Buy it Now: Trophy Cupcakes Book

Cupcakes at Trophy Cupcakes

It's not every day that a business I've illustrated in cupcake form releases a book.

But when it does happen (and it has!), I am going to tell you "buy this book now." Please.

The book in question is by beloved Seattle bakery and one of my first supporters, Trophy Cupcakes. The book is entitled Trophy Cupcakes and Parties!: Deliciously Fun Party Ideas and Recipes from Seattle's Prize-Winning Cupcake Bakery.

A mouthful, I know. But nowhere near the mouthful of tastiness you'll experience once you bake one of the cupcake recipes in the book. Seriously--this is good stuff. 

But the book isn't just cupcakes, I learned upon opening my review copy package. This book is designed to party.

Trophy cupcakes

As I unwrapped the tissue, I found not only a book but a built in party... Trophy cupcakes

including... a tiny dancer!

Trophy cupcakes

The party theme corresponds to the book, which is full of party ideas, including recipes, crafty decor and activities, and all of the style you need to pull off a cool event. I love it--it really celebrates not only the cupcake, but the happy culture which should always surround the cute foodstuff.

Trophy cupcakes book

A respectable cache of recipes, of course, is present, with beautiful photos.

Trophy cupcakes book

It's really a lovely book, and I think you should buy it right now. In case you've already forgotten the title,  it's Trophy Cupcakes and Parties!: Deliciously Fun Party Ideas and Recipes from Seattle's Prize-Winning Cupcake Bakery. Do it now!

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links!

Mellowcreme strikes back!

Mellowcreme strikes back: still a fave.

Bread with a side of DIY, in Vermont.

A bakery where they mix bread with their feet? It's not true!

A Seattle bakery closes...well, basically because it's not hip enough.

What is the difference between baking soda and baking powder?

Is it time to stop the baked good mash-ups?, asks UK publication

Related: cronut mania spreads to London.

Bakery I wanna visit: Copenhagen Pastry, Culver City.

I've got my eye on the cinnamon oatmeal bars featured in this article.

In Connecticut, a 19-year old opens a bakery. I don't know what I was doing at 19, but I can assure you it was not opening a bakery.

Do people actually use baked goods to smuggle things into prison?

Pumpkin mole grits. I love it!

Bakery chain Panera conquers "fast casual"

Pumpkin graham crackers: yum yum yum.

Season of the 'Wich: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Bread Pudding Recipe

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich bread pudding

Should you ever find yourself with a stockpile of five or so extra peanut butter sandwiches, have I ever got the recipe for you.

It's bread pudding, but with a big difference: instead of using plain old stupid bread, you're using peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cut into cubes, soaked in a luxuriant custard mixture and baked to golden perfection.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich bread pudding

Seriously. Your glass of milk is going to slap away peanut butter and jelly sandwiches forever after this, demanding this pudding instead. 

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich bread puddingPeanut butter and jelly sandwich bread pudding

The center is just solid enough to stay firm when sliced, but turns into a wondrous custardy, creamy, peanut buttery goo in your mouth, ribboned with sweet strawberry jelly. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich bread pudding

The top is lightly crispy and golden, and portions of jelly on the top and sides sort of caramelize into a slightly crackly but oh so pleasing candy-like consistency. All of the combinations of flavors and textures coming together, plus the nostalgia aspect of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but the joy of a grown-up recipe, makes for a highly pleasing dessert.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich bread pudding

You're welcome. Now, here's how you make it at home.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich bread pudding

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Bread Pudding

Makes 9 servings 

  • Five peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on a standard white bread sized bread
  • 2 cups whole milk or cream
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 stick salted butter 
  • 1/4 cup jelly (same kind you used in the sandwiches)

Procedure

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease a 9x9-inch pan.
  2. Slice the sandwiches into approximately 1-inch squares. Clean the knife between cuts if it starts to get sticky. Place all of the pieces in a large bowl.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the 2 cups of milk with the eggs, until combined. Set aside for a moment.
  4. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, brown sugar, and jelly. If you don't have salted butter, use unsalted but add a teaspoon of salt. It makes a difference. Once they are all melted and cohesive, remove from heat. Gently pour the warm mixture into the milk and egg mixture, whisking constantly to keep the eggs from scrambling. 
  5. Pour the mixture over the sandwich cubes, very gently stirring to ensure even coverage while not letting the sandwiches come apart.
  6. Spoon the thick mixture into the prepared pan. It's OK to be 3/4 of the way full, but don't fill it all the way. Gently press down the pieces on the top one more time, to ensure that they have penty of custardy coating.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden on top and just lightly wobbly in the middle. Let cool in the pan for at least 45 minutes before serving, or until set. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. This pudding can be served warm or cold.

