Crave. Indulge. Satisfy.

Ombre Red Velvet Cupcakes

2012-02-07T20:20:00.002-06:00

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching and I've got the perfect sweet for you to share with your loved ones this year! Decorated with ruffles in shades of pink to red, these are a fancy version of your typical Red Velvet Cupcakes. I've also swapped out the traditional cream cheese icing for a white chocolate buttercream which I think you are going to LOVE! These are absolutely delicious and a must make for your sweetie!

I have been dying to try the ombre technique ever since I came across these stunning cakes over at Half Baked last year. I knew February would be the perfect month to have some fun with various shades of icing and my piping tips!

Although the various shades and layer upon layer of icing may appear a bit intimidating these cupcakes really are super easy to make! I'm sharing the recipe and all the tools & tips you will need to recreate this decorating technique over at Half Baked!

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Have you ever decorated something sweet with the ombre technique...I'd love to hear all about it!

XOXO

Sugar Cookie Disaster + Minnie Mouse

2012-01-24T21:10:00.003-06:00

Baking these days seems to be all about cookies in my kitchen! I've made my sugar cookie recipe a million times and have it memorized...however with this batch of cookies (well actually the 2 batches prior to the ones pictured above) something just wasn't right and I couldn't figure it out for the life of me. So get ready for a good laugh...as I am blaming this sugar cookie disaster on my "pregnancy brain" and being forgetful and clumsy these days!

So I started off making sugar cookies like I always do...I beat the butter and sugar as normal, added the eggs, vanilla and dry ingredients and realized the batter was a little on the sticky side. Telling myself it was because I used a different brand of butter this time around I proceeded to roll and cut my cookies. I put the cookies in the oven to bake, however the cookies were not getting done and I had to add an additional 5-6 minutes to the normal baking time. Still just blaming this out of the ordinary baking experience on using a different brand of butter. Then as the cookies continue to take forever to bake they are spreading out into unrecognizable blobs and no longer Minnie Mouse ears. Still I'm blaming the butter and have no clue what is going on with my recipe. So what do I do, proceed to make a second batch of cookies...and still I get the same results...baffled at what is going on. It was not until I was pulling the last pan of cookies from the second batch out of the oven that it dawns on me...I only used 2 cups of flour instead of 3 cups! I couldn't believe I had just spent an hour baking and had made such a stupid mistake!

I laughed it off, took a little break and then proceeded to remake 2 batches of cookies with the proper ingredient amounts and came out with these super cute Minne Mouse ears! I will now forever remember that I need 3 cups of flour in my sugar cookie recipe!

What kind of baking disasters have you had lately in your kitchen!

Due Date Cookies

2012-01-21T11:30:00.002-06:00

As you may remember from this post I am expecting a little one coming in March! Well since that last post we have found out we are having a little boy! I can't believe the time has flown by so fast and he will be here in just under 9 weeks! To share the exciting news I thought it would be fun to create some "due date" cookies. This is my spin off of some wedding save the date cookies I came across one day while browsing the web. Our little boy will be here on or around March 22! There's still lots to do with decorating the nursery and coming up with a name!

I'm so excited that I get to share in this exciting time with my great friend Jennifer who is also pregnant with her first child, a little girl coming just 6 weeks before our boy! You may remember the gender reveal cake I made for Jennifer! So of course I had to make Jennifer and baby Cora some of their own cookies too!

Jennifer and I have had a great time being pregnant together and sharing all kinds of crazy stories about our growing bellies and nursery plans! I'm so glad I have a great friend to share in this amazing experience with! Our kids will be instant friends and we always joke and say they will get married some day!

Stay tuned for more baby updates! I'm excited to see if these due date cookies are accurate for both of us!

If you have any suggestions for little boy names I'd love to hear them!

Italian Cream "Snowball" Cupcakes

2012-01-12T18:30:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year! WOW it has been a LONG time since I have posted, and I am so sorry! Things were a little hectic with the holidays, work, traveling and family during the month of December so my baking adventures were very sparse...unlike past years! I am happy to finally be back on the blog today to share with you a new cupcake recipe for Italian Cream "Snowball" cupcakes!

