Amanda Cupcake. Beautiful and Sweet.

Yes, I had a Giant Sparkly Cupcake Party....

2012-02-25T22:15:00.002-08:00

Everyone at least once in their life should host something as fabulous as a Giant Sparkly Cupcake Party. ♥ I did last week, and it was wonderful.

(This is me and my giant sparkly cupcake, photo courtesy of my talented friend Angela from Angel Cakes).

I made a cupcake vow to my hometown of Waupaca, and to all my cupcake friends......When I reached 1000 "likes" on the Amanda Cupcake Facebook page, I would return the love by baking and swirling a giant sparkly cupcake like magic.

♥

I invited everyone in town and from afar to eat my giant cupcake magic with me.

And if you dare...you could wear a tutu with me while eating a cupcake at the same time. I mean..I spill frosting and edible glitter on my tutu often! I wonder what my designer Mir Tutu thinks of that?

The journey to becoming a giant sparkly cupcake isn't always predictable. (This is what my colorful cake batter looked like in the pan before baking).

..This is the unpredictable proof, at 350 degrees. My colorful cake batter turned into a very beautiful kaleidoscope while baking. (Hint: Curiosity is a good thing! I would have never discovered such a beautiful sight if I wasn't curious enough to peek inside the oven 10 minutes after my giant cupcake started baking!)

♥

I am glad I didn't eat my giant sparkly cupcake alone.

So many of my friends showed up,

and they are all wonderful characters:

A Tu - Tu Designer.

A Chef.

Two Cupcake Superstars.

Some Young Aspiring Superstars.

My Artist Boyfriend. (the one who made this amazing drawing of me).

An Adorable Birthday Girl and Her Daddy.

My Friend from the Waupaca Middle School Dance Team (remember Chocolate Peanut Butter Love?)

My blonde bombshell of a friend. (there's always a blonde bombshell).

My past high school teacher who gives the best cupcake hugs.

My Make-Up Artist Friend Kate Unger who gave make-overs all night.

Nicki Minaj as the soundtrack.

Eeek! Look at the adorable mini cupcake cake pops Angel Cakes made just for me! They look just like my giant cupcake, except in mini giant cupcake size!

♥ Angel Cakes. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I am still squealing with joy. Just look at the box! You put so much ♥ into this wonderful gift.

Or what about this Ranch Bacon Cupcake that tasted just like a dream Subway sandwich, masterminded by my Master Chef friend Lonnie and her talented tutu designer sister Miranda?

Lonnie and Miranda call them Dainty Dinners. ♥

Who says cupcakes can't be savory instead of sweet?

.....and of course..one giant sparkly cupcake.

♥

I tried to top the giant cupcake with a whole crazy mixture of everything I've piled high on cupcakes in the last year:

Love.

Sparkles.

Gems.(edible ones like glitterized peanut butter cups).

Disco Cherries.

Life.

Color.

Sparkling Oreo Cookies.

I even made the cupcake liner out of chocolate candy melts.

And the cutting of the cake.. was just a sweet & beautiful disaster.

It was so ginormously spectactular, we cut the cupcake with a cleaver.

It's a rare, but alluring surprise when something is just as pretty on the inside as it is on the outside!

An even bigger sparkly giant cupcake party:

Will happen when I reach 1999 likes on Facebook.

That means more cupcake love for the world to share.

♥

Mark your calendar.

Flaming Strawberry Cupcakes

2012-02-15T17:53:00.000-08:00

Part of being a hopeless romantic means that I love celebrating life, and dreaming of things others might think impossible.

If I could make everyday some kind of a special holiday, I would.

♥

Yesterday, it was Valentines Day. I am nowhere near Anti-Valentine's Day. I enjoy that there is a day we can loudly proclaim we are celebrating loving each other.

The cupcakes I baked on my own little Valentine's Day Eve celebration were intense. An affair to remember, really.

FLAMING STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES.

I took a risk playing with fire, but if you don't take risks, you might never experience something truly amazing. ♥

The Lovers:

Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes. Oh my.

And You.

The Matchmakers:

Strawberries, Carved out in the center.

Bacardi 151, poured into the strawberry centers.

Have they ever warned you about that "bad boy" you just couldn't resist? Sigh.

I didn't heed any warnings.

I poured a small amount of Bacardi 151 into the strawberries, and used a match to light the Bacardi on the inside of the strawberry.

I love love love how the little blue flames look like bubbles from this angle. The beautiful blue flame burned for about a minute. All I was left with was a delicious chocolate cupcake, and a memory of what once was.

♥

So I ate the cupcake.

And I knew this magical experience was worth the risk.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Pops!

2012-02-07T22:58:00.000-08:00

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Pops.

How they came to be in Amanda Cupcake-land.

I work with some really sweet ladies as a cook in the assisted living home. When I received a call from Cupcake Wars Casting, all the lady cooks that work with me in the kitchen insisted that if I were to fly out to Los Angeles, then they'd have to come with me too, as my kitchen assistants! If that didn't melt my heart, I don't know what will. ♥ And come on, that would be amazing TV, don't you think?

Sometimes I bring my cupcakes and cake pops into the nursing home just for people to try. And I swear, it creates this wonderful bond with people. It's like my sweetness comes alive in a cake pop!

This is how I met Linda, the smiling face in the office of the Iola Assisted Living Home. We were on break in the lunch room. I was wearing a hair net, camouflaging the true Amanda Cupcake I am-pushing orange cake pops on people (it truly isn't that hard to do). Linda wasn't sure about these mystery cake pops. I insisted her life would be enlightened greatly if she took a bite of the magical-ness.

♥

So you know what happened next.

It's a true story of sweet indulgence.

Linda fell in love with an orange dreamsicle cake pop.

We then created a beautiful magic cake pop story together for her favorite sister Marcia.

13 Pineapple Upside Down Cake Pops that Spell out "Happy Birthday."
And the Cake Pops Truly are Upside Down.

Dipped In Yellow Candy Melts.

Sparkled with Green Disco Dust for the "Pineapple "Leaves".

This is all the deliciousness inside of the cake pop.

Maraschino Cherry Bits, Pineapple Chunks, Pineapple Juice, Cake, and Buttercream Frosting. Yes. You can do this at home.

I took a risk and shipped my cake pop babies out to Linda's sister Marcia across the United States, praying for their safe arrival.

This is the lovely email I received from the Birthday Girl, Marcia the other day:

The pineapple upside down cake pops came in the mail today – what a pleasant SURPRISE! I’ve never seen – or eaten – anything like it. They are rich, flavorful and yummy. I’ve been looking at your website – and although it’s 10:40 at night – my mouth is watering at all the beautiful and creative pictures.

♥

Proof that once you cake pop, you really can't stop.

Recipe here for a pineapple upside down cake you can make yourself.

(then crumble it up, add maraschino cherry bits, frosting and turn into cake pop balls)!

Do-This-At-Home Ingredient List:

1 Box Of Yellow Cake Mix

1 20 oz Can of Pineapple Chunks

1 10 oz jar of Maraschino Cherries

Vegetable Oil

Stand Mixer

Cookie Sheet

Parchment Paper

Cake Pop Sticks

1. Pour your Yellow Cake Mix into your Kitchen Aid Mixer.

2. Substitute the water in the Yellow Cake Mix with Pineapple Juice from your can of pineapples.

3. Add the amount of Vegetable Oil called for on the Cake Mix Box.

4. Blend well in your stand mixer.

5. Then add about 1 cup of Pineapple Chunks to your Cake mix (this is optional but I like the chunks of pineapple in my cake pops)!

**Make sure the Pineapple is drained, no extra juice in the cake mix.

6. Using the whisk attachment on your standing mixer, blend all ingredients for about 30 seconds.

7. Pour batter into a greased & floured 9x13" pan..and bake for appx 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees (shorter or longer depending on your oven)!

8. Crumble up your cake into a large bowl, cake will need to cool for about an hour and a half before you can start cake popping.

9. Once cooled, add a tablespoon at a time of buttercream frosting, until the consistency is sticky like play - doh.

10. It's time to get your hands sticky. Add your chopped up maraschino cherries to the cake pop blend.

11. Take out a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and roll your sticky cake pop mixture into little cake balls.

♥You'll see little streaks of delicious cherry and strings of pineapple texture in the cake pops. This is how you know you've created a pineapple upside down cake..inside of a cake pop.

♥Set the cake pops inside of the refrigerator for about an hour.

♥Meanwhile, take out your yellow candy melts and melt them in the microwave for 20 seconds at a time until they look like melted chocolate!

♥Once the cake pops are cool enough, dip one side of your cake pop sticks in the candy melts..and insert it into the cake pop ball.

☻You now have a cake pop ball on a stick.

All that's left to do is *dip* in the yellow candy melts.

And of course..add sparkles, immediately! ♥

Gnome Cupcake Wonderland

2012-02-05T12:34:00.000-08:00

I have big dreams, and a ginormous imagination.

Can't you tell by this birthday gnome cupcake wonderland I baked, dipped and swirled?

Last week Saturday, I was a vendor at Indie Wed Chicago.

I answered some majorly serious questions from cupcake observers:

"Can you make me unicorn cupcakes?"

"Can you eat the glitter on that cupcake?"

"Is that a S'more in cupcake form?"

..I even heard..

"You remind me of a girl Willy Wonka."

"I love your pink tutu."

♥

Years ago, a friend asked me what my superhero power would be. I waited a few days to respond to his email. I wanted to come up with the perfect response. I never got to tell him. He passed away unexpectedly.

