You know it’s going to be good when the description starts with bright, white and pristine.  Oh for the love of monochromatic beauty!  Today’s cake is an elegant design that’s all about the white-on-white texture.  Delicate ruffles flow up, down and all around creating swirls of dreamy detail.  While clusters of petite pompoms add another layer of wow-inducing character.  It’s refined, elegant and just down right stunning.  Let’s swoon, shall we?  It’s an incredible White on White Ruffles Cake by Maria Nicoletti of RooneyGirl BakeShop.

Maria of RooneyGirl BakeShop gives us the scoop on her design:

“Two popular fondant techniques have become my obsession and I would apply them to every cake I make if I could.  Recently, the perfect opportunity presented itself and I was overjoyed to put these techniques to use.  This small wedding cake captures these delicate methods.”

Maria of RooneyGirl BakeShop shares her techniques:

“For the bottom tier, I took inspiration from a Sharon Wee Ruffle Rose tutorial.  I applied countless strips of paper thin textured fondant to a white fondant cake.  The strips are applied in a circular pattern to form the roses and in “V” shapes to form the ruffles in between.  For the top tier, I’ve seen and admired numerous artists, including Erica O’Brien, applying a ruffly pompom effect and I wanted to try it.  I cut out small round scalloped edge circles and folded them in quarters, leaving the ends open.  I applied them in a very tight formation to the top tier using a little dab of water as needed.  I finished the cake with a simple satin ribbon.”

Seriously.  Undeniably.  Gorgeous!  The ruffled rosettes on the bottom tier are crazy beautiful.  I love how they gracefully flow from one delicate swirl to the next.  If you’ve ever thought an all white cake is boring, this little gem proves otherwise.  It brings a touch of charm to any wedding or bridal shower.

A special thank you to Maria Nicoletti of RooneyGirl BakeShop for sharing her White on White Ruffles cake with us today.  It is simply divine!

VENDORS & CREDITS
Cake:  RooneyGirl BakeShop

It might not feel like it, with cold air and snow still hanging around, but Spring is just around the corner.  Before you know it, the first buds of green will be popping up on tree branches.  Birds will be chirping.  Flowers will be blooming.  And Easter will be on the way!  So today we’re getting ready with a new cake tutorial that is all about Spring!  Inspired by the gorgeous color and texture of robins’ eggs, this cake is super easy and incredibly fun.  And completely achievable for all levels of bakers, to include your favorite little egg-hunters.  It’s a DIY Speckled Easter Egg Cake tutorial and I hope you enjoy it!

Before we get started on the very scientific speckling technique, let’s talk about the cake itself.  I used a Classic Vanilla Cake recipe and baked it as four layers.  You can bake your cakes several days in advance and either freeze them or keep them in the refrigerator.  Being a mom to a little one means my windows of time are quite short.  So on Day #1, I baked the cake and made the eggs.  Day #2, I made a batch of basic buttercream icing (recipe here).  Day #3, I assembled and decorated the cake.  You, by no means, have to follow my extra prolonged, toddler-approved schedule.  But if needed, you can certainly spread this project out over several days.

Now, let’s talk about the eggs!  There are several ways you could go about making these eggs.  You can use an egg-shaped candy mold to create white chocolate eggs, colored appropriately.  You can use real eggs that are hard boiled (or blown out) and then dyed. {Please do not use raw eggs… that is just asking for trouble.}  You can shape eggs out of fondant or gumpaste.  Or you can simply purchase any speckled candy eggs that you like.  Whichever route you pick, this is your first step in decorating. Your overall color scheme starts with your eggs!

Now, let’s get to the speckling!  This project is incredibly fun AND slightly messy.  But the mess makes it fun, right?  You will absolutely get cocoa splatters on your counter, and yes, probably even your floor.  I found a few stray spots even on my refrigerator.  Hence the wax paper for your work surface and paper towels for clean up.  So please please consider this your official warning.  This is not the project for your favorite apron.  But I am happy to report that my kitchen was clean with just a few paper towels.  And my apron washed up just fine.  Now that you’ve read the disclosures… let’s get to it!

