Generations of treats have been inspired by Hostess, the maker of the famous Twinkies, Ding Dongs and my personal favorite, the Frosted Donette.
Although the company is closing, many will fondly remember eating these treats, whether they were in your childhood lunchbox or deep-fried at the local fair.
One of the first cupcakes I added to my menu is inspired by the Hostess Cupcake. Appropriately named TheOriginal, it is still one of my all-time favorites. With its whipped cream center and ganache glaze, TheOriginal always takes me back to my childhood!
Recently, two good friends of mine tied the knot in a colorful celebration of love and laughter! As a special treat for their wedding, I created their personal favorites for the dessert bar: samoa cupcakes, pumpkin cupcakes, cookies and cream cookies and lemon cookies.
To a lifetime of love! Congratulations, Chrystal and Ruel!!
** Update (2/6/13): This beautiful wedding was featured on WeddingChicks.com. Click here to experience their magical day.
For Throwback Thursday, I'm taking it back to 1992.
For my brother's birthday, I thought it would be nice to make him a cake featuring his favorite sport - hockey. I went to my local cake shop and bought my first set of cake pans and hockey player cake toppers (please don't ask why the net is a soccer goal). Then, I went to the store and bought devil's food cake mix, vanilla frosting, a bag of chocolate chips and vanilla pudding.
I didn't know what I was doing, but I thought adding chocolate chips to the cake batter sounded smart - unfortunately, all it did was give everyone a sugar rush with each bite. Looking back, I think I always added an extra bag of chocolate chips to everything I made...weird. Or super smart. Whatever.
Somehow, my 12-year-old self managed to bake and layer the cake without messing up too much. A coat of frosting later and I ended up with this masterpiece, my very first (but certainly not my last) hockey cake!
Arguably one of my favorite cakes of all time, the Hawaiian Paradise cake at King's Hawaiian is both aesthetically pleasing and downright tasty!
Over the weekend, my favorite people gathered for a summer-themed tea party, giving me the best opportunity to introduce my new Hawaiian-inspired treat - the Aloha cupcake!
Just like the Paradise cake, my Aloha cupcake features delicious layers of lime, passion fruit and guava topped with a whipped cream frosting. So refreshing on a hot summer day!
Summer's here, but if you can't escape to a tropical island, then I have the perfect treat for you.
Topped with cream cheese frosting and shredded coconut, the vanilla coconut and chocolate coconut cupcakes will whisk you away - for a few minutes at least - to a blissful paradise of sweet delight!
Want one right now? Head over to Neighborhood Grinds in Redondo Beach for a cupcake and a cup of freshly roasted coffee. New flavors are introduced every week, so stop by today!
Neighborhood Grinds
2315 Artesia Blvd., Unit 1
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
When the puck drops on Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals in less than 24 hours, two things will happen:
1. Over 18,118 of my fellow Kings fans will go bananas
2. I will lose my mind
So, before I go bonkers, I'm officially unveiling the latest version of the Stanley Cupcake - unlike its predecessor, this year's version is a treat inspired by the Cup...a peanut butter cup, to be exact!
Featuring a peanut butter cup center, a light mascarpone cheese frosting and chocolate-peanut butter shavings, the Stanley Peanut Butter Cupcake is a decadent treat that perfectly showcases two of my all-time favorite flavors.
Go Kings!
**Update (6/11/12): The Los Angeles Kings are your 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Champions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've spent a good chunk of my day watching hockey in preparation for May 30 aka Game One of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals. From watching the Western Conference Finals game to clips from Media Day, my day has been pretty blissful.
In keeping with my hockey day, here is the second installment of Kings Nickname cupcakes. This one is actually near and dear to my hockey heart.
Many years ago, I was a young intern working for my favorite professional sports team. During an autograph session, my co-workers and I were getting ready to distribute wine to the players. But after looking at the roster, which at the time had a lot of players who were called up from our AHL affiliate due to an unfortunate string of injuries, we determined that some of the guys would be leaving empty-handed, including an 18-year-old Dustin Brown, who did not get a bottle of wine because he was not of legal drinking age.
Fast forward to 2012 and Dustin is the Kings captain, the only player left from my intern days and one of the team's best players during its first Stanley Cup run since 1993.
*tear* <-- I cry because a) I'm glad Dustin is doing well, b) the Kings are in the Finals, and c) I'm getting old.