I did get to experience one crazy snow day while visiting my family in KY a few weeks ago...lets just say the roads were covered in ice and I got stuck on a hill and couldn't get up it for about 30 minutes. I do not miss the the snowy cold weather at all...boy am I glad to be back in Mobile where the temps are in the mid 60-70s during the winter!

I had a great time making these cupcakes in KY with family a few times over the holidays. Head on over to Half Baked for the recipe. You have gotta try these fluffy little cakes packed full of coconut and walnuts and topped with cream cheese frosting! It's a family recipe and one that we absolutely love!

Wishing you all a wonderful 2012!

Thumb Print Cookies for Santa

2011-12-18T20:15:00.001-06:00

Christmas is only a week away...do you have your shopping done? Or more importantly the cookies planned that you will leave out for Santa this year? Thumb prints are one of my favorite holiday cookies and are super simple to make. I made them earlier this month for a sweet swap and have also taken them to several holiday parties. If you are pressed for time and need a quick treat, and better yet one that doesn't require a ton of ingredients or even getting out the mixer then this cookie is the perfect solution! Any they are super yummy too!

The cookies require four ingredients: melted butter, all-purpose flour, confectioner's sugar and salt all mixed together and rolled into balls.

Then just simply place your "thumb" in the middle of each cookie to create a space for the icing you will add after baking.

Thumb prints ready for the oven! Literally you can make up these cookies in about five minutes. This is a perfect recipe to get your kids involved in the kitchen for some holiday baking fun. They will love making Santa a special batch of cookies.

Once the cookies cool mix some confectioner's sugar and milk and tint your favorite colors and ice the center of the cookies!

Thumb Print Cookies
(makes 3 dozen)

For the cookies:
-1/2 lb unsalted butter, melted
-2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
-3/4 cups confectioner's sugar
-1/4 tsp salt

In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet. Thumb print the center of each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Add icing when cool.

For the icing:
-2 cups confectioner's sugar
-4 Tbsp milk
-food coloring

Combine confectioner's sugar and enough milk until thick pouring consistency. Add food coloring to tint desired colors. Add icing to cookies.

What are some of your favorite cookies to leave for Santa?

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

2011-12-12T21:30:00.004-06:00

Whew! It was a busy weekend full of lots of baking and Christmas parties! But I must admit I loved every minute of it! Baking is one of my absolute favorite things to do this time of year. So many great recipes to share with friends and family. This weekend was packed with parties so I wanted to prepare sweets that wouldn't require a lot of time in the kitchen. One of my favorite go to recipes that doesn't require any baking and that everyone always loves is Cookie Dough Truffles.

I discovered this recipe a few years ago from Paula Deen and have loved it ever since. I mean who doesn't love an excuse to eat cookie dough right? And this recipe doesn't have raw eggs in them like chocolate chip cookie batter does, so that means you can keep popping truffle after truffle into your mouth!

Right after I finished preparing these truffles for a Christmas party on Friday night, I sat down for a few minutes to watch some Food Network and who else was on but Paula Deen...and what was she making...these exact same Cookie Dough Truffles. The timing couldn't have been any more perfect! Any what's even funnier is that one of the girls who came to the party had just watched the very same episode and had said "I sure do wish I had some of those cookie dough truffles". Well little did she know a few hours later I would be bringing them to the party for her to enjoy!

So if you are looking for a super simple, no bake dessert that is sure to be a crowd favorite this holiday then you must give these Cookie Dough Truffles a try! I followed Paula's recipe and just swapped out the pecans for a 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips! I loved the combination of the semi-sweet and white chips! YUM!

Hope you enjoy these! Up next is one of my favorite cookie recipes!

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream

2011-12-02T18:40:00.001-06:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year! This is my absolute favorite month to bake! Cookies, candies, pies and cakes are all on my baking to do list this holiday season! To start things off I've creates a new recipe for Hot Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream! This quite possibly is one of my all time favorite cupcakes!

Chocolate and Peppermint are an amazing flavor combination. Topped off with some homemade peppermint bark, these cupcakes are sure to be one festive treat at your holiday party this year! I will certainly be making them again to share with family and friends in the coming weeks.

Head on over to Half Baked for the cupcake and peppermint bark recipes! Wishing you all a wonderful holiday filled will all sorts of yummy sweets!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T06:00:00.004-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday with family and friends! I'm so thankful for all my loyal blog followers!