SPECKLED EGG CAKE
a DIY by Carrie Sellman

Supplies

• cake of choice, assembled and crumb-coated
• buttercream icing
• food coloring
• 1 T cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 T vanilla extract
• clean paintbrush
• wax paper
• paper towels, for clean up
• speckled eggs

STEP 1:  Color your buttercream frosting with a few drops of food coloring.  I used 2-3 drops of Americolor Sky Blue gel.  When tinting buttercream, I like to add one drop of color at a time until I reach the right shade.  If you’ve ever ruined a batch of icing before, you already know the benefit of adding color gradually.  And when in doubt, I like to error on the light side.  Buttercream naturally darkens slightly as it sets.

STEP 2:  Frost your assembled and crumb-coated cake with your pretty blue buttercream.  Smooth and shape to your liking.  It does not have to be perfect.  We’re about to splatter it up!

STEP 3:  In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder with 1 1/2 tablespoons of vanilla extract.  Stir well until cocoa is completely dissolved and you have a thin, chocolate paint.

STEP 4:  Cover your work area with wax paper.  Lightly dip your new (or totally clean, never used for paint) paintbrush into the chocolate.  Holding the paint brush with one hand, gently flick the bristles with your other index finger to splatter the chocolate paint.  Practice first onto your wax paper until you get the hang of it.  No need to move on to the cake until you master the flick.  When you’re ready to start speckling, hold the paintbrush fairly close to the cake and start splattering.

NOTE: A little chocolate paint goes a long way.  So dip your brush lightly.  If your paintbrush becomes ‘clogged’ with paint and is no longer splattering nicely, rinse it with water.  Dry with a paper towel.  And start again.

STEP 5:  Keep splattering away!  Move up, down and all around to completely cover the cake.

NOTE:  As you work, you will undoubtedly get a splatter that is bigger than you would prefer.  Or accidentally get carried away and bump the cake with your paintbrush.  (Don’t ask me how I know this!)  You have two options here.  Either embrace the imperfections and let it go.  Or wipe it off quickly with a light dab of water and paper towel.  Then go back to speckling.  If you look closely, you can see where I wiped one of my oh-no-it’s-too-big splatters.  Left-middle.  Not too bad of a correction and I think it adds to the speckled egg charm.

STEP 6:  Now that you have the hang of splattering, you’ll also speckle the eggs you previously made.  While you wait for the cake and the eggs to dry, now is a good time to wipe off any stray splatters on your cake pedestal.  Once both the eggs and the cake are completely dry, arrange eggs on top of cake.  Use a dab of buttercream to hold them exactly where you want them.

STEP 7:  Cut, eat and enjoy!

Now that we have the cake covered, what about the rest of your Easter Party?  Today, I’m joining up with some of my talented blogging friends to bring you this Easter Blog Hop full of lovely DIY Easter inspiration!  Hop on over to:

• Bird’s Party and learn how Bird made this adorable Easter Egg Bouquet.
• The Celebration Shoppe to download Kim’s Free Easter Bunny Printables and learn how she made these S’more Cake Pops.
• Celebrations At Home and see how Chris made lovely fabric favor bag for her family Easter baskets.

A big thanks to Bird, Kim and Chris for hopping around with us today.  I hope you give their DIY Easter Party Ideas a try!  And if you decide to give my Speckled Egg Cake a whirl… just embrace the splatter and enjoy!

	Carrie Sellman is the Founder & Editor of The Cake Blog. Her work has been published in BRIDES Magazine and featured on TLC, DIY Network, The Cooking Channel, Glamour and more. Read more about Carrie on her bio page.

Our cupcake contributor, Lauren of Crave. Indulge. Satisfy., is here with a new Valentine’s recipe….

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, do you know what you are getting your sweetie this year?  While the standard box of chocolates and a dozen roses are a nice gesture, I’m encouraging you to step outside the norm and create a fabulous treat that will make this year’s Valentine’s Day just a little sweeter!  It all starts with a bottle of champagne and some fresh raspberries!  So grab a bottle of bubbly, no make that two, one to bake with and one to drink and get ready to wow that special someone with a batch of Champagne & Raspberry Cupcakes.