And since this is a Kings Nickname cupcake, Dustin is the inspiration for the Dustin Brownie Chunk cupcake, a chocolate cupcake topped with a ganache frosting, brownie chunks and caramel drizzle. Go Kings!
Bacon lovers - sit tight...I'll get to you in a minute...I promise.
For the third year in a row, I've created a cupcake that embodies the best sport in the universe (which according to Philadelphia Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov is "humongous big"). Only difference is this year, my Los Angeles Kings didn't get bounced in the first round and are in the STANLEY CUP FINALS!
OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!
I've spent three rounds of playoff hockey trying to figure out what to bake. A hockey rink cupcake? A black and silver Gretzky jersey cake? A hockey stick cake? I've already made a puck cake (which was super fun) and a Stanley Cupcake (which was a bit of a failure), but this time around, I needed more inspiration.
And inspiration is exactly what I got during the Western Conference Finals Game 5 against the Phoenix Coyotes:
Although his regular season stats were less than stellar, Dustin Penner has proven to be a fan favorite, not only for the gamer that sent the Kings to the Finals, but also for his very entertaining sense of humor.
During the season, after injuring himself during his pancake breakfast, Penner earned himself the nickname "Pancakes" - I call him "Panqueques" because it's one of my favorite words - and turned the media attention into a fundraising event at IHOP benefiting Kings Care Foundation.
Bacon lovers - are you still there? Yes? Good.
So, in honor of Dustin Penner, his amazing game-winning overtime goal and his Wookie-like playoff beard, I introduce the Maple Bacon Cupqueque - a buttermilk pancake cupcake with maple buttercream frosting and candied bacon.
Check back tomorrow for the next installment of Kings Nickname cupcakes...
Like many little girls, Minnie Mouse was my favorite Disney character (until I discovered the princesses, of course), so for the last year, I've thought about making a Minnie-inspired cupcake.
I had the red polka dot cupcake liners, but didn't really know the best way to mousify the rest of the cupcake.
Fast forward to a couple weeks ago when my mousie friend asked for Minnie cupcakes for her goddaughter's birthday - FINALLY a reason to make these treats! I did some research, bought some fondant and made what is now my second favorite creation (the first being my LA Kings hockey puck birthday cake)!
Always a favorite among the young and young at heart, the Oreo cookie is a classic combination that has been used in just about every dessert imaginable: from ice cream to cheesecake, milkshakes to cookies (all of my personal favorites, by the way).
Today is Oreo's 100th birthday! Whether you twist or dunk or simply stuff the whole cookie in your mouth, celebrate Oreo's big day with a cookies and cream treat!
There's nothing better than receiving a decadent box of chocolates for Valentine's Day (unless, of course, you receive a robin's-egg-blue-box-of-fun). So, to celebrate Love Day, indulge in a box of chocolates - cupcake style!
chocolate cupcakes with chocolate ganache and mini heart sprinkle
Every year between January and March, excited brides-to-be start planning the magical day that is their wedding. Over the years, I've been lucky enough to form some great relationships with my clients, like Erin Cole and her lovely team of wedding dress and accessory experts. As wedding season picks up, I am always pleased to receive calls from her Costa Mesa salon to make cupcakes for her trunk shows, not only because I love to share my treats with the world, but also because each delivery means I can spend time around the breathtaking jewelry Erin designs and the magnificent wedding dresses that adorne the walls.
Two weeks ago, Erin hosted another successful trunk show, and this time, Judd Waddell - the genius behind that day's designs - was in attendance. Between Erin's gorgeous accessories (her rings are my fave!) and Judd's stunning dresses, I was in wedding heaven!
More trunk shows featuring the best wedding dress designers are scheduled through the end of March! Check out Erin Cole's website for details.
Thank you for visiting my site! Cupcakes are a special treat that bring a smile to many faces - if you'd like to add that special "something" to your next event (whether it's a wedding, birthday party or corporate event), please feel free to contact me.
For your daily cupcake fix, visit Neighborhood Grinds in Redondo Beach, CA for a tasty treat and a delicious cup of freshly roasted coffee.
Always a favorite among the young and young at heart, the Oreo cookie is a classic combination that has been used in just about every dessert imaginable: from ice cream to cheesecake, milkshakes to cookies (all of my personal favorites, by the way).