I hope that he is able to see now that I've discovered it.

♥

The "S" on my chest..should be a cupcake!

This picture explains why. My friend Cassie took this photo after receiving the gnome cupcake wonderland I made for her. She played with the cupcakes before eating them! ♥

I think it's true that the "child" in you that likes to *play*.. is the real YOU.

♥

I'm happy that my cupcakes are a way to revive that!

Can you imagine walking through a forest, picking a pink sparkly mushroom with green dots on it?

And you are suddenly really hungry because the mushroom smells like the cupcake of your dreams?♥

Bearded Frosting Gnome Hi-Hats.

You can eat the frosting beards right off the cupcake.

And the hat is a crunchy candy melt delight.

Hats made out of sugar cones and dipped in pink candy melts. Sparkly soft grassy frosting swirls. ♥

Happy gnomes. Grumpy gnomes. Hiding Gnomes. Lost gnomes.

..If you only knew their heads used to be basic faceless cake pops, dyed with a combination of pink, yellow, and white candy color gel.

One of my biggest rules: Play with your food before eating it.

I do all the time..

And look at the outcome!

Love-Cakes ♥ 2011

2012-01-02T05:22:00.000-08:00

It's 2012, and I was going to write a traditional "reflection" blog dedicated to New Years.

I've been so busy.

I've mainly been superhero-cupcake-ing it up as Amanda Cupcake.

But..I've also been working a second job as a cook at an assisted living home to save money to finance a possible bakery..or a really fun recipe book? or who knows what's next? for my cupcake business. The job at the assisted living home is more than just a job to me though. I've always loved working with the elderly, and I was even considering volunteering just to visit with them, and get out of my own little bubble. When I saw that the nearby assisted living home was hiring a cook, I applied. It must have been destiny because I got the job. I go in wearing scrubs, a hairnet, and purple eyeshadow (sometimes glitter too), and try to make somebody smile. Plus-I've been learning mad cooking skillz.

♥

On top of that I've been teaching cupcake classes at Fox Valley Technical College. I even taught four hours of cupcake classes recently at Waupaca High School. Here are the cupcakes I taught the high school students to make:

When I talked about adding glitter to my cherries to turn them into "disco" cherries, one of the students exclaimed, "That is the best thing I have heard all day!" I was beaming with joy all day after that, really.

My point is, I wanted to make all these ahhmazing New Years cupcakes. You know, like champagne cupcakes or cocktail celebration cupcakes with pearls and sparkles on them.

♥

But what I came up with the other day for a really special order pretty much defines the past year of who Amanda Cupcake is, and who everyone that I've come in touch with in the past year is as well. They are the absolute perfect Amanda Cupcake New Years cupcakes, and I wouldn't change a thing.

Let's call them Lovecakes.

Meet the lovely recipient.

Her name is Teal. She found love, and is getting married! So I made her cupcakes filled with LOVE for her New Year's Eve Wedding Shower. ♥

This is a photo of her cupcake buffet fit for a queen that was sent to my Iphone. It made her so happy, she cried. This text message made me so happy, I cried!

I handcrafted banners of love and color and bows that connected cupcake swirls.

Vibrant colors for a beautiful & vivacious person!

You know, there are miniature pies hidden inside each of these cupcakes too. This one has an apple crisp pie on the inside.

(I found this adorable polka dot cupcake platter at Lucky Tree Home Decor in Waupaca)

And I baked a mini raspberry pie inside of this lemon cupcake. The little "jewel" is an edible M&M that I blinged out. I made a cupcake topper by hot glue-ing a feather onto a wooden stick! (this way the feather pieces don't get stuck on the cupcake frosting).

Bows and Pearls and Frosting Ruffles inspired by bridesmaid dresses.

A touch of white for the bride-to-be.

Don't we all wish for this? A best friend to grow old with? Bliss.

A dream of mine is to marry my best friend and eat glittery delicious cupcakes on our porch together while watching the sunset.

Now you know why these are the ultimate Amanda Cupcake New Years Cupcakes.

They are like fireworks exploding glitter and color and love..

Baked with so much hope and promise. To enjoy right now, but also to toast to a bright future.

Love-Cakes Forever.

A Cake Pop Christmas.

2011-12-25T16:59:00.000-08:00

My dad & I build cake pop towers..sparkly ones!

I will never forget when my dad showed me his sparkly fingernail after working hours on a beautiful cake pop tower. The sparkly glue was stuck on his fingernail for days. ♥ Only a real man can walk around for a week with a sparkly fingernail!

This week my dad and I worked as a team to make 510 cake pops and cake pop towers for Red Shoes PR in Appleton.

♥ A true work of love.

Distributed all around as a Christmas gift from Red Shoes PR to their clients in Appleton. And they picked me, Amanda Cupcake as their Cake Pop Santa!? ♥

People always say my creations look "Dr. Seuss-esque" , and Red Shoes PR was another to tell me this! So naturally, they requested something right out of a children's book. ♥ It's funny, because Dr. Suess has been my role model for life. Not only in creating, but I love the whimsical yet deep way that he looked at everything. Kids and adults everywhere can read his books and learn something ahhmazing.

Flavors:

Green: Red Velvet

Red: Chocolate

Brown: Eggless Cookie Dough

Tiffany Blue: Vanilla Mint

And of course, sparkles always taste amazing!

An entire Christmas tree, on a stick that is on sparkly cake pop tower. That tastes like Whoville!

(this is Whoville).

I feel like I am there right now..

This is what happens when a father and a daughter have a vision!

What does this make you think of?

The Abominable Snowman perhaps?

Back to Whoville...

I molded the cake pop mixture into little cones.

First I made a cake pop ball.

I rolled the ball into a pointed cone shape to resemble a tree.

Of course, endless sprinkles & stars, sparkles, and swirls of snow really bring the trees to life. ♥

Snowballs ♥

Vanilla Mint.

Should I write an edible storybook?

Cookie Dough Christmas Cake Pop Trees!

Orange Dreamsicle Cupcakes In the Winter!

2011-12-17T09:37:00.000-08:00

Waking up on a winter morning wrapped up in my snuggie, looking out the window at a fresh snowfall is kind of like comfort food. And when the sun goes down, the sparkles in the snow become twinkly stars.

If I lived in an edible winter wonderland, the snow would be fluffy and creamy and sugary. Like a dream.

Orange and White Winter Dreamsicle Cupcakes.

♥

I used an extra large #9 Open Star Tip to swirl frosting dreams come true.

The tip looks like this and you can buy it at Ateco:

I used a basic buttercream frosting recipe, and added a splash of orange extract. See recipe below.

My favorite brand of icing color (especially their "electric" line of colors!): Americolor.

Picking up the cupcake with a stick and eating it like an orange dreamsicle in the winter is an indulgent fantasy, truly. I used mini "Woodsies" popsicle sticks as cupcake toppers. You can buy them at Hobby Lobby.

little dreams ready for delivery.

Simple Recipe for your very own Orange Dreamsicle Cupcakes:

(Makes approximately 24 cupcakes!)

Ingredients needed:

1 box of white cake mix

3 oz package of Orange Jello Mix

3 or 4 oz package of Cheesecake pudding mix

1 1/4 Cup Orange Juice

4 Eggs

1/3 C Vegetable Oil

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Orange Extract

Optional (and I like adding this..): 1 tsp of Orange Zest

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Line your cupcake pan with 24 cupcake liners.

3. In a bowl or a stand mixer, whip all of your ingredients together for approximately 2 minutes.

4. Once ingredients are blended, use an ice cream scoop to fill your cupcake liners with batter-approximately 2/3 full.

5. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

The delicious frosting:

1 lb of butter

1 Tablespoon of Milk or Heavy Whipped Cream

1 Teaspoon of Orange Extract

2 tsp of Orange Jello Powder

appx 2-3 Cups of Confectioners Sugar

Optional:

Combine 4 oz of cream cheese with your butter & milk
Add 1 Tablespoon of Orange Zest to the frosting blend.
Sample your frosting with a popsicle stick ♥ I really recommend this!

Instructions:

1. In your Mixer, Blend Butter & Milk until creamy & dreamy.

2. Add Orange Extract & Jello Powder to the whipped goodness.

3. Gradually add Confectioners Sugar. This is where you decide how much you want to add. The more sugar you add, the thicker the texture of the frosting.

I add about 3 cups of this to achieve a dreamy swirl of frosting. You can always add more milk to make the frosting creamier.

♥

16 Days Before Christmas: Sprinkling Holiday Sparkles All Over The World.

2011-12-09T20:27:00.001-08:00

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When I was tiny, my mom told me that one of my gifts was generosity. She begged me to never ever let my gift of tender hearted generosity slip away, no matter where life took me.

I guess I started early..sharing a cake with my brother. Frosting all over the place, that's nothing new for me!

♥

At the beginning of this year, I thought I wanted to open a bakery. And it is still one of those things on my list that I could do..

but I have discovered that I enjoy sharing my ideas with the world more than anything else. I love connecting with people more than I enjoy baking all alone in a kitchen dancing to Nikki Minaj by my lonesome on a Friday night.

This past weekend I taught my first Holiday Cupcake decorating class at Fox Valley Technical College in Clintonville ♥

I got a kick out of watching my students sprinkle sparkles all over their cupcakes. Ta-daaa. The cupcakes I baked and decorated for their inspiration.

The Maraschino Cherry with edible disco dust is always a favorite. I call it the "Disco Cherry." Everyone left the class calling it the disco cherry too!!! I think I've started something..♥ Maybe I should jar these and sell them at the grocery store?