These cupcakes have been taste tested and given two thumbs up by my hubby so I’m sure you’re significant other will love them too! As I was browsing the champagne section at the store, I decided on Korbel Sweet Rose. Korbel is a pretty popular and affordable brand when it comes to champagne and I was drawn to the fact that they had a pink variety with a hint of raspberries, which was absolutely perfect for what I had in mind for these cupcakes! If you can’t find the Sweet Rose variety, don’t worry any champagne will do.

Champagne was used in both the cake and icing for this recipe. The cake turned out super moist and paired perfectly with a light and fluffy raspberry champagne buttercream. I love the subtle tint of pink in the icing from the pureed raspberries. These cupcakes are the perfect, simple and sophisticated treat for a romantic date night with your honey!

Champagne & Raspberry Cupcakes
recipe by Lauren Kapeluck
(makes 20 cupcakes)

For the cake:
2 3/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup champagne, room temperature (I used Korbel Sweet Rose)
5 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. In medium bowl combine dry ingredients: cake flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In bowl of stand mixer combine butter and sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
5. Add the vanilla and mix.
   
6. Gradually add in the dry ingredients with the champagne alternately, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.
7. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter.
8. Bake for 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
9. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.
10. Once cupcake are completely cool frost with Raspberry Champagne Buttercream.

For the buttercream:
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3 Tbsp pureed raspberries (strained to remove seeds)
5 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup champagne (I used Korbel Sweet Rose)
1 tsp vanilla

1. In bowl of stand mixer beat butter until creamy.
2. Add in raspberry puree and vanilla and mix well.
3. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar 1 cup at a time and mix scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
4. Add champagne as necessary to create desired consistency.
5. Place icing in piping bag fitted with large round tip and frost cupcakes.
6. Garnish with a raspberry on top.

Hope you all have a sweet month!

	Lauren Kapeluck Lauren is a monthly contributor for The Cake Blog. She is a self-taught baker and lover of all things sugar. Read more about Lauren on her bio page.

I am officially signing off for a few days to spend Christmas with my family.  But before I go, I thought I’d leave you with a quick recap of our holiday cake series….  it’s been a busy month of beautiful Christmas inspiration here on The Cake Blog.  Created by some of today’s top bakers, especially to inspire you!

As I went through all twelve cakes again, I just had to stop for a moment.  I am in awe of the immense talent showcased in these twelve cakes.  It is remarkable to see how each of these incredible designers transformed their inspiration into a cake.  Each design was different yet totally amazing.  Thank you to the talented bakers who created these spectacular Christmas cakes for us!  You’ve made this cake series more beautiful than ever.

And hopefully it has inspired you to holiday cake greatness!  And made you very merry along the way!  It’s 12 bakers baking…. it’s The 12 Cakes of Christmas!  Ho, Ho, Ho!

 
The 1st Cake of Christmas :  Nostalgic Christmas Garland Cake, inspired by a holiday card.  Created by Wild Orchid Baking Company.  See it HERE.

 
The 2nd Cake of Christmas :  Golden Ornaments Cake, inspired by a holiday card pattern.  Created by AK Cake Design.  See it HERE.

 
The 3rd Cake of Christmas :  Christmas Tree Cake,  inspired by the magic of Christmas.  Created by Dream Day Cakes.  See it HERE.

 
The 4th Cake of Christmas :  Winter White Flowers, inspired by a Chanel gown.  Created by Hey There, Cupcake!  See it HERE.

 
The 5th Cake of Christmas :  Gift Tags & Mistletoe Cake, inspired by a DIY Christmas.  Created by Erica O’Brien.  See it HERE.

 
The 6th Cake of Christmas :  Shimmering Sequins Cake, inspired by a Jenny Packham gown.  Created by Intricate Icings.  See it HERE.

 
The 7th Cake of Christmas :  Star of Christmas Cake, inspired by the true meaning of Christmas.  Created by Jessica Harris.  See it HERE.

 
The 8th Cake of Christmas :  Golden Pear Cake, inspired by holiday glamor.  Created by The Pastry Studio.  See it HERE.

