sugarlush.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2011-12-08T11:35:00.007-05:00

• — • — •

And my kitchen's on its way to looking like a cookie factory! Right here we have Chai Spice Gingerbread Rounds with a variety of decor.

I thought I'd save myself some time Sunday night (these are for me, not for clients) so I bought Wilton Cookie Icing at Michael's instead of making my own multiple batches of different colored royal icing. Well, it was a pain anyway. I was not thrilled w/ the cookie icing bottles. They were much too runny. I ended up pouring some into a bowl, adding powdered sugar to increase the stability, and then using a piping bag. SO MUCH FOR TIME SAVING TACTICS! And I had such wonderful dreams of cute little faces and fabulous designs. I guess it'll just have to wait until next time!

On a side note, the taste of the cookie icing was just fine if you're curious. So in that regard, it's alright. Just not if you want quality control of your design!

One more thing. You might be like "Chai spice gingerbread rounds? But how can I make chai spice gingerbread rounds myself?" Easy. Add cardamom. The spices in most gingerbread recipes are already pretty close to chai. What really clinches it is adding cardamom. I used Martha Stewart's gingerbread recipe from her Baking Handbook and added 1.5 tsp of powdered cardamom. It added a very wonderful flavor. Just enough to notice, but not too much to over-power. However, you can add as much as you desire! Your cookies, your rules!

Melinda & Matt's Wedding at La Scala

2011-12-05T10:42:00.009-05:00

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A few weeks ago I had an order for a wedding reception held at La Scala in Dublin. Melinda and Matt married in TN several weeks earlier, then held a local reception for their loved ones who didn't attend the event down south. Melinda is actually a friend of a friend. She was on the hunt for cupcakes for her wedding reception but was having trouble finding ones that were both super delicious and super cute. I understand your plight, Melinda! That's why I'm here! Problem was, I've never met Melinda. I didn't even know she existed. Thankfully, I have a good friend who discussed the cupcake dilemma with her and told her "HANG ON, I GOT THIS!" She passed along my information and the rest is history. The official order was for 10 dozen cupcakes plus one small cake for them to cut. Thank you Sarah for representing and thank you to Melinda and Matt for having me be a part of their fabulous event!

I've heard of La Scala before, but I have never been so I didn't know what to expect. I was impressed. The room where the event was held was gorgeous. Gorgeous bar. Fabulous chandlier. High ceilings. Wood accents. It was really lovely. So ladies (and gents), if you're looking for a reception venue, take a look at La Scala's available spaces. I can't say anything for the food, but as far as aesthetic goes, it's gorg.

Forgive the quality of the photos. Since I was in a rush to get the cupcakes and cake to the venue, I of course didn't have my mind on "PHOTOSHOOT!" There are also a few from the aforementioned friend's iPhone, so bear with me please. But the pics give you an idea. :-)

• — • — •

Lucky for me, since my friends are friends w/ the couple, Kevin was kind enough to show me the comments from her Facebook post about the reception. I love the enthusiasm.

Work it, girl! It's time for your photoshoot!

2011-11-15T11:38:00.004-05:00

• — • — •

I'm super excited right now. Why? I have fancy new photos, that's why. Normally, when I take photos it's just me in my house somewhere, clinging to my little Canon Elph for dear life w/ the macro function turned on and hoping I get a clear, non-shaky photo. Yes, I sometimes use a tripod or a Joby but you know, you can only do so much.

Mr. Brandon Jones of Brandon L. Jones Photography was kind enough to work with me and help me start shooting professional images of my baked goods. He knows a thing or two about styling and positioning which was a HUGE help. Between my brand vision living up in my head and Brandon's expertise, I'm a pretty happy camper. I still have a lot of work to do and will probably need several more shoots (XOXO Brandon!) but it's a good start!

I'll be posting some more photos soon, as well as posting the album on my Facebook page and Pinterest.

30 Before 30: Making Madeleines

2011-09-17T08:37:00.001-04:00

• — • — •

I'm not exactly sure how this obsession started. I've been aware of madeleines for quite some time. However, I think the first time I tried them was... from Target. No, no, you heard me right. With the bullseye and the dog. I know. It's weird. I mean... TARGET??? My typical Target was remodeled as their "P-Fresh" concept, which includes the fuller grocery section. One day, I noticed a little Archer Farms package of madeleines. Six little spongey shell-shaped confections squished in a plastic container. For some reason I just couldn't resist. I knew they wouldn't be the epitome of French pastry and they probably wouldn't be the ideal way to introduce myself to these little things but... I don't know. I had to do it. In my cart they went, and in my belly they were later. A few seconds in the microwave, a dip in some milk, et voila. It was a little bit magical. Ever since, I was determined to try making them myself.