Tip on creating a disco cherry: Use a small paintbrush, dip it in vodka or some kind of alcohol based extract and then dip in your disco dust. Using your brush, paint the sparkles on the top of your cherry for a hologram-esque sparkle. The alcohol helps the glitter stick!

Aren't these cupcakes lovely? A creation by one of my talented students!

I bring an autograph book to my class. ♥ The signatures prove that my cupcake sparkles are making a difference somehow in the world of cupcake-ing! I suggest you invest in an autograph book. It invites the most interesting people into your life!

I also taught the class how to take a mini M&M and turn it into a piece of cupcake jewelry by painting disco dust on it with extract & a paintbrush.

I even threw in how to turn all this cupcake goodness into a cupcake kaleidoscope!

♥

We had six hours of fun together last Saturday.

And I am sure there is glitter foreverly stuck in some cracks of the floor of FVTC Clintonville Regional Center kitchen. Pour some glitter, make it rain.

A gallery of student work inspired by my teaching, and I love it all:

♥

I've always believed in painting the world sweeter with frosting as my medium. Don't worry mom, I've found the best possible medium to share my generosity too.

17 days before Christmas: Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes!!!

2011-12-04T10:01:00.001-08:00

Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes

by: Amanda Cupcake ♥

The most important thing about making a cupcake:

Not thinking so much about making an actual cupcake..

instead.. taking a tradition that is loved...

and turning it into a cupcake.

Like Gingerbread Lattes before Christmas.

Your Best Friend in the Morning.

Topped with mini gingerbread stars & hearts cut out by hand.

A kitchen aroma of sugar and spice and all things cupcake.

A nostalgic neighborhood of gingerbread latte cupcakes. Mini Fantasy Gingerbreaad Houses constructed carefully with royal icing. Imagine if your neighborhood sparkled with heart shaped gingerbread rooftops?

Oh oh oh. Who wouldn't go? Up on a yummy peanut brittle rooftop.

The little reindeer on top always make everyone giggle. And really, that's one thing that Christmas is all about! The childlike happy spirit dances ♥ and plays with edible glitter of course.

Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes Recipe

adapted from Cupcake Project:

Creates 12 delicious cupcakes.

Dry Ingredients:

1 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 T Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 T Espresso Powder

Creaming Ingredients:

5 T Unsalted Butter at room temp

1/2 Cup Fine Baking Sugar

1 egg + 1 egg yolk

Liquid Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Hot Milk
1/2 Cup Unsulfured Molasses

How to bake them:
1. Line cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
2. Make sure oven is preheated to 350.
3. Sift & Combine dry ingredients in one medium sized bowl.
4. Combine Liquid ingredients in another medium sized bowl.
4. Cream the butter and sugar together in large stand mixer until creamy.
5. Add eggs to mixture gradually.
6. Alternate the addition of dry & liquid ingredients to creamed blend until fully incorporated.
7. Fill your cupcake liners about 3/4 to the top.
8. Bake at 350 for approximately 20 minutes.

The best frosting ever for this cupcake. Constructed by me, the lovely and not-so-mad cupcake scientist. ♥

Ingredients Needed:

4 oz Cream Cheese or 4 oz Marshmallow Creme (for a more whipped topping-think delicious drink!)
1 lb butter
1/2 Cup Hazelnut Coffee Creamer (you can try other coffee creamers too, the hazelnut is my favorite for frosting)
1tsp Cinnamon
appx 3-4 cups of powdered sugar (depending on how thick you want the frosting to be)

How to make this frosting:

1. Whip your Cream Cheese (or Marshmallow Creme) and Butter together in your stand mixer.

2. Add your pound of butter gradually in small squares.

3. Then add Coffee Creamer & Cinnamon.

4. Gradually add powdered sugar to your blend. I like my frosting to be more fluffy & dreamy so I slowly add my powdered sugar until my frosting is fluffy like a cloud!

I'm A Cupcake, You're a Lebowski ♥

2011-11-27T17:54:00.001-08:00

Have you ever seen the cult classic movie The Big Lebowski?

This week my friend was hosting a baby shower for a future "Little Lebowski" and she asked me to make 50 mini Lebowski themed cupcakes. And yes, they were having the baby shower at the local bowling alley here in Waupaca.

If you ever need to make cupcakes based off of a movie, I suggest you watch the movie, channel your inner costume designer, and think of your cupcakes as one of the stars of the movie. That's what I did.

I am known for stacking a lot on one regular sized cupcake, but I wanted to fit the entire movie on 50 miniature cupcakes!

It must have been cupcake destiny.

I found mini bowling pins in a toy pack at the dollar store.

I made cupcake toppers out of them inspired by the bowling pin headdresses in the movie:

I also made White Russian cupcakes. "Dude" would approve.

The White Russian was his drink of choice in the movie. Kahlua, Vodka, cupcake, and a straw. See recipe for White Russian Cupcakes at the end of this blog.

The Big Lebowski is full of 'staches. I made Dude's mustache edible-on a stick! You can wear it before you eat it.

Dude's Sunglasses ... and yes they are edible.

Mini Bowling Ball Cupcakes.

For the Little Lebowski. Awwwwww.

The words are edible. I free-handed them out of candy melts using a piping bag.

A little "Urban Achiever"

Let's Go Bowling.

The Dude Abides.

All that's needed are some tumbleweeds.

My best interpretation of Dude's Rug, made out of frosting.

Welcome, Little Lebowski. ♥♥♥

Recipe for White Russian Cupcakes:

Cupcake Recipe Adapted by Baked Perfection

Cupcakes Inspired by The Big Lebowski

and decorated by Amanda Cupcake!

Dry Ingredients:
1 1/4 C Flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Creaming Ingredients:
6 Tablespoons Butter
3/4 C Sugar
1 Large Egg
1 Egg White

Liquid Ingredients:
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Milk
1/8 Cup Vodka
1/8 Cup Kahlua

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Line Pan with 12 Cupcake Liners.
3. Combine dry ingredients in one medium sized bowl.
4. In another medium sized bowl, combine liquid ingredients.
4. Blend Butter & Sugar in your Kitchen Aid Mixer until creamy.
5. Add Egg & Egg White to the Creamed Mixture.
6. Now start adding the liquid & dry ingredients (alternating) until blended in with the creamed mixture.
7. Use an ice cream scoop to fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean after inserted into the cupcake.

When Finished Baking: Use an additional 1/8 Cup of Kahlua to glaze the top of your cupcakes.

White Russian Frosting:
1 Cup Unsalted Butter
5 Tablespoons Kahlua
1/4 tsp salt
2-3 Cups of Powdered Sugar

Instructions:

Cream Butter & Kahlua in mixer until creamy.
Add 1/4 tsp salt.
Gradually add Powdered Sugar until frosting is whipped & creamy.
If frosting is too stiff, I add a tablespoon of milk or heavy whipped cream. This gives it a more smooth texture.

What have you been thankful for this year, my cupcake friends?

2011-11-23T21:26:00.001-08:00

I am thankful for the glitter that gets stuck on your lips after you eat my cupcakes. ♥

I am grateful for the sparkles that remain stuck on the counter at Cronie's, and people all over town tell me that I am "the girl that leaves glitter all over Cronies coffee shoppe." After all, if I am going to leave a trail of something behind..it might as well be something happy.

I am thankful for all of you who visit Cronie's, and meet up with me to eat cupcakes and share your lives with me. You've made me realize this year that cupcakes are my calling. Not just because they are cupcakes. But because you are eating them with me. Kind of a huge deal.

I am thankful for cupcake breakfasts with you on Fox 11. As you can see by the look on my face, I am more than thrilled to share the early morning cupcake sunrises with you. And I'll do it again. ♥

I am thankful for over the top cupcakes like my S'mores Sparklette, and for the website Cupcakes Take The Cake who featured the recipe here. I've met so many cupcake friends because of Cupcakes Take The Cake.

(my dad "my biggest fan" and me)

I am thankful for home, and family. (It was a big choice to move back from Orange County, California to Waupaca, Wisconsin last year). Wisconsin never would have embraced cupcakes in the sparkly happy way they do now if I wouldn't have moved back. See the article in the Waupaca County Post here.

I am thankful for the opportunity to teach new friends cupcake skillz. Girl Scouts, Waupaca High School, students at Fox Valley Tech. I love to teach you. I never knew how much I loved to teach until I was given the opportunity to teach you.

(Turkey Cake pops created by Fox Valley Tech College student Brenda Buettner in my cake pop class!) ♥♥

(honored as a celebrity judge at the Iron Cupcake Madison wearing a one and only sparkly Mir Tutu that I bake and dance in).

I am thankful for Lucille Ball. ♥. A fiery redhead who somehow makes a mess in the kitchen turn beautiful! There's just something about her that makes me want to be ... her. She is one of my inspirations.

I am thankful for crazy dreams that you never thought could come true.. but if you work hard enough at them.. they do. ♥

.I am thankful for what's to come, and that you are going there with me ♥

I Was 32 When I started Cooking, Up Until Then..I Just Ate.....

2011-11-20T18:30:00.001-08:00

Up until this past year, I have always said it doesn't really matter if I am on my own, as long as I am doing something with my life that makes me happy.

Owning my own cupcake business is wonderful. I love what I do.
And I want so many more doors to open here.
I believe they will too.

I love the people I meet. They fill me with endless bubbles of joy.
I call my cupcakes my children.
I am like a soccer mom of cupcakes whenever I go out on a delivery in my little Toyota. That makes me happy. ♥

But I have to be honest..
It would be nice to see a glowing shiny happy face greeting me when I am done baking.
I want to cuddle when I come home at night, even though I might be covered in frosting and glitter.
I want that sneak attack of cuddly-loving-ness in the kitchen that comes up from behind and I feel all warm and tingly inside.

