Pumpkin Spice Cupcake Recipe

With the start of Fall and Halloween right around the corner, there's no better time to bake with pumpkin. This simple recipe for pumpkin spice cupcakes is perfectly balanced with my favorite cinnamon cream cheese frosting recipe. The brown sugar adds an added depth to the frosting that begs to be eaten atop anything you can get your hands on.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
via Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.


Brown Sugar Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
from personal recipe collection

Ingredients:
8 oz fat free cream cheese - room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter - room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4-6 cups powdered sugar

Preparation:
In an electric mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until fully incorporated. Gradually add powdered sugar in small portions, scraping down the sides with each addition, until desired consistency is reached.

Makes approximately 24 cupcakes, with plenty of frosting leftover to put on anything and everything you can get your hands on.

Chelsea makes (chocolate) mountains out of cupcake molehills

From a friend (Shari) of a friend (Michael) in the River Oaks part of Texas:

"My 15-year-old daughter Chelsea wanted to make cupcakes to sell at our garage sale. She is a figure skater and is competing in the Southwest Regional Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado, this October. This was to raise money for her to buy a special skating shirt.

She had been working on the cupcakes for a while and then I heard an “Oh no!!" from the kitchen. I ran in because I thought she had gotten hurt! She explained she had forgot to spray or coat the tins to prevent sticking. I told her not to mind – we would see how they turned out.

When they were done, I took a knife and ran it around the inside of the tin the as best I could. I pulled one out and it was pretty stuck and gooey on the bottom (she had put chocolate chips in with yellow cake mix batter). So I suggested we just turn them out and try and sell them as is and call them "Chocolate Mountains." She liked the idea and ran with it.

She decided to put dark chocolate icing on them and sprinkle them with powdered sugar. And that’s how we came up with the Chocolate Mountain Cupcakes. They were actually very good, too!"

Chelsea at the bake sale inside the garage sale.

The Chocolate Mountain Cupcake.

Chelsea with her mom Shari and their sweet puppy.



All images by TxMagik, who reports that the bake sale items were, indeed, yummy. Here's hoping Chelsea raised the money she needed! Aren't cupcakes a great way to spread the word (and wealth)?


;)

Caramel apple cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting and recipe link

These caramel apple cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting and Heath bar crumbles on top are by food blogger everything gal, where you can get the recipes!

She writes:

Then, to up the "Fall" ante, from just some apple cake, I decided to do a take on caramel apples....so I found a good homemade caramel recipe and filled the cupcakes with it. Heaven.

Last, to top it off, what says "Fall" more than Maple Syrup? Why, nothing of course! So, I topped the cupcake with some Maple Cream Cheese Frosting. De-lish. Top that off with some Heath bar crumbles, and you're good-to-go.

4 Babymouse cupcake recipes online

I'm reposting this fun news from the blog of Matthew Holm, half of the team behind the new children's book Babymouse: Cupcake Tycoon, created with his sister Jennifer L. Holm. They want you to go hunt down these 4 recipes (and, of course, you can buy the book at these various sites). I actually saw the book for the first time yesterday at New York's Strand Bookstore and it looks beautiful. My review is coming as soon as my copy arrives and stay tuned next week when we'll be giving away five copies!

LOCKER’S FAVORITE CUPCAKES (Amazon.com)

Just like Babymouse's locker, beneath their deceptively innocent exterior, these cupcakes hold unexpected surprises!




HEROIC DODGEBALL CUPCAKES (BN.com)

These dodgeball-red cupcakes pack a fiery wallop!



FELICIA’S FANTASTICALLY COOL CUPCAKES (Borders.com)

Is that mean girl in your class giving you the cold shoulder? Give her one of these minty cupcakes and tell her to chill out.



QUEEN OF THE WORLD CUPCAKES (BooksaMillion.com)


What could be more befitting royalty than these elegant, jam-filled cupcakes?

Glittery pink ribbon charity cupcakes

These pink ribbon cupcakes are by the UK's Society Cupcakes (via Flickr).



"Society Cupcakes is located in Wimbledon Park, offering made-to-order cupcakes to South West and Central London."

From Flickr:

Breast Cancer Awareness Month runs from October 1st. Society Cupcakes has specially designed a "Think Pink Cupcake" which we will donate 15% of all sales of this cupcake to the Look Good Feel Better Charity which runs a makeover and beauty advice programme to women with cancer.