 
The 9th Cake of Christmas :  Rustic Whimsy Christmas Cake, inspired by holiday burlap.  Created by Pink Cake Box.  See it HERE.

 
The 10th Cake of Christmas :  Australian Bush Christmas, inspired by Australia’s rich heritage.  Created by Blissfully Sweet.  See it HERE.

 
The 11th Cake of Christmas :  Vintage Santa Cake, inspired by cozy childhood Christmas memories.  Created by Three Little Blackbirds.  See it HERE.

 
The 12th Cake of Christmas :  Glittering Winter Owl Cake, inspired by a Christmas ornament.  Created by Avalon Cakes.  See it HERE.

 
And of course we can’t forget the incredible tutorials and recipes!  Sugar Mistletoe from Petalsweet.  Present Cake Pops from Bakerella.  Peppermint Cupcakes for Santa from Crave.Indulge.Satisfy.  And these super easy Mini Truffle Tarts.    Plus this gorgeous Printable Baking Chart by Paper & Pigtails.

A ginormous thank you to all of the talented individuals who made this month exceptionally merry!    It is such a joy to blog about beautiful cakes and tasty recipes each day…. and such an honor to feature cakes as spectacular as these.

As we head into the holiday week, I want to wish each of you a very happy and healthy Christmas.  From my kitchen to yours….I am tremendously grateful for your readership.  And for the friendships I’ve made with so many of you over the years.  For each post you read, each comment you leave and each ‘LIKE’ you click…. Thank You!  To the talented bakers who share their designs, recipes and DIY’s with us…. Thank You!  To the creative peeps who share their parties with us and the generous vendors who sponsor this site…. Thank You!  Your continued interest and support is what keeps this blog afloat.

May your next week be full of love, joy and laughter… and many, many sweet treats!  Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

	Carrie Sellman is the Founder & Editor of The Cake Blog. Her work has been published in BRIDES Magazine, The Bride and Bloom, on DIYnetwork.com, TLC’s Parentables and more. Read more about Carrie on her bio page.

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it’s nice to slow down for a moment and do something special for your friends and loved ones.  One of the most classic ways to show we care is to give the gift of baked goods!  Because really, who doesn’t appreciate a sweet homemade treat?  So today some of my blogging and baking friends are swapping cookies… virtually!  And can you guess the best part?  You’ll enjoy six new recipes to add to your holiday baking list.  Plus some creative packaging ideas for gifting!  It’s a Virtual Holiday Cookie Exchange!!

My recipe is sort of a cookie, but more like a mini tart.  I know, I know.  It’s a cookie exchange!!  {I almost made a cake but figured that was one step too far… I’m not a rule breaker!}  But trust me, these are delicious.  I wanted to do something that was both beautiful and impressive, but most importantly quick.  We are all so short on time, especially during the month of December!  Me included!  These little minis are like a chocolate truffle but with less steps.  The crispy tart-like shell is made of pure dark chocolate and provides the snap you normally get from the outside of a truffle.  The filling is a creamy and smooth chocolate ganache, just like a traditional truffle center.  Topped with pistachios, peppermints or any crunch topping of your choosing!  It’s a super simple, no bake, decadently delicious Chocolate Truffle Mini Tart!

Seriously!  If you love chocolate, this one’s for you!  Although it’s ‘mini’ in terms of a traditional tart, it is equivalent to two (maybe three) regular truffles.  But hey, it’s Christmas.  And nothing spreads joy like chocolate.  Lots and lots of chocolate!

Top with chopped pistachios to give them a festive green shade and a nice salty crunch.  Or top with chopped peppermints for a traditional holiday combo.  I like the soft mint kind.  Really, any crunchy topping would work.  During my officially taste testing, I personally liked the pretzel topping best.  Chopped toffee bars or fleur de sel would be excellent as well.