Straight-Up Simple: Amish Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Pumpkin bread

I suppose I'd better just say it: there is absolutely nothing remarkable about this pumpkin bread.

But--hear me out--it is in that unremarkable nature that it is simply sublime.

Listen, I know we're in the Age of the Cronut, the Oreo-stuffed cookie, and heck, I'm even the one who shared a lot of this type of recipe with the world--Cookie Cake Pie, Cadbury Creme Eggs Benedict, and so on. So I realize that this may be surprising, coming from me.

But sometimes, plain and simple is absolutely the best. When I discovered this pumpkin bread recipe in Simply Delicious Amish Cooking (recipes from, of all things, the Amish population of Sarasota, Florida--no, really), I made a conscious decision to not mess with the recipe at all--that meant not substituting butter for the oil, no adding chocolate chips or nuts--just baking the straight-up bread, plain and simple.

Breakfast of champions

Simple doesn't mean that a recipe has to be devoid of joy. The batter came together in minutes, and then for more than an hour, my house was filled with the warm aromas of pumpkin and spice. Forget yoga, meditation, or therapy--this is truly calming and soothing stuff, just living in the aroma of pumpkin bread baking. 

Pumpkin breadPumpkin bread

The bread came out perfect. It doesn't have a flavor that zings the taste buds, but it tastes earthy, spicy, and sweet. It's satisfyingly dense. It plays well with other flavors--over a few days, I tried it plain, with chunky peanut butter on top, and warm with butter gently melting on top with a sprinkle of cinnamon. All variations were highly delicious. 

Don't make this bread if you're looking for a flashy dessert. But do make it if you want something cozy, calming, and delicious.

The only thing I changed was the pans--I don't have two loaf pans, so I baked the bread in one 9x9-inch pan filled 2/3 full, and the rest as little pumpkin bread cupcakes. The cupcakes baked for 30 minutes, the bread was right on the mark for 60 minutes in my kitchen.

Oh, I lied. I also used one 15-ounce can of pumpkin, because no way was I going to open another can just to use one ounce. It worked fine. 

Pumpkin bread

Pumpkin bread

Pumpkin Bread

From Simply Delicious Amish Cooking: Recipes and stories from the Amish of Sarasota, Florida by Sherry Gore

Makes two loaves

  • 3 1/2 cups flour
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 3 teaspoons nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 2 cups canned pumpkin

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine dry ingredients (through the ginger) and mix well. Add the 4 moist ingredients. Mix well. Pour into 2 bread pans. Bake 1 hour or until done. This bread freezes really well.

CakeSpy Undercover: The Vanilla Moose, Aztec NM

I need to tell you about the business that may just be my favorite soft serve ice cream joint on earth. 

Vanilla Moose, Aztec

And please know that this statement does not come lightly, as I was born and raised by the Jersey Shore, a soft serve mecca if ever there was one.

But in the most unexpected place--Aztec, New Mexico, in a region called "Four Corners" given its proximity to the spot where New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah all meet--there is a most magical ice cream spot called The Vanilla Moose.

Here's what you'll see as you drive up. 

Vanilla Moose, Aztec

There are picnic tables leading up to the burger shack-style order window. You can drive through, too, but that's definitely not as much fun as walking up. 

Soft serve is what's on the menu here, vanilla and chocolate, and it's done right. It's creamy and smooth, with none of the "ew"-y grainy texture that can characterize lesser varieties of soft serve (and like I said, I know). But if a plain ol' cone is too boring for you, that's ok, because they have a number of different ways to dress it up, as you'll see on the menu. Vanilla Moose, Aztec

By the way, the menu boasts "spoiling dinners since 1983" and "as always, free doggie & baby cones". Seriously, don't you love them already?

