My adventure at Ben & Jerry's in Vermont!
Unicorn Love: the Eating Disorder Recovery Blog
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Saturday, December 31, 2011 
CakeSpy Note: Every now and again I post an image here, for no reason other than to make you smile. This one is a sweet treat indeed: an interpretation of an Andy Warhol quote as an illicit affair between pie and cake.
artwork, daily sweet Friday, December 30, 2011 
This book intrigues me (Thanks, Phil!): Mantra: The Rules of Indulgence
Sweet: a recap of my book signing at Yummy Cupcakes!
Chocolate chip toffee oatmeal cookies: recipe courtesy Coconut & Lime!
Sweet New Year Cheer: Mimosa Brownies!
Sweet (but literally, savory): Baked Brie Bites!
Whoopie! A funny "letter to the editor" I once received.
A sweet round-up of New Year's dessert ideas.
Speaking of brownies, thank you Peabody for this recipe: Brownie Tart with Hot Chocolate Ice Cream.
Totally sweet: Check out this interview with me on Best Friends for Frosting!
Cut-ups: Gingerbread cut-out cookies from BitterSweet.
Homemade Sea Salt Caramels? Hallelujah, Baking Bites!
40 desserts that can kill you. Is it bad that I'm looking at this as a "TO DO FOR 2012" list?
In case you missed it: my favorite 50 treats from 2011!
It's about that time of year: Galette des Rois!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 
Image: Cocktails.Lovetoknow.comOh, you guys.
Ever since I've been a recipe and Friendsgiving correspondent for Baileys, I've been coming across all sorts of great recipes and ideas for using the Irish Cream liqueur.
But one of my favorites? The Baileys Root Beer Float. It beautifully combines childhood nostalgia with adults-only booziness, and certainly hits many notes of deliciousness.
Here's a recipe I found, which couldn't be easier to make, and in return for your minimal effort, you get maximum deliciousness. Everyone wins!
Irish Root Beer Float
This may be the simplest root beer float cocktail recipe, but it's incredibly tasty. Follow the directions the first time you make it, and then experiment with the ratio of Baileys to root beer to find your perfect flavor blend.
Using a tall mug, fill it 1/3 full of crushed ice. Next, add the Baileys approximately 1/4 of the way up the glass. Fill the rest of the glass with the root beer and give it a little stir with a swizzle stick.
beverages Wednesday, December 28, 2011 
Things that are great: Wine. Cupcakes.
But are they better together?
Indeed, says Debra Layman, one of the owners of Benton City, WA-based special-order baking company Wine Country Cupcakes. Specializing in booze-infused cupcakes, these are sweet treats for the adult whose palate is a bit more refined but who still enjoys the nostalgia of a delicious classic childhood treat. Here's a bit more of their story:
Please...tell me your story, Wine Country Cupcakes. Who are you, how did you get started, and where are you going with your business? The Wine Country Cupcakes & Custom Cakes story………. I had been taking care of my Mother who had Alzheimer and kidney failure for over 5 years, so when she passed I was so lost I had to find something to do so I asked my daughter if she wanted to come over and do some baking I knew I need a pleasant diversion and baking always had a way of making the world better. So we baked and worked to put together a recipe for Merlot cupcakes and the rest is history. Now as far as where we are going with our business we are looking forward to expanding and within the next year moving into a larger studio.
If Martha Stewart contacted you and wanted to try just one of your cupcakes, which flavor would you give her? Now as for Martha Stewart that was the most challenging of all the questions, my daughter Meghan and I have really struggled with this one First we thought we would give her the “Dark Chocolate Merlot” it has been our most requested flavor from the beginning but then we felt that maybe she would enjoy a more light and festive flavor which would be the newest flavor we offer which is the “Spiced Pear Chardonnay” Our many customers who are winery club members seem to really love it so I guess Martha will have to take both and decide which one she prefers.
Do boozy cupcakes actually retain the alcohol, or does it "burn off" during the baking process? Now as far as the alcohol burning off of the Boozy cupcakes …… the alcohol content in a baked product is only reduced by approximately... 60%.
Why do you always have to eat the Guinness cupcake cold? The reason we suggest that the Guinness cupcakes are better cold is due to the fact this is a very dense cake similar to a brownies so when you eat it cold it has the wonderful chewy consistency.
Is pairing wine cupcakes with wine excessive, or delicious? Would you suggest it? Oh pairing wine with cupcakes not only delicious but makes the experience brilliant , I actually have a customer who has told me the only way to do is to take a bite of the cupcake and sip the wine through it. He has told us it is heaven and we believe him because when he told us about I as we watch him explain his face went from being a professional business man to this bright eyed 12 year old boy his eye even got a sparkle to them.
What is your response when people say that "cupcakes are over"? Now as far as cupcakes being over Meghan and I both agree that cupcakes will never be over as long as we each have that inner child who allows us to enjoy the sweet moments in life.
Tell me one of your best cupcake moments of 2011. I think that our best cupcake moments of 2011 would have to be when a couple came all the way from Hawaii to do a tasting for their upcoming renewal of their wedding vows. To think that people would travel so far just to try our cupcakes amazing.
