Bumbleberry Pie

    
     Basically this is for when you can't decide which kind of pie you want to make. Some people may call this pie a mixed berry pie and although that is what it is, I think when baked together it's almost like you get one really exciting berry. That's why I prefer the name "Bumble berry".
     For a bumble berry pie, by definition you need to have at least three types of berries. I chose Blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries. Now because I like to throw something that you might not expect it. I also added apples. Usually when baking (or eating, actually) I go with Granny Smith. However, walmart wasn't correctly collaborated with me that day, so when I went at the last minute to get some of my favorite apples, they were mostly out and what they had left, weren't that appetizing. So simple because I have problems with deciding, I chose the cheapest, which at the time was Golden Delicious :) It was nice to do something different for once, so I wasn't too disappointed. However, if I go next time and they have my granny smith... then I'm going back to them :)
     When I first started making pie, I automatically started making mixed pies. Making a simple apple pie didn't seem quite exciting enough for me. So, my first pie was actually an apple strawberry pie. Making that actually encouraged me to make a bumble berry pie. I like it when flavors work together to create a different flavor. Baking and experimenting with baking is one of the things that bring me most joy in the world. So, pie for me... means happiness :) but then doesn't it for everyone? ;)
    
     Pie is one of those things that you decided right then and there what is good for a pie. I don't really understand recipes for pie. I've simple been experimenting each time trying to figure out which way makes the best pie in my opinion. I like my apples crunchy in a pie, but as my Daddy mentioned, most people wouldn't like them totally crunchy. So I tried to find a happy medium. Cooking them over heat with sugar, lemon juice, a little flour and some cinnamon really does the trick. I make sure not to overcook the filling because I don't want it to become much :/
     As for the rest of the fruit I make sure not to mix them up to much. I don't want them to get smashed and squeeze out all of the juice. Just sprinkle about 1/4 cup of sugar over top and toss it coating them evenly and then letting them sit to release some of the natural juices. 

     Aren't those colors beautiful? When it cooks it turns into a purple shade which I think is perfect for the title "Bumble berry". I see purple when I think Bumble berry :)

     For a lattice top I start by laying them out evenly(ish) and then I work the other way half of it at a time. This part isn't as time consuming as you might think and I think it's well worth the look. Everybody loves a lattice topped pie :)

     This picture already has a slice in it, thanks to my boyfriend. He was getting excited about this pie. I can't blame him, but is it too much to ask for just one picture?

     Because I'm a little bit of a weirdo... I accidentally made pie on Pi day. 3/14/13. 3.14! I only realized this afterwards but was pleasantly surprised to find out that I actually had made this pie on pi day. Oh the irony...

     Whether you just want to make pie or it's for a special occasion (like Pi day), then I would suggest a classic bumble berry (or mixed berry) pie!  Too bad that pie is gone now... Oh well! I guess it's just time for me to make another one!

Donut Muffins

 

     Donut Muffins... It's healthier than it sounds! And this is one of those rare recipes that has no eggs. That's right, I said it... no eggs. Comes in quite handy when you're feeling that urge to bake and you notice that you're out of eggs. It's always nice to have some recipes on hand that don't have certain ingredients... I always try to have extra ingredients... but going to the store can sometimes be dreadful and... well, expensive. That's why I have those nice recipes that don't have certain ingredients. This is one of those lucky ones that are easy, so it will satisfy my middle of the night baking needs. :) (yes I have those). A good thing about those middle of the night baking frenzies... is you get to wake up in the morning with fresh baked goodies :) There's no reason not to bake these little cuties.

   

Donut Muffin Recipe:

 

1/2 cup   butter softened

1 cup      sugar

1/2 tsp    nutmeg

1 cup     flour

2 tsp      baking powder

1 tsp      cinnamon

1 cup     milk

 

topping:

1/2 cup   butter melted

1/4 cup   sugar

2 tsp       cinnamon

 

 Preheat oven to 350

     In medium bowl mix butter and sugar. In small bowl combine flour, nutmeg, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix well. Mix in flour mixture with butter and sugar about a 1/3 at a time, then pour in milk about 1/2 at a time. Mix until just combined.

     Divide evenly in prepared mini muffin pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

     Meanwhile, to prepare for the topping, melt butter in a small bowl and combine the sugar and cinnamon together. Once muffins have cooled dip the tops in the butter and roll in the cinnamon sugar. Makes 24 mini muffins.

