Easy Monster Cupcakes - 5 Ways

I found some Candy Eyeball Sprinkles at the store this week... so, I had no choice, I had to make some quick Monster Cupcakes for Halloween.

I thought I'd show what you could do with a few different, easy-to-find decorating tips. The tips are labeled in the picture above. I think my favorite is the easiest... Wilton Tip #233 in a messy pile. The center cupcake.
(Click on the picture to see the cupcakes larger and in more detail.)

My kids' teachers and our neighbors will hopefully enjoy their simple little monsters.

Click the Links Below to See:
Easy Monster Cake
Halloween Cupcake Ideas 
How to Make a Cake Mix Taste Homemade
Basic Buttercream Icing Recipe

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Easy Cat or Dog "Food Bowl" Birthday Cakes

My boys turned seven this weekend. Every year, we have a costume party for their birthday, to give them (and their friends) another chance to wear their Halloween costumes.

This year, they were cats. So, they wanted cat food bowls for their birthday cakes.

I decided to go with simple for the decoration because this year the boys were very particular about flavors and fillings. (Chocolate-chocolate-chocolate for Charley, and White cake with lemon curd filling and vanilla frosting for Jax.)

The 'water' is piping gel colored blue. (I added a small layer of white icing underneath the blue gel to make the water look lighter in color.) And the cat food is cereal. Each cat chose his favorite cat-food-looking cereal to go on his cake.

I made each a two-layer 9x13 cake, filled in between the layers, and to get the 'indentation' for the sides of the bowls, I used a tip #12 to add a thick layer. I added three layers, then tried to get them as smooth as possible (easier said than done).

In the end, they weren't perfect, but they won over the cats, and their friends.

Click the Links Below to See
How to Make Cake Mix taste Homemade
Rich Vanilla Buttercream Icing Recipe
Silky Chocolate Buttercream Icing Recipe
Lemon Curd Recipe
How to Frost the Corners of a Cake
Last Year's "Backson" Monster Birthday Cake

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Easy Pumpkin Creme Brulee {Recipe}

I love Creme Brulee. It is such a decadent, rich, perfect dessert.
I've long wanted to create a pumpkin creme brulee recipe for fall because it seems like that carmelized sugar yumminess on top is just the right flavor to go with spiced pumpkin.
This recipe did not disappoint.

What You Need:
 2 cups half & half
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  (OR 3/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ground ginger, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/8 tsp. ground cloves)
2-3 Tbsp. granulated sugar

Yield: Six 1/2 cup custards 

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Pumpkin Cake Pops - Many, many ways

I have done Pumpkin Cake Pops in so many different ways...

Right-Side Up...

And Upside Down...

Colorful & Glittery...

With Sticks...

And Without.

All of them taste amazing thanks to The Best Pumpkin Cake Recipe!

Click the Links Below to See How to Make Each Variety:
Basic Pumpkin Cake Pops
Pumpkin Cake Pops- Upside Down
Glittery & White Pumpkin Cake Pops
Pumpkin Cake Bites (no sticks)
Pumpkin Cake Pop Video

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Apple Cider Doughnuts {Recipe}

The perfect fall breakfast... apple cider doughnuts. And these are actually not terribly unhealthy for you-- if you can look past the sugar coating.

What You Need:
(Yield: about 1 1/2 dozen large donuts, 3-4 dozen small donuts)
2 large eggs (beaten)
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt (Greek yogurt best)
3/4 cup apple cider
1/2-1 tsp. ground cinnamon (to taste)

For the cinnamon-sugar coating:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
* paper lunch sack & gallon plastic bag

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Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars {Recipe}

Apples, caramel sauce, cheesecake... what could be better??

What You Need:
For the Crust & Topping:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
1 tsp. salt (if using unsalted butter)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup butter, chilled

For the Filling:
4-6 apples, thinly sliced
1 - 1 1/2 cups caramel sauce*
2- 8 oz. block cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

*Note: You can make your own caramel sauce, or you can buy a jar of caramel ice cream topping, or you can also melt about 6-8 oz. of caramel candies with 1/2 cup evaporated milk on the stove or in the microwave.

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Fall Cake Decorating Classes -- Don't Miss Out!

Courtesy: TwinCities.com

I have a slew of cake decorating classes coming up, all over the Twin Cities. Join me for one!
Click the title of each class to find out registration information for that class.

Creepy Cupcakes

Sunday, October 2 - 2-4pm 

Crystal Community Center

*Parent/Child Class

Halloween Cake Pops

Monday, October 28 - 6-9 pm

Fridley High School

Cake Decorating 101

Mondays November 1 & 8 - 6-9 pm

Maplewood Middle School

*Two sessions for this class

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