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Fly Away!
Date: May. 15th 2008
Category: Cookbooks, Cakes, Cheesecakes, Cupcakes and Muffins
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There was a time when nary a butterfuly was seen in these parts.
I think it had a lot to do with the widespread use of pesticides which, thankfully, has been curtailed.
In my opinion, the sight of a butterfly flitting around a garden is surely one of Nature’s most beautiful sights.
So when I opened the book Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson and saw a baking project involving butterflies resting prettily on cupcakes, I knew I had to to try to recreate them.
I received a copy of this book thanks to a lovely person at Houghton Mifflin Company and I couldn’t have been happier to welcome it into my cookbook family.
This is one of those books that makes you want to take a week off work just so you can spend it in your kitchen building cupcake penguins and aliens, among other things.
Seriously. You have to look at this book!
Divided into chapters that focus on different themes likes April Fool’s or Nightmare Before Thanksgiving, the book has numerous baking projects that all use cupcakes as building blocks. Literally.
A thorough introduction that explains the basics of baking and frosting cupcakes is augmented by lots of colour photos and step-by-step instructions for some of the more involved projects. Don’t be intimidated, however. The book teaches you how to use all sorts of everyday treats to make the most incredible things. For example, you can learn how to make perfect little cabbages out of … cornflakes!
I know. I know. It’s earth-shattering.
I think a huge part of the book’s appeal is that even the most inexperienced baker would have a grand time trying out any of these baking projects. The book closes with a variety of recipes for cupcakes and frosting. While there are recipes that call for baking mixes (I’m not a fan), the book does also offer recipes for entirely homemade cupcakes and frostings. Either way, there are options for those who might normally be intimidated by this sort of thing and those that think, “Make a dog out of cupcakes? Why not?!”
I thought the book was fabulous and am very happy that I had the chance to review it. If you have any budding bakers (young or old) in your life or any cupcake fanatics for that matter, this is a book they’d love.
I made my cupcakes with a very basic chocolate cupcake as the base. I used a vanilla buttercream that I tinted yellow as the frosting and a base for butterflies that I had piped and filled using dark chocolate (for the outline) and coloured candy wafers (for the interior of the butterfly).
Believe me when I say they look more complicated than they are. I followed the book’s template for the outline of the butterfly wings and after getting used to (attempting) to pipe in a straight line, I was able to produce them quickly. I filled the interior of the cupcakes and then used a toothpick to swirl the dark chocolate and pink candy coating together. I let the wings set in the refrigerator before placing them atop the cupcakes.
After seeing all those pretty butterflies on the cupcakes, I can’t wait to see all the pretty butterflies in the garden!
Ciao!
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August 2008
Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes: Recipes From a Modern Kitchen Garden by Jeanne Kelley.
One of the most beautiful cookbooks I have ever seen!
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05/15/08 at 7:17 pm
Oh, Ivonne, those are gorgeous!
05/15/08 at 7:48 pm
That is the most beautiful decoration I have ever seen. Superb!
05/15/08 at 8:03 pm
so pretty!
05/15/08 at 8:13 pm
Those are really lovely and thank you for the review of the book. I’m so picky about which baking books I buy and based on what you’ve said, I’m adding this to my wishlist.
05/15/08 at 8:36 pm
These butterflies are gorgeous! Beautiful job!
05/15/08 at 9:11 pm
These are out of this world Ivonne. You made these! Butterflies are amazing things. These butterflies really blow my mind. Awesome!
05/15/08 at 10:39 pm
too too pretty.
05/15/08 at 10:58 pm
Adorable! So crafty, a real show stopper!
05/15/08 at 11:26 pm
hi ivonne - those cupcakes look absolutely gorgeous! you have inspired me to bake cupcakes this weekend…and maybe decorate them with more than just sprinkles!
05/15/08 at 11:31 pm
hi ivonne,
by the way, I’ve alwayed enjoyed your writing on Cream Puffs in Venice, and was wondering if you would be interested in having a few of your posts featured on the home page of the recently launched cooking/food website eatNation (www.eatnation.com)?
please email me if you are interested - i’ll send more info!
genevieve
gwang@eatnation.com
05/15/08 at 11:35 pm
I love butterflies and your cupcakes are just simply STUNNING! Wow, I am wordless in front of such beauties…
Cheers,
Rosa
05/16/08 at 1:31 am
These look lovely - I must get my hands on a copy of that book! Hx
05/16/08 at 2:27 am
Oh my God!!! Those butterflies are sooooooooooo beautiful! Bellissime!
Ciao.
05/16/08 at 2:49 am
Super impressive there Miss Cream Puff. Very pretty.
05/16/08 at 3:43 am
OMG they are beautiful. The design is so wispy like butterflies. I am impressed!
05/16/08 at 5:10 am
Those are stunning! More like stained glass than chocolate.
I saw Hello, Cupcake just the other day while shopping and thought it was too fussy for me. . . you make it look very doable!
05/16/08 at 5:16 am
These are so pretty and delicate, Ivonne! Wow!
05/16/08 at 5:20 am
Now that is a collection of stunning cupcakes! You make me want to spend my day baking in the kitchen, but my garden is dying for some attention on this sunny day!
05/16/08 at 6:58 am
Ivonne those are beautiful!