Cover of 2011 children's book You Are My Little Cupcake

Children's book You Are My Little Cupcake by Amy E. Sklansky, illustrated by Talitha Shipman, won't be out until April 2011, but here's the cover! via Amazon.com - as we posted when the book was announced, it's about "comparing the irresistible qualities of babies to cupcakes."

Pink and purple butterfly and flower cupcakes

These cute cupcakes in two of my favorite colors are by Sweet Escape, via Flickr. From their blog:

A co-worker's daughter turned one this past weekend and she asked us to make some cupcakes for the pink and purple butterfly themed party. They turned out very cute and "girly."

She wanted common cupcake flavors being that there would be little kids at the party so we stuck with the traditional vanilla and chocolate cupcakes. For the frosting we wanted the sugary frosting that kids tend to like. We found a recipe online for the usual powdered sugar, butter, and milk frosting. And holy cow was this frosting good. Every time I walked past the bowl I couldn't help but to make a finger sweep. When Becky asked us to make the cupcakes I went on a quest to find pastry tips to create the large, fluffy swirl of frosting. I ended up ordering some online and absolutely love them! Personally I think it makes them look more professional :)

Bride and groom cake pops!

I love everything about these adorable bride and groom cake pops by Em at food blog The Kitchen, inspired, of course, by Bakerella's famous cake pops. The smiles! The bows! All of it...magical.

Sangria cupcakes by Spain in a Cupcake

Check out these sangria cupcakes from the new cupcake blog Spain in a Cupcake, a project by Alma which is "an attempt to bring the flavours of traditional Spanish cuisine to the world of Cupcakes." Click for the recipe and bookmark her site for more cupcake recipes and photos.

Oreo panda cupcakes

Oreo cupcake pands! (or Oreo panda cupcakes) by StefanoGuerrera on Twitpic.

Pumpkin Butterscotch Chip Cupcakes with Rum Frosting

Food blogger Baking With Ramen made these cupcakes - click through for the recipe! It was adapted from this Love and Olive Oil recipe for pumpkin chip cupcakes with cinnamon rum buttercream.

These cupcakes were incredibly easy and very delicious. They’re a little messy coming out of the wrapped — the chips stick to the liners — so I would recommend using liners instead of putting them straight in the muffin tin. They’re simple and really fantastic, though. Welcome fall with some yummy food!

Cupcake Baker of the Week: Roopa Kalyanaraman Marcello

And might this dashing diva surrounded by cupcakes be? No other than Roopa Kalyanaraman Marcello, a creative baker who blends exotic and underused flavors together in her cupcakes, both savory and sweet. The end result is complex but not convoluted cupcakes. After meeting her (and eating her cupcakes) at a few Brooklyn cooking competitions, I could begin to recognize her knack for pairing flavors.

See below for some of Roopa's unique cupcake combination suggestions, for flavors you might not think work together, but do!

Name: Roopa Kalyanaraman Marcello
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Website: http://raspberryeggplant.blogspot.com/

1. How did you get into cupcake baking?

I started baking when I was 6 years old – I started out making my own birthday cakes with boxed mix and in high school moved on to cakes from scratch. Since then, I’ve taught myself more advanced recipes and techniques (much of the classic French pastry repertoire). I really only started baking cupcakes about 5 years ago when I had more time on my hands and found myself hosting parties once every few months. Although I love a beautiful layer cake, cupcakes are just easier to serve so I started serving those at parties and it took off from there.

2. Do you have a signature cupcake?

Definitely. It’s a pistachio-cardamom cake topped with rosewater meringue buttercream frosting and a miniature rosebud. It’s a very classic flavor combination in Indian desserts, which is where I draw much of my inspiration for flavors.

3. What kind of cupcake do you plan to bake next?

I’m always dreaming up new flavors but since the weather is getting cooler, I’ll probably do a mashup of my pumpkin cupcake with maple-ginger cream cheese frosting and my spiked cider cupcake (apple cider cupcake with apple cider and rum meringue buttercream frosting).