I wonder if Martha Stewart ever wants this. Or how did a historical kitchen maven like Julia Child find that balance between her love for food & her love for...company?

The "recipe" I found when I asked myself this question...

I am 32 ♥

Dancing in the kitchen ♥

Thankful for Cupcake Smorgasbords!

2011-11-14T08:32:00.001-08:00

I came up with this Crazy Smorgasbord inside of one cupcake.

I wasn't even sure if it was possible. I am very thankful that it is.

The bottom layer of the cupcake is a Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crust.

I baked an apple crisp pie on the inside.

There is even a finely blended Cinnamon Toast Crunch on the inside of the apple crisp mixture.

I topped the Cupcake with a pretty swirl of Salted Caramel Frosting, mini apple crisp pies, and glittery crunchy pieces of Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

I was inspired by creating cupcakes out of favorite Thanksgiving desserts.

And I love Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

I lined the bottom of my cupcake liner with this Cinnamon Toast Crunch "crust". Created by mixing 2 T of melted butter with 2 Cups of Crushed Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

Then I added my batter & a mini apple crisp pie.

The last step-hiding the pie under the batter.

You would never know the pie is there!

I baked the pie inside the cupcake at 350 for 25 minutes.

And this was the fabulous result.

A pie like crust at the bottom of the cupcake-made out of cereal.

A pie inside of the cupcake.

Tiny little flavor morsels of Cinnamon Toast Crunch mixed in with fresh apples.

Look how cute the cupcake looks from the back!

You can try it too.

Here is the recipe:

For The Cupcakes:

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt

Liquid Ingredients:
½ cup whole milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Creaming Ingredients:
2 Eggs
3/4 Cup + 2 T Sugar
4 T Unsalted Butter

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crust Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Melted Butter
2 Cups of Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal, Finely Blended

Recipe for Cinnamon Toast Crunch Mini Apple Crisp Pies:

4 Baking Apples (sliced into tiny tiny tiny thin slices or squares so they fit inside of the mini pie crusts)

Pillsbury Pie Crust

1/4 C of All Purpose Flour

5 Tablespoons of Sugar

1/4 Tsp of Cinnamon (you can add more or less depending on how much cinnamon you like)

1/2 Cup of Finely Grounded Apple Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Apple Crisp Mix-I find this in the produce section by the apples. (This is the fastest way since everything else you are making with this recipe is from scratch! But feel free to make your own apple crisp if you have a great recipe).

2 - 3 Tablespoons of Melted Butter

DIRECTIONS (How cake & pie & cereal unite, step by step):

First, Prepare your Mini Pies:

Preheat the oven to 375.

1. Roll out your pie crust, and use your mini pastry tins as "cutters" for the pie crust that will fit nicely into your mini pie tin. You can set all the finished pie tins on a cookie sheet so they are oven ready.

2. Prepare the pie filling: Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice.

3. Toss your mini apple slices into the pie filling mixture.

4. Prepare your apple crisp mix. Pour the Apple Crisp mix into a bowl, and add the finely blended Cinnamon Toast Crunch with butter to the mixture. Blend together with clean hands , a whisk, or a knife until your apple crisp is crumbly and cinnamon-y.

5. Combine the Apple Pie filling & The Apple Crisp Mix together.

6. Use a small spoon or a mini cookie dough scoop to fill the pie crust in the pastry tins with the apple crisp blend.

7. Bake the pies on a cookie sheet in the oven at 375 for approximately 20 minutes-or until pie crusts are golden brown.

8. After the pies are done baking they will need to cool for 20 minutes before baking them inside of the cupcakes.

While your pies are baking, you can prepare your cupcake batter:

1. Sift your flour and whisk all of your dry ingredients together in one medium sized bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, combine your liquid ingredients and set aside.
3. In your Kitchen Aid Mixer, cream your butter and sugar together until fluffy.
4. Add eggs to your creamed mixture one by one.
5. Alternate the addition of the dry ingredients and the liquid ingredients until well blended.
6. Now that your batter is mixed, you can prepare your Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cupcake Crust.
7. Combine the Cinnamon Toast Crunch & Melted Butter in a small bowl.

Once your pies have cooled and your cake batter is mixed, you are ready to create a Pie & Cupcake Smorgasbord!

1. Line your Cupcake Pan with 12 Liners.
2. Sprinkle a small amount of Cinnamon Toast Crunch Crust Mixture on the bottom of your Cupcake Liner.
3. Scoop a small amount of batter-just enough to cover the bottom of the liner into your cupcake liner.
4. Place your apple crisp pie on top of the batter.Make sure the pie doesn't touch the bottom of the cupcake liner.
5. Scoop a small amount of batter and cover the apple crisp pie so it is hiding inside of the cupcake.
6. Repeat this with all 12 Cupcakes.
7. Bake at 350 for approximately 20-25 minutes depending on your oven.
8. Let the cupcakes cool before frosting.

Frosting Recipe:

Simple & Quick Salted Caramel Frosting

Ingredients Needed:

1 Pound of Butter (cut up into squares)
4 Cups of Powdered Sugar
3/4 Cup of Ready Made Caramel (You can find it in the ice cream section at the grocery store).
1 Tablespoon of Sea Salt
1 Tablespoon of Vanilla

Instructions:

1. Blend Butter Squares in your mixer until creamy and light like butter should be.

2. Pour the caramel into the butter, and enjoy this moment. (It looks really pretty when you do, swirls of light caramel in the butter! Yum!)

3. Blend your Butter & Caramel together until the mixture is a very light brown. Sadly, the swirls will disappear. But they have gone to a wonderful place.

4. Mix in Sea Salt.

5. Add The Vanilla Extract

6. Make sure your mixer is turned down low. (Unless you want snow showers of powdered sugar which could be fun in some kitchens..)

7. Gradually add the powdered sugar until the frosting looks light, airy, and dreamy.

8. Optional: You can add 1 Tablespoon of Milk or Heavy Whipping Cream if you want a more "spreadable" frosting.

Teaching The Girl Scouts Cupcake Classes!

2011-11-07T20:14:00.000-08:00

I am starting to find my calling in the cupcake world..
Not only is it making delicious cupcakes for all to eat..
but I really really really enjoy demonstrating & teaching cupcake-ing skills!

This last Friday night I rented out the kitchen at Cronie's in Waupaca and taught my new Girl Scout friends how to decorate cupcakes, cake pops, and even how to stuff a marshmallow with cake!

We made rainbow stripe cupcakes.

The girls were completely speechless when they cut open their cupcakes to reveal a colorful surprise inside! All I heard were gasps of joy.

Their favorite cupcake accessory: a blinged out M&M I added to the cupcake. ♥

The Girl Scouts said this cupcake looked like Lady Gaga and that it was their favorite. I created this cupcake as inspiration for their creativity.

..and it was a success!

Look at all the beautiful cupcakes they decorated with very little help from me! Disco Cherries, Glittered Peanut Butter Cups, Sugar Melons, Colorful Sprinkles as garnishes. ♥

I told the girls that they should always be proud enough to take photos of their creations! So..this was our cupcake photo shoot.

They even earned a cupcake badge for taking the Amanda Cupcake class!

As you can see, the glitter was a fan favorite!

Glitter on the tongue! ♥

The blue splatters on the top of the rainbow cupcakes reminded us of watching clouds.. so we imagined up what shapes they looked like before we decorated the cupcakes! ♥

My piece of advice to the Girl Scouts: Stay Young at Heart.

Some of our Choice Words for the night: Glitterized and Magic.

This was one of the best ways I have ever spent a Friday night. ♥♥♥♥

Halloween Sparkle ♥

2011-10-29T11:17:00.000-07:00

Who says ghosts only live in scary basements?

Maybe they like to eat Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Or go on wild shopping sprees for an eternity?

My Beautifully Scary Cupcakes.

I piped chocolate spiders onto parchment paper.

Then I covered them in Hologram Silver Disco Dust.

Now they are crawling all over the cupcakes, and looking quite pretty instead of creepy!

This one reminds me of a piece of jewelry!

In my world, ghosts are always made out of fluffy sparkly cream cheese frosting.

In my world, ghosts feel guilty when they scare, so they wear pink bows and delicious sugar dots to make everything all better.

If you saw a ghost with a pink sparkly bow, would you be afraid?

Living With Amy Pink Strawberry Margarita Cupcake Demo!

2011-10-26T11:48:00.000-07:00

I took out the Tequila and the Margarita Mix on Living With Amy yesterday-and it was before noon! ♥

We made Pink Strawberry Margarita Cupcakes together in the kitchen!
She loved that my bowl of Margarita Cupcake batter smelled like a *real* margarita! ♥ And that 10% of my pink cupcake proceeds sold at Cronie's in Waupaca are going to the Susan G Komen Foundation ♥

You can see for yourself on this video demo with the recipe too:

Strawberry Margarita Cupcakes: fox11online.com

This is the "altered couture" cupcake corset wrapper Amy & I made together.

Here is my hand drawn template you can use to make an already pretty cupcake into a couture cupcake!

Make sure the template is printed out at 8 1/2" wide and trace/cut out onto heavy cardstock ♥ (I like to use sparkly cardstock because it is more glamorous!)

I have added: Brooches, Old Jewelry, Sequins, Beads, Feathers, Lace, Sparkly Gems, Ruffles. Yay. ♥

Living With Amy Fox 11 Pink Swirl Cupcake Demo!