To package them up, I found this adorable wooden crate in the clearance section at Target.  Since it’s not intended for food use, I lined each section with unbleached parchement paper to protect my ‘cookies’.  Then I wrapped the box with red baker’s twine (from The TomKat Studio) and tied with a kraft tag.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE MINI TARTS
a recipe by Carrie Sellman
(makes 24)

Ingredients:

• 12 oz Dark Chocolate
• 12 oz Semisweet Chocolate
• 12 oz Milk Chocolate
• 12 oz Heavy Cream
• 2 Tablespoons prepared coffee, cooled (or liquor of choice)
• Assorted toppings (chopped peppermints, pistachios, pretzels, etc)

STEP 1 : In a microwavable bowl, melt dark chocolate.  Heat for 30 seconds on 50% power.  Stir.  Repeat until chocolate is melted, smooth and shiny.

STEP 2 :  Using a flexible silicon cupcake pan, scoop 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate into each cavity.  Using a brush, paint the entire cavity with melted chocolate.  Pop into refrigerator for 10 minutes while making ganache.

STEP 3 : In another microwaveable bowl, combine semisweet chocolate, milk chocolate and cream.  Heat for 30 seconds on 50% power.  Stir.  Repeat until chocolate is completely melted and mixed with cream.  Stir in coffee.  This chocolate ganache will be smooth and shiny.

STEP 4 : Pull chocolate cups out of the fridge.  Pour enough ganache into each cavity to almost fill the entire cup.  Top with chopped peppermints, pistachios, pretzels, etc.

STEP 5 : Refrigerate 2 hours or until the entire cup is solid.  Gently remove from baking mold.  Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

BAKERS NOTES : This process goes much faster if you happen to have two silicon baking molds.  You’ll be finished with all 24 tarts before you know it!  If you don’t have a silicon mold, you can also use a regular muffin tin lined with candy wrappers.   This will give you a slightly different final appearance but will taste equally as delicious.  And while this recipe was written for a holiday cookie exchange, it is an easy go-to recipe any time of year.  Simply swap out the toppings to customize it for the occasion.  Anytime of year is a good time for chocolate!  Enjoy!

Thank you to the wonderful ladies participating in this Virtual Holiday Cookie Exchange!!  Be sure to hop over and check out the incredible recipes they are sharing today as well!

• Jenn at Hostess with the Mostess
• Glory at Glorious Treats
• Marian at Sweetopia
• Kim at The TomKat Studio
• Jessica at Pen N’ Paperflowers

Wishing you oodles of holiday baking and memory making!  Remember… The 12 Cakes of Christmas continues on today and throughout the month of December!  Don’t miss today’s cake.  The 2nd Cake of Christmas goes up soon!

	Carrie Sellman is the Founder & Editor of The Cake Blog. Her work has been published in BRIDES Magazine, The Bride and Bloom, on DIYnetwork.com, TLC’s Parentables and more. Read more about Carrie on her bio page.

How do you know when the holidays are upon us?  The change in temperature outside?  The hustle and bustle?  Or the pumpkin spice lattes popping up at all of your favorite coffee shops?!  Today’s cake celebrates the feeling of fall with it’s seasonal latte-inspired goodness!  Layers upon layers of ruffles fade from a deep espresso to a creamy ivory.  Surrounded by an abundance of beans and oodles of autumn pretties, this entire table has me craving coffee and cake!  What a perfect way start to the day… coffee and cake!  So grab your mug and prepare to enjoy this gorgeous Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake, created by Blue Sheep Bake Shop!!

Karin Giamella of Blue Sheep Bake Shop gives us the scoop on this cake:

“This cake was created for a fall themed outdoor wedding so we decided to bring in the seasonal feel with a brown ruffle ombre cake.  The bottom tier is a double stacked 8″ round which starts off with an espresso brown ruffle and fades up into an ivory fondant ruffle.  The top tier is ivory with brown and ivory buttons and ruffle inspired flowers.  A fondant rope separates the tiers and adds to the outdoorsy-feel of the cake.”

Not only is the cake gorgeous, but I love the surrounding mound of coffee beans!  And the entire table has a lovely fall coffee vibe.  It makes you want to grab a mug and a blanket to get cozy!

A big thank you to Blue Sheep Bake Shop for sharing their lovely Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake with us today!  We are in latte love!  If you love it too… you can see the entire photo shoot on the Un-Jersey Bride Blog {here}.

