The Hunger Games Opening Weekend Cupcakes

Now that St. Patrick's Day has passed we have something new to celebrate...the opening weekend of The Hunger Games! We've seen quite a few gorgeous Hunger Games themed cupcakes but these have definitely got to be the easiest to recreate! Celebrating District 12, Erica's Sweet Tooth created these fierce looking cupcakes!

The recipe calls for your favorite box mix, oreos, and a simple frosting recipe although to make it even easier I'm sure you can use some canned frosting. Based on bold look for the flames atop the cupcakes there is a little dye job involved as well. Check out her step by step guide here!

Sprinkles Cupcake ATM Crashes

Image Courtesy of NBC Los Angeles

According to NBC Los Angeles fans of Sprinkles Cupcakes have actually crashed their new ACM (Cupcake ATM) while trying to fulfill their sweet tooths! But no worries, it's back up and running now!

From the NBC Los Angeles Report:

Sprinkle’s first-ever automated cupcake dispenser opened for business this week and it’s been so popular that, at one point, customers’ cravings outweighed the machine’s abilities.

"This kind of machine is built to do a couple hundred transactions a day," said Nicole Schwartz, Sprinkles’ director of marketing. "The amount of volume was unprecedented for this machine."

It wasn’t clear whether overheating or a misguided arm was the culprit, but a couple hours with an engineer and the popular machine was up and running again – and taking attention away from the flagship bakery next door.

After reading another report from LAist.com it's no wonder that the ACM finally crashed, it's been serving about 1,000 cupcakes DAILY!

From the LAist report:

Since the Sprinkles 24-hour cupcake automat opened for business on Tuesday, it has been insanely popular. At some points lines stretched halfway down the block, sometimes running 50 people deep. The lines were long, even when the bakery staffed by actual live humans was open.

"At points, there would be no line at the bakery itself while a few feet over, people queued up for their turn to 'withdraw' from the Cupcake ATM!" Nicole Schwartz, a spokeswoman for Sprinkles said.

The automat has been dispensing 1,000 cupcakes a day, which is more than Sprinkles anticipated. The popularity of the machine led to some hiccups Wednesday night, when the automat stopped working. It was dispensing one "withdrawal" a minute, which was faster than the machine could handle.

Wow! I still need to get myself down to Beverly Hills to try out the new ACM! Just in case you're in the LA area and want to take a trip yourself here's some more information on Sprinkles' Cupcake ATM:

Twitter: @CupcakeATM

Facebook: Cupcake ATM

9635 South Santa Monica Boulevard, 

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Horchata Cupcakes with Recipe Link

Does anyone else love Horchata as much as I do? Well I know Just Jenn Recipes does since she's turned this refreshing cinnamon-ny drink into a cupcake! Not only is there Horchata in the cake itself, but there's also a good amount in the frosting!  Interested in trying this recipe for yourself? Check out the recipe here!

Black Bean Cupcakes By Hedy Goldsmith

From the Sun-Sentinel in Miami, we hear news of black bean cupcakes! The cupcakes are made using Goya black beans, ginger and lime cupcakes with guava frosting.

 "I really love working with savory elements in my desserts and I think that was really the draw. I always love playing with that, sitting on the fence between savory and sweet." Hedy Goldsmith, pastry chef at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink in Miami.

Hedy says that black beans are similar to bananas when used in desserts. If you are in Miami, she will be at the Goldsmith will appear 3-5 p.m. Sunday at the Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village during South Beach Wine & Food Festival. You can follow Hedy on Twitter and she has a book on baking out this fall, Baking Out Loud.

Sew Sweet: Cute As A Button Cupcakes

Jennifer from Sweeten You Day Events guest posted on Amy Atlas' blog about a sewing themed baby shower. These button cupcakes look super sweet!

