Today’s featured cake is one of those cakes.  You know the ones that I’m talking about.  The cakes where your where heart takes a little leap and you know instantly.  I am in love!  Maybe it’s the clean lines.  Maybe it’s the bold colors.  Maybe it’s the sleek sophistication.  But this cake has stolen my heart and I know you’re going to fall for it too!  It comes to us from Jessica Harris, of the Jessicakes Blog, and sports her signature graphic style.  Black and white stripes, so crisp and neat, perfectly accented with a petite pink bow.  And then there’s the fabulous ruffles!  Jessica is turning the ruffle trend upside down with this design.  Well, I guess technically she’s turning the ruffle trend on its side.  But you get the idea!  In shades of pink, these ruffles are both vertical and totally modern.  It’s a new day for ruffles and things are looking fabulous!  Join me in swooning over this Sleek Ruffles & Stripes Cake!

Jessica Harris, of the Jessicakes Blog gives us the scoop on her design:

“I love clean, simple and graphic designs! I also love cakes that can stand on their own as single tiers. I enjoy giving my sweet friends small cakes for their birthdays, but a lot of designs need another tier to look complete. So, in my quest for single tier style designs, I came up with this horizontal stripe cake design last summer. I love it on it’s own…especially with that sweet accent bow I can personalize for any party! Now a lot of people might see this design and think, “SIMPLE!? – yeah right!!”, but it can be!! I actually put all the stripes on in one piece, like a sticker, using my wax paper transfer technique so the stripes go on clean and straight!! It only takes me about 45 min. to do the whole thing!!”

Jessica Harris tells us about her sleek ruffles:

“Now that I perfected my sweet little striped cake, I decided I wanted to come up with some additional designs that would work with it for larger parties. I love ruffles…they are SO feminine and so stylish right now.  But, since the stripes are more bold and graphic, I didn’t think a frilly, thin edged ruffle would be as great as a stylized ruffle design.  I created a template for the ruffles and ended up cutting out about 24 that would fit around the cake. I alternated the colors between a lighter pink and darker pink. It’s subtle, but I like that…almost as if they’re reflecting light differently and not completely different colors. I’ve done this ruffle cake twice now and I found the easiest way to put the dragees on is before I put them on the cake! So, after I cut the ruffles out of modeling chocolate, I score my stitching line and place my dragees with a little sugar water. I let them sit out for about an hour, then pick them up and put them on the cake about 1″ apart from each other. It worked beautifully and was SO much faster and easier than trying to put the dragees on after the ruffles were on the cake! I’m a mama to three little ones, so I’m all about fast and simple techniques to make beautiful cakes!!”

If you’ve fallen head over heals for this beauty, you’ll be thrilled to hear that you can now learn how to make it.  Jessica is teaching a class online at Craftsy and sharing all of her insider tips, tricks and techniques!  Not only is she sharing instructions and templates for these stripes and ruffles, but she’s also teaching fundamentals like covering cakes in buttercream, fondant and ganache.  Learn how to get smooth finishes, sharp corners and easily apply detailed patterns with her wax paper method.  You can find her new class, which just launched today, here:

Clean & Simple Cake Design with Jessica Harris

I know what’s on my to-do list this afternoon… learning from my sweet friend Jessica!  A big thank you to Jessica Harris for sharing her incredibly Sleek Ruffles & Stripes cake with us today.  It’s spectacular!

VENDORS & CREDITS
Cake:  Jessicakes

Buttercream.  Buttercream.  Glorious Buttercream.  Today’s cake is all about the buttercream.  Ruffles, roses, petals, swags, swirls and dots.  This cake includes just about every popular buttercream technique from today’s cake scene.  Armed with shades of purple and a piping bag, Kristin Kirkpatrick , owner of Fat Girl Cakes in Virginia, proves that buttercream can be just as fabulous as fondant.  Each tier of today’s cake boasts a different piping style, giving buttercream lovers something to squeal about.  Long live buttercream!  Feast your eyes on this incredibly gorgeous Purple Ombre Buttecream Cake!

