A Halloween Spectacular

Ghouls, Ghosts, and Goblins ... Witches Brew, Skeletons, and Zombie Brains ... All things creepy, and all things sweet, that's what we have for this Halloween Treat!!!

A birthday spectacular, a special celebration, and a little bit gruesome ghoulishness adds up to a perfect cupcake menagerie. 

With dozens of cupcakes to make, I madly set to work in my lair. I was like a mad scientist, with so many thoughts running through my head, I became frazzled, and just a little demented.

It all started with the idea, that zombies, yes zombies, should be involved in the Halloween cupcake spectacular, but how, and with what, and then it hit, like a thunderbolt from the sky ... brains, zombie brains, MmmmMmmm ... who doesn't love zombie brains. And the perfect material for my zombie brains was white chocolate with a touch of food coloring to give it a brain matter cast. 

From there it was all about baking, baking, baking. Mini red velvets, lemony goodness, chocolate with chocolate and just a bit more chocolate, Irish cake bombs, and the final touch of pumpkin spice. Dozens of cupcakes came out of my oven ... moist and delicious, and not for me. 

Looking like candy corn, but tasting of lemon. The lemon were frosted with orange and white lemon buttercream, sweet and tart, and oh so delicious. 

"Double, Double, toil and trouble ..." That's what you get when you have spiked cupcakes, but would you really want them any other way. So along came the Irish Cake Bombs, not a normal Halloween fair, but how can you say no to Chocolate, and Guinness, and Baileys combined. 

Then there was pumpkin, nothing says Halloween, quite like pumpkin, and so the pumpkin spice cupcake came to be, and it was delectable, with the cream cheese frosting, and moist pumpkin cake.  

When it all came together, the cupcakes were many, each unique in flavor and fun, red velvet zombie brains, death by chocolate skeleton pretzels, witch's brew Irish cake bombs, ghoulish pumpkin spice, and lemon candy corns, together in ghoulish harmony. 

A Thanksgiving Treat

It was a dark and stormy Thanksgiving ... wait, no, this is Southern California, it was neither dark or stormy when Thanksgiving came along this past November. It was a beautiful, sunny day, the air was crisp, and it called for a special dessert. And by special, I mean something that screams Thanksgiving, but in a cupcake. Because cupcakes make everyone feel special. 

As always once the idea struck, it had to be made, and after much searching for the perfect combination of ingredients these delights were made. The apple filling was both sweet and tangy, the cake delicious, with an amazing texture, and the frosting, OMG the frosting. It was too die for, a whipped buttercream that makes my mouth water just thinking about it. These were, in fact, so good, that they were baked twice in a matter of days.

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

It was a cold and blustery day, I burst into my favorite coffee shop, shaking the snow off, trying to recover from the weather. I look at the menu, and what do I see ... Peppermint Mocha. Oh ... it's back, it's winter, and it's back. The best coffee drink in the world.

Then because the weather was no longer cold and no longer blustery, but I still wanted the wonderful flavors of peppermint, chocolate and coffee to fill my world, but in a different form, a different way. And my mind had it ... CUPCAKES!!!! Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes.

The thought had entered my head, and there it stayed. Until for Christmas, we made them, and they were amazing.

There was mini cupcakes, bite size deliciousness. 

Then there were the full size cupcakes decorated with candy canes.

Deliciousness ... As every cupcake should be.

Just think, these too die for cupcakes could be yours.

Criminal Cupcakes ... so good, it's a crime

This is the story of what happens when a forensic social worker and a prosecutor form a fast friendship. It all started when they joined together to teach others about the intricacies of the criminal justice system, but it's led to so much more.

One day they decided that they should get together every week to walk, a summer exercise program, that sadly did not last because more important things needed to be accomplished, those things could include one thing ... baking.

See, the prosecutor had started baking cupcakes when a friend told her, the best cupcake was red velvet, this prosecutor went to the store to find a box mix to bake some cupcakes. Alas, none could be found. So the prosecutor decided to try her hand at cupcake baking. Suprisingly it worked, not only did it work, but it was delicious, or so she was told by all the people forced to try them.

From there, the fascination with cupcakes grew. Peanut butter chocolate swirl cupcakes, strawberry cupcakes, white chocolate raspberry cucpakes, and cinnamon swirl cupcakes. And this prosecutor shared her cupcakes with her fellow instructor, who loved them.

They ended up getting together every week, and baking lessons ensued, until they both could bake an amazing cupcake.

From this obsession Criminal Cakes was formed, baking cupcakes so good, it's a crime.