Take Five Cupcake

Yesterday was JBB's birthday, and now he's as old as me, which is to say, 29.

In all the years that I have known him, he has always requested a Texas Sheet Cake for his birthday dessert. But this year, a different request came in. He wanted a cupcake reminiscent of his favorite candy bar- Take 5.

If you've never had a Take 5, I suggest that you run right out and get one! It's a simply delicious blend of sweet and salty and gets its name from its five primary ingredients- pretzels, peanuts, peanut butter, caramel, and chocolate. Just typing this makes me want one. But not as much as I want one of these babies:



After much tinkering the Take 5 Cupcake (which I will have to rename for concern of legal action- suggestions are welcome) was born- err, baked.

It's a Devil's Food cupcake with peanut butter mixed right in, frosted with caramel buttercream topped with chopped peanuts and a sprinkling of sea salt, all on a pretzel crust. Maybe the addition of the sea salt makes it a Take 6?

Happy Birthday Laura!

This year, Laura had another Birthday Blood Drive at the Red Cross. And while I've posted about my sister's birthday before- here, here, and here, putting a new spin on just how very old she is turned out to be more than my addled brain could handle.

So, I've decided to take another approach and tell you about all the things that made me proud at this year's blood drive.

1. I'm proud that my first attempt at making petit fours was so successful. Seriously, check them out up there! Aren't they cute?

2. I'm proud that at 4:30 PM, after a long day of chasing three kids, my pulse rate was 58, my blood pressure was 102/64, and I was deemed iron-rich enough to be eligible to give the gift of life.

3. I'm proud of myself for convincing two of my friends (who barely know Laura) to show up at her blood drive ready to donate.

4. I'm proud to have such amazing friends in my life!

5. I'm proud to have a brother who, after working an overnight shift, made it a priority to support our sister and donate blood.

6. I'm extremely proud of Laura, who a few years ago had never given blood, for dreaming up the concept of the Birthday Blood Drive and making it happen for three years in a row!

7. I'm most proud to be my sister's sister! I can't imagine a better person to look up to!


If you're eligible, please donate blood!
Make an appointment today!
1-800-RED-CROSS

Happy Birthday Maya!

Maya is 6! Her outdoor birthday party had to be moved inside when some serious storms came through the area yesterday. Hopefully this little fairy cake brought some sunshine to her big day!

Maya's mom, my friend Janice (check her out at www.busylittlehands.net), asked me to make the birthday cake. When someone as creative and talented as Janice asks you to do something, the pressure is on, and I hope I came through!



The mushroom is Chocolate Butter cake covered in Sweetshop Fondant and the base cake is Yellow Butter cake covered in Vanilla Buttercream. Those cutie little cupcakes are also Butter Chocolate covered in Sweetshop Fondant and the caterpillars are made of fondant as well.

Happy Birthday Matt!

For the second year in a row we've made Matt a giant cookie for his birthday.

This year we did a heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie decorated with Vanilla Buttercream frosting. (Pardon the tiny picture.)



Here's to many more happy birthdays and many more cookie cakes for Matt!

Happy Birthday Grace

Grace, friend of Zach and Ivan, is turning four, and she loves horses!

The Sweetshop made this for her big day-



This is our Eggless Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Buttercream covered in the Sweetshop's own Vanilla Fondant.


Here's a close-up of the horsey (also made of fondant).

Happy Birthday Isabella!

One of my favorite things about baking is making birthday cakes for kids. Having his or her own cake brings such joy to little people! And I get to watch the kids and their tastes change over the years.

Remember Isabella? She turned four last week! Her mom, Andrea, gave me the details on the cake and cupcake flavors and a little direction on the cake design, but the rest was left to me.

The result-



The cake is Yummiest Yellow with Chocolatey Chocolate Buttercream filling and Vanilla Buttercream frosting. The 4 and other decorations are fondant.

Andrea requested three cupcake flavors- Yellow Cake with Vanilla Buttercream for the kids, Chocolate with Peanut Butter Buttercream as a surprise for her husband, and Snickerdoodle with Seven Minute Frosting for herself- though I'm relatively sure that she shared!

How did this happen?

How did my sweet baby boy get to be five years old?

It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating his Oth birthday.



But last week we celebrated his 5th!



And of course there was cake!