4. Where do you find inspiration?

My cakes and cupcakes draw their flavors from the foods I love to eat. I grew up eating Indian food and Thai food is another one of my favorites, so you’ll find those flavors heavily represented in my repertoire. I particularly like those because many of the flavors used in those cuisines – cardamom, saffron, mango, pistachio in Indian, and Kaffir lime, ginger, chili, palm sugar in Thai – work so well in desserts and also because no one really makes desserts with these flavors, so my cupcakes really stand out. I also like to use local and seasonal fruits and flavorings so Sixpoint beer often turns up in my cupcakes and I will only make strawberry cupcakes when I can get the berries at the farmers market

5. Describe a memorable (funny/disastrous/life-changing) cupcake baking moment you've had.

Well, I just won the Brooklyn Roots Experiment with a cupcake! The contest required that entrants make something that either represents Brooklyn’s culinary past or uses ingredients made or grown in Brooklyn, and I did both – I made an updated version of the Brooklyn Blackout Cake made famous by Ebinger’s Bakery in the 50’s. My new version was a Brooklyn Buzz Brownout Cake that was comprised of:

• Chocolate cake made with Sixpoint Craft Ales Gorilla Warfare (a coffee porter made with Gorilla Coffee, which is roasted in Park Slope, Brooklyn – and the beer is brewed in Red Hook, Brooklyn)
• Chocolate pastry cream filling
• Coffee meringue buttercream frosting made with Gorilla Coffee
• Toasted chocolate cake crumbs
• Brooklyn Dodgers B made with Mast Brothers chocolate (which is made in Williamsburg, Brooklyn)

6. Give one piece of cupcake advice for other bakers out there.

Don’t be afraid to try out flavor combinations that don’t involve the standard vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and peanut butter. Draw inspiration from not only other desserts you’ve eaten but also foods you like – you’ll be surprised at how well flavors from savory dishes can translate into a sweet treat.

Pistachio-Rose Cupcake

Unique Flavor Combos

Chocolate, Thai chili, and Kaffir lime – Chocolate and chili is a very popular combination these days – like Jacques Torres’ Wicked Hot Chocolate with cinnamon and Ancho chili – so I decided to give it a Thai twist and use fruity and hot Thai bird chilies and Kaffir lime leaves to temper the heat and provide a typical Thai flavor. I’ve used this combination in a variety of other desserts, but when I make this as a cupcake I use a plain chocolate cupcake and a chocolate ganache frosting infused with chili and Kaffir lime. This flavor combination actually proved to be a huge hit – I used it in a chocolate ice cream that won 1st prize from both the judges and audience at the Brooklyn Chocolate Experiment last year.

Zucchini, olive oil, and saffron – this was inspired by a zucchini and pasta dish at my favorite restaurant, Dirt Candy. I made these cupcakes for the viewing party for the episode of Iron Chef America starring Dirt Candy’s chef, Amanda Cohen. The cupcakes were zucchini-olive oil cakes and the frosting was cream-cheese based with a bit of Greek yogurt and a hint of saffron. This one really demonstrates that you can take flavors from a savory dish and transform them into a dessert.

Green tea and pomegranate – I came up with this cupcake a number of years ago when green tea was all the rage. I had seen green tea cupcakes with green tea frosting, but I wanted to do something different, so I made a cream cheese-based frosting infused with pomegranate molasses to provide a tart contrast to the mellow yet deep flavor of the green tea.

Thanks, Roopa! Stay tuned for next week's Cupcake Baker of the Week. Leave us questions, feedback, and suggestions in the comments below, or e-mail Melissa at mailto:cupcakestakethecake@gmail.com

Many CupcakeCamps coming up: Miami, Los Angeles, Tallahassee, London and beyond

There are more CupcakeCamps scheduled than I can do justice to in a post right now, so just click above to find out where all the upcoming ones are, including into 2011, and about how to host your own!

Two of the big ones coming are CupcakeCamp Miami November 3rd (see also their Facebook page) and CupcakeCamp LA, which is looking for bakers and will be held November 20th, produced by Bakespace.





Others coming up are:

Oregon Coast Cake and Cupcake Camp October 1-2 (see our post with the full schedule, including events with Bakerella and Cakespy)

CupcakeCamp Tallahassee October 17

CupcakeCamp London (UK) October 31

CupcakeCamp Inland Empire (Riverside, California) November 7 - all proceeds benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure Inland Empire and I like their poster and logo.