Enjoy some turkey too! Gobble Gobble....

Pink, Orange & Green Baby Shower Cookies

2011-11-15T06:30:00.005-06:00

Here's a look at some cookies I recently made for baby shower favors. My sister's good friend is expecting her first baby on Dec 5th, a little girl. They picked out some fun fabrics with stripes and polka dots for the nursery in pinks, orange and green so we thought it would be fun to decorate cookies to fit the color scheme.

Baby shower cookies are some of my favorites to decorate so of course I documented the process with lots of pictures....

This was by far the biggest batch of cookies I have ever decorated at one time.
40 onesies....40 bottles...40 monograms for baby Harper
5 1/2 hours later my hand was very cramped after all that piping...

but I was thrilled with how they turned out!

The cookies were carefully packaged and wrapped in layers of bubble wrap to be shipped 725 miles to KY for the shower! Two huge boxes of cookies later I dropped them off at the post office and said a few prayers for the safe journey of these cookies! As it turns out all but 2 arrived safely...and the 2 that cracked my sister was happy to sample so it all worked out in the end!

The mother to be loved the cookies and so did all the shower guests! Congratulations Ashley on your little girl that is on the way!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese

2011-11-02T19:40:00.000-05:00

Happy November! I can't believe Thanksgiving is just around the corner! To get you ready for the big turkey day feast I'm excited to share a delicious cupcake recipe featuring pumpkin as the star ingredient! You have gotta add these Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting to your holiday baking this year!

The recipe for these fall cupcakes is posted over at Half Baked so go check it out!

Hope you all have a wonderful November! I'm so thankful to have such great followers of CIS!

It's a Boy...It's a Girl?????

2011-10-28T08:00:00.004-05:00

Baby bumps are everywhere right now! I literally know about 10 people pregnant with babies due between now and April! It is so fun to be surrounded by so many friends at different stages in their pregnancy and to watch their bellies grow! Andy while we are on the topics of babies...I have one more surprise to share with you...I am expecting too! I am 19 weeks!

The time has been going by so fast and next week we will be finding out the gender! I have been dying to share the news for some time now and even have a cute cookie idea planned to share too...so I hope to get to that next week after we find out if it's a boy or a girl! And I must admit that this is part of the reason for my lack of posts lately! From about 6-15 weeks I was very nauseous. Just the thought of anything sugary made me sick, especially all things cake! It was the weirdest thing and something I never imagined could happen to a sugar and cake lover like myself! I am slowly getting back into baking more but still have not really wanted to even eat a bite of cake or icing! This may be a good thing though so I don't pack on the extra pounds from sugar cravings during the pregnancy!

Its seems like one of the most popular cookies I make are onesies for baby showers. They are so much fun to design b/c you can customize them a million different ways. My cousin's wife Cassandra is due in January but they have decided not to find out the sex. So for her recent baby shower, I thought it would be fun to just stick to the traditional pink and blue colors and make some onesie and baby bottle cookies.

There are going to be lots more baby showers and probably onesie cookies in my near future! What are some of your favorite baby shower themes? I'd love to start brainstorming some new ideas for cookies, cupcakes or anything sweet!

Minnie & Mickey Mouse Cookies

2011-10-27T21:00:00.001-05:00

Hope you're having a great week so far! Just wanted to pop in real quick and share some Minnie & Mickey Mouse cookies I made for a 2 year old's birthday party recently!

Up next...some baby shower cookie ideas!

Birthday Cupcakes with Cookies on Top

2011-10-24T22:20:00.002-05:00

Happy Monday! Sorry there have been a lack of posts lately...things have been a little hectic these days, but I'm trying to get back into a regular routine of posting again, so please bare with me! I've been doing a lot of baking for customers lately so I've got some fun things to share throughout the week!

First up are some birthday cupcakes topped with sugar cookies and X box fondant toppers. Tracy, one of my loyal customers was the brains behind the idea of cookie toppers for her husband's birthday cupcakes...I mean why not have two sweat treats all in one! Loved this idea, and will definitely be making cookie toppers again!

Red Velvet cupcakes w/ cream cheese frosting, topped with white iced sugar cookies and "32" for the birthday age.

