Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Please, can someone buy me this plush unicorn bouquet? (Right here)

Curious about the life of a professional fake food maker? (NPR)

How to make tuiles, a fancy French cookie. (Craftsy)

I'm so all about this pistachio cream cake. (My name is yeh)

Cronuts and pretzel croissants: part of a trend that is pervasive and possibly perverse. (The New Yorker)

We owe the restaurant experience as we know it to the French. (Ireland Independent)

Chocolate chip French toast layer cake. OMG. (Sun Diego Eats)

Homemade French burnt peanuts: I'm intrigued. (Baked Chicago)

Since it was recently President's Day: desserts named after US Presidents. (CakeSpy)

Ever heard of Watergate cake? (Craftsy)

Red velvet gooey butter cake. ALSO OMG. (I am baker)

Love this: The first time my daughter told me she hated me, I baked her a cake. (xojane)

Book of the week: Mug Meals: Delicious Microwave Recipes. Technically, this book is not out yet, but I got an advance copy. I have to say, I am completely impressed with all of the delicious-looking meals that come together in a mug in the microwave. Yes, there are cakes. But there's a whole lot more, too, from mango crumble to even lasagna. 

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

For the love...of champagne flutes! Check out this sweet post by my friend. (Jameson Fink)

Can you refrigerate buttercream? Plus more buttercream FAQs. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Awesome cookie dough truffles made with olive oil. Really! (Colavita)

I can deal with "healthified" cinnamon rolls because it means you're still eating cinnamon rolls. (Crazy for Crust)

Eat on up: banana bread nutella bars. (Heather's French Press)

Because I already miss North Carolina: a roundup of all of the delicious things I ate in Asheville. (CakeSpy)

One of the most interesting obits: David Dalquist, who invented a baking pan we all know and love. (NY Times)

Good question: what is cocoa butter? (Baking Bites)

Impossibly cute: chocolate cherry blossom cookies. (Sally's Baking Addiction)

Think pavlova is great? Give double chocolate pavlova a try, yo. (Epicuricloud)

Don't have separation anxiety: check out creative cake separator ideas. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

East 62nd Street Cake. It looks like it's stuffed with sunshine. (Shauna Sever)

How to draw instruments. A sweet (but not to eat, or even play) tutorial! (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

I love eating avocado creatively. This avocado breakfast bowl has me intrigued. (Sun Diego Eats)

Agar extender. (TIC Gums)

Book of the week: Cut Out and Keep: Around the USA in 50 Craft Projects. I've been a huge fan of the website Cut Out + Keep for years, and this innovative book features craft ideas from all around the USA. I think you'll enjoy the clever yet beautiful crafts from the book, ranging from hollywood-inspired lampshades to beautiful foliage-inspired napkins. 

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Pop-Hearts, not Pop-Tarts. Because Valentine's Day is coming! (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

I NEED ALL OF THIS FOR VALENTINE'S DAY. (ThinkGeek)

How to choose typefaces to match your artwork. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Ever heard of the Sky Bar? It used to be one of the nation's most popular. (Candy Blog)

Conversation heart Nanaimo bars. Because, well, tis the season. (Serious Eats)

Ever tried a dessert made with black eyed peas? Go for it --> (Fork Fingers Chopsticks)

Oven-dried strawberry slices. I'm into it. (Frugality Gal)

Banana bread: I'm not into it unless it has chocolate chips. There, I said it. (CakeSpy)

Roccos. I'm into it, even if they don't have gluten. (Yummy Beet)

Elegant piped chocolate garnishes. Easy and delicious! (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Buckeye graham crackers. Ohio meets after school treat. (Gold Lining Girl)

Yumz: Fluffy potato rolls. (Crazy for Crust)

Beer battered sweet potatoes. Not dessert sweet, but I'm totally into it. (Mess Makes Food)

Book of the week: The Potato Cookbook. First and foremost, I'm happy that it exists, period. But even more, that it has desserts. Potato-infused black forest cake, anyone? 