 

 

 

     These are so simple and I don't use a hand mixer when making these so I make little noise in the middle of the night ;)

     You can always make just regular sized muffins with this recipe, but I found people love the cinnamon sugar topping and you get more of this per portion with the mini version. However, I do like the taste of the muffin itself, so it you find yourself wanting more of that flavor, then by all means, make the regular sized muffins. There's more in one setting anyways :)

 

 

Cookies 'N' Cream Cupcakes

     Simply amazing, I would call these cupcakes. Quite a crowd pleaser as well, might I add. In my mind... if you like oreos, then there is no reason why you shouldn't like these cupcakes. A somewhat darker chocolate cupcakes, with an oreo cookie base topped off with a fluffy cookies and cream icing. What's there not to like?
     I love recipes like this. It turned out differently than I wanted but I actually came to like it better than the original thought. That's why baking is fun for me... it's sometimes unpredictable and there's always something else to learn :)
    
     When making these there is one basic rule to follow. DON'T EAT ALL OF THE OREOS!  When you start baking alot you start to know when not to consume sugar. If you've got a long baking day ahead of you... sugar is a big "no, no". I taste test all of the way, making sure that everything is coming together fine and when making multiple kinds of icing... that's multiple taste testing! Monitor the sugar intake... I don't want you feeling like I did this morning :/
     If you want to make these delicious treats it really is quite easy to make with your favorite recipes.

1. Make your favorite chocolate cupcakes batter
2. Make your favorite fluffy white icing
3. Line your cupcake liners with an oreo
4. Fill them up!
5. Crumble up about 4 oreos VERY fine (almost like sand)
6. Mix half of the crumbled oreo with the frosting
7. Frost the cupcakes
8. Sprinkle the rest of the crumbled oreos on top.

     Here are a couple of tips for you when making these. First off, when you're making the cookie's n cream frosting and you crumble up the oreos, MAKE SURE THE OREOS ARE VERY FINELY CRUSHED. If there are any big clumps at all, when you try to use your pastry bag and swirl on the frosting, the oreos will clump up and the frosting won't come out smooth. Also when I frost the cupcakes I work from the outside in. That way you can swirl upwards and put on a generous amount of frosting. Which I've found to be a crowd pleaser. Plus it gives the look of ice cream, which I can't help but think about when thinking of cookies n cream :)
     Another idea for these cupcakes would be to put a cream filling inside of it. It would might give it more of the effect of an oreo. You could go ahead and use the same frosting as you did on top, or maybe just maybe you would want to use more of a marshmallow cream filling?
     Like I said, if you like oreos then you will like these cupcakes! Also if you're one of those people that like your oreos with a glass of milk, then go for it! Enjoy your sandwich cookies in a cupcake treat :)
    

Kaybakescakes

Cupcake Bouquet

     Another one of those things that progressed into something much more than my initial thought. A co-worker of mine asked me to make something special for his wife on her birthday. Right off I thought of flowers. I had done roses before but only as practice and never had I applied them to my projects. So once again... this was a first for me. Simple rose cupcakes was a cute idea... at the time. Then the idea of making a bouquet bubbled into my mind. I pitched the idea to him before I even knew if I could do it *guilty*. But thankfully I did, because I made a beautiful creation and now I can do it again!

     Before I start... you should know, that I am a baker first, decorator second. For me, making things taste as great as I can possibly make them, is my thing. I love it and I love seeing peoples faces enjoying my creation. However at the same time my mind goes to those places that create things like this bouquet and even though it's slightly out of my comfort zone... I just have to go for it sometimes.
    
     Things you need for this project:

1. Flower vase. Depending on how big you want the bouquet. Choose one that will hold a foam ball on top without going too far into the vase
2. A foam ball :)
3. Toothpicks
4. Cupcakes (I used mini cupcakes and it held 30 of them)
5. Icing
6. Icing coloring

     Make sure your cupcakes have completely cooled before you start icing them. For obvious reasons... you don't want the icing to melt :/
   
     To make a rose with the icing I use a 104 icing tip. This makes the petals and you just have to go at it one by one.

     Now, in my mind... no two flowers are exactly the same. So I didn't want my flowers to look exactly the same. So, when I made my icing I divided it in half. I kept the white icing and then colored the other half pink. When I was filling my icing bag I would put half pink and half white. It blended together nicely giving me shades of pink and lighter pink as well as white. I never filled my bag too full and tried different techniques while doing it. I also took red coloring and put it on the piping bag where the small end of the tip was. This made the tips of the petal come out more red while the rest of the flower stayed pink. I went back and forth changing the shade of my pink a couple of times to create a bouquet of flowers with more accuracy.
    
     After I had made my flower cupcakes I then had to go to assembly. First off, all I did was set the foam ball on top of the flower vase. You may want to glue it for more security. I liked the idea of reusing the vase and found it to be fairly stable without it. The choice is yours. :)
     Then, starting at the bottom I stuck two toothpicks into the foam side by side. Then you just (carefully) slide the cupcake on. When you get towards the top you may only want to use one toothpick. I wanted to make sure it would stay and... it's just a toothpick, so I used two.
     There was a couple of cupcakes that made me worried. Angled the wrong way and just didn't seem stable (mostly at the bottom). So I would carefully stick another toothpick in those making sure the toothpick didn't show. I pushed it right through the icing using extreme caution.
     My boyfriend walked in on the middle of this with a worried look on his face (I don't blame him). He offered no opinion and stated "have fun with that". Completely understandable... looking back I can see how stressful that could have been. Especially since I had a deadline and didn't have much more for mistakes. I however went at it with an easy attitude. It would either work... or it wouldn't. I knew that. That is why I wasn't stressing out (I really don't know how I did that though).