Strawberry cupcakes w/ strawberry cream cheese frosting, topped with red iced sugar cookies and "ML" for the birthday boy's initials.

Two special cupcakes were topped with black fondant X box controllers, one of the recipient's favorite hobbies.

When it comes to more masculine designs I sure am glad to have my husband around. I have to give him about 90% of the credit for creating these controllers! I gave him a picture to reference and he went to town molding the shape...pretty good huh! All I did was supervise and make the colored buttons!

Hope you enjoyed this birthday cupcake & cookie collection!
More birthday treats coming soon...

Apple Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

2011-10-06T21:00:00.010-05:00

We are getting in the Halloween spirit here at CIS. Several bags of candy has already been purchased...Snickers, Reese Cups, candy corn and one of my all time favorites Caramel Apple Pops! If you haven't tried those green apple lollipops covered in a shell of caramel you are missing out. They are the perfect combination of sour and sweet! In my book apples and caramel go hand in hand this time of year, so I've created a special treat that you are sure to enjoy, Caramel Apple Cupcakes!

If you are planning a Halloween party this year, these Caramel Apple Cupcakes with assorted toppings are a must have on your dessert spread. Hop on over to Half Baked for the recipe! And while you're there check out some of their other adorable ideas for decorating Halloween sweets here, here and here.

Happy October!

Fondant Animal Cupcake Toppers

2011-09-27T21:20:00.001-05:00

Lately I've been getting a lot of requests for kid themed birthday or baby shower parties! I must admit these are some of my favorite events to bake and decorate for. There are just so many cute ideas out there and inspiration can come from anywhere, a t-shirt, invitation, toy, fabric, etc. I created these fondant animal cupcake toppers for a boy themed baby shower inspired by the bedding for the nursery. I am thrilled with how the entire collection turned out.

Mr. Elephant...my favorite!

Here's Mr. Monkey! (or a bear according to my husband)

The Lion (or tiger, again according to my husband)

Mr. Giraffe...these are my next favorite!

And finally the Zebra!

I also made monogram "G" toppers for the babies name "Gage".

In addition to chocolate and vanilla cupcakes I made a small carrot cake for the mother-to-be to take home and share with her hubby after the baby shower!

Hope you enjoyed this fondant animal collection!

Superman Cookies

2011-09-23T06:30:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday and Happy 1st Day of Fall! Today I'm sharing some SUPER cookies with you...inspired by Superman! A friend contacted me to make some cookies for her son's 1st birthday! The party theme was superheros with the birthday boy being Superman! Instead of the "S" for Superman in the center of each cookie she wanted a "C" for "Chase" the bday boy!

Introducing "Super Chase" cookies! I thought that was such a cute way to capture a theme that everyone would recognize but then personalize the cookies for the sweet birthday boy!

All the guests at the party were encouraged to come dressed as their favorite super hero! I saw the pictures and they were super cute! The mom, dad and birthday boy all dressed up as Superman with capes! I think the birthday boy had one SUPER 1st birthday!

Have a great weekend! On the baking agenda today...a pumpkin streusel cake! Welcome Fall!

Chocolate Cheesecake Turtle Cupcakes

2011-09-18T21:10:00.001-05:00

Hey CIS readers...it's been forever since I've posted and I am so so very sorry! Things have been a little hectic lately leaving little to no time for blog updates! I promise I am trying to get back on a regular posting routine so hang tight! I've been baking and decorating some cute sweets lately and can't wait to share them with you soon! In case you didn't see these when they were posted earlier this week on Half Baked...here's my latest creation, Chocolate Cheesecake Turtle Cupcakes! They are super delicious and a nice change from your typical cupcake loaded with buttercream frosting! You are going to love the cheesecake center inside of these chocolate cakes with drizzled chocolate and caramel on top! So head on over to Half Baked for the recipe!

I'm super excited for the first day of fall this week! This is one of my favorite times of year to bake and I'm ready to start making recipes with pumpkin, apples and cinnamon so check back soon!

What are some of your favorite fall recipes?