Do dudes go for the beer cupcakes more than girls? Now as far as Dudes liking beer cupcakes more than girls no really they seem to both enjoy them equally.
What’s next for Wine Country Cupcakes? To keep working with our local wineries to come up with new ideas for flavors and keep bring those smiles to our customers because there is nothing better than to watch someone eat a cupcake and watch them break into a smile, or when someone meets you for the first time and they respond with “You’re the cupcake lady!” you can’t help but smile.
For more, visit the Wine Country Cupcakes website!
bbatter chatter Friday, December 23, 2011 
Cupcakes by New York Cupcakes, Seattle and Bellevue WA
It's that wonderful time of year when I look back on all of the sugary sweets myself and my Cake Gumshoeing associates have consumed.
And man, have we (mostly me) eaten a lot of sweet stuff.
And now, to give you a contact sugar high, here's a sweet roundup of the 50 most memorable sweet treats from the year. Prepare yourself for some serious sugar cravings.
Rainbow Layer Cake from the CakeSpy book, made by Bredenbeck's Bakery, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia
Butterscotch Dip Cupcake, Retro Bakery, Las Vegas NV
Pecan pastry cup from Fruute, Los Angeles
Pumpkin Ice Cream from Theno's Dairy
Speculoos Cookies, Village Bakery, Los Angeles
Cuppie Cupcakes, Trophy Cupcakes, Seattle
Every single thing, Angel Food Bakery, Chicago
Cupcakes with CakeSpy art toppers, Sugarush A Sweet Experience, Red Bank, NJ
The Royale, Patisserie Poupon, Washington DC
Dessert Sampler, Woodberry Kitchen, Baltimore MD
Smearcase, Mama's One Stop bakery, Baltimore MD
Pistachio Macaron, Le Petit Mitron, Narberth, PA
Cupcakes from Butter Lane, NYC
Cupcakes, Eat Cake!, Newburyport, MA
Cupcakes with CakeSpy art toppers, SWEET, Boston
Cannoli: One from Mike's Pastry, one from Modern Pastry, Boston
Chickpea cookies, Tabrizi Bakery, Watertown MA
Gelato, Gelato Classico, San Francisco
Cowgirl Cookie, Arizmendi Bakery, San Francisco
Pink Cupcakes, Teacake Bake Shop, Bay Area
Cinnamon Twist, Pastry Cupboard, San Francisco
Birthday Cake Custard, Old School Frozen Custard, Seattle WA
Every flavor cupcake, Saint Cupcake, Portland OR
Kouign Amann, Alder Pastry, Portland OR
Donuts, Delicious Donuts, Portland OR
Ice cream, Salt and Straw Ice Cream, Portland OR
Lemon tart, Dahlia Bakery, Seattle WA
Rainbow layer cake made by ME, from my book launch Party, Seattle WA
Huckleberry Milkshake, Mary Lou's Milk Bottle, Spokane, WA
Coffee Cake from Coastal Kitchen, Seattle WA
Nanaimo Bars, Whoopie Pies, and just about EVERYTHING at BAKED in Brooklyn, NY
Alfajores, El Porteno, Ferry Building in San Francisco
Fisher Scone, Puyallup Fair, Washington
Red Velvet Cake, Sweet Lady Jane, Los Angeles
Carrot Cake, Mauston Park Oasis Restaurant, Mauston, WI
Cream Puffs, Puffs of Doom, Chicago IL
Caramel Cookie Waffles, Billings MT
Frozen Custard, Niko's, Chicago IL
Dark Chocolate Truffle, Sweet Art, Bellingham WA
A Nanaimo bar, IN Nanaimo, British Columbia
Pie by Kate Lebo, Seattle, WA
S'more Pop-Tart S'mores, made by ME
Biscuit Cinnamon Roll, Denver CO
The "Bee's Knees" Cupcake, Lovely Confections, Denver
Rainbow Whoopie Pies from the Oddfellows Whoopie Pie Bake-off, Seattle WA
Grasshopper Pie in a brownie crust, made by ME
Doubletree Cookie, Doubletree Hotels everywhere
Cookie dough stuffed cupcakes, SWIRLZ, Chicago IL
Paletas by La Newyorkina, NYC
Vanilla Kreme Donut, Dunkin Donuts locations everywhere
Gelato by Via Dolce, Leavenworth WA
Torchetti by Cle Elum Bakery, Cle Elum WA
Nutella Pretzel Sandwich, Bellingham WA
Saltwater Taffy Cream pie, by ME
Doughnuts by Locanda Verde, NYC
Easter Dessert Tacos, made by ME
Friday, December 23, 2011 
Hey...remember how my book was on the TODAY show? Yeah, that kind of ruled.
Interesting: A Q+A on regional baked goods.
Up, up, and away! A flying gingerbread house in Arizona.
Sweet: Paleo Fruitcake recipe!
Season's Eatings: The Twelve Cakes of Christmas!
Chocolate candy cane snowflakes. OMG!
