Friends ~

Saddened by the news yesterday from Oslo, I thought that our community could pay some tribute.  Around the Web I went, and did locate three blogs by Norwegian women with special cupcake recipes.

From “My Little Norway” comes the recipe for “Norwegian Vanilla Cupcakes.”  The site is rich with beautiful images of the Norway to which I traveled when I was about 12.

“The Transplanted Baker” offers the recipe for “Coconut Vanilla Cupcakes” with a funny narrative and many winter scenes from Norway.

And Umami Girl gives us “Norwegian Gold Cake with Sour Cream Ganache” with snapshots of her life and family in Norway.

Submitted with prayers for love and peace for children in Norway and all over the world. ~ The Cupcake Faerie

DCI Product has so many great cupcake items and for my birthday I was lucky enough to receive some of them! Magnolia and Buttercup cupcakes were brought all the way from New York to North Carolina to be displayed in the DCI cupcake stand and are pictured above.  The stand which holds a dozen cupcakes has a hot pink base that looks like a giant cupcake wrapper.  I found The Cupcake Stand on Australian Ebay for AU $19.95.

I was also given the pink DCI cupcake measuring cups and spoons.  I found the measuring spoons and cups on an awesome site called: I’m With Cupcake.  The measuring spoons cost $6.99 and come with four measurements, 1/4 teaspoons, 1/2 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, and 1 tablespoon.  The measuring cups include the 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup measurement and costs $11.99. Read the rest of this entry »

Birthdays are great for so many reasons including cupcakes and gifts.  For my next couple posts I will be sharing a few cupcake related items I received for my most recent birthday.  To start things off I received a card by Tree-Free Greetings, an eco-friendly company.  The “Have Cupcake Will Travel” card was made with 50% recycled paper, mixed ec0-paper envelopes and soy based inks were used when printing the paper.    If you are interested in purchasing the cards, Peaceful Valley Greetings offers the card for $2.95.

I still vividly remember getting my ears pierced as a little girl.  It was an event that I had looked forward to for a long time.  I couldn’t wait to wear my first pair of “real” earrings.  Do you have a little girl who is about to get her ears pierced or who loves to play dress-up?  This earring and jewelry holder would be a great gift idea for her.

Ever since I found this recipe, I can’t stop thinking about whipping up a batch of Cuckoo Coconut Cupcakes. I think I see a few of these and some piña coladas in my future — my immediate future. Stay out of the hot sun and have a great weekend!

Last week we brought you a great giveaway from ATC sponsor The Smart Baker and this week they are giving something to every one of our sweet fans!  Not only are they having a special summer sale in their shop, but they are giving an extra 15% off your total purchase.  Just type “ATC15” at checkout between now and August 5th.  Thanks Smart Baker! 
 

Love fudge?  Been eating hot fudge sundaes?  How about cooling down while heating up some “Lava Fudge Cupcakes” in your kitchen?

Lava Fudge Cupcake

Georgetown Cupcake’s Sophie has a 2-minute video, courtesy of The Learning Channel, claiming to “reveal the secrets behind their famous Lava Fudge cupcake.”

While she doesn’t provide the recipe, Sophie does provide several excellent tips, from using apple corers to hollow out cupcakes before pouring in the fudge, to easy-pour tops for filling and decorating.

So I dug around the Internet at bit…and found the Georgetown Cupcakes recipe for their chocolate cupcake with vanilla cream cheese frostings with variations!  Add your own fudge and, “By George!  I think we’ve got it!”

Are you using Google Chrome, Google’s official web browser? If so, have you noticed the little cupcake in the upper lefthand corner? Even Google is jumping on the cupcake bandwagon!

I was reading over my last couple of posts and see that I have been writing about things that I enjoy during the summer (and their cupcake equivalent ) and I thought to myself, “Why not make it a summer series?” —  and that is exactly what I am going to do!

Another favorite thing of mine in the Summer is an ice cold beer! Perfect way to end a great summer day. But wait, beer cupcakes you say? Yes, yes and yes! Oh and did I mention these cupcakes have bacon in them? Beer and Bacon!

Golden Beer Cupcakes from 1 Fine Cookie

My son is just six months away from his first birthday, so naturally, I have already been doing a little thinking about the big party.  I thought these jungle animal (monkey, lion, zebra and tiger) cupcakes were so much fun, and they look fairly simple to make. You can watch a how-to video here.

Ice Cream Sundae Cupcakes are the best of both worlds.

You get the look of a sundae but the flavor of a cupcakes with a moist chocolate cake, frosting that won’t melt instead of ice cream that forces you to eat quickly and hot fudge! In my opinion you can not go wrong with this dessert! And Love From The Oven used really cute sundae cups by Meri Meri, purchased from Sur La Table.  Don’t forget there are free printable tags included in Love From The Oven’s original post!

Looking for some new cupcake ideas? Maybe something a little more global?  Kitsch Cupcakes in Dubai is introducing several cupcake flavors specially-made for Ramadan.  Pistachio Praline is a vanilla cupcake with vanilla icing and just a hint of pistachio praline flavor.  Turkish Delight and Sticky Date are two other flavors that will be available during the month of Ramadan. A percentage of the store’s sales will be donated to local charities.  These look really yummy and could probably be easily made with a few additional ingredients.