CupcakeCamp Phoenix November 13

CupcakeCamp Memphis April 23, 2011

CupcakeCamp Charleston November 6

5 flip flop cupcakes as summer winds down

Because I'm enjoying the last few days in New York when I can wear flip flops, because I think the phrase "flip flops" is funny, and because it's even funnier to me that flip flops can even go on cupcakes, here are 10 flip flop cupcakes.


by Wild Cakes via Flickr


with a flip flop tag on top! by Sweet Definition Inc. on Flickr


red and white striped flip flops by Anita Jamal on Flickr, who has a bunch of other flip flop cupcakes


Desert Island cupcakes with palm tree, sand and flip flops by Clares Cupcakes via Flickr


fashionista flip flops by Cakes by Shara via Flickr

And a shoutout to these Swissy Missy flip flop cupcakes - I couldn't download them but they are super adorable! Same for these bright summer flip flops by Scrumptious Buns.

Swirlz Cupcakes 4th Anniversary!

Swirlz Cupcakes in Chicago is celebrating 4 years in Lincoln Park on Saturday, October 2nd between 1 and 4pm. They are located at 705 W. Belden Ave. To celebrate, they are showing their appreciation and inviting everyone to stop by for a FREE cupcake! They're not just giving away any cupcake, but their exclusive New Year's Eve Chocolate Champagne cupcake (while supplies last, limit one per person). This is a rich chocolate cake, filled with champagne creme, a layer of Bittersweet Chocolate ganache, frosted with Milk Chocolate and Champagne whipped Italian butter cream, and topped with a handmade chocolate champagne bottle. In addition to a selection of free cupcakes (including gluten free!), there will be a Goose Island beer tasting from 1-4 as well. Feel free to RSVP on their Facebook event. This is a cupcake celebration not to be missed!

Flower cupcake bouquets

These flower cupcake bouquets are all by LoveLane Cupcakes in Banchory, United Kingdom, via their Flickr account.

Army Wife shares her passion for baking cupcakes!

As many of you may know... my husband recently returned from a years deployment in Iraq.  During that deployment, I got to know a lot of the wives in his unit, one of which shares a passion for baking with me!

Katrina recently made a batch of carrot cake cupcakes for her soldier and family that turned out so delicious looking that I just had to get the recipe from her!  And of course, I had to share it with you!

Katrina's Perfect Carrot Cake Cupcakes
This recipe, carrot cake cupcakes, came from a very old cookbook that I had. When I first tried it, it really wasn't that good. The cake came out too dry and something was missing. About a week ago Richard, the hubby, got a craving for some carrot cake, so I pulled out that old recipe and used it as a "rough draft" for the perfect carrot cake. I added 1 more egg and 1/2 cup more of sugar, and my secret ingredient...crushed pineapple. It adds the right amount of sweetness and make the cake so moist. When I was getting ready to put the cake in it's pan and in the oven my daughter Lily asked if we could have "pupcakes" so I lined my cupcake pan with liners and baked this little treats. I topped them with a simple vanilla cream cheese frosting and filled the insides with the frosting and shoved a piece of pineapple in the middle!! These are definitely going in my cookbook!! ENJOY!!!!



Perfect Carrot Cake Cupcakes
2 Cups Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups grated raw carrots
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained (reserve some pineapple for garnish and 1/2 teaspoon juice for frosting)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound of confectioners' sugar (sifted)
1/2 teaspoon pineapple juice

*Preheat over to 350*
*Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon
*in mixing bowl, beat eggs and add sugar. let stand until sugar dissolves (about 10 minutes)
*stir oil, carrots, drained pineapple and nuts into the egg and sugar mixture
* stir in dry ingredients and beat until well blended. about 3 minutes with blender set on medium speed
*line cupcake pan with paper liner and fill 3/4 the way full with batter.
*bake for 20 minutes and check with toothpick to make sure they are done in the middle
*cool in pan for 15 minutes then put them on a wire rack and allow to cook all the way before frosting.

Frosting
* combine butter, cream cheese, vanilla and pineapple juice in a large bowl until well blended.
*add sugar gradually, beating vigorously.
*frost cupcakes only after they have cooled all the way, since the frosting is made of mostly butter and cream cheese it will melt off.

ENJOY!!!

Official Valrhona Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

Whenever food product companies' websites feature official recipes, my curiosity gets the better of me and I browse through to see their suggestions. As the most trusted authority on their own product, I find the websites to be useful in brainstorming ideas as well as giving insight on how best to highlight the ingredient. That being said, not all recipes are winners nor are products interchangeable.