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Check me out in New Mexico Magazine! (NM Mag)

Chocolate chip cookie shooters...filled with milk. Yes! (CakeSpy)

A sweet entry about yoga (not sweets) from my yoga school classmate. (Peace, Love, and Kale)

Dark chocolate "detox" bites. If this is what detox looks like, I can stand it. (The View from Grand Island)

Good Food Finder: Please, make this a thing for every state. (Good Food Finder)

Just FYI: Feb 1 is National Baked Alaska Day. Make this one, please. (Canelle et Vanille)

I'm intrigued: 3 ingredient flourless PEANUT BUTTER (not chocolate!) cake. (Kirbie's Cravings)

Sweet potato chips made in the microwave. I approve. (Baked by an Introvert)

Vodka cupcakes: ever heard of such a thing? (The Baking Robot)

HOMEMADE COW TALES. How did I not discover this til now? (Sprinkle Bakes)

Because it's flu season: desserts to eat when you're sick. (CakeSpy)

According to this list, calcium tops the list of ingredients that make you feel happy. Um, milkshake anyone?? (Greatist)

Triple the crumb, less than half the cake. The best: behemoth crumb cake. (Serious Eats)

I love this roundup of edible shot glasses (not just for alcohol - dessert-related too!). (Food Hacks)

Book of the week: Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table. Have you ever read any of Ruth Reichl's brilliant books? If not, this one is my favorite. The woman knows how to write a memoir, and there's food included. Seriously, they are tender and beautiful and worth your time.

15 Foods that Unicorns Would Definitely Eat

If you've ever had an unexpected unicorn visitor at your home, you've probably wondered: what can I feed this mystical creature? Are unicorns vegan? Do they prefer foods that are pink? Are they gluten-free? What gives?

I tell you, I've looked and looked but there is no mention of such a thing in any Emily Post book.

Even if you haven't faced this magical mystery of social etiquette, you never know when a unicorn might appear in your life.

Don't worry. They're not *all* gluten-free or vegan.

To this I must say, dear readers, I care. I really do. And so whether it's helping you prepare for future unicorn visits or just the possibility of a unicorn appearance, I'd like to share what I've learned from all the unicorns I call friends.

These fifteen scrumptious sweet treats would definitely pass their magical standards, if you ask me. Of course, if you are a human, you can still eat these treats, and they might help you attract unicorn friends. It will also help if you wear these. 

Fifteen Foods that Unicorns Would Definitely Eat.

You can trust me, because I am pretty sure I'm part unicorn. 

Rainbow cake.

Well, duh, right? There's a recipe for this delectable treat in my first book, CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life, and also online here. 

Jell-o pudding cups

Yep. Unicorns love rainbows. So they're pretty big fans of these rainbow gelatin squares. 

Funfetti pancakes

"Fun" is part of the name of funfetti, and unicorns love all things fun, especially if they also come with a rainbow color scheme. So you can pretty much rest assured that they will love to carb-o-load on funfetti pancakes. 

Homemade funfetti cupcakes

As you might have guessed based on the funfetti pancakes, unicorns also adore funfetti cake. Especially cupcakes, because they don't have to share them. Because as giving as they are of magic, they're not so generous with their personal sugar stash. Recipe here. 

Rainbow donuts

Photo via Flickr member Jordanpattern

Unicorns love rainbows. They love doughnuts. But a doughnut with rainbow frosting? You've got yourself a grand slam of a unicorn-pleasing snack. Make DIY rainbow doughnuts by purchasing vanilla frosted doughnuts and "painting" them with food coloring!

Unicorn doughnuts

Well, OK, rainbow doughnuts are not the only type of fried treat you can serve unicorns and receive a standing ovation. You can also serve doughnuts which are shaped like unicorns. All you need is a little time and a unicorn shaped cookie cutter. Oh, and this recipe. You'll have unicorn friends for life if you serve these, I promise. 

Unicorn Pop-Tarts

Unicorns love breakfast, in case you hadn't guessed. But they're pretty much over Pop-Tarts, even homemade, because everyone offers them those. But a unicorn-shaped Pop-Tart? You'll have trouble getting them to ever LEAVE!

Rainbow cookies filled with chocolate chip cookie dough

Listen up. You've already gathered that unicorns love rainbows, sweets, and carbs. But to find chocolate chip cookie dough nestled within a rainbow? A unicorn might faint (with pleasure, that is). Recipe here.

Jelly bean pop-tarts

It doesn't have to be Easter for unicorns to enjoy a delicious jelly bean-filled treat. Especially when it combines super-sweet jelly beans with delicious homemade Pop-Tart perfection! You might just get these unicorns to invite over the Easter bunny! Recipe here.

Cupcakes in ice cream cones 

Unicorns like a little trick with their treat. So they'll be delighted to discover that these colorful cones are not actually ice cream, but cake! 

Rainbow pancakes

Photo via Flickr member globochem

In case you haven't gotten it yet: unicorns love breakfast, and they love carbs. If you're serving pancakes that are NOT funfetti, be sure to add some food coloring to your pancakes. Instant rainbow, instant party!