Interview with: Rooney Girl Bake Shop

Name: Maria Nicoletti

Age: 36

Location: Garden Grove, CA

Occupation: Customer Service Manager, Small Business Owner

Website: www.rooneygirlbakeshop.com

Can you please tell us a little about yourself? 

My name is Maria Nicoletti and I live in Orange County city of Garden Grove in CA (originally from NYC).  My bakery is online but I do participate in the Great Park Sunday Farmers’ Market in Irvine twice a month. When I’m not baking or decorating, I spend time with my husband of 12 years as well as my adorable boston terrier Rooney for whom I named the company after.  I also love to do things that bring out my creativity like sculpting and quilting.  On top of all this I still tackle a full time job in LA as a customer service manager in the garment industry but I hope someday to be able to focus on my cupcake business 100%.  

What inspired your love of cupcakes?  

I’ve always loved desserts of all kinds - making them as well as eating them. I have always been the go to person for desserts at family and social gatherings and always focused on bite size treats like cookies, truffles, fudge, and of course cupcakes.  I just love sharing my desserts with people and seeing the joy a little sugar brings them. My mom was a huge influence on my love for baking. Growing up, I have such fond memories of being by her side while she prepared our family’s traditional greek desserts, some of which I pay homage to in cupcake form on my menu (ie: greek goddess/baklava). 

How did your company begin? 

Years ago, I attempted to start a cookie business in NY but never quite got it off the ground because my husband and I spontaneously transformed our lives by moving out to CA.  Since then, I’ve always had the lingering desire to continue my pursuit of entrepreneurship and turn my passion for baking into a business. But, I never had the courage to try again until last year when, believe it or not, I saw an episode of The Cupcake Girls on WE TV and their intro says something like they didn’t know what they were doing and didn’t have a business plan... and that just triggered something inside me and I proclaimed to my husband, Honey, we are going  to create our own cupcake empire!” Since then, I’ve devoted nearly every waking moment to building the RooneyGirl brand. I take pride in the fact that I create all my recipes from scratch. I don’t use recipes from the Internet or cookbooks.  I am not culinary trained but have learned to develop recipes through bakers formulas and after lots of trial and error, I’ve been able to  achieve moist, rich, fluffy, tender cupcakes that so many people love.   

I know Rooney Girl Bake Shop is celebrating its first birthday soon, what would you say were the biggest triumphs and obstacles you faced as a small business owner in your first year? 

RooneyGirl BakeShop just turned 1 year old on 2/12/12 and this has been such an incredible year, above and beyond anything I imagined.  Nurturing this tiny little business from nothing into a steadily growing clientele has been a great accomplishment for me especially since I’m relying strongly on word of mouth and its just reassuring to know that the quality of my cupcakes speaks volumes about my abilities as a baker and entrepreneur.  It was a year full of many rewards because I’ve been able to donate cupcakes and other services  to some non profit organizations that support causes very near and dear to my heart like  Icing Smiles, Boston Buddies, and Cupcake Camp Cerritos.  I also vowed that within my first year I wanted to be a part of a farmers market in Orange County and I achieved that goal within 10 months.  However, this has not been an easy process by far.  Start up capital has been minimal and the investment in a kitchen rental, permits, licenses, equipment, etc... really adds up quickly.  In addition, finding the time to juggle my full time job, family, and RooneyGirl BakeShop, time is non existant and sleep definitely loses out.  But thanks to an extremely patient and supportive husband, my dreams have come true and the joys I’ve experienced far outweigh any stress I have endured this last year.  

What advice would you have for other aspiring bakers who want to turn their passion into their business?  

Everywhere you turn there is a new cupcake business popping up so an aspiring baker really has to concentrate on their product development and make sure their quality really stand out above the rest.   Follow your dreams and there is no time like the present to explore a business venture.    Don’t lose sight of the reasons you decided to embark on this cupcake journey.  Do this for  the love of cupcakes and for wanting to share your baked masterpieces with others – you can’t expect to make money right away so you really have to focus on the pure enjoyment of it all.  It’s an uphill climb but well worth the energy and sweat.  The rewards of achieving personal success far outway the obstacles you will have to overcome. 