Nevertheless, I will place my trust in certain sources - Valrhona, for one. Known as the chocolate choice for professionals and discerning chocolate lovers, Valrhona drives home the message that the quality of the ingredients you choose makes a big difference. Lucky for us, the current Recipe of the Month on their website is chocolate cupcakes, reproduced below. Chocolate nirvana, here I come!


Valrhona Chocolate Cupcakes
An original recipe by Derek Poirier Valrhona Pastry Chef

Chocolate Cupcake batter

Ingredients

16 oz       sugar

7 oz         all purpose flour

Pinch        sea salt

4 oz         Valrhona Cocoa Powder

1/2 tsp.    baking soda

1/2 tsp.    baking powder

4 oz         buttermilk

1 1/2 ea   whole eggs

2 oz         butter (melted)

4 oz         coffee (warm)

Preparation & Assembly

• Mix all dry ingredients and then sift together
• In separate bowl mix eggs and buttermilk
• Mix together warm butter and coffee
• Add to buttermilk mixture
• Pour liquid over dry ingredients and mix until just combined (do not over mix)
• Put into cupcake molds
• Bake on sheet pan at 325ºF for approx 20-25 minutes

Le Noir 61% (dark) chocolate cream

Ingredients

5 oz.       cream

1 oz.       corn syrup

3 ½ oz.   Valrhona Le Noir 61% Baking Bar

Preparation & Assembly

• Melt chocolate in a microwave or bain marie
• In a sauce pan heat cream and corn syrup
• Add to chocolate slowly while stirring to create a smooth cream
• Allow mixture to crystallize overnight
• Spread on to cupcakes and decorate if desired

Recipe courtesy of Valrhona USA

www.valrhona-chocolate.com

300 free cupcakes Friday at Cupcake in Minneapolis

From the Facebook page of Cupcake in Minneapolis:

Come in on Friday October 1st and celebrate Cupcake's 6th year anniversary!! We will be celebrating with free Trademark cupcakes for Cupcake customers. First 300 customers will receive a complimentary Trademark cupcake!

While you're there, I also highly recommend their s'mores cupcake, which is one of my favorite cupcakes ever. I've started mapping out my 2011 travel plans, and Minneapolis and Milwaukee are on my list (I've never been to Milwaukee). But anyway, get your free cupcake on Friday!

Cupcake
3338 University Ave SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414

NPR serves up "less sinful" cupcake recipes

Eve Turow at NPR is as fascinated by cupcakes and their ubiquity as we are. She also serves up a healthier version with these recipes: Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes, Red Velvet Cupcakes With Cream-Cheese Frosting, Banana Cupcakes With Chocolate Frosting, Pumpkin Cupcakes With Cream-Cheese Frosting, and Orange Cardamom Cupcakes With Orange Yogurt Icing. Visit NPR to read the full article and get photos and all five recipes.

In their current iteration, cupcakes have become exceptionally diverse. They can be decorated for any occasion, wearing flowers for weddings, offering hearts to Valentines or four-leaf clovers on Saint Patrick's Day. The list of flavors is endless. The most popular combinations remain vanilla cake with vanilla icing, and chocolate cake with chocolate icing, but bakers have risen to the challenge of gourmet cupcakes with flavors such as strawberry shortcake, pumpkin, Oreo, peanut butter and even tequila. Many cupcakeries arrange cupcakes in the shapes of mascots or logos for teams and businesses. During a recent conversation with a friend about alternatives to a wedding cake, I suggested tiered cupcakes. "Oh, everyone is doing that," she said.

Easily portable, cupcakes are the perfect lunchbox addition for children. Many associate cupcakes with afternoons of baking with parents, birthday parties and middle school bake sales. I vividly remember eating Halloween cupcakes with plastic pumpkin rings on top. I recall the agonizing choice between vanilla cake with chocolate frosting, or chocolate with vanilla frosting, not to mention the anguish of choosing between jack-o'-lantern rings or spider rings.

As the cupcake has grown up, the food world has become more health-conscious. In an effort to apply new knowledge to an icon, I went through several experimental batches, afternoons of cake-battered aprons and sticky frosting-covered fingers. In the end, I came up with several healthful, friendly recipes. Many are flourless, all skip butter and oil, and some can even be prepared with nothing more than one bowl and a blender. Let the cupcake revolution continue.