2011-10-26T10:43:00.000-07:00

I appeared on Fox 11's Living with Amy yesterday.

The theme was *pink* for Breast Cancer. I demonstrated how to make pink and white vanilla swirl cupcakes! I let Amy sprinkle the sparkles on my cupcakes! One of my favorite parts was when she had to eat the frosting off of her hand when the cupcake started to fall. Yep, another example of a kitchen where Amanda is more like I Love Lucy than the Martha Stewart show! But that's what I love.

Video and recipe on how to create pink &white swirl cupcakes:

(and of course..Amy sprinkling sparkles on an Amanda Cupcake cupcake!)

Pink and White Swirl Cupcakes: fox11online.com

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake Love ♥

2011-10-19T07:24:00.000-07:00

I look at Los Angeles (Burbank really) as my home away from home in California. This is where my free spirit took off and I discovered it was okay to be the true Amanda.

People ask me why I moved back to Wisconsin from California last year. And how in the world I adjusted? Especially moving from a melting pot of millions (including transplanted palm trees!) to my hometown of 6000 (including 6 feet of snow last winter!)

This giganto pink cupcake card of cupcake love from Waupaca Middle School tells me why.

I made chocolate peanut butter cupcakes for the Waupaca Middle School Dance team a few weeks ago, requested by the very amazing & gifted dancer Hanna Henrich Waller. ♥ They looked like this:

with blinged out peanut butter cup jewels:

And this is all the love that was returned to me:

Hanna was the cupcake card messenger.

I could barely hold back the tears of joy while reading this jam packed card full of adoration for my glittery peanut butter chocolate cupcakes!

Never before in my entire life had I ever felt more like I was doing the right thing.

♥

I always thought I had to run really far away to distant lands to meet my calling.

♥

And I did run away for awhile..

♥

But sometimes a new chapter is all you need to start your own storybook adventure. And it doesn't matter where you are.

The storybook adventure of Amanda Cupcake..including sparkly pages and delicious recipes!

My Recipe for Glittery Peanut Butter Frosting:

(photo of my heels & cupcakes by Dan Woolf Photography)

You will need:

Some Nicki Manaj to dance to (inspired by the dance team).
A large dramatic bowl (preferably in a colorful Kitchen Aid Mixer).
Hologram Gold Disco Dust
A spoon because you might just end up eating the frosting by itself.
Mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

The Sparkly Fluff:

6 oz. cream cheese
2 C confectioners’ sugar
1/2 t salt
1 C creamy peanut butter (try not to use natural peanut butter since it is extremely oily)
1/2 t pure vanilla extract
1/2 C heavy cream

1. In your Kitchen Aid Mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy.

2. Gradually add peanut butter, salt, and vanilla.

3. After these ingredients are blended add powdered sugar (I add even more than this sometimes if I want my frosting to have texture and be thick-no matter what the frosting never seems to be too sweet!)

4. Add heavy cream.

If the frosting gets too soft at this point, you can always add more powdered sugar to thicken.

I use a 8 or 9mm rounded cupcake-ing tip to swirl on the pb frosting.

I use a sharp knife to cut my peanut butter cups into little squares..

and sprinkle my magic sparkly gold disco dust on top of the cupcake. ♥

I add more love by adding a sparkly heart cut by hand out of glitter cardstock. If you want to make it more special you can add a gumdrop like this one.

Cupcake-ing Classes ♥

2011-10-17T07:10:00.000-07:00

Paper-Doll Pin Up Girl Cupcakes!

2011-10-11T23:02:00.000-07:00

I met this hidden gem of an artist here in Wisconsin who creates murals and miraculously makes everything come to life with a simple pen and a piece of paper.

He drew this gorgeous picture of me, (wow do I ever look like a hottie!) I love it so much I even thought about changing my logo. Maybe when I open a bakery I will put this on the front window?

Amanda Cupcake

by Jeremy Kruzicki

He also drew me this amazing sketch of a cupcake..and I want to make a real cupcake inspired by it someday very soon.

An Amanda Cupcake - Cupcake by Jeremy Kruzicki

This week he asked me to collaborate with him to make "pin-up" style cupcakes for a special person in his life. I have to say we did all right!

His Drawings.

I made them into "Altered Couture" Cupcake Toppers using Sequins, Lace, Ribbons, and Glittery Card stock. Think..Paper Doll Pin-Up Girls!

I thought about putting corsets on top of the cupcakes. But why not make actual cupcake wrappers that look like the cupcakes are wearing corsets?

A Butterfly Brooch on a Cupcake Wrapper-very Marilyn Monroe.

This is what the "Marilyn" Cupcake looked like.

Yes, a cupcake in a martini glass.

Here is the website that I used for my cupcake wrapper template.

I used my fashion sense to turn the cupcake wrapper into a hot little number. Lace, bling, bows, pearls, hearts.

Pin-up Girls Jumping Out of Cupcakes!

Pin Up Girls resting on top of a glitzy swirl. Fluffed up frosting on top of a cupcake that is all dressed up and ready to be devoured.

The edible star on this cupcake was inspired by one of my favorites:

"I'd rather wear jewels in my hair than anywhere else. The face should have the advantage of this brilliance."-Hedy Lamarr.

A shoe and a cupcake in a martini glass! Hmmm this one tells endless stories.

When I delivered the cupcakes..there were about 5 ladies surrounding them, in complete awe! A cupcake fashion show. Hello, Victoria's Secret Annual Fashion Show! A new line of pin-up / cupcake inspired lingerie? Perhaps. ♥

A Sparkly Apple Cupcake Kiss. ♥

2011-10-08T23:09:00.000-07:00

I am very happy to say that people *love* that I add sparkles to my cupcakes.

This is what happened to my lips the other day after I ate one of my cupcakes:

The best thing is when a man comes to visit me while I am working in the kitchen (whether it be friend, potential romance, or even my dad)..and the second he graces my presence, I see a speck of glitter on him. I don't know how it happens so fast, but it does. I don't even have to touch him! It is quite endearing seeing a speck of glitter on a man's face, t-shirt, anywhere..really! The thing is, none of the men that have graced my glittery presence have seemed to mind at all.

♥

Wouldn't James Franco look great with a speck of Amanda Cupcake glitter on him?

♥

So yesterday I went out looking for my dreams, a trail of sparkles leading me.
For a place to call home. My future cupcakery. I am not sure when it will happen, but I know that it has to!

This is a quote my sister-in-law posted on facebook this week and it is so true to any of us who have creative dreams. The creative dreams that live in our mind that we want to become tangible!

Wouldn't it be great if Audrey was eyeing my cupcakes in this window? Cupcakes for breakfast. Quite a vision and a dream I have.

After my search for my dreams yesterday, I went straight to the kitchen to work on a new cupcake. I was inspired, and I think I reached a whole new level with these:

Apple Crisp-Pie Cupcakes ♥

I baked mini apple pies inside of a spiced cupcake. So it sort of became this moist autumn spiced cinnamon-a-licious apple pie cake masterpiece in my mouth.

I always like to cut my cupcakes in half to reveal the beauty that is yummy.

Just so people know what they are in store for.. I baked additional mini apple crisp pies to top the swirl of salted caramel that is on top of the spiced apple-crisp pie cupcake!

♥

The cupcakes sold out today at Cronie's in Waupaca.

♥

My friend that was watching me create this concoction (and yes..I saw glitter on him).. said that I looked like a mad scientist! (In a cutesy cupcake-ish polka dot apron sort of way).

I love being the mad sparkly cupcake scientist who wears polka dots and gets my apron "dirty" with glitter.

Or if I forget an apron, I sacrifice my jeans to the glitter and frosting. I didn't even really want to wash them.

You can be a mad sparkly scientist who goes all crazy surprising people with edible gifts inside of cupcakes too:

My recipe for mini apple crisp pies:

(These are also perfect alone. Think....delicious finger food at a Fall Soiree!)

I tested the Apple Crisp recipe from one of my mentors Martha Stewart and adapted it to fit Amanda Cupcake.

You will need:

Stuff:

Mini Pie Tins or Tart Tins (make as many as you want. You might eat some of them while on your baking journey).
An Apron
Disco Dust (Preferably in Rainbow or Hologram Gold)
An Apple Corer

Yum:

3 Pounds of Baking Apples (sliced into tiny tiny tiny thin slices so they fit inside of the mini pie crusts)
Pillsbury Pie Crust
3/4 Cups of All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup Plus 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

(you can store any leftover crisp in your freezer to use later)

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees.

2. Prepare your mini pies. Roll out your pie crust, and use your mini pie tins as "cutters" to cut out the pie crust that will fit nicely into your mini pie tin!

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, salt and the 2 Tablespoons of Granulated Sugar.

3. Cut up the butter and use a pastry blender (or you can use other things if you don't have a pastry blender-like your clean hands, or two knives). Just make sure you mix all together until the mixture is clumpy and coarse. You can freeze this while you move on to your next step.

4. In another bowl, toss your mini apple slices with the fall flavors of cinnamon, remaining sugar, a tiny bit of flour, and lemon juice.

5. Line your cookie sheet with mini pie tins. Fill each prepared pie crust with your seasoned apples.

6. Top your seasoned apples with apple crisp mixture.

7. Bake in oven at 375 for about 20-25 minutes (ovens vary).

8. The crusts should look light brown when finished, and people should nearby should be exclaiming while drooling, "It smells like fall in here!

To continue the sparkle trail of dreams..

Sprinkle some sparkles on the top of your mini pie!