Aside from your amazing looking cupcakes, what else does your bakery sell? 

I really love to work with fondant and gumpaste to sculpt cupcake decorations like flowers, characters, and anything to match a client’s party theme. I even opened and etsy store to ship my decorations across the country.  My bakeshop also offers other small desserts like cake pops, macarons, mini cheesecakes, and small cakes but I can pretty much bake anything upon request.  I’m also experimenting with gluten free cupcakes and they have been very well received at the farmers’ market.
If you had to choose, what would you say is your favorite cupcake flavor? That’s a tricky question since I love all my flavors so much but I’d have to say my favorite is coco-lime paradiso which is a coconut lime cupcake with lime curd filling and a coconut vanilla frosting.  I have won local contest awards for my pink lemonade, greek goddess (baklava), and his majesty (banana/peanut butter), and fire & ice (lime/jalepeno/avocado/tequila) cupcakes. 

What is your favorite thing about cupcakes?  

I love that they are individual cakes that you don’t have to share with anyone – you get one all your own – so it brings about that nostalgic feeling of a being a kid in a candy store with not a care in the world.  I love that you can doll them up for a special occasion or keep them simple for everyday treats.  I love the endless varieties of flavors and the creativity they inspire.  

Is there anything else you’d like to say? 

I have developed my own cupcake recipes, taking classic flavors to new levels, and strive for moist tender crumbs in every bite.  I use high quality ingredients like belgian chocolate, organic cocoa, madagascan vanilla, and organic dairy products.  My cupcakes are baked with love and much care is taken into making sure my clients keep coming back for more.  I love decorating and can bring any theme to life with my fondant and gumpaste decorations – the possibilites are endless. 

Website: www.rooneygirlbakeshop.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rooneygirlbakeshop

Twitter: www.twitter.com/rooneygirlbakes

Etsy: www.etsy.com/rooneygirlbakes;

Rainy Day Cupcakes

In honor of the crazy rainy weather going on here in Southern California I present to you these perfect for a rainy day Umbrella Cupcakes! They may not be practical for the rain but they sure are cute and yummy, of course! Not only are these ridiculously adorable, but they are also easy to make and makes for a fun kids food craft! Cute Foods For Kids has an easy to follow guide on how to build these edible umbrellas using your favorite cupcake flavors!

Edible Cupcake Boxes From Sweet Simple Stuff

 Sweet Simple Stuff shows how to make edible cupcake boxes using candy melts.

Giveaway: Cupcakes, Cookies And Pie, Oh My

We are so happy to do this cookbook giveaway for Karen Tack and Alan Richardson's third book, Cupcakes, Cookies & Pie, Oh My. We met Karen and Alan way back in 2007 at one of our first cupcake meetups, and seen them as they wow cupcake lovers with their creations. They will be joining us this summer on our Cupcake Cruise.

Enter to win via this form by February 14th at 6PM.
They are the creators of the high heel cupcakes.

Bourbon Brown Butter Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Frosting With Recipe Link

Bourbon Brown Butter Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Frosting. I love caramel, and I want this cupcake right now! The Purple Spoon made these cupcakes. Here's the link to the recipe.

Cupcake Challenge LA 2012

This past Saturday I attended Cupcake Challenge LA 2012 for the first time. Drink Eat Play sold out of tickets for the event by Friday so Cupcake Challenge LA was packed but nonetheless amazing! It was fantastic to see so many cupcake connoisseurs, bakeries and bloggers in one room! It was impossible not to have a sweet time at such a tasty event!