We want your October events

If you're doing a cupcake event in October (or November), let us know for our rolling 30-day calendar at right, and possible blog post. Please include:

Event name, date and time
2-3 sentence description
Price
URL
Jpeg if available

Send it to cupcakestakethecake at gmail.com with "October event" or "November event" in the subject line. These are for actual events like a party, class, free tasting, etc., not just a sale or discount.

Kids and Cupcakes: Sydney

Reader Kim F. sent in these adorable Kids and Cupcakes shots of her best friend's daughter, Sydney.

Sydney's enjoying her big brother's birthday cupcakes!

Yum!

Thanks for sending in your Kids and Cupcakes shots!


;)

Vampire cupcake plush toys

These vampire cupcake glittery plush toys are for sale by DogboneArt on Etsy for $6 each (via Flickr).

From the listing:

Brought back from zee dead..muw-ha-ha..Dog Bone Art's original design of the Vampire Cupcake. A new twist with Glittery-blood red frosting on this little guy. Hand screen printed on white felt, he's ready to hang out on your desk or on a shelf for the Halloween season.

Measures about 4" tall, printed with non toxic black waterbased ink.

**Not recommended for the little ones due to the glittery frosting...sorry!

Charcoal cupcake

This "charcoal" cupcake is by ladybugbkt on Flickr. What a fun Halloween idea!

The Cupcake Girls reality TV show renewed

From the Facebook page of Cupcakes in Vancouver:

Force Four Entertainment is proud to announce that their three-time Gemini nominated lifestyle documentary series, The Cupcake Girls, has been renewed for a second season on the W Network, slated to air in April 2011. In addition, the show’s first season began airing in August on American network, WEtv.

I haven't seen the show yet, but click here for the official site, and below is a previous ad for it via YouTube:

THIS WEEKEND! Oregon Coast Cake & Cupcake Camp

It's still not too late to sign up for the Oregon Coast Cake & Cupcake Camp this October 1-2 in Newport, OR.  The last day to sign up for classes is THIS WEDNESDAY, Sept. 29!

If you'd like to donate cupcakes to the event, click HERE.

To participate in the Cupcake Competition on Saturday, click HERE.

For more info about lodging and directions, click HERE.

Click HERE to sign up for Friday classes.

Click HERE to sign up for Saturday classes.

Friday Classes

"Bakerella" Angie Dudley: Cake Pops:
This class will be a 2-3 hour complete demo and the last 1/2 hour will be hands on, all supplies included. $50. "Cake Pops" Bakerella's new book will also be given to all who attend this very special class, along with her signature.Class will be offered 9:00-12:00 & 2:30-5:30 Location: Nye Beach Market

"Cupcake Julie" One of a kind Felt Cupcakes:
As seen on Bakerella's 2009 Christmas party website post. This is a hands on class where you will make your own felt cupcake. 2 hours, all supplies included-please bring your own pair of scissors. $35. Class will be offered 9:00-11:00 & 4:00-6:00 Location: The Hallmark Hotel

Michelle Bommarito, Fondant 101:
3 hour hands on class, supply list will be provided -$75. Class will be offered 8:30-11:30 Location: Newport's Visual Arts center in Nye Beach.

Michelle Bommarito, Romantic wedding cake design:
3 hour demonstration class with some hands on, supply list will be provided by September 23rd- $75. Class will be offered 3:00-6:00 Location: Newport's Visual Arts center in Nye Beach.

Dianna Lopez-Carlos Bakery:
Hand painting on fondant, 3 hour hands on class, supplies will be provided by instructor, tools listed below $75. Class will be offered 9:00-12:00 Location: Hallmark Hotel

Lunch with the celebrity pastry chef's & Bakerella:
All of the media and Donate Life Northwest team as well as Charity George and Bakerella will share with us about their transplant experiences first hand.

Dianna Lopez, Creating modeling chocolate sculptures:
4 hour hands on class, supplies provided by instructor $75 Class will be offered 2:00-6:00 Location: Hallmark Hotel just lowered the price of this class-by $25, don't miss out!!!!