Kristin of Fat Girl Cakes tells us the story behind her cake:

“Every year, after Christmas I start working on some new display cakes for the upcoming bridal shows I attend.  I used to only bring fondant displays because they traveled better, held up longer, etc.  Of course about 80% of my cakes, both wedding and special occasion cakes, are iced in buttercream, so I felt like I wasn’t showing off much of what I actually do.  On top of that, I feel like the bridal world is starting to feature more buttercream-iced cakes, so I set out to do a buttercream display to really showcase the different buttercream techniques and textures.

When I started designing the cake, I knew I wanted to alternate heavy textures with some “lighter” tiers for balance.  Balance is big thing with me as my degree is in mathematics, and yes, I know it doesn’t need to be that way for everyone, but I need it to be!  I wasn’t sure all the textures would work together, but I figured it was worth giving it a shot.

My original plan was to make it all white, but in trying to add a little violet gel to whiten my icing, I added a little too much.  Instead of starting over, I decided to just go with it and make it ombre instead.  It ended up working out great as it was a real eye-catcher at the shows.  Hopefully this year I will get to step outside of the traditional smooth and rustic buttercream cakes, and start doing some interesting combinations of the fun techniques we have been seeing a lot lately.”

Kristin of Fat Girl Cakes tells us about her technique:

“The base tier was done with a large rose petal tip, just wiggling it up and down while spinning the tier on the turntable. I love the large ruffle look the tip gives without using fondant. The middle tier was the rosette technique you see all over the place. I did this one with the 2D tip instead of the 1M tip, just to see if there was a difference in the way it turned out.  The top tier was done using a large round tip, making dots, smearing them across the cake and then piping the next row of dots over the end of the smear.

The two plainer tiers were done using a #3 tip and doing various drop lines.  I just added a little bit of corn syrup to thin out the buttercream and add a little elasticity.”

Not that buttercream cakes ever ‘went away’…. but today’s feature is a gorgeous example of ‘the new’ buttercream cake.  Modern buttercream style at it’s best.  Full of texture, elegance and delicious details.  I think buttercream may just have a new outlook on life.

A big thank you to Kristin Kirkpatrick  of Fat Girl Cakes for sharing her stunning Purple Ombre Buttercream Cake with us today!  We are in buttercream heaven!

VENDORS & CREDITS
Cake:  Fat Girl Cakes
Photography:  Kitt Creative

Our contributor, Miso of Miso Bakes, is here with a new recipe for Valentine’s Day …

This Valentine’s Day, I wanted to keep it simple.  I realized most people prefer rich cheesecakes or silky mousse cakes during this loving holiday, so I figured a sugarpaste or buttercream tutorial would not be too practical.

Today, I would like to share how to make ladyfingers.  They are a must when it comes to making tiramisu and Charlotte Russe mousse cakes.  You may definitely use this recipe if you would like to create the mentioned cakes.  However, this time around, I used ladyfingers to decorate a cheesecake… that I purchased from my favorite bakery!  I told you I was keeping it simple, right?  If you aren’t pressed for time and have a favorite recipe, please feel free to bake it the day before and keep it well chilled.

Cheesecakes are divine, but to be honest, they are quite plain in appearance.  By all means, is perfect the way it is for those summer night barbecues or potluck, but for Valentine’s Day, you want your cheesecake to be dressed appropriately, too!

LADYFINGERS
recipe by Miso Bakes

 Ingredients:

4 large eggs, separated
35 grams of sugar (for yolks)
65 grams of sugar (for egg whites)
70 grams all-purpose flour
30 grams cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

STEP 1:  Preheat your oven to 350 F.  Spray 2 half-sheet pans (13×18) with nonstick spray and line with parchment.  Measure the height of the cake.  With a marker and small ruler, draw a line that is about half an inch taller than the height of the cake or mold.  Lightly spray top of parchment with nonstick.