• — • — •

Knowing I would need the special pan, I had it on my Amazon wish list just for future reference. However, Martha Stewart must've read my mind (doesn't she always???) because madeleines were featured in the September issue. That was all the motivation I needed. I ordered the pan and once I had enough free time, I whipped up my first batch of batter.

• — • — •

They were actually pretty easy. There's a lot of folding involved while you're mixing the batter, so you need some patience. You also have to plan ahead, as the batter needs to chillax in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Once you make the recipe, you'll understand why it needs the standing time. Between the six eggs and the two sticks of melted butter, there's a lot of fat and grease that needs to be absorbed in the dry ingredients. I made the batter Saturday night, wrapped the bowl in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge until Sunday morning for some weekend morning delights.

• — • — •

MADELEINES

From Martha Stewart, Sept 2011 Issue

2 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp kosher or sea salt

6 large eggs, room temp

1 c granulated sugar

2 tbsp packed brown sugar (Martha says light, I used dark)

2 sticks unsalted butter, melted, plus more for buttering the pan (softened)

1 tbsp + 1 tsp honey

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1. Whisk together dry ingredients—flour, baking powder, and salt—in medium bowl.

2. With an electric mixer on high speed, whisk together the eggs and sugars until pale and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Should be at the "ribbon" stage. For more info on this, check out the issue. The magazine has two pages of helpful tips that I'm sure I can't legally copy into this post. So just take my word for it. Check it out.

3. Sift in flour mixture in 2-3 additions, folding in after each addition. You have to fold the batter as opposed to stirring it to keep it the right consistency.

4. Fold in the melted butter, then honey & vanilla.

5. Refrigerate batter for at least 2 hours, and up to 2 days (covered, of course).

6. Preheat oven to 350°. Let batter stand at room temp for 10 minutes.

7. With a pastry brush, generously coat the pan with softened butter.

8. Scoop the batter into a pastry bag or plastic bag w/ the corner snipped (about a 1/2" opening). This is such an easy way to transfer the batter to the madeleine pan. Fill the molds 3/4 full. Trust me, they'll puff up.

9. Bake on the middle rack for 8-11 minutes, or until a pale golden.

10. Immediately shake the madeleines out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Wash the mold and repeat until all the batter is gone.

11. When cooled, sift with confectionary sugar, or top with a tasty glaze.

• — • — •

Martha recipes crack me up b/c half the time I yield way more than the recipe says. The magazine says I should have 32 madeleines in the end. However, I ended up with 46. If you squeeze the piping bag right, you could probably get 48 for an even four dozen. Since I had so many, I jazzed a few up with different glazes! On the left, the standard madeleine sprinkled with confectionary sugar. Then, strawberry rose glaze. Next, salted maple vanilla bean glaze (a concoction using the surplus maple vanilla bean frosting used on bacon cupcakes for the wedding) topped with roasted pecans (a request from George), and then a straight-forward lemon glaze with lime zest (hey, I had them left from the wedding this weekend).

Strawberry Rose Glaze

2 tbsp strawberry puree

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp rose water

2-3 tbsp confectionary sugar

dash of heavy cream, if you have it

Combine all ingredients in a small wide bowl, mixing until uniform. Heat in the microwave for a few seconds to help, if need be (like 8-10 seconds). Dip madeleines in glaze when finished.

Food Crush: Crown Maple Syrup

2011-09-12T12:32:00.012-04:00

I reserve the right to occasionally veer from my typical posts about baking to talk a little more about random designy stuff. Though I promise to keep it food-related, whether it's a new brand, package design, or retail space. That being said, I have to geek out design-style on you today. Having just made Maple Vanilla Bean frosting to accompany bacon cupcakes, I have maple on the brain. This came up in today's Tasting Table newsletter: Crown Maple Syrup. I'm sorry, but is this not the most beautiful maple syrup you've ever seen? I love the maple leaf/crown icon, and that sleek bottle?? It's so chic it looks more like a high-end whiskey than a syrup (For the record, I am totally okay with that). Crown Maple Syrup is from Dutchess County, New York, located in the Hudson River Valley. The identity was designed by Studio MPLS in Minneapolis. There are three varieties: light amber, medium amber, and dark amber which you can buy through their online store. I'd love to try all three varieties, but I think for my purposes I'd be favoring the dark! Could you imagine this in a cocktail? Oh yeah, now we're talking.