    The finished project was more than satisfactory. I must admit I even jumped up and down (not holding the bouquet, I might add). Next step... was delivery :O
     I asked my mom for help in this particular instance. She drove... I held onto my bouquet and admired it all the way. I was high up on bakers delight beaming all of the way. I would even smile at other people in their cars. Of course, I'm sure they thought I was crazy because they just saw flowers... because I did that good of a job (ha ha).
     I somewhat regretted having my mother help me as we turned down a bumpy road and one of the flowers fell off. Unfortunately a word slipped out of my mouth. Starts with an 's' and ends with a 'whoops'. My mom understood but I still felt guilty. :/ Luckily I thought ahead and made a few spare cupcakes to take with me. After I set it up I replaced them and it was good to go!
    
     I was sad to have to leave my creation but so excited that I had done it. I can only see more possibilities with flowers and cupcakes. You never run out of ideas with cupcakes... now I'm just waiting for my next one :)
   

Baby Rattle Cake Pops!

 

~Baby Rattle Cake Pops (That actually rattle)~

    
     Baby rattle cake pops was one of those things that started out simple... but progressed into something that I fell in love with. You know how it goes, you create a simple game plan for something, but as you continue on further into the adventure, you start seeing all the possibilities of what it could be. For me, that's why these started out as cake pops that looked like baby rattles... to cake pops that rattled! That's right, I created my very own edible baby rattles.
     Believe it or not, these were actually my very first cake pops. Took me longer than I had originally planned, but I'm sure that's only because I had never done this before. You experts may find this to be a quick craft... Being my first time and all... I hit a couple of road bumps, but all for the better because they bumped me off the road and to the path straight to these beautiful cake pops!
    
     In case you don't know what a cake pop is, I shall start you there. Basically it's cake, in a ball, on a stick and covered in candy coating or chocolate. There are two ways of execution with these

1. You can do it the original way and crumble cake, mix in icing and form balls with it.
2. You can buy a cake pop pan that's specially designed to make these little cuties! Keep in mind that this can create this annoying line around the center that can make it less smooth. If you're not horribly OCD like I tend to be then really this doesn't affect it :)

     For a simple cake pop you can use either one. For these in particular, I used both. Did I plan to?... Well that's a different story...
    Like I mentioned before, these were my very first cake pops. Therefore, when I got the new cake pop pan for Christmas (and skipped over the instructions) I filled up the pans, popped it in the oven, and waited to see what would happen. Let's just say I made a mess. I overfilled it, overflowed it, freaked out... then fixed it :)
     After I got over my initial freak out moment (it happens sometimes, give me a break) I started to see it wasn't that bad. I scraped off the top part of the mix, crumbled it up, added some icing and used that to create the smaller cake balls on the bottom. That worked out well for me, because then I had the regular cake balls for the top and the smaller ones for the bottom. Just a little reminder that those moments that look bad at first, could actually be better for you in the end (keep your head up).

     When the baking was done I could finally start my decorating. For simple baby rattle cake pops, there really is only a couple of steps.

1. After the cake has cooled take your melting chocolate or candy coating (I used pink Candy Melts), dip your lollipop stick in the melted coating and then stick it in the regular sized cake balls. Prep all of the regular sized cake pops and then take all of them and repeat the same steps with the smaller size of the cake balls. This is extra security "gluing" the cake pops on.
2. Dip the prepped cake pops in the Candy Coating and tap of any excess coating.
3. While coating is still wet apply any decoration you want. Be creative! I used heart shaped sprinkles and created a color sequence around the top. (It helps to already have the sprinkles laid out and ready to use so the coating doesn't dry while decoration).
4. Set out to let coating dry. It shouldn't take long and by the time you're done with the last ones the first ones should already be dry. I set the cake pops over the edge of a pan so the coating wasn't touching anything as to not mess up the design.
5. Repeat steps with the smaller balls.
6. Tie it off with a ribbon of your choice!

    
     If you want to go for it and make your rattles "rattle" then there's only a couple of more steps.

1. Instead of a lollipop stick use a colorful straw. Trimmed to the desired length without a bend.
2. Before adding the bottom cake ball. Use a paper funnel and insert nonpareil sprinkles.
3. Repeat other steps as normal and see how the rattles... RATTLE!

     After I got to the end I was more than pleased with my little baby rattles and must admit I fell in love with cake pops in the process! Too bad these cake pops were already promised to someone else, other wise I might (meaning, I would) have gobbled up those little treats one by one!

     Right now, I'm all ready to make some more. Hopefully there are some baby showers on the way!
Comment with reviews and any questions you might have :)