Follow my blog instructions here on how to bake a mini pie inside of a cupcake!

My Second TV Appearance

2011-10-02T07:20:00.000-07:00

I had a blast at Fox 11 Good Day Wisconsin yesterday on my second TV Appearance.
I was a bit nervous, but I just remembered that I needed to be true to Amanda Cupcake!
And I was. I demonstrated how to make pies inside of a cake. And how to make Spice / Vanilla Cupcakes with Apple Butter on the inside.

Angela loved my salted caramel frosting. That was probably my favorite part!
I posted the recipes on Fox 11's website.

No more words needed...the video will say it all! ♥
Click here to watch it.

Some pictures my friend took while watching it.
I got a kick out of these:

This one makes me smile.
His cheeks are full because he is eating my pie cake!
After he ate it he exclaimed, "Amanda Cupcake makes me happy!"

and...this is what we ate *after* the taping:

Cherry Apple Blueberry Pie Cake!

Vanilla Cupcake with Apple Butter Baked Inside & Salted Caramel Frosting!

Apple Pie Cake-Spice Cake-Apple Pie Cake!

A Fall Romance

2011-09-30T07:29:00.000-07:00

The truth is out.
I am in love......

With Fall.

Trips to the apple orchard.
Cuddling by a fire.
Little Twinkly Orange Lights.
Crispy Air.
Jumping in the leaves.
Little bags of candy pumpkins
That tingly feeling in the air that is cold..and warm at the same time.
The excuse to wear a costume and be your own superhero.

The treasured beauty that will soon be covered by a blanket of snow and ice.

Because I am in love.. I would like to re-invent the "feel of fall" in every delicious delight I bake.

Like my chocolate cherry red velvet leaf cupcakes ♥

Last Saturday, fall romance was definitely in the air. My Orange Dreamsicle Cake Pops Sparkled at Mollie & Sean's Wedding. ♥

Don't they remind you of orange twinkly lights on the porch on an October evening?

♥

Last Thursday it was Donna and Bill's Fall Anniversary.
So I invited them to join me at an apple orchard party .. complete with handmade banners on top of a cake.

See the original blog about it here.
The inside of the cake looked like this!

Cake & Apple Pie. Spice Cake. Repeat. Cake & Apple Pie!

And after popular demand..I decided to turn this wonderful blog into a tutorial about how I made such an edible delight.

First of all..

I tend to make a mess when I bake.

Look at how much frosting (or is it cake batter?) I got in my hair.

This happens every time.
But in my kitchen, when the frosting or batter goes flying, it just means I am completely inspired and having a great time!

This photo was the perfect inspiration for the flavor of the cake.

Caramel, Apples.

The cake itself was vanilla, spice, and apple pie.
With a salted caramel frosting.
There's a recipe for quick & easy salted caramel frosting that you can make at home below. ♥

I needed about 6 cups of apples per pie.

So the first thing I did..was peel a lot of apples.

12 cups of apples to be exact.

I had to make two pies for this special cake.

Here are the famous apple pies I baked.

They didn't have to be beautiful on the outside.

Just YUMMY on the inside.

After all, they are supposed to hide inside of the cake!

I used two of these deep 10" pans to combine my cake & pie.

It is a beautiful pie & cake disaster if you don't remember to flour & butter them before pouring in the batter.

First I coated the bottom of the pan with white cake batter.

(You can add vanilla bean to your favorite white cake recipe-or even a white cake mix to give it an organic rustic apple orchard feel)!

Next I carefully placed my 9" pie on top of the batter.

Started to pour the batter over the top of the pie..

I completely covered the pie with batter!

It seems like magic, doesn't it?

A pie hiding inside of a cake.

Oh my.

I baked both cakes at 350 for about 40 minutes each.

I even baked a third spice cake and sandwiched it in between the layers.

The people at the party were so happy with the cake that they asked me to sit down and eat it with them. This was my piece.

Stacking The Cakes:

1. Freeze your cakes for a few hours before even trying to stack them.
2. Once frozen, I "leveled" the top of my cakes using a cake leveler.
3. I frosted the top of each cake with my salted caramel buttercream.
4. The stickiness of the frosting in between each layer is ideal for stacking.
5. I used a giant cake spatula to frost the top & the outside of the cake.

I sprinkled cinnamon and gold glitter on the top!

I used pretzel sticks instead of lollypop sticks for a personalized cake topper. They look sort of "rustic" like sticks!

Salted Caramel Frosting:
There are many ways to make caramel. And frosting.
But this recipe is the quickest and easiest way to make salted caramel buttercream frosting at home.

Ingredients Needed:
♥1 Pound of Butter (cut up into squares)
♥4 Cups of Powdered Sugar
♥3/4 Cup of Ready Made Caramel (You can find it in the ice cream section at the grocery store).
♥1 Tablespoon of Sea Salt
♥1 Tablespoon of Vanilla

Instructions:
1. Blend Butter Squares in your mixer until creamy and light like butter should be.
2. Pour the caramel into the butter, and enjoy this moment. (It looks really pretty when you do, swirls of light caramel in the butter! Yum!)
3. Blend your Butter & Caramel together until the mixture is a very light brown. Sadly, the swirls will disappear. But they have gone to a wonderful place.
4. Mix in Sea Salt.
5. Add The Vanilla Extract
6. Make sure your mixer is turned down low. (Unless you want snow showers of powdered sugar which could be fun in some kitchens..)
7. Gradually add the powdered sugar until the frosting looks light, airy, and dreamy.
8. Optional: You can add 1 Tablespoon of Milk or Heavy Whipping Cream if you want a more "spreadable" frosting. (I add milk all the time to the frostings I use to spread on cakes).

This is the texture that makes you want a spoon. ♥

More Than Meets The Eye.

2011-09-26T11:15:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I was a cupcake sponsor for the ALS Benefit Ride here in Waupaca.

I made some tattoo inspired cupcakes. Rebellious and soft at the same time ♥

This one was dedicated to my friend's mom who suffered from ALS. ♥ My friend is the one who asked me to donate the cupcakes to the event.

Of course I said yes to the donation. My mom has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. A really big reason California was just too far for me to live from my mom here in Wisconsin.

Even though ALS & Parkinson's aren't the same thing.. I know what it is like to want to do something to make a difference in someone's life that you love deeply. So I was more than honored to donate.

I like that Mom says Wow upside down. ♥

And out of this event..came even more cupcakes!

I donated a gift certificate - more and more and more cupcakes for the lucky raffle winner.

Transformer Cupcakes for Connor.

Requested with love by his mom. ♥

She even made this her profile picture on Facebook! That made me feel all warm and fuzzy.

I made the faces out of candy melts, so they are 100% edible. I printed the faces out on printer paper, and used parchment paper to trace. I used piping bags to trace candy melt faces on the parchment paper. ♥ And this is how they turned out!

This monster cupcake sandwich was inspired by the hood of a car opening up. Inside the hood of this cupcake transformer are peanut butter cups. Yummmmm!

And of course..you can't have Transformer Cupcakes without *real* Transformers on top!

Fun to eat.. and Fun to play with too!

I think he wants a hug ♥

It looks like this order came full circle.. for daughters to give love to their moms.

And for a mom to give a dream come true in cupcakes to her son!

*More Than Meets The Eye*.I hope you loved them, Connor. ♥

Amanda-Pie

2011-09-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

You know how I always say I am trying to create some kind of world peace by uniting cupcakes with pie? Well, crazy little me decided to take on the pie-cake-pie-cake combo this week.
I am going to call it the Amanda-pie.

I was talking to my new friend Bryon a few weeks ago when he ordered the cake for his parents Birthday/ Anniversary celebration. He was thinking....Maybe something Fall-Esque. Maybe something with Apples in it.

I had my mind made up.

I had to merge cake and apple pie together the way that I do cupcakes.

(See my cupcake-pie combo here).

As risky as I knew this adventure was ..

it worked!

A three tier cake:

Tier 1: Vanilla Bean Cake with an Apple Pie Baked on The Inside.

Tier 2: A Thin Spice Cake

Tier 3: Repeate Tier 1.

I was inspired by the "Cherpumple" Cake♥

The lovely couple celebrating.

The theme of the cake definitely had to be..

Warm.

Like a Fall Romance.

Like this mini Spice Cupcake that I baked separately & used as a cake topper...

disguising itself as a caramel apple!

Complete with Donna and Bill's name in lights.

Or Pretty Sparkly Banners that catch the light at least.. ♥

A Fall Celebration on a cake!

Maybe like visiting an Apple Orchard, Partying, and Eating Cake in one room..with all the people that love you?

Since I am Amanda Cupcake I had to add cupcakes.

Spiced Cupcakes that look like caramel apples with romantic pretzel sticks as the "craft stick."

I even hid little cinnamon apple pieces inside the miniature cupcakes.

The banner says it all.

Happy Birthday.

Happy Anniversary.

Fall is In the Air. ♥

And yes..don't forget.

There are apple pies inside of this cake!

These are all the apple slices that I peeled.

And the pies that I baked from scratch.

(Ok, my pie beautifying skills aren't quite as lovely as my cake making skills. But I am determined to master it!) But for now..the pies were *delicious* and were going to blend right into the cake beautifully.

With some salted caramel buttercream frosting.

I actually received a round of applause when the cake was cut!

It must have been the apron.

Or perhaps it was the Amanda-pie. ♥

Sending Peace and Love. In the form of a Cupcake.

2011-09-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

I always wanted to make this huge difference in my time here on earth.
I wanted to travel to Thailand on a missions trip, or cuddle orphans in other countries.
Not saying that I won't do these things one day.

