Our cupcake contributor, Lauren of Crave. Indulge. Satisfy., is back today!  We missed Lauren last month… she was busy becoming a new mother!!  Congrats to Lauren on the birth of her son!  And speaking of moms, Lauren is sharing a fabulous recipe just in time for Mother’s Day!  I’ll let Lauren take it away from here…

Just in time for Mother’s Day I’m excited to share a delicious cupcake recipe that any mom is sure to love! This recipe is packed full of special flavors to create the ultimate sweet treat for mom’s special day. Not only do these cupcakes taste amazing, but they are displayed in some adorable DIY cupcake wrappers. Your mom will feel like a queen if you bake her a batch of these Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Strawberry & Vanilla Meringue Buttercream.

We all love a traditional vanilla cake, but these are extra special with the addition of vanilla bean paste to enhance the flavor and appearance. I love the little black vanilla bean seeds that are sprinkled throughout. To finish off the cupcakes a meringue buttercream made from egg whites, sugar and butter is swirled on top. This frosting is not your standard buttercream, but one that is more light and fluffy and not overly sweet. To give these special cakes the “wow factor” I decided to flavor the buttercream as two flavors: vanilla and strawberry, which created a beautiful white and pink swirl on top. Using fresh strawberries in the icing created a pale pink color with specs of the red berries throughout. The texture and flavor of this icing is the perfect compliment to the vanilla bean cakes.

If you’re feeling a little crafty and want to take these cupcakes to the next level of fabulous then you can create your own DIY cupcake wrappers. Wilton makes some adorable Ruffled Baking Cups now in assorted colors that you can pick up at your local craft store. I grabbed some pink and white ones to fit with the color scheme of the swirl icing colors. I found some adorable rick rack ribbon to match and by attaching them with double sided tape around the outside of the cupcake liners you have a super simple and beautiful way to display these delicious cakes.

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Strawberry & Vanilla Meringue Buttercream Swirl
(makes 24 cupcakes)

For the cake:

3 cups cake flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
6 egg whites
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste (I used Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Bean Paste)
1 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 beat butter, sugar, vanilla bean paste and vanilla on medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes.
4. Gradually add in the flour mixture and milk alternately, starting and ending with flour. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.
5. Beat egg whites with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold into cake batter.
6. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter.
7. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
8. Let cupcakes cool on pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.
9. Once cupcakes are completely cool frost with Strawberry & Vanilla Swirl Meringue Buttercream.

For the icing:
First create a base buttercream, then modify to make the Vanilla & Strawberry flavors.

4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
5 egg whites
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup strawberries, chopped

Base Meringue Buttercream:

1. In bowl of stand mixer combine egg whites, sugar and salt. 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 stiff peaks form and mixture is fluffy and glossy, about 10 minutes.
3. With mixer on medium speed, add butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Separate icing evenly into 2 batches, one for Vanilla and one for Strawberry.

Vanilla Meringue:

1. To half the batch of icing, add vanilla.
2. Switch to paddle attachment and beat about 2 minutes until icing is smooth.
3. Place Vanilla icing in 12 inch piping bag and snip off tip with scissors.

Strawberry Meringue:

1. Puree strawberries in a food processor..
2. To the second half of icing, add the strawberries and beat until combined.
3. Place Strawberry icing in 12 inch piping bag and snip off tip with scissors.

To Frost Cupcakes:

1. Take both the Vanilla and Strawberry icing piping bags and place inside of a 16 inch piping bag fitted with star tip 1M.
2. Squeeze piping bag starting on the outer edge of the cupcake and go in a circular motion towards the center to create the Vanilla & Strawberry Swirl look.