You’ve gone and posted two butterfly posts and I STILL haven’t put up those butterfly sugar cookies I made ages ago…
05/16/08 at 7:06 am
“The sight of a butterfly flitting around a garden is surely one of Nature’s most beautiful sights.” Ivonne, I couldn’t agree more - I LOVE butterflies, and their delicate gracefulness. Another beautiful sight is of those cupcakes!! Fabulous!! Sounds like a wonderful cookbook, as well.
05/16/08 at 7:27 am
love those butterflies, soooo pretty! the swirls are awesome. i planted my garden with birds and butterflies in mind, it’s such a beautiful sight!
05/16/08 at 8:01 am
These cupcake with those beautiful butterflies look amazing! You did such a wonderful job!-
05/16/08 at 9:07 am
Impressive!
05/16/08 at 9:07 am
Impressive!
05/16/08 at 9:11 am
Unbelievably gorgeous!
05/16/08 at 9:22 am
Rubbish. I don’t want you getting too big for your boots
05/16/08 at 9:34 am
Ivonne, those butterflies are beautiful! I put that book on my Amazon wish list after seeing Dorie reference it in her blog — great to hear you liked it, too!
05/16/08 at 9:40 am
Yesterday I spent time looking at your photos and had so much fun with all the eye candy!! You are marvelous and I love you blog. Keep up all those dazzling creations, I’ll be back for more
05/16/08 at 9:45 am
I love these cupcakes!! The butterflies are amazing!! I can’t wait to check out this book!
05/16/08 at 10:16 am
To date, those are THE prettiest cupcakes I have ever seen! The butterflies are wonderful!
05/16/08 at 11:26 am
Those are the most beautiful cupcakes I have ever seen! They look pretty yummy too
05/16/08 at 12:17 pm
Look at you Ivonne - up to your beautiful decorating tricks again
Gorgeous butterflies.
05/16/08 at 12:30 pm
i agree
love butterflies. i have a butterfly tattoo. and that on top of a cupcake is just so pretty. oh!
05/16/08 at 12:50 pm
pretty!!! they look almost too good to eat!
05/16/08 at 1:15 pm
they are so pretty
05/16/08 at 3:24 pm
Love the brown and pink together! Beautiful job! Looks like we both had butterflies on the mind this past weekend (ah yeah, mine are for later though). Love the whole package!
05/16/08 at 3:36 pm
Just found your blog and I really enjoy it. The butterflys are beautiful…so graceful.
05/16/08 at 5:56 pm
How beautiful!
I wish you were closer to me so I could come over and borrow that book from you - I have a baby shower this weekend and a birthday/anniversary party next weekend and those butterflies would look lovely on the cake for the party!
05/16/08 at 7:26 pm
they are so pretty!
05/16/08 at 8:34 pm
Wow! Very impressive!
05/17/08 at 12:14 am
Wow! They are absolutely beautiful. So impressed
05/17/08 at 2:57 am
Lovely, Ivonne - simply lovely. I really should concentrate on making cupcakes. The book sounds right up my alley!
05/17/08 at 3:36 am
Oh my gosh! Those look AMAZING. Thank you for sharing!
05/17/08 at 5:20 am
[…] In other sweet-oriented posts, Eric at Do You Know the Muffin Man? bakes up some chocolate macarons for a bake sale; Kevin at Closet Cooking makes vanilla bean ice cream; and Ivonne at Cream Puffs in Venice creates cupcakes adorned with beautiful butterflies. […]
05/17/08 at 9:37 am
Those are so, so pretty!
05/17/08 at 11:13 am
Oh wow, so cute. I feel I need that book too
05/17/08 at 2:55 pm
Ivonne! They’re so cute! But elegant, too. Genius.
05/17/08 at 3:03 pm
Amazing butterflies!!
05/17/08 at 9:23 pm
What beautiful butterflies, Ivonne! I wish I had the patience to try to make some.
05/17/08 at 9:35 pm
*gasp*
Gorgeous.
05/18/08 at 8:33 am
So love butterflies…but on your cupecakes… ahh… I would stare instead of eating it
05/18/08 at 10:56 am
wow! soo pretty! i had seen flowers made this way, but butterflies? too cute!
05/18/08 at 6:26 pm
These a GORGALICIOUS! Works of art. I think these are the prettiest cupcakes I’ve ever seen.
05/19/08 at 6:04 am
These are too pretty for words. Absolutely gorgeous.
05/19/08 at 2:18 pm
these are gorgeous! I cant wait to get the book!
All I can say is WOW!
05/21/08 at 7:20 am
WOW!!! Are those cute! Looks like a trip to Barnes & Noble is in order.
05/21/08 at 1:28 pm
These look so delicious!!
05/22/08 at 10:58 pm
The butterflies really look beautiful ..wow
05/23/08 at 12:56 am
I HAVE to get that book. I’m blown away by those butterflies. I doubt that mine would look like yours, but I’ll try!
05/26/08 at 8:27 am
Ho-lee! Gorgeous. Hey — I was in the Cookbook Store and Jennifer and Alison mentioned you. Small world!
05/27/08 at 11:35 am
WONDERFULL!!
06/17/08 at 2:16 am
This is gorgeous! Oh so perfectly spring and love!