But it seems that I make a difference with cupcakes more than anything else.
Especially my cupcake kaleidoscopes.
Because I can ship them anywhere.

It is basically all this baked love & goodness...

inside of a jar.

I know people make cupcakes in a jar all the time.

But I call mine Cupcake Kaleidoscopes.

Because they are more special than just a cupcake inside of a jar.

(Like these smiling Oreo Cupcake Kaleidoscopes!)

They are pretty on the outside. I make sure of it.

By adding sprinkles, dots, color.

Glittery Heart Notes and Sparkly Ribbon.

By showing the delicious texture of food and frosting and sugar.

The spoon is an added bonus-it is your grant to dig in as quickly as you can.

Sometimes I add bacon.

and maple frosting.

Other times I just add the things that remind me of being a kid.

I figure they'll remind you of that too, and that can only mean authentic happy-ness. If even for a moment.

♥

I've even added a tie instead of the ribbon for a Father's Day Gift

Complete with Jelly Beans..Because Dads love Jelly Beans.

I recently sent some cupcake kaleidoscopes to my friend Carolyn of Network Fitness in California. She used to be my amazing cross fit trainer in Cali until I moved back to Wisconsin. Now it seems I am tempting her with naughty delightful goodies. She used to tempt me with the allure of having six pack abs! But it wasn't just tempting. She made me work at it. I still can't find anyone to replace our workouts.

So cheers to you Carolyn..

time to indulge in some sinfully great buttery sugary mmmmmmmmmm.

This is one of the kaleidoscopes I sent to her.

She and her husband Jeff (who are the cutest couple ever) made a video of Carolyn opening her birthday gift! She okayed me to put it here on my blog. I absolutely had to!

It just proves that in some small way (or maybe big..depending on how you look at it)

I am making a difference ♥ through deliciousness!

Not necessarily in the way that I predicted I would.

But somehow this "way" ends up being very true to me...and I couldn't be happier with it.

Sometimes I wish that I could go back to school in the fall..

2011-09-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

It's that pivotal moment.
That time when everything changes again.

A new school year.

You can be anyone you want.
You grew a little bit taller over the summer.
Your hair is lighter from the sun.
The backpack on your back has that new leathery smell.
Your pencils need to be sharpened.
Your shoes are so squeaky clean. They need to get dirty.
You have nightmares about walking through the school doors.
Will your classmates laugh with you..or at you?

Are you forgetting anything before you walk out the door?
Maybe your locker combination.

Or..a peanut butter & jelly sandwich cupcake.

Stacked high with peanut butter frosting, strawberry jelly.

Then topped with a heart shaped pb&j sandwich.

What a great mom I would be (someday)! :) Packing this in my kids lunch as they are off to school.

I am going to put this on my to-do-list once I become a mom:

"Put PB&J sandwich cupcakes in (insert my future child's name here)'s bag lunch."

On the other side of things..

can you imagine being the lucky kid who takes this out of their lunchbox at school?

Way better than a Twinkie.

A Peanut Butter Cupcake. Peanut Butter Frosting. Swirled with Strawberry Jelly. And a Sandwich. Lunch & Dessert all in one.

I think your friends would laugh with you if you brought some to lunch.

Maybe now.. a glass of milk ♥

and a good book.

Perhaps even a recipe so you can make your kiddo (or the kid in you!) an amazing bag lunch:

Recipe for PB& J Sandwich Cupcakes:

For the Sandwiches:
Four Slices of Bread
A Heart Shaped Cookie or Fondant Cutter.
A Spatula to Spread the Peanut Butter Frosting With.
Edible Glitter

For the Cupcakes:

Dry Ingredients:
1 3/4 C Flour
3/4 T Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda

Creaming Ingredients:
1 1/3 C Sugar
2/3 C Peanut Butter
6 oz unsalted butter (or 1 1/2 sticks) -- At Room Temperature
1/2 C Sour Cream

Liquid Ingredients:
3 Large Eggs -- At Room Temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

♥♥♥

The Filling:
Peanut Butter Frosting
Your favorite kind of Jelly

♥♥♥

The Fun Begins:
1. Take out 3 bowls. (one will be your kitchen aid mixer bowl).

2. Sift flour into one bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, mix remaining dry ingredients.

4. Add dry ingredients to flour mixture and whisk together.

5. In your Kitchen Aid Mixer bowl, cream your butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy.

6. Turn your speed down to low. Then add your peanut butter to the creaming mixture.

7. Continue to scrape the bowl down as you continue to make sure there are no escapees :)

8. Add your eggs one at a time until just blended.

9. When eggs are blended, add vanilla.

10. Now it is time to add your flour mixture to the peanut butter blend in the Kitchen Aid Bowl. Gradually add the flour mixture but do not mix longer than 60 seconds.

11. For the first 30 seconds, combine flour and all ingredients together. Then add sour cream.

12. For the second 30 seconds, scrape down bowl to incorporate all ingredients and re-blend.

Use an ice cream scoop to scoop the batter out and fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350. (Different ovens will vary). This recipe will make about 18 cupcakes. ♥

♥♥♥

Filling the Cupcakes with a surprise:

Once the cupcakes are cooled you can use an apple corer to create a hole inside the center of the cupcake.
Use 2 different piping bags to fill the cupcake - one piping bag will be full of pb frosting.

The second piping bag will be full of jelly.

First pipe a little bit of jelly inside of the cupcake. Then pipe a little bit of peanut butter frosting. Follow this filling pattern until the inside of your cupcake is full (sort of like how your tummy will be after eating these cupcakes).

Frosting the Cupcakes:

Peanut Butter Frosting:
(you can use this as the filling and on top of the cupcake)

6 oz. cream cheese
2 C confectioners’ sugar
1/2 t salt
1 C creamy peanut butter (try not to use natural peanut butter since it is extremely oily)
1/2 t pure vanilla extract
1/2 C heavy cream

In your Kitchen Aid Mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy.
Then gradually add peanut butter, salt, and vanilla.
After these ingredients are blended add powdered sugar (I add even more than this sometimes if I want my frosting to have texture and be thick-no matter what the frosting never seems to be too sweet!)
Then add heavy cream.
If the frosting gets too soft at this point, you can always add more powdered sugar to thicken.
Then...Taste Test.

Then..
You can frost the cupcake with the peanut butter frosting. Or the jelly. Or layers of both.

Or you can frost the cupcake with peanut butter frosting underneath buttercream frosting if you are doing really decorative cupcakes (since buttercream works better than pb frosting for a really decorative cupcake).

Making the Sandwiches:Using your heart shaped fondant cutter, cut out several little pieces of bread in adorable heart shapes.
Then stack them together with your peanut butter frosting and jelly.
Top the sandwiches with edible glitter.

Then top your cupcake with the mini heart shaped sandwich!

Sushi Cupcakes for Cassie

2011-09-09T08:18:00.000-07:00

Cassie Joy Sweet is my cupcake assistant.
Think of that show..Cupcake Girls on WE TV.
Those two have major chemistry in the kitchen.
That's what Cassie and I are.

Now Cassie is leaving for Japan to visit her brother until November.
And to thank her for all her help....
we had a sushi making party last night!

I've made sushi cupcakes before for my brother.

He even used chopsticks to eat them.

The garnish "splashes" on top of the cupcakes were created by melting jolly ranchers in the oven and using a toothpick to make shapes out of them while they were still warm. Inspired by the beauty-full art that is splashed onto your sushi platter at your favorite sushi restaurant.

And instead of making sushi cupcakes FOR Cassie, I thought it would be more fun if we made them together. Really appropriate since she is going to Japan on Monday. ♥

A Harajuku Girl Marshmallow Head on top of a cupcake.

A Sushi Roll Cake Pop. On a Chopstick♥

The meat/avocado chunks are made out of beheaded gummy worms.

The rice is made out of shredded coconut.

The cupcake is a mini cupcake.

Flavor=Pumpkin!

Harajuku Girl & Sushi Roll Cake Pops on Chopsticks ♥

I told Cassie I would lend her the chopsticks since she has never tried sushi in Japan. But I expected her to give them back to me, since I want her to come back to me!

The seaweed wraps are made out of fondant.

A little hint: We used candy melts as our "glue" for the "rice" by having our own mini cupcake fondue party! We dipped the mini cupcakes in candy melts. Then quickly sprinkled the shredded coconut on the cupcake before the candy melts dried.

This is the chopstick we used for the cake pops. It even has pictures of Harajuku Girls on it.

Red Jelly Belly Jelly Beans for the fish eggs!

The Cassie Joy Sweet and Amanda Cupcake Collection of Sushi Cupcakes.

Cassie is feeding me a pumpkin sushi roll!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

I told Cassie that when she goes to Japan, she should make the same cupcakes and put them out with normal sushi and see if anyone eats them thinking they are real sushi! A very sweet surprise. ♥

You can find Cassie Joy Sweet and her fun cupcake adventures on her blog if you click here.

Cassie even decided to donate some of the cupcakes to Cronie's in Waupaca (where I sell my cupcakes every week). I sold them there today for $1.00 each just to see if people would come in to admire them, and dare to eat them! ♥ $1.00 isn't much of a risk for a yummy pumpkin cupcake coated in meat free sugar!

Cupcakes for an Architect!

2011-09-05T18:41:00.000-07:00

The one thing about moving back to Wisconsin is that I have reunited with a lot of people from my past..through my cupcake creations!