Waddle it Be? - Gender Reveal Party

2011-09-05T22:30:00.003-05:00

This weekend I finally got to reveal a secret I had the privilege of keeping for two weeks now! Another one of my friends is pregnant and asked me to do the honor of making the special cake that would reveal if she was having a boy or girl! Gender reveal parties are definitely a new trend I have seen over the last year as a fun way to get friends and family together and share in the excitement of a baby that is on the way! You may remember last year I got to bake two cakes for a twins gender reveal party!

Jennifer texted me at 15 weeks pregnant saying "I have an envelope in my purse for you that contains the gender of our baby". The next day I drove over to her house, received the secret envelope with the ultrasound and we started planning her gender reveal party! She had come across the theme "Waddle it Be?" from a blog and we both thought that idea was super cute and one that was very unique!

Jennifer's vision for the party was to keep things very neutral in color with yellow and white being the primary focus and adding pops of green! Of course there had to be a dessert table!

I absolutely love what she came up with for the polka dot baby garland backdrop and the dessert table.

She made all of the gorgeous flower arrangements and even hand cut the felt flower embellishments on the vases and wrapped them in twine.

Before it was time to cut the cake and reveal the gender of the baby, guests could munch on lemon squares...

bags of popcorn...

and cake balls that had been tinted both blue and pink inside to keep everyone in suspense.

The secret cake...will it be blue or will it be pink inside?

I have seen so many cute cakes lately with "cake bunting" on top and thought that would be a super cute and simple way to decorate the cake for the big reveal.

Guests were also invited to place their best guess and best wishes in a jar before the big reveal!

Here's the glowing mama to be Jennifer with our friend Andrea, who also helped with a lot of the party decorations and food.

Here's Jennifer and me just before it was time to cut the cake.

The proud parents...Brian and Jennifer! Oh and by the way Brian already knows the gender...apparently he peaked at the ultrasound!

Time to cut the cake....Jennifer was convinced it was a boy!

Love that look of excitement on her face...

Such a happy and SHOCKED mama! It's a GIRL!

There was so much excitement and screaming when the piece of cake was revealed! There are currently 9 boys and only 1 girl grandchild on Jennifer's side of the family so everyone was so excited to know another little girl was on the way!

Jennifer sharing a hug with her mom!

The happy parents!

The ultrasound is finally revealed to Jennifer!

All the guests at the party were encouraged to dress in their best guess...blue or pink. Blue was definitely the majority vote...but they were so very wrong!

Here's the pink group....smaller but smarter!

Congratulations Brian & Jennifer I am so happy for you both and so honored that you allowed me to know the sex of your baby before you! You are going to be amazing parents!

Owl Cake Pops

2011-08-31T21:00:00.002-05:00

Today I'm excited to share with you my latest adventures in cake pops! How cute are these little Owls? Ever since I ordered my copy of Bakerella's Cake Pops book when it first came out I have been dying for an excuse to make these adorable little creatures! Well lucky for me I finally got the chance this past weekend.

My college roommate, Laurie gave birth to a sweet baby boy Max two weeks ago and I sent her these along with some cute little baby outfits! She had shown me some owl fabric they picked out for Max's bedding and immediately I knew these owl pops would be the perfect treat once he was born!

I couldn't help myself and made some blue and brown cake balls to send too!

After wrapping them in about 10 pounds of bubble wrap I shipped them off and hopped for the best! I heard from Laurie today and she received the owls and they were still recognizable...thank you Mr./Mrs. Postman for the safe delivery!

Congratulations Laurie on your new little bundle of joy! Can't wait to meet him soon!

M&M Birthday

2011-08-29T19:00:00.007-05:00

Welcome to what I'm going to officially call "Baby Week" here on the blog! This week is going to be filled with fun sweets that I have recently made or will be making later this week to celebrate: twin babies 1st birthday, a baby's birth, and a gender reveal party!

First up we have an "M&M" themed 1st birthday party for two of the cutest twin boys ever...Mack & Miles! How fitting is the M&M theme? If you're a long time follower of CIS then you probably remember I have made quite a few cakes and pops for these boys in the past....here, here and here. I was so excited when their mom and my great friend Kelly asked me to make the goodies for their 1st bday!