All packaging images from The Dieline.
•••

After going to Studio MPLS's site, I noticed their most recent blog post features the creative process of branding Crown Maple Syrup. Below is just a touch of that. Such beautiful work.

Remembering 9/11 & New York

2011-09-11T12:21:00.039-04:00

The 9/11 Memorial Footprint Fountains

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Footprint fountains at night
•••

It's hard to believe that 10 years ago, the tragedy of 9/11 struck America. It was two days before I started college. I remember waking up, seeing the Today Show on tv when my mom told me what was going on. I sat on the couch wondering what the heck was happening b/c...seriously??? People would really do that?? It was two days before I was supposed to pack up all my stuff and move into the dorms to start my freshman year at the University of Cincinnati. It was all so very very weird.

Being from Dayton, we were all freaked out about Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. It might not be that well-known in the regular world, but WPAFB is pretty high in importance in the military world. Was something going to happen to us too? There was a moment after 5pm when I was at the dinner table w/ my parents and this crazy sonic boom occurred outside. We all looked at each other and my dad went out the front door to see if he could see something going on (along w/ the rest of the neighbors). It must've just been some jets or something at Wright-Patt. In the end Dayton was left safe and untouched.

Six years ago I was an intern in NYC. I was working for Interbrand's New York office for my 6th and final quarter of co-op as a design student at UC. I lived just two or three blocks south of Ground Zero in downtown Manhattan in the Financial District. Then, it was still a bunch of construction and blockades, but it was still a big deal. It's just absolutely unbelieveable. To think that you wake up one morning and the towers are there, then later that day, they're just… gone. Everyone and everything just gone.

•••

Ground Zero, as I remember it. This is not my own photo, rather I found it here.

•••

From the rooftop of our apartment building. If you look really really hard, you can see the Statue of Liberty in the break in the middle. It looks like it's sticking up from the top of a building. They eventually started construction that surely covered up the view.

•••

Battery Park City, October 2005. I still have a crush on this place. It was walking distance from our apt.

•••

New York is a lot of things for a lot of people. It was in New York that quarter I decided subway systems are preferable to cars but for running errands, I missed having keys to a vehicle. It was then I decided I loved my boyfriend (go ahead—awwwwww) and I finally learned to like beer (I know, big steps). It was that quarter I went to the NYC Halloween Parade—experienced its absolute massiveness—which is still probably one of my favorite experiences ever. I was ALMOST there during the city's mass transit strike—I missed it by like 2 days (Yay, but it would've been a cool experience). And it was that quarter when I stood in line at The Magnolia Bakery in the West Village. I finally ate their cupcakes and thought "...Well hell, I could do this." And here we are today on my cupcake blog.

NYC Halloween Parade 2005, Parade of ETs

•••
George & me at Peculiar Pub in the West Village, October 2005
•••

ING New York City Marathon, November 2005

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Central Park, December 2005

•••

It's a hell of a place. The kind where if anyone touches it, you want to hunt them down personally just so you can punch them in their jerk of a face and say "KEEP YOUR @#$%!*# HANDS OFF MY M_F_ING CITY!" Sometimes I miss New York. A lot.

Here's to remembering 9/11. We will never forget. And here's for New York. I love you always.

•••

Milton Glaser's classic I Heart NY poster, after September 11, 2001.

30 Before 30 Recipes: Iced Thai Coffee

2011-09-05T19:21:00.010-04:00

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Sayonara, summer. This Labor Day weekend was a whirlwind of weather, and nothing short of typical for Ohio. One day it's 100 degrees and sunny. The next it's 65 degrees with rain and clouds. It hardly gives a blogger any time to talk about fun summer sips before the weather turns over! I recently made Iced Thai Coffee, one of the items on my recipe to-do list. I've been wanting to try either Thai or Vietnamese Iced Coffee, as both types intrigued me. The use of sweetened condensed milk or the addition of cardamom, in a delicious iced coffee beverage? Um, hello, yes.

