Coffee buttercream Cupcakes

Dreamy creamy coffee buttercream topped cupcakes.

So completely delicious.

These ones are topped with modeling chocolate roses and butterflies.

Based on the More from Magnolia cookbook recipe for vanilla cupcakes and vanilla frosting, modified to vanilla bean cupcakes and coffee frosting.

Just for me.

(frosting recipe after jump)

Molly's 3rd Birthday party Dessert Buffet

Hip Hip Hooray Molly's turning 3, and what a wonderful party she had. Terri from Charlie and Mildred styled and made the decorations for this gorgeous red and pink polka dot dessert buffet party.

Cake, Cookies and Cake pops by Bubble and Sweet of course. See previous post for cake pop instructions.

There were party hats....

More fabulous party pics after jump

Little Red Bird Cake Pops

EDIT UPDATE
I now have a quick youtube video on how to make these cute cake pops here:

My gorgeous niece and God daughter Molly is about to turn 3. I just received her invitation with the cutest little red birdie on it and I had a crazy idea to make bird cake pops for her party.

Seemed like a simple enough idea.

So I sat down to channel my inner Bakerella (cake pop queen).......but just so you know not in a creepy Julia and Julia blogging way where I sat around in pearls and made my husband watch endless videos.

I thought I had a pretty good plan, but like everything it seems so much easier when someone else does it. My first one was pretty lumpy. But I quickly worked out a dipping and twirling technique that seemed to make all the difference. These birds required dipping the back/top first, then starting at one side, the front, other side and finally the back in a kind of twirly movement.

But I persevered and I'm not unhappy with my little red bird cake pops,

and also their matching red polka dot partners.

Violet Macarons

I'm not a fan of Masterchef.

I don't get to watch a lot of TV. Not in a TV is so dull and I am so much better than that kind of way, more in a I have 3 kids and if they're not watching it I'm gonna catch up on some sleep type of way.

But I did record the macaron cake tower on Monday's Masterchef to watch when my friend alerted me to the fact that it would be on.

Eeeek - what a crazy show. Although I must admit I had to fast forward a lot of it, from what I could understand they gave the contestants less time to complete this than they knew required and then sat there belittleing their contructions.

I say good work to all those poor contestants, think I would have been in tears in the same situation.

Oh well, I guess that's what the show is about.

Although it has inspired me. I have been looking at some macaron cake towers lately and I think I will put it on my to do list.

In the meantime here are some Violet Macarons.

Take your time, relax, take a big deep breath and enjoy them.

Life unlike Masterchef is not a race.

recipe after jump

Black bottom oreo cupcakes a variation on a delicious favourite

What is it about adding an oreo cookie to the bottom of a cupcake that makes such a difference. I don't even really care for them on their own. Oreo's that is, their Ok but gimme a home baked cookie any time instead and I'm much happier.

But on the bottom of a cupcake, especially a cheesecake type cupcake and it's a different story.

Oreo + Cupcake =  Delicious

This Black Bottom Cupcake is adapted from the More from Magnolia cookbook. It's a chocolate base topped with cheesecake studded with chocolate chips.

Debbie Brown Brisbane Australia Workshop, Amazing cakes and making new friends

On Sunday the 27th of June I was lucky enough to secure a place at the Brisbane Workshop held by the famous and fabulous UK cake decorator, author and teacher Debbie Brown.

Debbie has a stack of wonderful cake decorating books published, and these books have long been a favorite of mine. The books are beautiful and  easy to follow and I do have a number of them but I still found it so worthwhile to see Debbie in action. Goodness the ease and perfection when she models arms and hands is a sight to behold.

Gorgeous and Gruesome Cakes for Children

Debbie Brown's new book available 25th July 2010. I've preordered my copy

Debbie held 4 workshops here in Brisbane and the session I managed to secure was a 'Funky Fairy' cake.

Chocolate Pavlovas with Chocolate Marscapone Mousse - June 2010 Daring Bakers

The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers’ to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard.

I'll start this by saying yum, it was a very delicious challenge. I'm not always one for creamy sauces or mousses but these ingredients all worked together so well that I was happy to eat the various versions I put together.


I started with a layered parfait topped with raspberries, then used some of the leftovers for a mini version in shot glasses,

and finally tried out a deconstructed plated version, decorated with some gorgeous chocolate modeling paste butterflies.