I was happy to meet up with Anthony Valerio of Wonderland Custom Cakes. His table happened to be my first stop so we were able to talk about how his bakery has been going since the grand opening and how exciting it was to be a part of Cupcake Challenge LA. My fellow blog pal Lili and I made our way through the line of cupcake crazed fans to each of the bakery stations. We received two cupcakes from each bakery and were asked to vote on our top 3 bakeries. To ensure that every ticket holder received every cupcake each bakery would mark their treats off of our ballots:

Overall we all ended up with 36 cupcakes each. Thank goodness they were all minis, it was already nearly impossible to taste all of them! Because I took over a hundreds pictures I can't post them all here BUT, you can head over to my Flickr account to see them all! I'll also be adding my favorite pictures to the Cupcakes Takes The Cake Flickr Pool. 

After tasting all of the cupcakes (I had to finish the majority of them at home...who can eat 36 mini cupcakes in one sitting?!) I came up with my top 3 bakeries. Though I did have to vote at the event, my top 3 definitely would have stayed the same either way.

Dulcitas Tres Leches Cupcake was my absolute favorite cupcake at the event. It was perfectly cinnamon-y, creamy, moist and just melted in your mouth. In case you don't know, Tres Leches cakes are always wet cakes as they are soaked in a milk.Upon opening the wrapper milk was literally oozing out of the cupcake. I would, without a doubt, be enjoying a full size version of this cupcake sometime  very soon.

My Delight Cupcakery was my second pick with their Red Velvet Raspberry Cheesecake Cupcake only because I couldn't pick two top bakeries. There were several Red Velvet Cupcakes at the event but none of them really spruced it up to create something as incredible as this. All if not most Red Velvet Cupcakes are topped with Cream Cheese Frosting but adding graham cracker 'crumbs and raspberry puree transformed something so simple into something that made our whole table say "Oh my God." after their first bite. I found out that My Delight Cupcakery is near me which means I'll be heading there several times a month!

My final vote went to Bake You Happy for their Chocolate Cherry Licorice Cupcake. This was by far the most unique cupcake I've ever tasted. Upon first glance I was both confused and intrigued, and because we eat with our eyes first I just couldn't wait to taste this! This cupcake was chocolate based with a Red Vine licorice filling. Topped with marshmallow fluff atop a pretzel and covered in a cherry cola glaze. With so many ingredients in this cupcake one might think it would be overly sweet but in fact it wasn't! All the textures made this cupcake's mouthful very enjoyable! Creating such unique flavor combinations proves why this bakery ended up winning an episode of Cupcake Wars!

I had a fantastic time at Cupcake Challenge LA and will definitely be attending the event next year! I'm also going to make an effort to head out to several of the bakeries that attended to interview their owners!

To see all my photos from Cupcake Challenge LA check out my Flickr!

Blue Velvet New York Giants Cupcakes For Superbowl

Go Big Blue! Check out these Blue Velvet Cupcakes for New York Giants. These super pretty cupcakes were made by The Avid Appetite.

Cakespy Cupcake!

Via Tumblr

I was "tumblr'n" around when I found these cupcakes that looked awfully familiar...when I realized that these were real life versions of the Cakespy cupcake! How cute are they! They look pretty easy to recreate as well!

What a Very Berry Cupcake Recipe!

Image courtesy of The Little Epicurean

Are you a berry lover? How about a very berry lover? If you're thinking about trying this berrilicious looking recipe, I hope you are! The Little Epicurean created a beautiful looking Blueberry-Blackberry Cupcake topped with a Blueberry Cream Cheese frosting. I told you, it's berry serious stuff! Though these cupcakes look like they should be made for special or fancy events The Little Epicurean stresses the fact that these can be made anytime! If your feeling berry creative check out the recipe here!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

A new gluten-free dairy-free pumpkin cupcake recipe for Fall.

Before I get to my new cupcake recipe, I need to wander off a bit. Just briefly. Because it's who I am. A person who wanders. Ponders. Finds solace in books. I've been like this since girlhood. Curious. Serious. No good at catching balls. Or dressing dolls. I am beyond inept with hair. And eyeliner.

I get anxious and non-verbal if I have to wear anything that isn't a pair of jeans.