Candy salad

What's better than eating your veggies? Eating candy that looks like veggies. This salad is totally sweet--it's actually made with a melange of tinted candy melts, cookies, and fried cake crumb croutons!

Rainbow cookies

Photo via Flickr member Joyosity

A unicorn would be so psyched to eat these morsels of sweet multicolored joy. Best of all? The recipe is easy.

Rainbow candy bowls

I don't know a unicorn who wouldn't be psyched about rainbow candy bowls. They are highly magical.

Rainbow sprinkles

It's easy and it's quick, but if a unicorn arrives and you're in a pinch, this is your ultimate instant hospitality trick. Cover any and everything you serve in rainbow sprinkles. They'll love it, I promise. 

Which food do you think unicorns would like best?

CakeSpy's Recent Craftsy Posts

How to make vegan buttercream using coconut oil. I am really proud of this one. 

How to mix skin tones in acrylic. Easy and accessible for all levels!

Guess what? I made a stuffed crust pizza.

How to make congo bars. They are so delicious, you need them in your life! (Pictured top of post)

DIY Bouillon cubes. Worth your time.

Adding dimension to your illustrations. It's easy!

Homemade cookie butter spread!

Keeping it light but flavorful: swaps for healthier baking.

A free buttercream e-guide. Yummm.

How to revive dried-out cake. You're welcome.

My recipes are part of this really fun and thorough breadmaking e-guide.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Homemade cookie butter! Too much joy!! (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

And a perfect use for that DIY cookie butter: white chocolate cookie butter truffles. (The Little Kitchen)

Not-so-basic buttercream decorating e-guide. Awesome resource! (Craftsy)

DIY conversation hearts. It's easy! Really! (CS Archives)

It's savory, but this cheesy, potato-filled flatbread called Bing Bread has me very intrigued. (Bon Appetit)

A super helpful guide to substituting olive oil for butter in baking recipes. (Colavita)

How to make congo bars. YUM. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Perfect marble cake. I want this right now. (I Am Baker)

Cheese straws! Vanilla beans! More! The top 5 food trends, according to the Fancy Food Show. (PR Newswire)

Butterscotch toffee cookies. YUM. (Shugary Sweets)

DIY bouillon cubes. Yumsies. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

What's better than Goo Goo Clusters? Ummm, Goo Goo Cluster S'mores. (Love and Olive Oil)

It looks like salad...but it is CANDY. (Archives) 

Book of the week: Wolf in Chef's Clothing. This book is hilarious, and written for the single male on the prowl. The recipes are adorable. You'll be charmed by this book, from the era of Mad Men.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Unicorn shaped doughnuts. Necessary. (CakeSpy)

Baking a little lighter, but not less delicious. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Totally featured on the James Beard Foundation Blog (ME! ME! ME!)

"The foods you should never eat in 2015". More like TO DO LIST. (Fiscal Times)

Let's toast...the new year plus a week! This pomegranate orange champagne cocktail sounds like the tops. (Grandbaby Cakes)

How to revive dried-out cake. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

In case you missed it: the sweetest moments of CakeSpy in 2014. (CakeSpy)

I usually stop thinking about sweet potato pie after fall. But this version, with a salty pecan crust, has me dreaming of it anew. (Ambitious Kitchen)

Chocolate chip cheesecake bars. Because resolutions are boring. (Cookie Madness)

Because yes, it's already on my mind: the 21 best chocolates to give your valentine. (BuzzFeed)

A people's history of cinnamon imperials. (Candy Blog)

Don't have buttermilk? Don't worry. Easy DIY fixes. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Banana pudding ice cream recipe. Heaventown. (Texan New Yorker)

How to get hated: deadly sins of blogging. (The Perfect Brownie)

Most popular ice cream flavors by state. Awesome! (Community Table)

Book of the week: The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars. Maybe you think I'm crazy (probably not if you love sweets)...but this one was a real page turner detailing the historic rivalry between Mars and Hershey. It's a fascinating read.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Photo: flickr member joyosity

These sweet links represent 12 baked goods I resolve to bake in 2015. Some I just haven't tried yet; others kind of scare me. What baked good do you resolve to tackle this year?

A surprise-inside cake. To some they're old news, but to me they delight me anew each and every time. I want to make a really good one, along the lines of my friend Amanda (AKA I Am Baker)

Perfect canelés de Bordeaux. Crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside. I want to make them at home and I want them to taste just as good as at a bakery.

Baumkuchen. Because, well, just look at it!

Buckeyes. I don't think they are tough to make, but I've never made them, and recently driving through Ohio gave me a chance to eat my fill, and they've been on my mind ever since.