DIY Cupcake Wrappers:
12 Wilton White Ruffled Baking Cups
12 Wilton Pink Ruffled Baking Cups
Pink & White Rick Rack Ribbon
Double Sided Tape

1. Place baked cupcakes into ruffled baking cups after they cool. (I baked my cupcakes in standard liners, and then placed them in the ruffled cups. You could always just bake your cupcakes in the ruffled cups to begin with).
2. Cut rick rack ribbon so that it will wrap around the outside of your cupcake.
3. Place 3 pieces of double sided tape evenly spaced around the cupcake wrapper.
4. Add the rick rack ribbon on top of the double sided tape, gently pressing it all the way around the cupcake.

Hope you enjoy this recipe and fun way to embellish your cupcake wrappers! Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there!

	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.

The deep blue waters of the ocean.  A pale blue sky.  An impeccably tailored white-on-white textured cake.  I so want to dive, head first, right into this gorgeousness!  Today’s featured cake comes to us from Melissa of Buttercream Couture and it is simply fabulous!  I’m talking spend-the-afternoon-at-the-yacht-club kind of fabulous! It’s elegant, modern and and makes me want to sail off into the sunset… with a slice of cake!  From the layers of overlapping fondant bands to the fantasy flowers, everything about this four-tiered wedding cake is delightful.  Let’s bask in the glow of this Oceanside Beach Beauty.

Melissa from Buttercream Couture shared a little background about her design:

“The cake was made for a stylized sailboat photo shoot.  I was asked to participate and given an inspiration board, a very pale colour palette and four key words that encompassed the feel of the shoot.  I didn’t know what any of the other vendors involved were providing.  I hadn’t spent more then two minutes on the phone with anyone creatively involved and I had less then a week to pull it together.  So it was a real challenge.  There were so many avenues I could have taken but ultimately I went with what I love.  I love texture over colour.  I love softness.  I love contrasts.  I tailored my loves to suit the key words (which were sleek, modern, luxurious and rich in case you were curious).”

Oh, be still my heart!  It doesn’t get much better than a spectacular cake with a breath-taking view!

A big thank you to Melissa from Buttercream Couture for sharing her Oceanside Beach Beauty with us today!  It is simply dreamy!

VENDORS & CREDITS:
Cake:  Buttercream Couture
Photography and Creative Design:  Robyn Thompson
Coordination and Creative Design:  Epic Events
Rentals: Upright Decor
China and Flatware:  Kate Spade

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a favorite read in my house.  My daughter absolutely loves it!  And I’m absolutely in love with all of the Eric Carle inspired cakes and parties popping up lately, as are many of you!  That’s why you’re going to flip over today’s tutorial!  The lovely ladies at Cream & Flutter recently hosted an adorable Baby Shower inspired by this classic book.  (You may remember Cream & Flutter from the oh-so-creative and mega popular Gender Reveal Cupcakes we featured last August.)  Well this talented sister duo is back today with a fabulous cookie DIY from their caterpillar party… hand painted and totally incredible!  Today you’ll learn how to make your very own, Very Hungry Caterpillar Cookies!

HUNGRY CATERPILLAR COOKIES
A DIY by Cream & Flutter

1. Make a template by tracing fruit from book.  Cut with sharp pairing knife on cold cookie dough.
2. Cut out hole with small circle cutter.  Place cookies in freezer for one hour to ensure they keep their shape.  Then bake.
3. Outline cookie in white with stiff royal icing.  Fill cookie with thin, white royal icing.
4. Dilute food coloring with a few drops of water.  Paint base color first.  Add details once dry.

A huge thank you to Trisha and Amanda from Cream & Flutter for sharing their hand-painted, Hungry Caterpillar Cookie Tutorial with us today!  You can see more of their Very Hungry Caterpillar Baby Shower HERE on the Cream & Flutter blog.  Enjoy!