STEP 2:  Mise-en-place: Prepare sugar, separate eggs, sift dry ingredients together and set aside.  It helps to coordinate your bowls since the recipe calls for two different measurements of sugar.

STEP 3:  In a stand mixer bowl, break the yolks and add vanilla extract and sugar.

STEP 4:  Whip on medium-high speed until the batter falls into itself in thick ribbons.  Transfer batter into a clean bowl and wash the stand mixer bowl, making sure there are no traces of egg yolk remaining. Dry the bowl with a kitchen towel. If there are traces of fat in your bowl or if your bowl is wet, your meringue will never happen. You will be heartbroken.

STEP 5:  Pour egg whites (make sure you have no traces of yolk in your whites) into bowl and whisk at medium-high speed until it looks like cappuccino foam.

STEP 6:  With the mixer still running, rain in sugar in three additions. Beat until your meringue is glossy and it looks like shaving cream.

STEP 7:  When you gently pick your whisk up, the meringue should have a little stiff peak. Or, if you feel brave enough, grab the bowl and flip it over. The meringue should cling onto the bowl and not plop out.

STEP 8:  Take a scoop of the meringue and fold it into your egg yolk mixture.  We call this the sacrifice as its purpose it lighten the thickness of the yolk batter before we fold more of the meringue in.  Once sacrifice is incorporated, fold in half of the remaining meringue until majority is incorporated but streaks of meringue still remain. (Picture 8)

STEP 9:  Gently add half of the dry mixture and again, fold until a few streaks of flour remain.

STEP 10:  Fold in remaining meringue.  Fold in remaining dry.  Your final product should look like this.

STEP 11:  Put batter into piping bag with round piping tip.  I wanted skinny fingers so I used a tip that was about 1 centimeter wide.  Pipe batter into fingers. Or, if you’re using the fingers as a band* around a cake, pipe side by side for easier application.  You may also pipe letters with the batter.

STEP 12:  Dust twice with powdered sugar.

STEP 13:  Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes.  Time may vary depending on size and oven.

NOTE:  If you are going to use the fingers as a band around a cake, measure the circumference of your cake so you know how long your band needs to be.

Completing the cheesecake:

STEP 14:  Melt a handful of chocolate in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Make sure the bowl does NOT touch the water.  Or, if you would like, you may microwave the chocolate in a bowl at 30-second increments.

STEP 15:  Pull cheesecake out of fridge.  Using a spoon or spatula, spread a thin layer of chocolate on bottom half of fingers.

STEP 16:  Adhere to cake. Continue all around.

STEP 17:  Tie a ribbon if you would like, and garnish to liking. I kept it simple and used strawberries. If you would like, you may brush the top of berries with a bit of warmed and strained apricot jam for a nice gloss.

I had extra batter, so I piped separate fingers, dusted them with cocoa and powdered sugar along with a sprinkling of almonds before I baked. They make wonderful accompaniments to coffee or tea.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Miso Bakes Miso is a monthly contributor for The Cake Blog. She is a talented pastry chef with a big passion for cakes. Read more about Miso 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.

Happy Monday!  We have a fresh new recipe to get your week off to a fabulous start.  Nothing adds a ray of sunshine to your day and awakens your senses like lemon.  The crisp, citrusy aroma of lemon is seriously hard to beat.  And if you’re like me and crazy for mini’s… mini cakes, mini cupcakes, mini desserts of all kinds.  Then today’s recipe is a double win!  It’s cheerful, bright and just down right fun.  Adorable and delectable.  You’re going to love these Lemon Poppy Seed Mini Donuts!  Shared with us by Jessica Segarra of The Novice Chef Blog from her new book, Mini Donuts: 100 Bite-Sized Donut Recipes to Sweeten Your “Hole” Day.

