I Can't Compete With Pizza

Sometimes I have thoughts that originate outside my kitchen. Sometimes. This is one of them. Kind of. It's still food related, but... um... aw hell. Alright, I confess, this is kitchen related, too.

Last week marked a very special occasion in our household. My five year old son, Monster, is officially a kindergartner. His first day, I completely embarrassed myself while becoming a living cliche. I got out of my car in the circle drive as I dropped him off to wave and snap photos, with parents behind me in their minivans, huffing and giving me the stinkeye for holding up the line.

Since then, I've taken a lot of pleasure in the little things--packing his afternoon snack into his Toy Story lunchbag, reading enthusiastic correspondence that come home from his teacher in his folder every night, secretly throwing away the endless piles of coloring book pages when he's not looking, and best of all, being able to drop off my kid while wearing the comfy pajama pants with the hole in the crotch, flip flops, and no bra. Oh yes. This is the high life, friends. I'm living the dream.

How To Make A Cakepop

Hello friends!

I've had a lot of questions over the last couple months, regarding cakepops. There are tutorials all over the interwebs, but I want to show you my method and address some of the more common questions that seem to come up.

Because I didn't do a separate shoot just for this post, I'll be using a composition of different photos from various projects to illustrate each step. Sorry if that's distracting. Consider it...er, eclectic. :D

I'll start with some of the FAQ I've gotten recently.

Cakepop Bouquet

Ahhhhh, school's in! You know what that means, friends. We'll wave goodbye from the drop-off zone, watching our little ones march inside, toting their backpacks and lunchboxes, heads full of all the exciting things they plan to do on the monkey bars at recess.

As much as it makes my heart hurt a little to see my little ones' youth slip away so quickly, I'm thoroughly pleased to see the sticky-hot days pass right along with them. We seem to have hit another heatwave recently, and summer's letting us all know she's not quite ready to be shoved out the door yet.

So, to honor her last days with us, I wanted to make something bright and cheery.

I happen to have several dozen cake truffles that I made this week. They're key lime truffles--creamy key lime cake blended with homemade, tangy lime buttercream to create a luxuriously soft truffle center, drenched in a vanilla candy shell and crowned with sugared lime zest. Yum, right?



I've had this idea in my head for quite some time--wondering what would happen if I repurposed some flowers, added some cakeballs, and made semi-edible bouquets. I wanted to give it a try. I found some silk sunflowers in my craft basket and an empty clay pot on my gardening bench, located a pair of wirecutters, and went to work.

$10 Dozens! Key Lime Cake Truffles! Limited time only.

This week, key lime cake truffles are on sale for $10 a dozen.

Creamy, tangy key lime cake truffle, neatly dipped in a sweet vanilla candy shell and crowned in sugared lime zest. Mmmm. Tastes like the Caribbean!

The usual price is $18 a dozen, so they're nearly half off. Order now--the sale ends Friday!

Ohmigosh! Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

I made peanut butter cookies yesterday. Whatev.
I stuffed them with creamy peanut butter and melty chocolate. No biggie.

So hey, you know...just cookies, right?

WRONG.

When you pull apart the soft peanut butter cookie, the warm, gooey center says, "Hi there. I love you." These cookies have serious mojo. And also? They're sorta magical.

I think these need no further introduction.

Client Projects - Super Huge Photo Post

I have been kind of AWOL lately, huh? I haven't been neglecting you, dear friends--at least, not on purpose. No, I've just been spectacularly busy. I even made food that turned out yummy and didn't even take pictures of it, because my brain is off dancing drunkenly in the streets elsewhere. I made crispy polenta cakes and eggs. I made fudge-covered bing cherry brownies. I made marshmallow fondant. Pictures of any of it? Nope. I'm ashamed.

But I DID take photos of the stuff that's been keeping me so occupied. If you follow me on Facebook, you've already seen these photos. And if you're not on Facebook with me.... well then, that's where the cool kids are. You should come. Tell your friends. They want to be cool too, right?

Free Cakepops!!

Hi there, friends!!

If you have not yet started following the Happy Baker on Facebook, you should.
Click "Like" on the top of this page. Tell your friends. Make them Like it, too.

http://www.facebook.com/HappyBaker

Why? What's in it for you, hm?

Well, I'll tell you.

If The Happy Baker's facebook page can get 100 "likes" by September 1st, I will enter all of my followers' names into a random drawing (done at Random.org) and the winner will receive a dozen free, handmade chocolate truffle cakepops. And because I love you so much, I will make them extra big, extra creamy, and extra awesome. They'll be gift wrapped all pretty and delivered right to your door with a little thank you note from Yours Truly.

Oh, also! When your friend "likes" the Happy Baker's page, make sure they send me a message or post a comment, telling me you referred them. You'll both get an extra entry into the drawing. Score! No limit on how many entries you can have.

So get to it! Spread the cakepop love! <3