It might be because I'm a child of The Sixties, that starstruck Age of Aquarius, when kindred souls united for peace, beauty, and rock and roll. As Hunter S. Thompson wrote, "You could strike sparks anywhere. There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were doing was right," and there was that "...sense of inevitable victory over the forces of Old and Evil. Not in any mean or military sense; we didn’t need that. Our energy would simply prevail. There was no point in fighting—on our side or theirs. We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave."

I've been remembering the beautiful wave lately. The idealism. The hope. The belief that there is more to life than collapsing in front of the television and microwaving hot dogs.

The belief that beauty- as Steve Jobs believed- is important, has value. That we are deeply interconnected. That life on Earth is precious- from the house sparrow to the living sea. That we are part of a vast and mysterious collective- not merely of our absurd egos (who natter inside our heads and squander our attention on drama, conflict, acquisition and the need to control)- but of a newly unfolding awareness of astonishing inner space and outer space. Infinity in every direction. The Universe is far more capacious than we ever dreamed. Perhaps even multi-dimensional. A Multiverse.

Which begs the question.

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Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe with Mocha Icing

Gluten-free vanilla cupcakes. Let's celebrate.

The world is my oyster. No. Wait. I'm allergic to oysters. At least that is what a blood test declared, four years ago. Puzzling. I never had any symptoms. That I recall. Though who knows. I haven't actually eaten an oyster in (...let me count), maybe 17 years. They were fried oysters. At a jumping local hang-out on the Cape. The Land Ho in Orleans. Famous for grilled burgers, golden dipped fish and chips, fried clams. And yeah. Oysters. And beer. Truth is, I would much prefer a cupcake. No slimy, muscular middle. No fishy liquor. Just tender, soft sweetness in exactly the right portion. Not too big. Not too heavy. Not too much.

Just right.

As you may have guessed, I have issues (who among us doesn't?). Texture is a big honking issue for me. Size is an issue (portions bigger than my head? A  serious turn off). And taste, well, that goes without saying (you know how I loathe bean flour). If I was a storybook character I would inhabit The Princess and the Pea.

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Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Icing

Gluten-free chocolate cupcakes.

Gluten-free cupcakes are hot. Or should I say, HAWT. Tack on vegan status, too, and you've got a trend worthy of the most BoHo WeHo GoGo. So I'm reprising this chocolate cupcake recipe to tempt you into baking this weekend. These little beauties remind me of Devil's Food Cake. Dark, moist and chocolatey. So go grab your inner Domestic Goddess by the hand and stir up some trouble.

But before we get to (what happens to be my favorite) chocolate cupcake recipe from the archives, I want to share something. Maybe it's the waxing moon, that cyclic siren pulling us toward wholeness, to embracing our shadow, urging us to let go, shed the outworn for the sake of authenticity. Or maybe it's the fresh start of a new school year, possessing me with cravings for newly sharpened pencils and thick stacks of paper, clean as a cloud. Fall always wakes me up. It conjures images of new beginnings.

And yes, there will be baby pictures.

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Cupcakes and Baking and Why You Need an Oven Thermometer

Before you bake these cupcakes, get an oven thermometer.

I attempted my first baking recipe yesterday. In the new apartment, that is. The kitchen is new, not the baker. I've been around the block a time or two when it comes to batter and dough (so if you're new to the blog, Darling, don't panic- I've got armloads of gluten-free recipes waiting for your brilliance to coax them to life). See that sparkling little cupcake gem above? Try it's zesty orangeness on for size. Because the recipe I was developing for you... Well. 

It failed. 

What was it? you idly wonder. Zucchini bread. A bread that should have been moist and tender and bursting with juicy bits of zucchini. A perennial August favorite I haven't sunk my teeth into since going gluten-free nine years ago. So I was due.

What happened?