“As a lover of everything citrus, the Lemon Poppy Seed Mini Donut is one of my favorites from the book.  Anytime I have an unused lemon hanging out around the house, it is almost always being zested and squeezed into these Mini Donuts.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!”  ~  Jessica Segarra of The Novice Chef Blog

LEMON-POPPY SEED MINI DONUTS
a recipe by Jessica Segarra
make 24 Mini Donuts

For Donuts:
²⁄³ cup whole milk
2 tablespoons sour cream
1½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
Zest of 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

For Icing:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1½ cups powdered sugar

STEP 1:   If using an electric donut maker, preheat according to manufacturer’s instructions.  If using donut pans, preheat oven to 350°F and grease donut pans.

STEP 2:   In a small bowl, whisk together milk and sour cream.  Set aside.  In a separate small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

STEP 3:   In a large bowl or a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy— about 1 minute.  Add egg, lemon zest, and poppy seeds.  Beat for 30 seconds, scrapping down the bowl as needed.

STEP 4:   Then, alternating flour mixture and milk mixture, combine all ingredients until just blended.  Transfer batter to a piping bag, or to a Ziploc bag with the tip cut off.

STEP 5:   If using mini-donut pans: Carefully fill each donut indentation ¾ full. Bake for 7–9 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean. Transfer donuts to a cooling rack and cool completely.  If using an electric mini-donut maker: Carefully fill each donut indentation ¾ full. Bake according to manufacturer’s instructions or until a toothpick inserted into a donut comes out clean.  Remove donuts from appliance, transfer to a cooling rack, and let cool completely.

STEP 6:   Place wax paper under a wire rack to collect any drippings for an easy cleanup.  Then, in a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth.

STEP 7:   Dip the top of each donut into the icing, transfer to a wire rack, and let set for 5 minutes.  Serve immediately; donuts can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days but are best served fresh.

Double Dip: While it’s not okay at parties, when you’re icing donuts, it is totally acceptable to double dip.  If you are a big fan of lemon, circle back around after your first donut dip . . . and dip them again!  Just allow a little extra time, about 5 minutes, for the icing to set up after your second dip.

{Excerpted with permission from Mini Donuts: 100 Bite-Sized Donut Recipes to Sweeten Your “Hole” Day (F+W Media, November) by Jessica Segarra of The Novice Chef Blog}

Our contributor, Miso of Miso Bakes, is here with a new DIY for you today …

I am extremely excited to share this first cake tutorial of 2013 with all of you!  It is a cake inspired not only by my love for the confection, but also by the question I am asked the most: How do you make macarons?

Macarons are a light, sweet and subtly chewy cookie sandwich filled with ganache, buttercream, or jam.  Though the ingredients are fairy simple and are composed of egg whites, almond flour and confectioner’s sugar, the cookies can be quite finicky and stressful to make.  Therefore, to save a headache or two for you, I decided to take an easier approach in helping you create the perfect macaron– I turned it into cake form!

MACARON CAKE
a DIY by Miso Bakes

Supplies

• 6 layers of cake (3 sizes; 2 of each)
• 3 flavors of buttercream
• 3 colors* of fondant
• 3 colors* of royal icing
• 3 cake boards
• Straws or dowels
• Toothpick

STEP 1:  Bake cakes. If your cakes bake slightly domed (most recipes do), perfect! If not, you may carve them so they look like macaron shells.

STEP 2:  You will be sandwiching the two same-sized layers together and then stacking the sandwiched cakes. Therefore, you want to trim a bit of the dome on all the cakes (the ‘shells’) with the exception of the top most shell of the whole cake. By trimming a bit of the dome, you will be providing a flat surface for the sandwiches to sit on. Make sense?

STEP 3:  Ice the cakes with a thin layer of buttercream.

STEP 4:  Cover with fondant.

STEP 5:  Flip the bottom most shell over onto a cake plate or board.

STEP 6:  Fill with buttercream.

STEP 7:  Make sandwich with other shell.

STEP 8:  Measure (or eyeball) the width of the macaron that will be sitting on top. Add dowels or straws for support.

