A California Wedding ♥

This last week I packed up my cupcakes and extended the love to California for my friend Alicia ♥

She was married to her love, Ryan Santibanez in Huntington Beach!

Alicia and I call each other full time friends, because we worked together side by side in the fashion industry for over 40 hours a week. We always entertained each other with laughter in the office, including passing notes to eachother on Post It Notes. One afternoon several years ago, we used a Post It Note as a contract promising each other that when we got married, we'd be in each other's weddings. We even autographed the note, officially ♥.

And last weekend..our written promise became reality.

I was a part of her wedding...as a bridesmaid.

....and as her cupcake caterer!

I traveled 2000 miles to share the cupcake love.

♥

60 white velvet cupcakes swirled with lavender promises between Alicia and Ryan of Sweet Love, "I Do", and "Happily Ever After."  My friend has grown up. She's gone from Post it Note promises to Vows of Eternal Love ♥.

Peanut Butter Cup Hors d'oeuvres anyone?

The Peanut Butter Cup "Hors D'oeuvres" were baked inside of 60 more chocolate cupcakes that I named "Peanut Butter Cup Gems".   Ryan (the groom) loved this flavor so much, he posted a photo on Facebook with the caption: "Superbomb.com":

I even made them a little wedding cake. ♥

♥

Ryan and Alicia's special day radiated love. Every detail was made by hand. Alicia even designed this beautiful backdrop for the dessert table.

(cupcakes half eaten).

I may not have married the man of *my* dreams yet.  Right now I'm married to my cupcake career ♥ But Ryan and Alicia's love reminded me that if I keep my hope alive, the love of my life might just squeeze into all of the sweetness that is Amanda Cupcake!  That reminder was probably the best gift given to me, in exchange for 120 cupcakes.

Recipe for the groom's Superbomb.com Peanut Butter Frosting:

Ingredients Needed:

8 oz Cream Cheese

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter

2/3 Cup Peanut Butter

2-3 Cups of Powdered Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Optional: 1-2 Tablespoons of Heavy Whipping Cream

1.  In a large mixer using a paddle attachment, fluff up cream cheese and unsalted butter. 

2.   Gradually add Peanut Butter until all ingredients are combined and creamy.   (Make sure you scrape the bowl continuously with a rubber spatulat to incorporate all ingredients).

3.  Add the teaspoon of Vanilla Extract. 

4.  Slowly add powdered sugar into the mixture and whip with paddle attachment until frosting is the thickness you desire. I like to leave this frosting pretty smooth and creamy. 

**If frosting is too thick, you can always go back and make it more creamy and dreamy, "superbomb.com" by adding 1 or 2 Tablespoons of Heavy Whipping Cream. 

Fishing for ♥. A Wedding!

Being Amanda Cupcake isn't just about cupcake obsession. It's about you-the people behind the cupcakes. And that I get to meet so many of you, reach out to you, through a piece of me that has come from my big heart ♥. Through my cupcakes, I get to attend your events, share your special day, create a story that tastes like your very own dream come true.  

A few weeks ago, the cupcakes from my heart were about my friend Kati and her best friend Chad ♥  They were married. Their wedding was an event to behold-where love warmed the entire room, and you knew without question that they were two people in love.  If the rest of the world fell apart, they'd have each other and that would be okay.

Kati & Chad

Their  story-Fishing for ♥.

Hundreds of cupcakes.

Blueberry Velvet.

Sundrop Lemon.

Classic Chocolate.

Pretzel Stick Fishing Poles.

Little blue frosting "pond" swirls.

Do you want to catch ♥?

Or a delicious bass? (Swedish Fish, actually).

An enchanted evening....where you could even eat the sparkly lily pads floating on top of each cupcake.  Are you falling in love under the moonlight yet?

I stayed up late making bobber cake pops.  Fishing for hearts!  I dipped 100 cake pops in red candy melts.  As soon as the red dried, I dipped the top half of the cake pop in white candy melts.  While the white candy melts were still dry, I topped each one with a red heart candy bobber top instead of the traditional bobber top.

The grooms cake:

A pond. I swirled sky blue Americolor gel into the fondant to make it look like water.

And for a special surprise..

I filled the inside of the cake with a camo print. ♥

♥

Kati's Cake was a mini chocolate wedding cake

♥

She and Chad are cutting it here. I topped it with a glittery blue heart!

♥

Kati and Chad's recipe for love:

(I snuck all this into the cupcakes I made for their wedding)!

(a chocolate coconut Amanda Cupcake)

Oreo Cupcakes

I created a new and fun cupcake.
The Oreo Cupcake.
It is fun because it is full of surprises.

The swirls of cream cheese frosting.
The hidden chunks of oreo cookies inside the cupcake.
The surprise half oreo on the bottom (with the double stuffed cream filling left on for extra delicious-ness).
It looks so pretty when you peel off the paper.
And tastes amazing when you bite into it.

I even had a chef tell me that "these are the best cupcakes I have ever eaten."
That is saying something.
Everything is better with an Oreo. ♥
Even cupcakes.

Rosewater Cupcakes

My friend Amy was having a little party at her house this last weekend.
It was a candle party.
So I thought I should make something elegant..and pretty.
But still delicious.

Rosewater Cupcakes!
What do they taste like?
Like you are picking a rose out of your garden and eating it with some sugar, lemon, and fluffy-ness.
Sort of makes me think of a fairy tale..or something Alice In Wonderland would do.
Eat Rose flavored cupcakes!

It was a different endeavor for me, but nonetheless-a success!

Amy devoured her mini rosewater cupcake and I heard a muffled "MMMMMMMmmMMMM" in a mouth that was full of cupcake and lemon-y buttercream frosting.

My favorite part of creating cupcakes for people is watching them get lost in this cupcake trance as they enjoy the fabulous delish.

Let me describe this cupcake trance:

The eyes glaze a little and stare into space.
Suddenly, beautiful music plays in your head.
All you care about  is the "oh" moment of the indulgence. ♥
This is one reason out of thousands to love life.

Tastes like a rose with light lemony frosting & a sparkly rose petal floating on top.

Black & White Wedding Cupcakes

 I designed the ultimate wedding cupcakes last week for my friend Julie's wedding.

Julie's style is very simple, natural, and pretty.

I designed her elegant black and white cupcakes with a whimsical/vintage twist.

I have never made better frosting than this time! (In my opinion!!)

It was a buttercream frosting with cream cheese in the mix, and a mysterious blend of delicious extracts.

You know that it's good when I can sit down and eat two or three chocolate cupcakes in a row after baking them all day!!

(Normally after baking all day I lose my craving for whatever it is that I am baking. Lucky me).