The Anatomy of a Cupcake

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So, most of those people who know me very well as of recently, know that I love baking cupcakes and decorating them.  I have been engulfed in cupcake, cookie, and baking blogs over the last week or so.  It all began by me trying to decide what I would be taking for a 4th of July cookout I will be attending (I know, I've got plenty of time, but I like to plan these things).  I just knew there had to be dozens of cute ideas for the 4th of July when it came to decorating alone, not to mention the actual cake.  Tonight, in my attempt at making a grocery list for some grocery shopping I will be doing tomorrow, I decided to sit down and sketch out some of my ideas.  My theory was that, if I saw them in front of me, I'd be able to choose one. Nope. Wrong.  I want to make all of them!  I will be attempting decorating sugar cookies with royal icing for the first time using my new cookie cutters too (the Wilton seasonal section always gets the best of me).  I have been reading up on The Adventures of Sweet Sugar Belle and Bake at 350.   Might I add that I have fallen in love with both blogs!  Those women are so talented.  I'll be happy with plain covered cookies to be honest.  I really like the idea of making mini-pies because that seems pretty American, but I've only made them once and they weren't perfect at all.  And if I am going to be taking them to a party, I would like them to be a lot closer to perfect.  I've still got a week and half or so before I need any of it so I am sure I will change my mind about a thousand times on everything.  At least I have sketches of the things that I seem most attracted to doing.

Oh yeah, my new tip is supposed to be here in the mail tomorrow.  Words cannot describe my giddiness about that one.

Happy Baking,

Cupcake Bites

I've been reading a lot on Bakerella lately and in her book 'Cake Pops'.  I had bought a strawberry cake mix a couple of weeks ago with the intent of making some cupcakes for the trip to Nashville but never got around to actually doing.  It was lying around and I thought that I'd try something from Cake Pops.  Given my love for cupcakes, I thought it fitting to make the cupcake bites.

I purchase some lollipop sticks and some candy melts over the weekend among some other craft supplies.  I decided to stick to cake balls or bites instead of cake pops.  I am thinking maybe I'll make these again for a 4th of July cookout and a family reunion. There are so many cute ideas for cake pops in the book and on her blog.  I hope to try some of them this summer!

They didn't turn out just right, but still look super cute and tasted good.  I was happy with these for a first attempt!  Oh yeah and if you stick around and read my blog long enough you'll notice that purple is in fact my favorite color and I love love, love pastels!  Showed up in these.