VENDORS & CREDITS:
Cookies & Tutorial by:  Cream & Flutter

When I received a sneak peek of today’s feature in my inbox… I was smitten at first glance.  Hellllllo Gorgeous!  A refined yet rustic dessert table filled with scrumptious mini desserts AND a stunning cake!  All created by the same bakery.  Pale rose cream cheese icing with a delicate ripple pattern that almost mimics the ripples of the nearby lake.  Dusty peach sugar flowers so dainty and quaint.  Arranged in a vintage, silk-lined suitcase.  It’s enough to make a girl feel faint!  If you can’t tell, I’ve completely fallen for this Romantic Rose & Peach Dessert Display created by Cocoa & Fig…

Laurie from Cocoa & Fig shared a little background about this display:

“This soft and romantic cake and dessert table is a nice twist on the vintage theme.  We knew right away that this would be a fun table to put together.  The bride, groom, and bride’s mother came in with lots of ideas.  And it didn’t hurt that the MOB owns a vintage furniture store!”

On top of the incredible style and gorgeous cake, this display included some delightful mini desserts!  Everything from the light pink macarons to southern banana pudding dessert shooters {shown above} to dark chocolate shooters and carrot cupcakes!  I think I see why Cocoa & Fig calls these next little gems Sinfully Chocolate Mini Cupcakes! I spy chocolate with chocolate topped with more chocolate….

Black velvet cake lollipops dipped in white chocolate… such a gorgeous contrast in one little bite!  Before we go, let’s take one more peek at the cake, shall we?

Are we officially gushing over this?  I have to say YES, we are!  I love, love, love the cake.  The suitcase.  The cake in the suitcase!  All surrounded by gorgeously tempting mini desserts and shooters.

A special thank you to Laurie at Cocoa & Fig for sharing their Romantic Rose & Peach Dessert Display with us today.  You have us swooning!

VENDORS & CREDITS:
Cake & Desserts:  Cocoa & Fig
Photography:  Collin Hughes Photographs

Mirror mirror on the wall.  Who is the fairest of them all?  Why, today’s cake of course!

Today’s featured cake is a modern Snow White theme that will take your breath away!  We’re not talking singing woodland animals and Disney characters here.  This cake is more befitting the original Brothers Grimm story or this summer’s darker Snow White and the Huntsman movie.  You know.  The one where the evil queen proclaims “Skin white as snow… Lips red as blood… Hair black as night.  Bring me the heart of dear, dear Snow White.”  Geez.  Maybe the queen could have be satisfied with a piece of this gorgeous cake?  I know it makes me happy!  Let’s all enjoy the pure beauty of this Modern Snow White Cake by Erin Gardner of Wild Orchid Baking Company.

Erin from Wild Orchard shared a few thoughts about her modern Snow White design:

“I created this cake for a modern Snow White inspiration shoot.  In designing the cake, I wanted to create something that represented the Snow White theme without being too literal or childish.  The colors for the shoot were red, silver and white.  My initial thought came from the famous line, “Mirror, mirror on the wall…”.  So I made the outline of a mirror from molded gum paste pieces and painted it with silver luster dust.  Coming from the center of the mirror is a single open blood-red gum paste rose, surrounded by silver brushed gum paste leaves.  With the rose and frame as the focal-point, I kept the rest of the cake very clean.  Finishing the edges of the top and bottom tiers with simple white-on-white molded gum paste borders.”

Isn’t it stunning?  The silver mirror and the blood red rose definitely give this Snow White cake a touch of dark romance.  And I love how the mirror creates a dramatic focal point right in the center.  Plus it creates a nice balance with the silver cake pedestal.  It’s pure, clean, and simply beautiful!  Just like Snow White.

A huge thank you to Erin Gardner of Wild Orchid Baking Company for sharing her Modern Snow White Cake with us today!  We think it is fairest of all!

Vendors & Credits:
Cake:  Wild Orchid Baking Company
Photography: Mark Davidson Photography

Today’s real party is a shower full of both baby love and cake love!  From the paper heart garlands that hung overhead to the five beautiful cakes served up on an antique dresser, this shower will steal your heart!  Hosted by my sweet friend Paula from Frog Prince Paperie, this shower sprinkled the mother-to-be with oodles of love and deliciousness!  Rustic cakes… ruffle cakes… gorgeous ruffled heart cookies… damask cookies… lavender macarons… on and on!  It’s a feast for both your eyes and your heart!  Get ready to fall for this lavender Baby Love Baby Shower!