After some Googling, I decided to use this recipe from Steamy Kitchen as my go-to. I went the Thai route technically, though I did alter it a bit to try to combine both varieties. I believe Vietnamese Iced Coffee uses the sweetened condensed milk. While I didn't use SCM, I used brown sugar instead of the typical granulated sugar to create a similar flavor. Want the recipe? YES! Of course you do! Here we go.

Iced Thai Coffee

Based off of recipe from Steamy Kitchen, altered slightly

4 cups double-strength brewed coffee (I used a French press for this)

 2 cups half-and-half or cream 

2 tbsp brown sugar (I used dark, like always)

 3 cardamom pods (or 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom)

1/4 tsp cinnamon (b/c I just couldn't resist)

 1/4 tsp almond extract

 ice

First, crack open those cardamom pods to release the flavor and aroma within. You can use a mortar and pestle, or you can (safely, please) crack them using a chef's knife. Have you ever seen them crush a clove of garlic on Food Network using the side of the knife? (But again, PLEASE DO IT CAREFULLY!)

Then, in a saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, brown sugar, cardamom, and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer, then let steep for 15-20 minutes. Remove the cardamom pods and add the almond extract.

Fill 4 tall glasses with ice, then divide the cream mixture amongst the glasses. Then top off with the super strong coffee. Grab yourself a straw, and enjoy!

Here comes the bride…

2011-09-02T10:58:00.005-04:00

• — • — •

It's wedding day for a fabulous cupcake-lovin' lady and her man. Here's a quick peek at what's to come. So far, it's the biggest wedding order I've had—a whopping 14 dozen! These are vanilla cupcakes with key lime frosting, sprinkled with homemade graham cracker crumbs and topped with a real live key lime. These are my personal fave. Luckily, key limes are in season and in store! I'll be heading to Columbus' Park of Roses shortly with the rest. Fingers crossed!

Mini Elvis Sandwich Bites

2011-06-07T13:47:00.011-04:00

I had an idea the other day. My boyfriend and I recently moved, which means a housewarming party is in order. A party! With appetizers and snacks and treats and drinks (oh, the drinks!) and all sorts of fun things to plan in the summer. As I was milling about my kitchen, I was trying to come up with some sort of creative mini snack delight. I was in the middle of making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (I know, real mature, ML) and I was thinking about mini PB&Js. Seems cute! But not very exciting. Eventually the mini PB&J idea changed to a mini Elvis sandwich idea.

What's an Elvis sandwich? Traditionally it's a sandwich of peanut butter, banana, honey and bacon... sort of. The inclusion of either bacon or honey is up for grabs. Some places include both. Some places include just honey. I like to think bacon is also a crucial part of that combination, but you will find places that tend to forget that tasty little element. But I digress. So my thinking is, what if this was a mini open-faced Elvis?

• — • — •

A slice of baguette, toasted. Schmeared with delicious sweet and salty peanut butter. A slice of banana sits on top, then a piece of candied bacon, and then a drizzle (or glob, as in the illustration) of honey and perhaps a sprinkling of sea salt. The order could change, depending on what will hold together best. And the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of chopped pieces of candied bacon instead of a slice, but I was just too lazy to redraw that. Overall, what do you think? Good idea? Bad idea? I probably need to give this a test drive before making a whole slew of them. Although, maybe that's just my excuse to make them sooner. :-)

Lemon Rosemary Polenta Sables, Just Because

2011-05-06T15:56:00.010-04:00

• — • — •

Every now and then I have a cookie idea and go crazy until I get to try it. I saw some ritzy cookies at Katzinger's Deli awhile ago and was oh so tempted to make a purchase. There were two varieties calling my name: polenta pennies and salted rosemary shortbread. However, I also thought "Well, this is dumb. I can do that." No only can I do that, I can yield 3 times the amount by doing it myself. These "polenta pennies" seemed easy enough, your basic butter sable or shortbread cookie injected with texturally fabulous polenta grains. The salted rosemary shortbread? Also a brilliant idea. I love a buttery cookie with a bit of salt, and then aromatic rosemary on top of that? Sure! Why not? So as I stood there, being enticed by the silent but deadly cookies, I was also getting super jazzed about my next baking adventure.