There were M&M cookie favors, M&M cake pops, and a chocolate birthday cake decorated with M&Ms. I love how everything came together to create a vibrant and cheery party! When I walked into Kelly's house it seriously looked like an M&M factory! She had an M&M table cloth, a huge apothecary jar filled with M&Ms, mini glass jars filled with M&Ms for favors, rainbow streamers everywhere, wooden signs with M&Ms, even M&M rainbow colored plates and cups...and I'm sure I'm forgetting something. I am kicking myself for not having my camera with me, but hoping she will share some pics from the party! Oh and the cutest part of all, she had bought M&M onesies for the boys to wear. One would be a red M&M and the other a yellow M&M! Oh I bet they looked so stinkin cute!

Happy 1st Birthday Mack & Miles! Thanks Kelly for asking me to be part of your boys special day!

Up next...some super sweet cake pops for my friend who had a little boy, Max a little over a week ago. I'm loving all these "M" little boy names!

S'mores Cupcakes

2011-08-16T22:15:00.001-05:00

Graham crackers, marshmallows & chocolate = one fabulous ooey gooey sandwich cookie! After spending a recent camping trip next to the fire roasting marshmallows and assembling S'mores I was inspired to turn one of my favorite cookies into a cupcake! Head on over to Half Baked for my S'mores Cupcake recipe and more photos of these camping inspired treats!

Tutorial: How to make Fondant Owl Cupcake Toppers

2011-08-14T23:35:00.003-05:00

Owls seem to be popping up everywhere these days in party decor for baby showers and kids birthday parties. One of my friend's has even chosen an owl print for her soon to be baby boy's crib bedding. There are so many fun interpretations I have seen around the web for owl cookies, cakes, cake pops and invitations in an array of colors from pinks/greens, blue/browns, and even shades of purple. I just love how cute these little creatures are when recreated with sugar! So this weekend I finally got a chance to put my own spin on the owl theme when asked to make some baby shower cupcakes. Using the baby shower invite as inspiration I decided to make some fondant owl cupcake toppers that I think turned out absolutely adorable!

You too can make these fondant owls in a matter of minutes with a few shades of colored fondant and some different shaped cutters. Let me show you how with this step-by-step photo tutorial!

First you will need to tint fondant to your desired colors. This shower was for a baby girl so pink was my dominant color. Feel free to switch things up with blues, greens, purples, etc.

Here's the breakdown on the colors for my owls:

Dark Pink = owl body
Light Pink = wings
Orange = feet & nose
White = eyes & circular base for fondant topper
Black = eyes

You will need to following tools:
-2 5/8" round cutter (mine is from this set)
-set of 3 round cutters: small, medium, large
-leaf cutter
-Wilton round tip #12
-Wilton curved tip #81
-rolling pin
-offset spatula
-small cup of water
-paint brush

A few notes:
-Once you have rolled out the fondant and cut out the shapes I find it is easiest to use an offset spatula to slide underneath the shapes and lift them up when moving to create the owl shape.
-If you are making a large quantity of owls it is easier to set up an assembly line and make all of the same shapes first then move on to the next shape, rather than making each owl individually. Once you have all your shapes made then go back and assemble all the pieces.
-As you start to assemble you may notice that your fondant has started to harden and dry some, if this happens then use a small paint brush and dip in a cup of water and gently apply water on the pieces you need to assemble. Using a dab of water will help all pieces of the owl stick together and harden together.

Roll out some white fondant and cut a circle using the 2 5/8" cutter.

This circle will be the base of your fondant topper that you will place the owl on top of.

Roll out some Dark Pink fondant and cut with the large circle cutter.

This shape is the base of your owl body.

Take the medium circle cutter and cut out a small notch from the top of the circle.

This creates a curved shape for the head of the owl and the pointy ears.

Place the body of the owl on top of the white fondant circle.

Roll out some light pink fondant and use the leaf cutter to make the wings.

Place the wings on the sides of the owl body. It's starting to take shape!

Roll out some white fondant and using the small round cutter make the owl eyes.

Roll out some black fondant and using tip #12 make the inside of the owl eyes.

Your owl can now see! Only a few more steps...

Roll out some orange fondant and use the small round cutter to make a circle. Cut the circle in half with the offset spatula to create the feet.

Place the feet underneath the owl's body with the curved side touching the belly. Cut a small triangle nose from the orange fondant using the offset spatula.