Vanilla Moose, Aztec

There are floats, cones, shakes, and especially sundaes. Now, don't get me wrong, because we got a shake and it was most excellent--chocolate with almond syrup and almonds inside and on top of the shake, thankyouverymuch--

Vanilla Moose, Aztec

But. In my opinion, the true joy here is the sundaes. We sampled several, so I feel well qualified to tell you about it. They are served in several sizes, but I found the "junior" size to be just right. It's like a small ice cream, but when topped with a number of different textured and flavored additions and whipped cream and a cherry on top, it's the perfect amount. 

Some highlights? The brownie sundae was a study in balance, with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream playing beautifully off of the chocolate-rich brownies (made by owner Pam) and the rich fudge sauce. When it slightly began to melt and all of the flavors came together...perfection. Good with nuts, too. 

Vanilla Moose, Aztec

The peanut cluster sundae was ideal for this sweet-and-salty dessert lover. Creamy vanilla ice cream was coated with caramel and crunchy salty roasted peanuts, then (why not) it was all topped with hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry. It was just indulgent enough, and the saltiness made each bite completely tantalizing, making you want more sweet, and then the taste of sweet made you want more salty. 

Vanilla Moose, Aztec

During a week-long stay in the area, we went four times. The owner, Pam, who took over the business from her mother, and her employee were both just stellar, dealing with simultaneous drive-through and walk-up customers with ease, speed, and friendliness. On a visit when there was no line, Pam came 'round the counter and sat with us and talked about New Mexico, spirituality, cross-country moves, and of course, her role as one who brings sweetness to many lives. She's a pretty cool lady. Tell her I said hi if you go. 

And, speaking of which, yes, I do think you should go. Aztec is an interesting little town, with Native American ruins which are fascinating to tour, and it's just a stone's throw from uber-cute Durango, Colorado. It's worth a visit if you find yourself in that part of the world.

Vanilla Moose, Aztec

But please, make sure you visit The Vanilla Moose. I'll warn you, they're closing in about 2 weeks (a little before Halloween) for the season, but they'll be back in the spring, and the spring after that, and it's my sincere hope that they are there forever. Because we need places like this to make us pause from being so busy in our everyday lives, and savor some sweetness just for a few minutes.

OH! And remember how I told you they do free doggie cones? Guess who we brought on one of our visits...

Vanilla Moose, Aztec

Yeah, this happened. Porkchop loves The Vanilla Moose, too! Wonder what emotions he felt while eating his cone.

 

Vanilla Moose, Aztec

The Vanilla Moose, 1721 West Aztec Boulevard, Aztec NM 87401. On Facebook.

The Bake-Off is Coming: Oatmeal Cookie Granola Berry Parfaits Recipe

Oatmeal cookie parfaits

CakeSpy Note: OMG! The 46th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off is coming! Since I so deeply loved attending the 45th Bake-Off, I thought I would get you excited early by sharing some of the finalists' recipes. Narrowed down from zillions of entries, I'll profile some of the 100 finalists--but of course, based on the subject matter of this site, I will focus on sweets! You can follow them by clicking the bakeoff tag below the post to see which ones have been posted so far. Enjoy! 

Now here's a treat that is virtuous enough (fruit, yogurt) to be served for breakfast on a Monday, but tasty enough (oatmeal cookie crumbles) to make it pleasurable all week long. It's a simple and delicious treat, and it doesn't hurt that it's pretty, too. It was dreamed up by April Timboe of Siloam Springs, Arkansas. 

Oatmeal Cookie Granola Berry Parfaits

Prep Time: 30 Min Total Time: 30 Min Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 package Pillsbury® Big Deluxe® refrigerated oatmeal raisin cookies
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 3 cups plain fat-free Greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup Blueberry Preserves
  • 80 fresh raspberries (about 12 oz)
  • 16 fresh mint leaves

Procedure

  1. Heat oven to 325°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften.
  2. In large bowl, mix cookie dough, pecans and coconut with wooden spoon or knead with hands until well blended. Crumble mixture evenly on cookie sheets.
  3. Bake both cookie sheets at the same time 18 to 28 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes and rotating cookie sheets halfway through baking, until golden brown. Cool completely, about 20 minutes. Break granola into smaller pieces.
  4. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix yogurt and blueberry preserves until well blended. Refrigerate.
  5. To assemble parfaits, spoon 1/4 cup of the granola into each of 8 (8 oz) glasses. Top each with 3 heaping tablespoons of the yogurt mixture and 7 raspberries. Repeat with remaining granola and yogurt mixture. Top each with remaining raspberries and fresh mint leaves.