STEP 9:  Adhere, with buttercream, the next macaron onto a cake board cut slightly smaller than the cake. Simply put, you will be doweling and adding boards to each ‘tier’ like you would a wedding cake.

STEP 10:  Once your macarons are all built and stacked, if desired (and is recommended for those traveling with the cake), insert a long center dowel starting at the top center of the cake all the way to the bottom of the cake board.

STEP 11:  Pipe a thick line using royal icing on the edges of the macaron shells. The royal icing should be firm enough to hold itself but not firm enough to pipe roses.

STEP 12:  Using a toothpick, swirl the royal icing around.

STEP 13:  To get the ‘shiny’ effect, rub the smallest amount of shortening all over the shells.

STEP 14:  Do the happy dance!  You’ve created a perfect stack of macarons!  Congratulations!

Note:  Whenever you are coloring fondant or royal icing with food coloring gel, you have to keep in mind that the colors will develop and darken as it sits.  It is okay if your royal icing colors turn out a bit darker than your fondant.  Sometimes, the feet of the macaron, depending on how it rises and spreads, bake darker than the shell.

For those of you still wanting to master macarons, try using a recipe using the Italian meringue method rather than the French meringue.  Though the Italian meringue takes an extra step to make, it is sturdier and is more forgiving than the French meringue.  Another important step is to make sure there are no traces of fat (yolk) in the egg whites.  Fat will keep the meringue from forming properly and will break the structure down.  Make sure your bowls are CLEAN and DRY.  This, in my opinion, is more important than aging your egg whites.  When working at a restaurant, I successfully made macarons all the time using egg whites I had just pulled from the fridge.

	Miso Bakes Miso is a monthly contributor for The Cake Blog. She is a talented pastry chef with a big passion for cakes. Read more about Miso on her bio page.

The holiday baking inspiration continues today with a little help from The Queen of Cake Pops!  We all know her.  We all love her.  We’ve been reading her blog for years.  And following along as she inspires the world to love little bites of cake, rolled up and perched on a stick!  Who knew cake pops would become such a phenomenon?  I’ll tell you who….   I can hardly believe it but Bakerella is here!  Angie Dudley, also fondly known as Bakerella, is talking cake pops with us!  She’s here to share a few tips, tricks and techniques.  Spill on a few personal questions.  Share about her new Christmas book.  And even has a tutorial for us!  Just in time for your holiday baking this weekend!  It’s like it’s Christmas around here or something….

So enough with my chatter.  You hear from me all the time.  Let’s hear from Angie.

Everybody loves cake pops!  Why do you think they are so popular?

Let’s start with – they are just plain cute.  Then there’s the initial wow factor and the endless possibilities for themes.  Plus they taste yummy.  But I think it’s because they bring smiles to everyone that encounters them.  Kids go crazy for them, but sometimes I think it’s the grown ups that love them more.

Where do you find your inspiration for cake pop designs?

Inspiration is all around. Seasons. Holidays. Animals. Colors. And most of all candy. They all play a part. When I start to make a new cake pop design, I usually draw it out on paper and then look for candies the right size and proportion to fit whatever I am trying to create.

What are some tips for a newbie cake pop baker?

You can bake the cake and let it cool overnight and then dip and decorate the second day.  Use small deep bowls for the melted candy coating.  It makes it easier to submerge the entire cake pop.  Just don’t stir it.  Dip and remove.  Make sure the cake balls are firm and not frozen when dipping.  If they are room temperature, they will fall off the lollipop stick.  If they are chilled, they will stay on the stick long enough to dip and dry on the stick.

You offer troubleshooting tips in your Christmas book.  What’s the biggest challenge in making cake pops?

Definitely the dipping and trying to get the coating to cover the cake ball smoothly.  I hope the book helps people see how easy it can be.  The book is really a response to the constant flow of questions I’ve received about the pops since I started making them.  I tried to address every question that people have asked me.

Do you have any advice for food bloggers who are just starting out as to how to grow their blog and gain an audience?