One more step...feathers! Grab tip #81.

Place the curve side of the tip down into the belly of the owl so it make a "U" shape. Gently press the tip into the fondant and make some feathers. I did a row of 2, a row of 3 and another row of 2.

HOORAY! The owl is now complete!

So what do you think...pretty close replica to the invite?

Allow the fondant toppers to harden overnight and then place on top of your iced cupcakes! These owls can be made days in advance of your party as well if you don't want to be overwhelmed making decorations and baking all at the same time. If you do decide to make them in advance be sure NOT to put them in a tupperware container as the fondant will tend to soften and melt and all your hard work will be ruined.

I hope you found this tutorial helpful! If you decide to make your own fondant owls I'd love to see them so email me pictures or post on the CIS Facebook page.

Have a great week!

Neapolitan Brownie Ice Cream Cake

2011-08-02T22:00:00.006-05:00

Happy August! I can't believe summer is flying right on by and Fall will be here before we know it! This summer has been extremely hot and humid in Mobile, so I've found myself not wanting to turn on the oven and bake quite as often. Being able to open the freezer and find a sweet treat is what I'm all about these days.

Remember the Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream recipe I shared with you a few days ago? Well sometimes when I eat ice cream I crave chocolate too, and cake and icing...so I decided to create a Neapolitan Brownie Ice Cream Cake just to cover all my cravings in one delicious bite!

The ice cream layer sandwiched in between two layers of chocolate is absolutely perfect. And the thin layer of strawberry buttercream adds a little extra sweetness to each bite of cake.

I cut a slice for me and a slice for you...but then I had to eat your slice because, well, it was melting and I'm addicted and it was just too darn good!

Chocolate, vanilla and strawberry not your favorite flavor combination...well the possibilities are truly endless when making an ice cream cake. You can swap out the brownie layers for your favorite cake instead.

Don't have an ice cream maker and don't want to make your own from scratch...go buy a half gallon of your favorite flavor and keeps things simple! Heck add a second layer of ice cream and feature two of your favorite flavors!

Don't want to dirty up your mixer to make the buttercream...why not ice the cake with a chocolate ganache or some whipped cream.

See what I mean, you can go a million ways with this idea! So play around with what works best for you and go create a fabulous ice cream cake masterpiece! I sure did have fun with this one, but I'm envisioning one with chocolate chips or Oreos next time around. Or maybe even a Snickers Ice cream bar cake...YUM!

Neapolitan Brownie Ice Cream Cake
(makes one 3-layer 8" cake)

-box of brownie mix
-Homeade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
-Strawberry Buttercream (recipe below)

1.Prepare brownie mix per package directions. Bake in two 8" cake pans. Allow brownie layers to completely cool before assembling cake.
2.Line an 8" cake pan with aluminum foil. Scoop ice cream into prepared pan. I used 8 scoops and spread flat with a spatula. Place a layer of foil on top of the ice cream and place pan in freezer to firm up for 2-3 hours prior to assembling cake.
3.Place one layer of brownie on cake plate for bottom layer. Remove ice cream layer from freezer and place on top of brownie layer. Add the second brownie layer on top of the ice cream layer. Tightly wrap cake in foil and place back in the freezer for 2 hours to firm up.
4.Remove frozen cake from freezer and frost with Strawberry Buttercream. You will need to work quickly when icing the cake as it tends to harden fast since the cake is frozen. Once the cake is completely frosted place back in the freezer until ready to serve.

Strawberry Buttercream
-2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
-5 cups confectioner's sugar
-1 tsp strawberry extract
-3 Tbsp milk

-Beat butter with stand mixer until creamy.
-Gradually add in confectioner's sugar, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.
-Add in strawberry extract and milk and mix until desired consistency.

So what flavors would make up your perfect Ice Cream Cake?

Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

2011-07-27T22:00:00.010-05:00

I couldn't let summer fly by, much less the month of July (National Ice Cream Month!) without posting at least one homemade ice cream recipe! Afterall, I am an ice cream junkie and most nights during June, July and August I can be seen with a bowl of ice cream lathered in chocolate and caramel sauce stuffing my face! Typically my favorite ice cream flavors include chocolate in some form...chocolate chip or cookies n' cream, but today it's all about good ole vanilla! Let me tell you, this Vanilla Bean Ice Cream recipe is pretty much the most delicious batch of ice cream I have ever tried. Good bye store bought ice cream, hello homemade for the rest of the summer!