This order was a cupcake reunion. For Nathan.
The last time I saw him, I was in high school.
And I never actually saw him, but my cupcakes did. His mom delivered them to him upon his return visit home from Minneapolis. I hope he loved them.

Happy Birthday Nathan!

Nathan is an architect now.

I think it is kind of neat that he took a break from building..while I built him swirls & swirls of deliciousness on top of cupcakes.

I used his architect background as inspiration for the cupcakes. These are red velvet cupcakes, topped with brown/red frosting to look like cherry colored wood. The "wood chip" sculptures are made out of layered white/dark chocolate.

Dark Cherry Wood with a Cherry On Top!

Nathan also requested carrot cupcakes.

For the carrot cupcakes, I created classy looking chocolate wood "tabletops". I thought I'd go the extra mile and add a birthday candle on top!

His name is balancing on a cupcake skyscraper. ♥ It's all yummy. Imagine...your name written in the sky with chocolate? That's something out of a daydream.

I made the contemporary wood grain table sculptures by using a paintbrush to paint a thin block of melted dark chocolate onto parchment paper, then freezing the 1st layer of chocolate. (The brush will create the rough woodgrain texture).

Once the dark chocolate was frozen, I poured a thin layer of white chocolate over the dark chocolate and froze the layers of chocolate again.

Once I froze the chocolate, I used a round cookie cutter to cut my wooden table tops.. and this is how they ended up! I broke some of them up into moon shapes and wave shapes for the chocolate wooden cupcake toppers!

So..Nathan is an architect for buildings.

And I guess I am an architect for cupcakes.

..and perhaps a frosting architect?

♥

He Lives In A Pineapple Under the Sea..

2011-09-01T17:54:00.000-07:00

Spongebob Square Pants.
The Cake.

A story told by: Amanda Cupcake

I learned something this week while making a Spongebob cake. I watched marathons of the cartoon while shaping the fondant into three characters.

The reason I fell in love with Spongebob on this adventure is because he teaches kids, young & old self acceptance (he is a sponge with skinny legs, but he embraces being a sponge with skinny legs)! He is a true friend to all who surround him. Spongebob is a vulnerable sponge, who will soak up your tears and cry them for you. ♥ Next thing you know..you'll be LOL-ing.

How I made the cake in a shape of a pineapple (because there aren't enough blogs that explain how to do this)!:

I didn't have a pan shaped like a 3-D Pineapple. I molded the cake into a pineapple. I baked 3 sheet cakes. I cut 2 cakes into circular shapes and stacked them as you see above.. I crumbled up the beautifully baked third cake into a cake pop-like mixture of crumbled up cake and frosting. I used this cake pop mixture to form a beautiful dome shape for the third layer of cake. This dome was my ticket to turning a basic sheet cake into a pineapple. There was no going back now. This had to work.

After I put the pineapple shaped cake in the freezer for a few hours, I took it out and frosted it with a delicious buttercream frosting. My experiment worked...and it looked lovely!

I cut out little fondant diamonds with a diamond shaped cookie cutter and covered my cake with them to create a pineapple-esque appeal.

This entire cake was handmade with love by me. This was a Mason Jar Lid I covered with green sequins.

And added Green Glittery Cardstock Leaves too..for a Pineapple Leaf Cake Topper.

I hot glued a green sparkly cocktail stirring stick to the bottom of the mason jar flip lid for the Pineapple Leaf cake topper stick ♥ (That way when the birthday girl takes the topper completely out of the cake, a wonderful glitzy surprise is revealed!)

I created jellyfish cake pops and inserted them into Spongebob's Pineapple house! I used sour candy strings and coconut for the jellyfish legs. I am glad that they look like they are floating. This was my goal. ♥

Gary's body is made out of fondant and edible disco dust. ♥ His tentacles are birthday candles for the birthday girl. And his eyes are mini m&ms!

"Sponge, I'm a big man. A big, big man!" ~Patrick

Edible Disco Dust for the Sand.

Non pareils for the stones leading up to Spongebob's house.

Rock Candy for the sea rocks. ♥

I believe in trying to make almost everything on my cakes edible. There is no better way to live out a fantasy than to be able to pick up your dreams and eat them.

The door knob is an Oreo Cookie .. with M&Ms. ♥

"Remember, licking door knobs is illegal on other planets!" ~quoted by Spongebob himself. ♥

The blue "sea plant" behind Gary is shaped out of blueberry Jolly Ranchers I melted in the oven.

Spongebob is wearing a birthday hat! Made out of the tip of a sugar cone.

Coated with edible glitter. ♥

The jellyfish that are all night partiers..Spongebob knows. He parties with them ♥

A close up scuba view of Gary.

I love this view. It makes me laugh because Spongebob looks like he is up to something in the background. "I'm a goofy goober yeah! You're a goofy goober yeah! We're all goofy goobers, yeah!" (Spongebob)

The deep sea diving view.

“F is for friends who do stuff together! U is for you and me! N is for anywhere at anytime at all down here in the deep blue sea!”~A quote on friendship by Spongebob Squarepants.

CUPCAKE LOVE GIVEAWAY ♥ WINNERS!!

2011-08-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

I have always believed in giving back just as much as you receive.

One thing in my life that I have been rich with is love from friends and family. ♥

I have discovered in owning a new business, sharing and giving my cupcakes for the right cause is just as important as selling my cupcakes.

This last week I decided to give some cupcake love away. Just because.
Just because is a pretty good cause, right?

You can see the announcement for the giveaway here with all the cupcake rules & love given.

I drew the entered names at http://www.random.org/ and drum roll please................here are the winners!

Winner of 1 Dozen Cake Pops:

Congrats to Denise Szelagowski!

Winner of Amanda Cupcake tee:

Congrats to Brittany A !

Please email me with your mailing addresses and I will send out your surprise packages in the mail!

Click here to email me.

Congrats to the winners, and love right back to all of you.

If I could send the whole world free cake pops, I would.

Maybe when I am a seriously rich & famous cupcake maven, (you know...like the Oprah of Cupcakes or Willy Wonka & his surprise chocolate bar!) that's how I'll find world peace. By randomly sending delicious parcels to your mailbox. ♥

Until then..spontaneous cupcake giveaways!

Cat In The Hat Cupcakes for Brady♥

2011-08-25T20:23:00.000-07:00

I love a good excuse to go crazy with my cupcake-ing.

To wildly stack deliciousness on top of deliciousness with no regard to any rules of decorating.

I was really excited for this cupcake order because it was my chance to do just that.

Cat In The Hat Cupcakes for Brady's 5th birthday.

I made the hat out of a marshmallow.

Striped it with candy melts.

Set it on top of a round of licorice.

Then stacked the hat on top of 3 thick layers of red and white frosting.

When I delivered the cupcakes to Brady, I heard his dad tell him he was such a lucky boy ♥

I even topped it all off with a polka dot birthday candle. I used white candy melts as the glue to hold the candle high. Can you imagine how excited the birthday boy will be when the candle is lit?

I used upside down heart shaped runts to add cat ears to some of the hats.

I realize this isn't your traditional take on a themed cupcake order.. this was my interpretation. Dr. Seuss has always been an inspiration to me. I kind of always wondered how I could use his genius to express myself. I thought it would be through writing. But instead .. through a cupcake.

I would like to believe that Dr. Seuss would be proud.

And then there was my favorite part. The Things. Thing 1 & Thing 2... I made them out of marshmallow pops. I added wild blue sparkly hair with buttercream frosting, stuck them on a stick, and then stuck the stick inside of the cupcake!

"Here to Play."

I just love the hair. I had so much fun with this part. Again..it gave me a chance to embrace my wild side.

I am Lol-ing. I just can't help myself.

This is what the "Things" look like as marshmallow pops. The best thing is that you can eat them either way. On the cupcake.. or right off the stick.

“Look at me! Look at me! Look at me NOW!

It is fun to have fun But you have to know how.

I can hold up the cup And the milk and the cake!

I can hold up these books! And the fish on a rake!

I can hold the toy ship And a little toy man!

And look! With my tail I can hold a red fan!

I can fan with the fan As I hop on the ball!

But that is not all. Oh, no. That is not all...”

Just like the game "Fun In The Box" in the book...

I added some fun to the inside of the cupcakes. The cupcakes are Peanut Butter. I filled the inside with peanut butter frosting and strawberry jelly! Tastes just like a PB&J Sandwich

..and who (young or old) hasn't eaten a PB&J sandwich while reading Dr. Seuss?

Happy 5th Birthday, Brady!

Cupcake Giveaway Love ♥

2011-08-23T07:45:00.000-07:00

This is my 101st or 101th (I kind of like the 101th even if it isn't gramatically correct) post here on my blog.
And to celebrate, I am hostessing a cupcake giveaway!

One Lucky winner will win this lovely Amanda Cupcake tee that I recently designed ♥

Another lucky winner will win 1 dozen cake pops ♥ I don't think you understand. Once you eat a cake pop, you will become addicted. I have ravaged, hungry people who come stalking my cake pops from faraway places! This is your chance to win a dozen!

The Recipe to Win some Cupcake Love:

1. Post some love on this blog. Tell me what you love about Amanda Cupcake. You will be entered.

2. Refer a friend to my blog, and make sure they post a comment saying who referred them. You both will be entered in the contest.

The more people you refer, and the more cupcake love that is shared, the more times you will be entered in the drawing.

The contest will end Monday August 29th, and this is when I will announce the winner-right here on my blog!

♥

Good Luck my lovely cupcake friends! This is a 101"th" mission to spread the cupcake love (yes yes I know it should be this is my 101st mission..)