I think these DIY paper  fortune cookies would make great place settings or table decorations at a party.  Created by Disney Family Fun are made out of cupcake wrappers, fortunes written on pieces of paper.  Glue holds the cookie together which makes this craft kid friendly and really easy.

Another summer favorite of mine is lemonade, raspberry lemonade to be exact! I saw this recipe and the first thought/word that came to my head was “Yummo!” I can just taste the cupcake right now…light sweet and fluffy.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes from That’s so Michelle…

You don’t have to be a lawyer (but I am) to enjoy this news flash:  Sprinkles Cupcakes has filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court in CT against Pink Sprinkles Cupcakes.  The claim?  Trademark infringement.  Here is the 10-page “Complaint,” the document that starts it all.

Copyright Me Cupcake Photo!

What is there to gab as part of the exclusive All Things Cupcake blog not found anywhere else?  Well, as to what matters to us, Sprinkles claims in paragraph 8 that it “plans on opening stores throughout the United States and around the world, including Boston, Philadelphia, Toronto, London, and Paris.”  Magnifique!

My curiosity spun me around the US Patent & Trademark Office website.  “Sprinkles” produced 192 results, including “Magic Sprinkles,” “Serenity Sprinkles,” “Twisted Sprinkles,” “Garden Sprinkles,” and “Pet -,” “Kitty -,” and “Doggie Sprinkes.”  In fact, in 2002, before there was “Sprinkles” of Beverly Hills, there was “Sprinkles of Palm Beach”  – that is, until Sprinkles bought the assignment for that trademark.  (Don’t tell Sprinkles, but there is currently a “Sprinkles Ice Cream” in Palm Beach…)

Stay tuned as we track the Answer to the Complaint, due in from Pink Sprinkles within just a few days.

Oh, and just to be on the safe side…I’m not publishing photographs of cupcakes from either Sprinkles or Pink Sprinkles – here is one of my own!

Our winner is…

Judy / The Island Broad

The 5 Tier Round Cupcake Tower would be my favorite. I imagine what the 4 tier flower tower will look just as splendid.  I cannot even begin to describe ALL the possibilities! I make faux cupcakes and sell them on etsy so this would be a PREFECT way to display them. I could make one double and one triple cupcake display. I could even put garland around the edges for Christmas. Trick it out w/ some cameo silhouettes of some creepy old people. Drape some faux lollipops w/ some twinkling lights for birthday parties. (shivers) So exciting LOL.   Oh and that cake pop stand is to die for!

Please email your mailing address to [email protected].  Big thanks to Smart Baker for sponsoring this great giveaway. 

It’s not just about how the cupcake tastes but it’s also about how it looks which is why I am always looking for unique ways to package cupcakes when giving them to others. Which is why I like these Cupcake Take Out Bags from World Market.  The bag comes as a set of 2 packages, each containing three bags for $7.98 and is available in multiple colors; Florida Keys is the color shown about but there is also orange, blue, and pink to choose from.  Of course you don’t have to fill the bags with cupcakes, you could use them as “goodie bags” and fill them with party favors.

These more masculine-looking cupcakes would be a great idea for your son’s birthday party, a bachelor’s party, or even to use in place of a groom’s cake.

I recently took my kids to the zoo, and I wish I’d found this Flickr photo first, as it inspired me to create the perfect take-along treat. It also inspired me as an easy decorating idea that I can do in a jiffy.

I know this is old in the blogging world but I still love this quote and the cupcake liner background.  Found via Creature Comforts I think this quote is a great reminder of why you should stay positive! It makes for a great desktop background!

This cupcake is said to be “undeniably one of the richest chocolate cakes you can make that isn’t flourless”.  Wow! Sounds like a great baking opportunity for all you chocolate fans out there!  Use this dark chocolate cake recipe for the batter and this recipe for homemade whipped cream.  You can even make your own brandied maraschino cherries, which are used both inside the cake and on top.  Instructions for assembly are in this article.

You are invited to the second annual Cupcake Camp Santa Barbara tomorrow from 1 to 4 at the Fess Parker Double Tree Resort, 633 E. Cabrillo Blvd. in Santa Barbara.

Ten dollars will buy you four tickets that you can trade for cupcake samples from several area bakeries. Proceeds from the camp will benefit Cupcakes for Cancer. Parking is free.

The camp will also feature an amateur competition, a cake auction, a fashion show, and a cupcake eating contest.

For more information, call 805-448-7336.

Yum!  This recipe for Creamsicle Ice Cream Cupcakes combines two of my favorite things: cupcakes and ice cream! Sounds like a great way to cool off from the summer heat!

I can’t believe I am just now noticing this app.  In the Julius Hearts Cupcakes! app you create cupcakes with special ingredients for holidays and lots of sprinkles.  Save your cupcake creations so you can advance to the next level.  Be sure to share your cupcakes in your bakery or through twitter and Facebook.  The app created by Curious Brain costs $1.99 and was last updated May 4, 2011.