semi homemade cupcake.

We used a chocolate cake mix. Mixed as directed on the box. Then we crushed up Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies and added it to the batter. We also added a little bit of Mint extract to the batter.

We cooked the cupcakes per the directions on the package.

We then iced them with a whipped cream type topping. It is called Pastry Pride.

To that we added a bit of the mint extract and then topped with crumbled Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies and added a whole Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie to the top.

It was fun trying different ideas to use the Girl Scout Cookies but it was more fun to eat what we made. YUM!

You should try these. I think you will like them too.

CUPCAKE VALENTINE'S DAY PARTY

It's getting close to Valentine's Day. I know this is true because I just went to my good friend, Sandra's, annual Valentine's Day party.

Every year she picks a theme and this year it was cupcakes.

It's so fun to go to her parties because it's almost like going on a mini scavenger hunt. Everywhere you turn you can find hidden areas that decked out with the theme.

Like in this corner. How cute! She even got her kids to dress up in a cupcake costume to make pictures!

Or, this little set up. So cute. Hey, I don't have that cupcake book! I think I need to go buy one.

Even the soap and towels in the bathroom are cupcakes. To cute!

She always has her mantel decorated to match the party theme too.

I love seeing how she dresses her little monkey from Build A Bear. This little monkey has become the parties mascot. It just wouldn't be a true Sandra party without her.

Her tablescape was done in pinks, brown and white.

I just adore the cupcake centerpiece. It's actually a cookie jar.

I love how she raised the cookie jar up on the white cake plates. Next to the them are two candle holders holding...what else? Cupcake candles.

Look at that! Even the ribbon that is around the cake plates have little cupcakes on it.

For the place cards she used these darling cupcake luggage tags with the guests name on the back where your address goes.

Where does she find these things?

Aren't these little salt and pepper shakers darling.

We always have a lunch. Everyone brings a dish and the spread is wonderful.

The theme, or holiday, is always brought into the food some how. Like the cute sandwiches that are heart shape.

But it was the desserts that took the cake (pun intended).

Sandra's daughter, Ashley, made these cute little cake pops in the shape of cupcakes. Not only were they the cutest things, they taste great too!

One of the guests, Ali, brought this cute dish. I fell in love with her clever way to present fruit. She layered the fruit to look like cupcakes.

This is an idea I will be using somewhere down the line for sure!

What would a cupcake theme party be without actual cupcakes!

Sandra used my cupcake stand. I love this stand but honestly, she has gotten way more use out of it then I have. I love having friends you can share things with. It always makes me feel good when someone borrows my things to use.

After eating, until we were so full we could hardly move, we all made some sweet cards that Sandra had designed.

I think there were 10 cards and they were all so cute.

She supplied all the items needed for all the cards. She covered her pool table and laid everything out for us to use as we wanted.

Then we had our gift exchange. We play the game where everyone gets a number and then opens a present when your number is called. You can steal from someone else if you really love something you see.

We were all very friendly this year and no one stole anything. Oh wait! Our hostess, Sandra, did steal from someone. Watch out Sandra, there is always next year to get even!

Once the fun was over and it was time to say good bye, we were greeted at the door with not one, but two party favors to take home.

One was these cute little cupcake note books.

The other one was these great jars full of cupcake items. Inside mason jars were cupcake liners, sprinkles, bags for the icing and icing tips. Everything you need to go home and make your own cute cupcakes.

A lovely little thank you note that says "Thanks for being so sweet and celebrating Valentines Day with me", was attached to each covered jar.

I don't think she left one thing out. The day was fun, a lot of laughs and getting to play catch up with the other girls. I had a great time!

Thank you Sandra for being my friend and inviting me to your party!

FOR GOODNESS CAKES

There's a new place in town! A new cupcake shop that is! For Goodness Cakes opened up in Huntington Beach this week.

If you have been reading this blog for any length of time you know I'm a BIG cupcake lover and I love finding new shops to try out.

Being a baker myself, I'm pretty picky about my cupcakes. I've found more places that sell cupcakes that I don't like then I have found that I do like. Only a hand full of places that I would go back to again.

For Goodness Cakes falls in the last category. I will be going back here again... and again!

For Goodness Cakes is owned by three young men. All very nice!

The whole staff is great! Very welcoming and friendly.

I really like the lay out of For Goodness Cakes. The colors are red and a creamy gold color with touches of dark brown.

The feel of the place is homey and warm. A place you wouldn't mind hanging out at. The decor also isn't overly girly, so your guy won't mind being there either.

They have several different flavors of cupcakes. They have a Reese's Peanut Butter cupcake, Red Velvet, coconut, chocolate with both chocolate and white icing, white with both white and chocolate icing and a fun celebration cupcake that is a white cupcake with colored sprinkles and white icing with sprinkles. I'm sure the celebration is a BIG hit with the kids.

There is a counter area you can sit out to enjoy your cupcakes and coffee or soft drinks.

In case you wonder what time it is while you are For Goodness Cakes, just look at the wall with all the clocks and you will find It's Cupcake Time.

I think my favorite is the Red Velvet cupcake with Cream cheese icing and a cute red heart.

It's hard to pick which one you want. They all look good.

Not only do they look good, they taste GREAT!

I was thrilled to find a cupcake shop that is near to me with great cupcakes.



So, grab your cupcake and pull up a seat at the darling cupcake tables.

Or, you could sit back in these comfy chairs and relax while you enjoy every bite of your favorite cupcake.

No matter where you eat it, you will surely love it!

Another great thing about For Goodness Cakes is, it's right by Bella Terra Theatre. The Theatre is known for not letting you bring in outside food. However, For Goodness Cakes has reached an agreement with them to allow their cupcakes to be brought in.

Now doesn't that sound wonderful! A cupcake while you enjoy a great movie. Sounds like heaven to me!

So yes! I will be back to For Goodness Cakes for sure!