Fancy ice cream. I have made ice cream successfully without an ice cream maker, but I want to expand my repertoire. What flavor should I try? 

Marjolaine. It's frequently listed on "most difficult to make" recipe lists, but I want to make it my own. 

Crack pie. I've never had it. I've never made it. I want to, on both counts. 

Cat head biscuits. Once again, they don't sound crazy difficult to make, but I love saying the name, so why not make 'em?

7-Up Biscuits. Speaking of biscuits, I also want to make 7-up biscuits. Because, well, just look at the name. I'm intrigued!

Homemade toaster strudel. Homemade pop-tarts are forever in my heart, but I'd like to at least say I made homemade toaster strudel once.

Cornmeal layer cake. Sort of like this cornmeal buttermilk cake, but with more layers (and therefore, more frosting). It sounds amazing to me--I adore cornmeal. 

Shaped homemade sprinkles. I love homemade sprinkles, but I want to experiment with creative shapes!

Homemade puff pastry. This is one of those things that I think of as being bought, not made, but I would like to change that!

A crêpe cake. If one crêpe is great, I'm sure that many, stacked with icing, is even better. In fact, I'm sure of it.

50 Sweetest Moments of 2014

It's been a delicious year.

Full of life, love, and alotalotalotalotofdessert. You know what? I'd like to look back at the year to re-visit some of my sweetest moments: things I ate, places I went, art I made. Why don't you join me for a loving look back? I've arranged 50 of my finest moments from the year, in no particular order, for our mutual enjoyment. Cue the memory montage music:

1. I tackled the controversial subject of things that are not dessert. 

2. I went to the Pillsbury Bake-Off and got to hug the doughboy, and taste the million-dollar winning recipe.

3. I went to Bali, where they served mini cookies with lattes.

4. In the case of Seniman Coffee in Bali, they served the latte with a mini coconut pancake.

5. I made millet cookies.

6. I made magic cookie bars.

7. I delved into the art of guilty pleasure desserts.

8. Two words: funfetti marshmallows.

9. Two more words: Magnum Gold.



10. I made a comprehensive post about the delicious sweets of  New Mexico.

11. I made ice cream...with butter.

12. I made what I consider the only flourless chocolate cake.
Flourless chocolate cake.

13. Along with King Arthur Flour, I learned how to make the perfect pie crust.

14. I invented Cadbury creme egg in hole toast.

15. I learned how to make d.i.y. sweetened condensed milk.

16. I discovered Dessert Mash-Ups by Dorothy of Crazy For Crust.

17. I made cornmeal pecan cookies.

18. I made the most marvellous marble swirl cake.

19. I made an absolutely perfect pie with King Arthur Flour.

20. I discovered that you can make Millionaire's shortbread with store bought sugar cookie dough.

21. I made amazing bread with blue corn and pinon.

22. I fell in love with caramels by Liddabit Sweets.

23. I made homemade rock candy. oooooh.

24. I went on the road trip of the century.

25. I taught the world about "The Cake".

26. I discovered how to make black rice pudding, a Balinese specialty, at home.

27. Three words: Breakfast. Nanaimo. Bars.

28. I shared a delectable Irish Soda Bread recipe.

29. I taught you how to make tres leches cake.

30. Not joking: I made peanut butter banana croissant doughnuts.

31. I made chocolate babka with olive oil!

32. I made NYC-style rainbow cookies.

33. I made Vanilla Kreme doughnuts inspired by Dunkin'!

35. How brilliant was this: cookie cups filled with milk.

36. I made chocolate filled cookies. Bliss.

37. I made a tutorial for how to make "honeycomb" out of chocolate.

38. I created "Pop-Hearts".

39. And then I outdid myself by making unicorn Pop-tarts.

40. I figured out how to make doughnuts using cookie dough mix.

41. I made my own nutella!

42. I went healthy for a few minutes and made this hippie drink inspired by one I enjoyed in Bali.

43. Then I went back to the sweets and made a white chocolate cranberry pie that I still dream about.

44. I learned how to make ice cream without an ice cream maker!

45. I educated you on what pumpkin pie spice is, exactly.

46. I figured out a way to make any and every cookie better.

47. I invented a fictional yoga cafe.

48. I really did some terrible things to cereal.

49. I created some possible new Pop-Tart flavors.

50. We discussed eating disorders and food blogs.

This was a very meaningful moment for me in 2014. I wrote a blog post entitled "Of Eating Disorders and Food Blogs" detailing my eating disorder recovery. The response was incredible, and I feel so lucky to have such terrific and inspiring readers. I consider you all my friends.

What was your sweetest moment of 2014?