VENDORS & CREDITS
Cake:  Blue Sheep Bake Shop
Photography:  Feuza Reis Studios
Photography:  Mary Meghan Photography
Burlap Runner:  Trunk Vintage Rental
Coffee Themed Favors:  Sweet Garden Creations
Pumpkin Flavored Chocolates:  2 Chicks With Chocolate

It’s Friday and we’re wrapping up the week with an event full of whimsical fun!  Today we’re going to spread our wings and fly… straight into Pixie Hollow.  Tinker Bell and her friends have gathered for a birthday celebration!  Maylene of Malu Boutiques took her daughter’s love of Tinker Bell and brought this magical land of fairies to life.  Join us as we explore the beautiful meadows filled with flowers, sweet treats and fluttering fairies… it’s a Pixie Hollow Birthday Party!

Tree stumps, moss and glitter unite to create the perfect scene for a pixie party!  Little guests were given wands and wings upon arrival.

The sweets table was overflowing with goodies!  Macarons topped with fondant flowers, cake pops, apple tarts, chocolate covered oreos, cupcakes, cookies and an adorable fairy house cake.  Guests also enjoyed push pops filled with homemade guava and banana mousse.  And making an appearance throughout the sweets table… the most adorable fondant fairies!  The detail on these little ladies, created by Mimi café Union, is incredible!

And of course, nothing is as sweet as the birthday girl herself.  All dressed up in a frilly Tinker Bell tutu with the most adorable little shoes!

Maylene shares some details about the party:

“My daughter loves the princesses but her favorite is Tinkerbell.  She stays so quiet while watching her movies (If you knew Sam you would know what I mean.  She turned 3 going on 20.  She can talk you ear off). We wanted to recreate a Pixie Hollow theme so that she could feel as if she was there.

The entrance was adorned with real tree trunks where Sam’s scrapbook was placed that way everyone could sign it as well as pick up their wands and wings so that once they would walk in they could be ready for pixie hollow.

My husband’s work bench was used to create Pixie Hollow with all the fairies, flowers, animals, tree trunks, and of course the food and goodies.

The girl’s table had a forest look with the tree centerpiece being the focal point each of the chairs had an organza bow with a different fairy attached except, for the birthday girl. Hers had Tinkerbell. As for the boys we created a Captain Hook table. We accented their chairs with hooks, and made pirate hats for them to wear.

The children had a blast playing in the tree house and swings. Afterwords they made their take home gifts. The girls colored fairy pictures while the boys made foam sword. It was a good time had by all.”

A huge thank you to Maylene of Malu Boutiques for sharing her daughter’s Pixie Hollow Birthday Party with us!  It is simply delightful!

VENDORS & CREDITS:
Invitations, Designing and Styling:  Malu Boutiques
Photography:  Santy Martinez
Tinkerbell’s House Cake and Cupcakes:  Sweet Treats by Cristy
Fondant Fairies:  Mimi café Union
Cake Pops, Apple Tarts, Chocolate covered Oreos, and macarons:  Sugar Fancies
Sugar Cookies:  Dainty Delights
Fondant Flowers on macaroons:  allaprimadesigns
Glittered Bon Bons:  Bedazzle My Bon Bons
Mini Butterflies: Lynlee’s Petite Cakes
Rice Paper Butterflies:  incrEDlBLEtoppers
Push Pop Containers:  CakesAndKids.com
Tinkerbell Tutu: Tini Posh
Headbands:  ElleBelle Couture
Tinkerbell shoes:  ShesSoCraftyGoods
Mini Bunting Banners:   The Purple Pug
Entrance sign: Peas & Thank You’s
Tulle Pom pom: Titi’s Tutu

The adorable pie pops in yesterday’s Snow Sprinkle post reminded me of something I’ve been dying to feature.  Inspired by Bakerella and created by Brooke McLay of The Family Kitchen, these Poptart Pops are just too cute!  Children of all ages love Poptarts and these darling ‘mini pops’ take them to a whole new level.  Modern, bite-sized and fun, these cherry Poptarts on a stick would be the hit of any party!

Happy Thursday!