Happy Birthday, Melissa!

Melissa is someone very near and dear to the Sweetshop. In fact, without her, there might not even be a Sweetshop. She doesn't bake, or decorate, or even taste test. But she takes wonderful care of my boys which provides me with the time to do all those things. She loves my kids like they're her own and sometimes I think she likes them even more than I do. I really can't say enough good things about her.

So I decided to whip up a little something for her birthday, which just happens to be today- April Fool's Day. This is a three-layer yellow cake with buttercream frosting covered with fondant.



Spring colors for a Spring birthday.

Now, I have to tell you that this is only my second time working with fondant. There are some imperfections in this cake, but overall I was pleased with it, and I think Melissa (and her boys) were too!

Big News

It's a big day here at A Sweetshop Named Desire! And as luck would have it, our news fits right in with our Spring theme.

Our cake pops have gone intercontinental! What's a cake pop, you ask? Only the cutest, tastiest confection you'd ever hope to eat. They're perfect for Easter baskets, hostess gifts, birthday party goodie bags, wedding favors, Mother's Day. The list goes on and on. And here's what they look like:



And how did they go intercontinental? Well, actually, they didn't. But they did go to a French restaurant/bakery, which is the next best thing. That restaurant is Rue Cler. If you live, work, or play in Durham and have never been to Rue Cler, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. There are lots of reasons to go there, but let me just sum it up for you in one word: beignets. And do yourself a favor and go ahead and get a dozen. If you get the half dozen you'll be kicking yourself later. Oh, and get a cake pop! Thanks so much to John and Chris the owners/chefs who are giving cake pops a chance! If you would like to give cake pops a try, send me an email!


All dressed up and ready to go to Rue Cler.

And in the interest of full disclosure, I have to tell you that I swiped the idea for cake pops from Bakerella. And they were first brought to my attention when my friend Danielle over at Baker's Cakes made them for my birthday last year.

Spring has sprung!

First of all, thanks for stopping by to check out the blog. Upgrades to the blog will be coming soon. For now, and for the foreseeable future, the Sweetshop is in my kitchen. But someday when my kids are off to school, I'll have an actual bakery. Keep in mind, if you're here in the Triangle, everything you see on the blog can be purchased for your consumption. Heck, if you're not local but you're willing to travel you can enjoy my treats too.



Well, the ornamental pear trees have bloomed, clover is taking over my yard, and swimsuits are out in the stores. That can only mean one thing: Spring! And in Spring a young baketress' fancy turns to thoughts of love. The love of pretty confections, that is.

First up are these Butterfly Cupcakes. I got the idea for these from the book Hello Cupcake! I'm looking for an excuse to make them in pink and purple, so if your little girl loves butterflies and has a birthday coming up, send me an email!