All five cakes on this gorgeous dessert table were baked by Paula herself.  Flavors included classic chocolate, lemon with blackberry crème, bailey’s-soaked le reine, coconut and classic white cake with swiss meringue frosting.  Cake pedestals in various styles and heights, rustic buttercream icing and an antique dresser come together to create a lovely vintage feel!

Just look at the ruffles and beautiful damask on these sugar cookies from Jen Fisher at JP Creatibles! (Jen always amazes me with her cookie creations!  She made the most amazing Half Baked logo cookies for me awhile back – you should see them HERE!)

It might have been a baby love shower, but it had some serious cake love going on as well!  I’m loving everything about this incredible Baby Love Baby Shower!  You can see and read more about this lovely lavender event on the Frog Prince Paperie blog, HERE! Enjoy!

VENDORS & CREDITS:
Paperie and Styling:   Frog Prince Paperie
Cakes:   Paula of Frog Prince Paperie
Photography:   John McLaughlin
Sugar Cookies:   JP Creatibles
Chocolate Covered Oreos:   Sweet Temptations
Lollipop Roses Favor:   The Sweetest Affair
Cake Server:   Luv Handles
Baby Banner:   Southern Belle’s Charm
Fondant Pearls:   Two Sweet Cakes
Imprinted Ribbon | Thirty Seven West

Happy Monday!  I’m guest blogging today over at The TomKat Studio.  I shared a tutorial for for these adorable Jelly Bean Flower Cupcakes!  And I’m sharing it here as well.  These little treats are super simple and perfect for your upcoming Easter celebrations!

Today we’re taking the jelly bean from basket filler to the star of the show!  In a few simple steps, your cupcakes will be blooming with beauty and ready for Easter!  (Or any other springtime celebration.)  So easy, even the kids can get involved.  Just ice the cupcakes and then provide bowls of jelly beans to your little ones.  They’ll love seeing the flowers come to life… and sneaking a few jelly beans along the way!

Group cupcakes on a large white plate or cake stand to create an edible centerpiece for your Easter table.  Or let a single cupcake serve as a beautiful and unique place setting for each dinner guest.

JELLY BEAN FLOWER CUPCAKES
a DIY by Carrie Sellman

Supplies:

• Cupcakes
• White Buttercream Icing
• Jelly Beans
• Yellow Sprinkles
• Edible Easter Grass

STEP 1:  Completely cover top of cupcake with a small mound of buttercream.  Leave no cupcake exposed.  Smooth slightly.

STEP 2:  Create an outer ring of ‘petals’ by placing jelly beans side-by-side around the outside edge of the icing.  Jelly beans will lay almost flat, sticking out of the side.  Don’t worry about exact position or pushing in too far.  We will adjust them again at the end.

STEP 3: Create a second ring of jelly beans inside the first.  Start this ring so it alternates with the first ring, so beans are nestled tightly.  This row will go in on a slight angle.

STEP 4: Create a third and final ring of jelly beans.  This row will go in almost straight up.  Leave a small opening in center as you position.

STEP 5: Gently push jelly beans in more, starting at the bottom row and moving up.  Gently position until you like the final shape of your flower.

STEP 6: Put sprinkles into a small ziplock bag and trim off the tip.  Use to pour a small mound of sprinkles in center of flower.

STEP 7: Plate with edible Easter grass beneath cupcake.

TIPS:  If your jelly beans are not all the same size, use the largest ones in the outside ring of petals.  Save the smallest ones for the center.

I hope my Jelly Bean Flower Cupcakes provide a fun activity for your family and a delicious dessert for your Easter celebration!