The Bake-Off is Coming: Lemon Pistachio Blackberry Thumbprints Recipe

Lemon cookies

CakeSpy Note: OMG! The 46th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off is coming! Since I so deeply loved attending the 45th Bake-Off, I thought I would get you excited early by sharing some of the finalists' recipes. Narrowed down from zillions of entries, I'll profile some of the 100 finalists--but of course, based on the subject matter of this site, I will focus on sweets! You can follow them by clicking the bakeoff tag below the post to see which ones have been posted so far. Enjoy! 

I appreciate the power of a promise. And these cookies, designed by Joan Cossette of Colbert, WA offer a delectable one: "Each bite of these sugar cookies promises a bit of sweet jam and a drizzle of sweet icing." Oh, yum.

Lemon Pistachio Blackberry Thumbprints

Prep Time: 25 Min Total Time: 35 Min Makes: 36 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 roll Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough
  • 1/2 cup shelled salted roasted pistachios, chopped
  • 1/3 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
  • 1/2 cup Blackberry Jam
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Procedure

  1. Heat oven to 325°F. Line large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften.
  2. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Add pistachios, flour and lemon peel. Mix with wooden spoon or knead with hands until well blended.
  3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
  4. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. With thumb or handle of wooden spoon, make indentation 3/4 inch wide in center of each cookie. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon jam into each indentation.
  5. Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until set but not browned. Remove to cooling racks. Cool 3 minutes.
  6. In small bowl, mix powdered sugar, honey and 1 tablespoon water until smooth. If necessary, stir in water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until of drizzling consistency. Drizzle honey glaze over warm cookies. Store in covered container.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links!

The Bake-Off is Coming: Strawberry Cream Cheese Cream Puffs Recipe

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cream Puffs Recipe

CakeSpy Note: OMG! The 46th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off is coming! Since I so deeply loved attending the 45th Bake-Off, I thought I would get you excited early by sharing some of the finalists' recipes. Narrowed down from zillions of entries, I'll profile some of the 100 finalists--but of course, based on the subject matter of this site, I will focus on sweets! You can follow them by clicking the bakeoff tag below the post to see which ones have been posted so far. Enjoy! 

These sweet treats are a sure-fire recipe for success. They have so much going for them:

  • Strawberries and cream are a match made in heaven, not to mention the fashionable style of a cartoon icon.
  • Cream Puffs are delicious and delicate.
  • And when it comes to baked goods, cream cheese makes just about any flavor richer, creamier, tangier, and tastier. 

See? I've bullet-pointed the reasons why these scientifically rule, so it's now fact.

These Strawberry cream cheese cream puffs were dreamed up by Dawn Logterman of Verona, Wisconsin, who says "Who doesn't love strawberries and cream? Here's a tasty way to serve up the combo."

Simple but sweet, and they come together in just 30 minutes of active time. Score!

Here's the recipe.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cream Puffs Recipe

Prep Time: 30 Min Total Time: 1 Hr 30 Min Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup Strawberry Preserves
  • 1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
  • 1tablespoon powdered sugar

Procedure

  1. Heat oven to 400°F. Line large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In 2-quart saucepan, heat 1 cup water, the butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt to boiling over medium-high heat. With wooden spoon, stir in flour. Reduce heat to low; beat vigorously about 1 minute or until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Beat in 1 egg at a time, beating vigorously after each addition until mixture is smooth and glossy. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls, 3 inches apart on cookie sheet, forming 12 mounds.
  3. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Remove from pan to cooling rack; prick side of each puff with tip of sharp knife to release steam. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat cream cheese and preserves with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Fold in whipped topping until combined; refrigerate.
  5. Just before serving, cut each puff in half horizontally. Spoon about 1/3 cup cream cheese mixture into bottom half of each puff. Place tops over filling. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve immediately. Store in refrigerator.

 

CakeSpy for Craftsy: Discover ICES, a Cake Convention

Ever been to a cake convention? Well, I'd like to educate you about a big one. It goes by the name ICES.