I was first inspired to make homemade ice cream while on a 5:00AM trip to Walmart a few weeks ago when I spotted these fun little gems...mini wafer bites with white chocolate and rainbow jimmies. Why you ask was I at Walmart so stinking early? Well it was to get some surprise birthday goodies for a running friend before our 6:00AM run that morning. These wafers caught my eye while I was in the bakery section looking for some store bought cupcakes (I am ashamed to admit this giving my love for homemade cupcakes...but time just ran out for me to whip up a batch from scratch). Please forgive me for buying store bought cupcakes...but hey something good did come of it right...the idea for this homemade ice cream!

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (adapted from David Lebovitz, The Perfect Scoop)

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients:
-1 cup whole milk
-pinch of salt
-3/4 cup sugar
-1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste
-1 cup heavy cream
-1 cup half and half
-7 large egg yolks
-1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1.Heat milk, salt and sugar in saucepan. Add the vanilla bean paste into the milk. Cover, remove from heat and infuse for one hour.
2.To make the ice cream, create an ice bath by placing a 2-quart bowl inside of a large bowl that has been filled with ice and water. Place a strainer over top of the smaller bowl and pour the cream into the bowl.
3.In a separate bowl, stir together the egg yolks. Rewarm the milk and gradually pour some of the milk into the yolks, whisking constantly as you pour to temper the mixture so the eggs don't scramble. Pour the warmed yolks and milk back into the saucepan.
4.Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula.
5.Strain the custard into the heavy cream. Stir over the ice bath until cool. Add the vanilla extract, then refrigerate to chill thoroughly. I kept refrigerated overnight.
6.Remove the custard from the refrigerator and freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. I have this Cuisinart ice cream maker and mixed the custard for 25 minutes.
7.Ice cream will be soft and should be eaten immediately or placed in an airtight container in the freezer to firm up for a few hours or even overnight.

If you desire add some of your favorite toppings to your ice cream. I added some fresh pureed strawberries on top and it was delish!

Promise me you will make this vanilla bean ice cream before summer is over! It is rich, creamy and I love the little black specs of vanilla bean throughout! It was soooo good, I actually made 2 batches! Check back soon because I have a great way to take this ice cream recipe one step further and turn it into a fabulous ice cream cake you are gonna love!

White Wedding Dessert Table

2011-07-24T20:30:00.009-05:00

This past weekend two of my great friends Katie & Derek got married! I was honored when Katie asked me to create a dessert table for her special day. Her vision was to have a small cake, cupcakes and sugar cookies. She wanted to keep things clean and simple, with white being the focal color and a hint of green to accent. I love the Save the Date invites they sent out with the bicycle built for two! Katie and Derek first met a few years ago while training for a triathlon, so this announcement was so fitting for their special occasion.

Keeping with the white theme, I decorated sugar cookies using 3 types of white sprinkles: nonpareils, sugar crystals and pearls.

To add a touch of green I made some "mr. & mrs." cookies especially for the bride and groom.

Of course I had to create a few bicycle cookies to match their Save the Date!

Here are a few other special cookies I made only for the bride and groom so they could enjoy while honeymooning.

Katie's wanted to have a small cake for them to cut, inspired by i am baker's rose cake. I had so much fine trying this decorating technique using tip 1M.

The inside of the cake was yellow with chocolate icing in between the layers...the bride's favorite!

To match the cake, all the cupcakes were decorated with a rose on top. The cupcakes were all carrot cake.

Here's how everything came together on the dessert table. The bride's grandmother also made her signature almond pound cakes with a family recipe. And hiding under the dessert table are all the extra cupcakes and cookies to be refilled throughout the reception!

I just loved Katie's expression when she first saw the dessert table! I am thrilled that she was so happy with how everything turned out!

The look we were going for was similar to Amy Atlas' signature white dessert table.

Time to cut the cake...

Congratulations Katie & Derek! I wish you a lifetime of happiness! Thanks for asking me to be part of your special day!