	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.

**** Winner Update.  This giveaway is now closed. Our lucky winner is… Marlana who said “This would be perfect for my Bridal Shower!.” on April 5th, 2011 at 9:30 pm.  Congratulations Marlana!  Please contact me before Friday, April 13th to claim your prize.  Enjoy! ****

It’s Friday!  And we’re kicking off the weekend with a fabulous giveaway!   Most of you are familiar with Kim Stoegbauer and The TomKat Studio!  Kim has been inspiring us with her printable party collections and impeccably styled parties for over three years now.  Her work can be spotted in Parenting Magazine around the web on incredible sites like Pottery Barn Kids and HGTV.  Not to mention her own blog which serves up daily party inspiration (and I’m happy to say that I contribute to monthly).

Kim recently opened a new online party boutique filled with handpicked products to provide you a one-stop party shop!  Now you can find everything from the original printable party collections down to the smallest of party accessories.  From cake stands to cupcake wrappers, favor bags, boxes, baking twine, paper straws and more!  And to to help celebrate the launch of her new party shop, Kim is generously offering a up a SWEET PARTY PACKAGE for one lucky Half Baked reader!!

One lucky reader will win this fabulously sweet party package….

**** Winner Update.  This giveaway is now closed. Our lucky winner is… Marlana who said “This would be perfect for my Bridal Shower!.” on April 5th, 2011 at 9:30 pm.  Congratulations Marlana!  Please contact me before Friday, April 13th to claim your prize.  Enjoy! ****

Continue Reading…

I love seeing the creativity of women shine through when planning parties for their children.  And today we have an amazing example of just that!  Stay at home mom, Heather McKinney, is not new to our site… we featured the adorable Giraffe 1st Birthday Party she hosted for her oldest son back in 2010.  So when I saw a note from this talented mother in my inbox, I knew it was going to be good!  Navy, yellow and grey pair up to celebrate another first birthday in the McKinney house.  Created with an incredible attention to detail, a bold mix of patterns and a whole lot of love… check out Grayson’s Mod Elephant & Chevron First Birthday Party!

From the invitation to his little portrait… could the man of the hour be any cuter?!?  Okay, I’ll let the pictures take it away from here and then Heather will give us the scoop on all of the party details at the end.

I love that the elephant logo ran through the entire party.  From the invitation to the cake, cupcake toppers, birthday hat, onsie, and on and on…

Heather thought of everything!  To include tiny chevron bags filled with baby snacks like Mum Mums and yogurt melts.  It’s a party for a one year old after all!

Heather gives us the party scoop…

We celebrated our youngest son’s very first birthday with a mod elephant and zig zag party. We chose a navy, yellow and gray color scheme. Stripes and a chevron pattern were mixed in with a mod elephant motif, as the main design elements.  I created his logo, which featured a chevron-patterned number one with a yellow elephant graphic provided by Kaylee Bug Designs. Although I’m still a stay at home mom, I love decorating, and this was just another outlet for my creativity.

THE DECORATIONS

The cake table was the main focal point. It featured a seven-foot fabric installation that served as the backdrop. I made 18- and 12-inch, yarn-covered letters that spelled “one.” They were suspended from the ceiling with clear monofilament. It gave them the appearance of floating. Sweet Art Bakery made a logo-inspired, chevron smash cake, as well as 48 vanilla almond and buttercream cupcakes and 30 dark chocolate fudge cake pops. I created the cake pop stands, using upside-down drink dispenser bases stuffed with Styrofoam and shredded paper. We also featured several photos of Grayson, taken by husband of Chad McKinney Photography.