Buffalo. Chicken. Milkshake. Whaaa? (thanks, Monica!)
Sweet and tart: cranberries for baking make for sweet treats!
Candy Cane Cocoa Truffles: le nom!
Pannetone al Cioccolato! Sweet!
Sweets I want to eat: from ShortCake in LA!
Per LA Weekly: Cupcakes, we just can't quit you.
Neapolitan Blondie bars: le nom!
Mac attack! Macarons take Miami by storm!
Sweet! My clever talkin' made the "Best Quotes of 2011" list for Seattle Weekly...
links Thursday, December 22, 2011 
CakeSpy Note: For no particular reason, other than to sweeten your day, I post a feel-good image here every now and again. Today's image: Diets, and my thoughts on them. Yes, that about sums it up. (Die)t!
artwork Thursday, December 22, 2011 
What's better than a chocolate truffle?
A spiked chocolate truffle, duh! They've got all the sweetness of a bonbon, but with a little kick that makes the holidays just a little nicer. This recipe was shared with me by the Baddish Group, which represents several types of liqueurs.
Make your season much brighter with these sweet treats! Here's the recipe:
Chocolate Truffles by The Joy of Cooking
Coatings for Truffles:
For Chocolate Truffles: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized heatproof bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for a minute or two. Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. (If the chocolate doesn't melt completely, place in the microwave for about 20 seconds, or over a saucepan of simmering water, just until melted.) If desired, add the liqueur. Cover and place in the refrigerator until the truffle mixture is firm (this will take several hours or overnight).
Place your coatings for the truffles on a plate. Remove the truffle mixture from the refrigerator. With your hands, a small ice cream scoop, a melon baller, or with a small spoon form the chocolate into round or mis-shaped bite-sized balls. Immediately roll the truffle in the coating and place on a parchment lined baking sheet or tray. Cover and place in the refrigerator until firm. Truffles can be refrigerated for a couple of weeks or else frozen for a couple of months.
To Toast Nuts: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and bake nuts (pecans, walnuts or almonds) about 8 - 10 minutes or until brown and fragrant. For hazelnuts toast about 15 minutes or until the skins start to blister. Remove from oven and roll in a clean dish towel. Let the nuts 'steam' for about 5 minutes and then remove the skins. Once the nuts have cooled, chop coarsely.
Makes 30 small truffles.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011 
CakeSpy Note: For no particular reason, other than to sweeten your day, I post a feel-good image here every now and again. Today's pick: a recent image I painted, Cupcakes at Tiffany's! I am currently creating prints to sell in my online shop.
artwork, daily sweet Monday, December 19, 2011 
So, I have a friend named Julie.
Julie's pretty great. There are many reasons why, but this week, two in particular stand out: first, the cookies she made the other day: malted corn flake cookies, inspired by Christina Tosi of MilkBar and author of Milk
Two: Today, she introduced me to an activity known as the Tim Tam Slam.
What's a Tim Tam Slam, you ask? Prepare to be amazed.
To understand the Slam, first, you must know what a Tim Tam is. It's a confection that hails from Australia, manufactured by a company called Arnott's. It is composed of two layers of chocolate malted biscuit, separated by chocolate cream filling, and coated in a thin layer of textured chocolate.
And it's a popular treat. According to Arnott's, around 35 million packs are sold each year. Like, whoa.
How was it invented? Per this article, inventor Ian Norris "first thought of the Tim Tam in 1958 while on a world trip for the company, searching for new ideas. In Britain, he came upon the Penguin, a type of chocolate-coated biscuit sandwich. "I thought that was not a bad idea for a biscuit ... we'll make a better one," he recalled."
Where'd it get that funny name? Per the treat's official website, "Tim Tam biscuits were named after a horse that won the Kentucky Derby! In 1958 Ross Arnott attended the race day and decided ‘Tim Tam’ was the perfect name for his new biscuit."
OK, OK. So now you are acquainted with the Tam. But what about the Slam? As I learned here, it is "a tradition Down Under of dunking and sucking tea through a chocolate biscuit."
As I further learned on Wikipedia,
Opposite corners of the Tim Tam are bitten off, one end is submerged in the drink, and the drink sucked through the biscuit. The crisp inside biscuit is softened and the outer chocolate coating begins to melt.
Ideally, the inside of the biscuit should collapse with the outside remaining intact long enough for the liquid to reach the mouth. Refrigerating or similar processes help to preserve the outside coating while allowing the inside of the biscuit to dissolve into a warm, creamy centre. The thicker chocolate coating on the Double Coat Tim Tam offers a more stable structure to prevent a premature collapse. The caramel centre of the Chewy Caramel variety helps to hold the biscuit together for a slightly longer time - contributing to enhanced enjoyment. When the biscuit structure collapses it is typically pushed into the mouth. This activity is often performed for show in front of large groups of people.
I know, I know. The best sporting event ever, right!? I don't know about you, but I am pretty ready to try it out myself. But not just because it sounds delicious...because celebrities do it, too:
For more, visit the Tim Tam website!