Instead of tackling one cookie at a time, I just combined the two concepts. All the flavors go well together so it seemed like a natural improvement on the originals. Also, I added lemon zest. I'm an absolute sucker for citrus zest in sables. I used my favorite sable recipe from Joy the Baker for the basic recipe, though left out the lime zest from her version (I actually like them better than Martha's, believe it or not). I also reduced the flour, using yellow corn meal in its place. You know what? This is going to get too complicated for a paragraph. Here we go:

• — • — •

Lemon Rosemary Polenta Sables

Adapted from Joy the Baker's Citrus Sables

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

 1/2 cup granulated sugar

 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

 1 teaspoon salt, preferably sea salt 

2 large egg yolks, preferably at room temperature 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow corn meal

zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp rosemary, ground or finely chopped

For glitzing up the edges:

 1 egg yolk

turbinado sugar

Joy does an excellent job of the instructions, so seriously, go check out her post and just adapt the above ingredients. No point in me retyping directions, right? (To be perfectly honest, I'm feeling a bit lazy, too!) I do recommend slicing up a batch for now and saving the other rolled log in the freezer for a later date. I know, you'll have to resist the urge to devour the cookies in a quick minute, but trust me. You never know when you will a) get a random craving again and hallelujah! you're prepared! or b) need an emergency house-warming gift/party contribution/dessert for an event. Have a barbecue to go to all of the sudden? Need something to bring? Well luckily, you have those cookies in the freezer! See what I mean?

• — • — •

The results are fabulous, especially now that it's spring (when the rain pauses and it heats up beyond 50° anyway). They're the perfect light treat with coffee or tea. Or perhaps an easy way to say "Thanks, Mom!" now that this weekend is Mother's Day! Or maybe even for a Kentucky Derby Party? So get in touch with your butter-lovin' Paula Deen side and make these delicious cookies. Ready, set, go!

30 Before 30: The Recipe To Do List REVISED!

2011-04-13T19:05:00.008-04:00

I may have just finished my 30 Before 30: Recipe To Do List! Wait. Hang on. Let me rephrase that. I may have just finished WRITING my Recipe To Do List. Hah. Let's not get ahead of ourselves!

You may remember, I left off at number 24 with room to spare. I've come up with a few additions here and there, but haven't added them yet b/c what's the point of blogging one little list entry at a time? We'll we're ready now. Here is the COMPLETE list (with a few revisions):

Mocha Crepe Cake
Braised Short Ribs
Tiramisu (formerly Red Velvet Funnel Cake*, but I'm feeling a more urgent need for the Tiramisu right now)
Chocolate-Covered Caramel Pretzel Cupcakes (I'm excited for this one, and you should be too!)*
Meyer Lemon Tart
Ginger-infused Limoncello*
Croissants, from scratch
Chocolate Babka
Gordon Ramsey's Raspberry Souffle
S'more Cookie Bars
My own version of Petit Fours*
French 75 cocktail
Blackberry Champagne Baklava (Yeah, sounds good, right?)*
Ina Garten's Scalloped Tomatoes
Mini fruit-filled Kiss Pies (only, w/out using Hershey Kisses. Yuck...)
Cuban Potato Balls (inspired by this on Oh Joy!)
Caramel Stout Frosting*
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake (I'll probably end up altering this, too)
Homemade gnocchi
Vietnamese Coffee
Crunchy crust ice cream bars
Ice Cream. Possibly peanut butter... or something...
Beef Wellington
Mini Grilled Cheese on a Stick
Lemongrass Ginger Soda… or popsicles. Whichever comes first.
Biscuit Beignets with Strawberry Sauce
Upside-down cake (pineapple? peach?)
Dinner rolls—good, yeasty, delicious ones—from scratch.
Madeleines
Blondies (I know, so simple, but it's been YEARS) or Chocolate Pots de Creme... I can't decide

I've already made the French 75 cocktail, and I have a peach upside-down cake ready to blog so I'm off to a good start! But the REAL question is: am I happy with this? Sure, I think so. At least for now. I can always change it... right? But I promise, I'll only change it if it's something I really want to make—I won't cheat!

• — • — •

30 Before 30 Recipes: French 75

2011-03-20T13:04:00.008-04:00

• — • — •

Remember the 30 Before 30: Recipe To Do List? It's hard to decide where to start. Dip your toe in the shallow end with something quick and easy? Or just jump in head first? All that deliberation can make a girl thirsty, so why not kick it off with a cocktail? The classic French 75, specifically.