What is ICES? No, we’re not talking about a convenient and creative way to keep a beverage chilly. ICES stands for International Cake Exploration Societé, an international organization of over 4,000 cake and sugar artists from around the world. Members range from novice cake decorators to famous cake designers. Each year, ICES hosts a cake decorating convention, which is well respected and attended.

In a posting on Craftsy, I'll help you discover both the group and the convention.  Read all about it here!

CakeSpy Undercover: DoCo, Farmingdale NJ

Doco, Farmingdale

The other day I was in a clothing store in Red Bank, New Jersey. While I was browsing some accessories, I heard two girls in dressing rooms next to one another talking.

"Have you been to the new doughnut shop in Farmingdale?" one asked the other.

I moved closer to the dressing rooms, so I could hear.

"It's really good, they make them to order," she continued.

It's not creepy that I stood outside of someone's dressing room to hear this, right?

Well, rather than identify myself as a creepy stalk-listener, I headed right to the internet on my smart phone to find out more. Turns out, in an unlikely corner of New Jersey, there is in fact a new donut shop: DoCo is its name (it is a cool way of shortening "Donuts" and "Coffee"--sort of like SoHo, but with doughnuts). It should not surprise you that I was there less than 24 hours later.

DOCO

It took me a few minutes to figure out how DoCo worked, since when you walk in there are no doughnuts on display. It's just boxes and a menu that you see. 

Doco, Farmingdale

So how you do it is you can either choose one of their menu concoctions, or you can choose a glaze and any toppings you like, and they'll make the doughnut to order. And as for doughnuts, you can either do a "regular" -- a dense, cake doughnut--or a "kronut" as they call them...their riff on the famous NYC "cronut" croissant-doughnut hybrid. On the day I went, they also had beignets.

Doco, farmingdaleDoco, farmingdale Doco, farmingdale

Going for variety, I got a regular doughnut with apple pie toppings, a "kronut" with cannoli cream topping, and a doughnut with maple topping and bacon. 

What a happy moment.

Doco, Farmingdale

The apple pie doughnut was a regular cake doughnut round, topped with a spicy apple pie filling type topping and a big ol'crown of whipped cream. Freshly fried, the doughnut was a nice base for the moist toppings, and held its shape. The filling didn't have that "from a can" taste, which was nice. A very pleasant fall doughnut. 

Doco, Farmingdale

I'll tell the truth, I didn't get a chance to try the maple bacon! But judging how quickly SpyDad scarfed it down, I am going to say it was operation: success. Same doughnut base as the apple pie doughnut.

Doco, Farmingdale

I think the real star of the show, though, was the kronut. It practically oozed with the fry oil that was retained in the flaky folds of dough, which gave me an inkling that I should be feeling guilty eating such a decadent treat...but I didn't.

The addition of the cannoli cream is simply genius. It has that slight tangy bite that, as I never realized til a few days ago, gives a doughnut dimension. Seriously. Try it if you ever have the chance.

Doco, Farmingdale

Overall, the doughnuts managed to be hearty, healthy servings, with some evident creativity, but zero fussiness. The total bill for three doughnuts was less than $5, which I think is fantastic. 

It may take a few minutes to learn how things work at DoCo when you visit, but it's worth taking the time to figure it out.

DoCo Donut and Coffee Company, 5015 Route 33 and 34, Farmingdale, NJ. On Facebook.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links!

I'm really proud of this infographic. (I know it's hard to see above--See it big and bold and alive on Craftsy!)

Goat cheese: eat all about it. (Not sweet, but I wrote it and am proud of it!) 

Now that you know all about it, try to recreate this recipe for goat cheese cake for me, ok? 

The cronut is dead! Long live the cronut.

Seven lessons to learn from the gourmet cupcake market.

A primer on the different types of food coloring.

I like it: affirmative action bake sale.

How to make cherries jubilee cupcakes.

Gourmet doughnuts come to Lincoln, Nebraska. Really.

I spent a good few minutes reading the history of Wilton, and found it kind of interesting. Maybe you will, too?

Chocolate caramel cookies with orange mascarpone? Yummmmm.

I googled "unicorn shaped cookies" and found these. They made me smile.

13 ways to mess with candy corn.

Oh, and:

Nominate me for Craftsy's blogger awards!