We made 12 yarn balls to create a chandelier effect in the living room. That space was also decorated with two handmade banners and paper garland. Additional decorations filled three other rooms in the house and included nine hanging cutouts, more than 20 signs, two banners, handmade table cloths, cupcake toppers, food tags, water labels, milk carton covers, soda bottle stickers with straws, yard sign, high chair cover and smash cake station decorations. Each of the 32 children who came received a zig zag or stripe goody bag filled with animal crackers, a coloring page, specially-ordered navy and yellow Crayola crayons and candy. From the yarn balls and yarn letters to the banners, printables and goody bags, nearly everything was handmade. I did, however, custom-order a few things, and my vendor credits are listed at the end of this submission.

THE FOOD

In addition to the amazing treats by Sweet Art Bakery, we also served Grayson’s favorite food, hushpuppies from Delaney’s Irish Pub. We made a pecan cheese ball and homemade sugar cookies that were cut out in the shape of a one. I filled tiny, chevron bags with assorted baby snacks, such as Mum Mums, yogurt melts and arrowroot cookies, for the little ones at the party. The other foods included a veggie tray, Chex party mix, white chocolate dipped Oreos and crackers.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

My all-time favorite Etsy boutique, Initial Here Gifts, custom-made two adorable shirts and a hat. She used the party logo and patterns to inspire her custom design on a fluffy birthday bat, a onesie and a t-shirt to wear during the cake smash.

My husband created a 15-minute movie that chronicled Grayson’s first year, featuring video clips, custom graphics and music.

Vendors & Credits:
Birthday boy shirt, onesie and hat:  Initial Here Gifts
Cake, cupcakes and cake pops:  Sweet Art Bakery
Invitations:  Kaylee Bug Designs
Hushpuppies:  Delaney’s Irish Pub
Cupcake liners, straws and tiny chevron bags:  Sweet Estelle Baking Supply
Fabrics:  Texas Susannie’s Fabric Store
Photography backdrops:  Swanky Prints
No. 1 cookie cutter:  The Cookie Cutter Shop
Goody bags:  Bake Me a Party
Photography:  Chad McKinney Photography

When I first saw today’s featured cake, I instantly wanted a re-do on my own wedding cake!  When it comes to cake style, my first love will always be simple sophistication.   Timeless.  Classic.  Elegant.  With its subtle use of pattern and great white-on-white texture, today’s design by Erin Gardner of Wild Orchid Baking Company would be perfect for any preppy-chic-loving bride.  Can we say impeccable style?  Featuring a gorgeous honeycomb pattern, delicate magnolias and a single golden bee… I’ve fallen for this Honeycomb & Gilded Bee Wedding Cake!

I know, right?  I was blown away too when I found this little lovely in my inbox!  I have to say… I’m not only smitten with this cake, but with many of the designs created by Wild Orchid Baking Company!  You will see more features from this bakery over the next few weeks!  Now, back on track.  Let’s take a better look at the detailed honeycomb pattern…

Erin shared a few thoughts about her inspiration for this design:

“The idea for this cake started with the pattern.  New England is home to the rustic preppy chic wedding, and I wanted to come up with something that was both simple and fancy at the same time.  Thinking about the elements of an elegant barn wedding, I initially thought of chicken wire.  Once I started playing with the repeating hexagon shape, I realized a honeycomb effect might be a bit more sophisticated.  It also lead me to include the gilded napoleonic bee element.  Honey, bees – needed flowers!  So I created very natural looking gum paste magnolias to finish the design.  I wanted to add a floral element that looked more like how the flower would appear in nature, as opposed to more of an arranged look.”

Seriously.  I can’t decide what I like most about this cake!  The incredible bee with its intricate gold detailing or the delightful flowers?  Or possibly the honeycomb pattern?

Everything about this cake is stunning!  I can envision so many possibilities for this design… from a yacht club wedding to a rustic barn setting.  Preppy chic is so versitile and  never goes out of style!

A special thank you to Erin Gardner of Wild Orchid Baking Company for sharing her Honeycomb & Gilded Bee Wedding Cake with us today!  We love, love, love it!

Vendors & Credits:
Cake:  Wild Orchid Baking Company
Photography: Mark Davidson Photography