Charity Pykles- George, Sugar Art 101:
Techiniques-coral bubble sugar, isamalt and molds. 3 hour demonstration class with some hands on, supplies will be provided by instructor. $65 just lowered price of this class. Class offered 9:00-12:00 Location: Hallmark Hotel

Charity Pykles-George, Ocean themed cakes:
Coloring shells and other valuable techniques. 3-4 hour demo with hands on class, supplies provided by instructor. $75. Class will be offered 2:00-6:00 Location: Hallmark Hotel

Click HERE to sign up for Friday classes.

Saturday Classes

"Hop up on caffeine" with Michelle Bommarito:
Enjoy a cup of joe or fresh glass of O.J. and local french pastry's, sit and relax in an intimate setting with Michelle and only 11 other people ( this is limited to 12 people) sign up quick! Michelle is a ray of sunshine to everyone she meets! $16 8:00-9:00 THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME WITH MICHELLE! DON'T MISS THIS!!!!!!! Location: La Maison 315 SW 9th Street Newport, Oregon 97365

"Bakerella" BOOK SIGNING "Cake Pops" book included:
This will be a wonderful way to meet and talk with Angie Dudley, "Bakerella" 10:30-12:00 Location: Hallmark Hotel $20.

Michelle Bommarito, Cupcakes meet the Wedding Cake Designer:
2 hour demonstration class with a few minutes to play with some cupcakes to decorate and take home. No supplies needed, come and have fun- $45. Class will be offered 10:00-12:00 Location: The Hallmark Hotel.

Charity Pykles-George, Adjusting recipes in baking for those who are allergic/sensitive to certain foods:
90 minute power point presentation, question and answer portion with recipes to take home. $35
Class will be offered 9:30-11:00. Location: Shilo Resort/Hotel

Dianna Lopez, Hobby cake maker- turned pro:
How to take your game to the next level. 2 hour question and answer forum with practical application to walk away with. Class will be offered 9:00-11:00. $40. Location: Hallmark Hotel

Boxed lunch:
$10 complete with turkey sandwich, kettle chips, fruit and bottle of water delivered to the Hallmark Hotel at 11:30 a.m. provided by Cafe Stephanie.

"Cakespy" Jessie Oleson- watercolor artist:
Kids of all ages 8-108 join in the fun with Jessie as she teaches you how to do your own cupcake water color. 90 minute hands on. $15. Class will be offered 11:00-12:30. Location: Hallmark Hotel

Kids cupcake class:
Kids over 8 years and above, 1 hour hands on class will teach the basics of how to frost with a pastry bag, easy decorating techniques and best of all play with sprinkles and the fun stuff, also some great frosting recipes to try at home. $10 Class will be offered 10:00-11:00. Location: Hallmark Hotel

Click HERE to sign up for Saturday classes.

Double rainbow marzipan filled coconut cupcake

How fun is this rainbow within a rainbow coconut cupcake? It's by Bake It In a Cake, where you can say more filled cupcakes that will make your brain explode with awesomeness. (via EpiCute)

The Chocolate Adventure Contest

*image from www.chocolateadventurecontest.com

Attention fellow chocolate lovers! Show off your cupcake baking creativity and skills in Tuttifoodie.com and Scharffen Berger’s Chocolate Adventure Contest! Yes, I said cupcakes! The rules state that you have to create a cupcake recipe with Scharffen Berger chocolate as well as at least one “Adventure Ingredient” listed on the site. Not only is there $20,000 in prizes up for grabs, but the winning recipe will appear in Food Network Magazine! What’s more, you will fly to New York City and share your creations from one of the Sweet Trucks.

If that’s not enough, check out the awesome lineup of celebrity judges who will be critiquing your creations:

-          John Scharffenberger

-          Elizabeth Falkner

-          Alice Medrich

-          Matt Armendariz

-          Angie Dudley

The contest kicks off on Friday, October 1^st. Have no idea where you can find Scharffen Berger chocolate? Never fear! There are links to buy it directly on the contest's web site. You have to enter your recipes online too so be sure to check out www.chocolateadventurecontest.com for more info on rules, how to enter, and bios of the judges. You can enter up to 10 recipes so good luck!

Orange velvet cupcakes for Halloween

Alexa over at the blog The Swell Life has the recipe for these orange velvet cupcakes she made in time for Halloween.

Kids and Cupcakes: Violet

Soo precious!





"Violet and her cupcake" by Joe Shlabotnik.