Here's the thing. The thing I have to share with you that could change your gluten-free baking life. The back story: the stove is new. As in brand spanking new. No gluten has ever darkened it's white enamel door (a psychological plus). And it's a gas stove (heats quickly, super efficient). So what I am about to tell you may surprise you.

The oven temperature was off. As in way off.

How do I know? I had an inkling. I bought an oven thermometer. I installed it. And I set the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. When the preheat light went off I opened the oven door. It read 400 cussing degrees.

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Make Gluten-Free Brownie Cupcakes with Namaste Baking Mix

Brownies baked as cupcakes- from Namaste baking mix.

Check out these fudgy little gems. Chocolate chip brownies dressed up like cupcakes. These are Steve's creation. He's been making gluten-free brownies for- let me think a minute- almost nine years. (How, I ask you, is that possible? Nine years gluten-free? Yep. We'll be celebrating nine years of gluten-free living this December. Perilously close to a decade.) So he's the resident brownie expert. I bow to his expertise.

He's baked brownies from scratch. He's tried all the gluten-free mixes. He's added flavors. Coffee. Peppermint. Vanilla. He's added extra chocolate chips. Chopped walnuts. Pecans. Even raisins. He bakes brownies weekly. But lately he's got a new twist to this favorite classic treat. He plops the batter into a cupcake liner clad muffin tin. 

Steve swears this creates a better, moister brownie.

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Gluten-Free Cake + Cupcake Recipes

Gluten-free cupcakes anyone?

 Karina's Gluten-Free Cake + Cupcake Recipes

Here are my favorite gluten-free cake recipes on Gluten-Free Goddess- from decadent, dessert worthy cake to simple coffee cake, from rich and fudgy flourless chocolate elegance to vegan and egg-free cupcakes.

Apple Cake with Cranberries

Banana Bundt Cake
Banana-Blueberry Muffin Cake
Banana Polenta Cake
Banana Snacking Cake with Almond Flour
Banana Spice Cake

Blueberry Babycakes
Blueberry Cobbler
Blueberry Crumb Cake

Carrot Quinoa Bars with Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
Cherry Clafoutis
Chocolate Banana Cake (scroll down the page)
Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Icing
Chocolate Gingerbread
Chocolate Truffle Cake

Coconut Apple Cake
Coconut Carrot Cake
Coconut Chocolate Chip Cake
Coconut Frosted Banana Cupcakes
Coconut Layer Cake

Dark Goddess Cake

Flourless Banana Snacking Cake
Flourless Chocolate Cake

Lemon Almond Yogurt Cake
Mexican Chocolate Cake
Maple Frosted Pumpkin Cake

Orange Creme Cupcakes

Peach Cake- vegan
Peach Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping
Peanut Butter Banana Cake

Pumpkin Chai Bread
Pumpkin Cheesecake 
Pumpkin Crumb Cake
Pumpkin Raisin Cake
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

Quinoa Breakfast Cake

Rustic Strawberry Cobbler Cake

Sour Cream Apple Cake

Vanilla Cupcakes with Mocha Icing
Vegan Flourless Chocolate Cake

Karina's rich and decadent truffle cake.

Karina's Cake Baking Tips:

New to baking gluten-free cakes? See my post Gluten-Free Cooking + Baking Tips for what to expect and how to problem solve.

Gluten-free vegan batter (without dairy and eggs) behaves differently than wheat batter. It is generally stickier, and thicker than standard batter.

Eggs are a boon to gluten-free baking. They add lift, moisture and lightness to heavy gluten-free flours.  If fat is a concern, use whisked egg whites instead of whole eggs, and an extra egg white.

Bake in the center of a pre-heated oven. If your cakes sink in the center you may be adding too much liquid to the batter, not baking it long enough, or your oven temperature may run a tad cool. Conversely, if the cake rises high and fast, then collapses, your oven may run hot.

For essential tips on baking gluten-free and dairy-free without eggs see my Vegan Baking Cheat Sheet, with trouble shooting strategies for baking success.