Be nice.  Constant content.  Pretty photos.  Then, visit others blogs and interact.  I started out on flickr.com and spent a lot of time there in the beginning.  It’s a great place to get visible with other people who have the same interests.  Join photo groups and link your photos to your website and you’ll start to see your traffic grow.

Favorite guilty pleasure?

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, cold.  Dulce de leche gelato.  Brown sugar by the spoonful.  Do I have to pick just one?

What is the one baking tool you can’t live without?

I have a mini spatula I use for brownies that I’m in love with.  Ice cream scoops for batter are great to get uniform cupcakes.  Toothpicks are very handy for cake pop decorating.  But if I had to pick one, I guess it would be my KitchenAid mixer.

What is your favorite baking/kitchen tip that you’d like to share with our readers?

You know, I would just say to not be afraid to make mistakes.  Just dive in and have fun.

And on that note, I think it’s time for us to just dive in and have fun!  Angie is sharing a festive cake pop tutorial from her new book, Cake Pops Christmas.  It’s a  fabulous collection of winder-themed cake pop projects like Christmas trees, silly snowmen, spicy gingerbread men, candy canes and more.  And today we’re going to learn how to make these pretty little present cake pops!

PRETTY PRESENTS
a DIY by Bakerella
(makes 48 pops)

Supplies:

• 48 uncoated cake balls
• Wax paper
• Baking sheet
• Cookie cutter with a straight edge
• 48 oz (1.4 kg) white candy coating
• Deep, microwave-safe plastic bowl
• 48 lollipop sticks
• 96 red candy hearts
• 48 red mini M&M’s
• Red colored cocoa butter Small paintbrush
• Toothpicks
• Styrofoam block

STEP 1 :  Remove the cake balls from the refrigerator and shape them, one at a time, into small squares to form the shape of a box.  You can use wax paper to aid in shaping the sides. Take each side of your cake ball and slide it on a wax paper covered baking sheet. Rotate and repeat for each side to help create a flat surface. In addition, you can use the flat side of a metal cutter to cut off any rounded excess and to help form straight edges.

STPE 2 :   After shaping, put the shaped cakes in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm up again for dipping.  Once they are firm, transfer them to the refrigerator.  Remove a few at a time for dipping, keeping the rest chilled.

STEP 3 :  Melt the candy coating in a microwave-safe plastic bowl, following the instructions on the package.  The coating should be about 3 in (7.5 cm) deep for easier dipping.

STEP 4 :  One at a time, dip about 1⁄2 in (12 mm) of the lollipop stick into the melted candy coating and insert the stick straight into the bottom of the box shape, pushing it no more than halfway through.  Dip the cake pop into the melted coating, and tap off any excess.

STEP 5 :   While the coating is wet, place two candy heart sprinkles on their sides, with pointed ends facing each other on top of the pop.  Leave room to place a mini M&M’s candy in between.  Tilt the hearts up to form the shape of a bow before the coating sets. Let dry completely in a Styrofoam block.

STEP 6 :  Heat the red cocoa butter in the microwave following the directions on the bottle.  Pour a little into a small dish.  Paint ribbons on sides and tops of the cake pop with a brush.

STEP 7 :  Let the pops dry in the Styrofoam block.

Thank you, thank you to Bakerella for stopping by today!  For sharing some secrets and for teaching us how to make these adorable present cake pops!  If you still have holiday baking to do, you should definitely check out Angie’s Cake Pops Christmas book for ideas and inspiration.  Plus it makes a wonderful last minute gift for your favorite baker.

VENDORS & CREDITS
Cake Pop Tutorial :  Bakerella
Cake Pops Christmas Book : Available HERE and at bookstores everywhere

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

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

One of my absolute favorite things about fall is eating pies!  Apple, pumpkin, pecan, you name it and I will gobble it right up!  So when Carrie mentioned she wanted me to create an apple themed cupcake recipe for November, I immediately thought of apple pie!  I am an apple pie lover, especially in the fall.  So immediately my mind started going in a million directions about how I would create the perfect apple pie cupcake to share with all of you.  I came up with something that I hope you all are going to love and that truly tastes like a bite of apple pie!  So here are the details on my new Apple Pie Cupcake with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Swiss Meringue Buttercream!

The two key ingredients in these cupcakes are apples of course, and the brown sugar cinnamon flavor that you will taste throughout in every layer from the cake, filling and buttercream.  I combined my two favorite types of apples granny smith and gala to create both a sour and sweet pairing in the cake.  This batter is super simple to make, using only a whisk to combine all the ingredients with the end result being a super moist and fluffy cake packed full of cinnamon and grated apples to give the cupcake a nice texture.

For all you apple pie lovers, not only are there apples in the cake, but there is an apple pie filling in the middle!  The hidden pocket of apples is a nice surprise when you take a bite and what truly makes these cupcakes seem like a mini apple pie!  To round out the cupcakes I thought a nice swiss meringue buttercream would be the perfect choice since it is light an fluffy and almost resembles the texture of a whipped cream.  I used a standard recipe and just swapped out the granulated sugar for brown sugar and added a pinch of cinnamon to carry on the flavors from the cake and filling.

To finish off the final look, I used a refrigerated pie crust to create mini apple toppers sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar!  This is such a quick, easy and simple way to add some extra fall cuteness to these cupcakes!  Afterall, you can’t have an apple pie cupcake without some crust, right?  The crust is my absolute favorite part of any pie, and when I was little my mom would actually make my sister and I cinnamon sugar pie crusts for desserts.  Rolling out a refrigerated crust she would sprinkle the entire thing in cinnamon and sugar, bake for a few minutes and then slice it like a pizza and we would devour it in no time!

If you are looking for a dessert for your Thanksgiving feast this is a great recipe to consider. The cupcakes can seriously be whipped up and in the oven in a matter of minutes. Make them a day ahead of time and store in an airtight container until ready to core, fill and frost and they will be delicious. If the coring and filling of the cupcakes seems like too much extra work, just leave it out, these cupcakes will still taste like apple pie since there is already apple in the main batter. Not a fan of granny smith and gala apples, simply use you preferred apples and they will still be just as good!

Apple Pie Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Swiss Meringue Buttercream
recipe by Lauren Kapeluck
(makes 24 cupcakes)

For the cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated apples (2 granny smith, 2 gala)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. In medium bowl combine dry ingredients: flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon.
3. In large bowl combine eggs, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla and whisk together.
4. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until combined.
5. Fold grated apples into the cake mixture.
6. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
8. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.

For the apple pie filling:
3 apples, finely chopped (2 granny smith, 1 gala)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1. Place chopped apples, butter, brown sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon in medium size pan and cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, until apples are tender. Stir occasionally.
2. Allow mixture to cool.
3. Use an apple corer to remove the center of the cupcakes and fill with apple pie filling.

For the icing:
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large egg whites
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
cinnamon to taste

1. In bowl of stand mixer combine egg whites and brown sugar. Place over a pan of simmering water and whisk continuously until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. (The mixture should feel smooth when rubbed between your fingers)
2. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Starting on low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high whisk until fixture if fluffy and glossy, about 10 minutes.
3. Change mixer to paddle attachment and on medium speed add butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Add vanilla and cinnamon to taste and mix well.
5. Place icing in a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and squeeze a dollop on top of each cupcake.

For the pie crust topper:
1 refrigerated pie crust
cinnamon & sugar
mini apple pie cookie cutter

1. Bring one refrigerated pie crust to room temperature by sitting on counter for about 15 minutes.
2. Lightly flour surface and roll out pie crust.
3. Use mini apple cookie cutter to cut pie crust toppers.
4. Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar mixture.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes.
6. Garnish cupcakes with mini pie crust apples.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family did! Happy Fall!

	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.