"The drink was created in 1915 at the Paris landmark, Harry's New York Bar by barman Harry MacElhone. The combination was said to have such a kick that it felt like being shelled with the powerful French 75mm howitzer artillery piece, also called a "75 Cocktail", or "Soixante Quinze" in French. The French 75 was popularized in America at the Stork Club." - Wikipedia: French 75

Fascinating, right? Okay, maybe not so much but it all starts with gin and champagne, and that's fascinating enough for me! Now that the vintage cocktail revival is finally starting to make it's way mainstream, you can occasionally find them in your local (quality) bar. Or if you're like me and don't want to wait for some bartender to pour one your way, you can use the super simple instructions below to shake one for yourself. This drink packs a wollop; it is not for the faint of heart. If you like your drinks fruity and frilly, then this isn't for you. But if you appreciate old school cocktails with an intriguing flavor combination, then this will not disappoint!

:::The French 75:::

2 oz. gin

1 oz. simple syrup (or 2 tsp. superfine sugar)

1 oz. lemon juice

Brut Champagne or other dry sparkling wine

Shake gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice in cocktail shaker with ice for 10-15 seconds. Strain into glass, and top with champagne (or sparkling wine). And if you want to add a little something extra, garnish with a lemon twist or maraschino cherry. I like the pop of color so I added a cherry (though actually, I don't like maraschino cherries!).

Results? FABULOUS. According to some recipes, this drink can also be made with cognac instead of gin. I've had it both ways and really? They're both delicious. Cognac is much sweeter than gin, so let that decide which route you go.

You know what else is fabulous? The 30 Before 30 Recipe adventure has begun! Oy, I hope I can fit all this in. I'll be updating my list soon so stay tuned! And in the meantime, drink up! ;-)

Oscar Ready: Ruby Red Carpet Cocktail

2011-02-27T13:35:00.013-05:00

• — • — •

Glamour and glitter, fashion and fame! (Thank you, Jem.) It's the OSCARS—the perfect excuse to gild everything you can in gold, drink champagne and fancy cocktails, and wear obnoxious jewelry that weighs you down… unless you're a guy, in which case a bow tie will suffice. :-)

So who's with me? Who's pumped? I may not know much about the nominees, but I do know that I have my predictions filled out and I'm more than excited to hear what Joan Rivers will have to say on Fashion Police tomorrow. Even better, I have an arsenal of schmancy ingredients (sort of) to indulge in a few glamorous cocktails.

Champagne (or sparkling wine) is a must, but I'm planning on kicking off festivities with this exquisite gem: the Ruby Red Carpet Cocktail. It's delicious and incredibly simple. What more could you want?

Ruby Red Carpet Cocktail

• 2-3 ice cubes

• 1 ounce gin

• 1 ounce Campari

• Top off with ruby red grapefruit juice (approx 2-3 ounces)

Pour ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake it like you mean it for about 10 seconds, and pour into your most fabulous glass. See? Easy. And no, the photo does not display my most fabulous glass, but it is the easiest to photograph. ;-)

I'm always a sucker for Campari, a sweet, herbal, citrus-y appertif with a gorgeous red color. And then there's gin—I'm a gin girl 100%. The gin and Campari complement each other beautifully, then the sour, fruity grapefruit juice just blends right in (in a good way, of course!). If you're not a gin fan like I am, you can use vodka. It would also be delicious with cognac, but the flavor of cognac may get lost when paired with Campari's strong presence. Just depends on what you're going for.

If you want to take the cocktail one step further, switch out the grapefruit for one ounce of sweet vermouth—you'll have my absolute favorite drink, the classic Italian Negroni.

So tell me—anyone else have Oscar plans? Fun drinks on the menu? Appetizers, perhaps? Or just a fun party theme? I'd love to hear about it—I'm always looking for ways to inject a little fabulousity into my every day life and the Oscars are just the time to do it.

Valentine's Day Recap. Cupcakes Galore!

2011-02-21T21:53:00.008-05:00

I won't bore you with the stories of the Valentine's Day cupcakes because, luckily, everything went smoothly. Instead I'll just give you a quick photo recap. That way I can start talking about other fun stuff. Like swirls and sprinkles. No idea what that means? Never fear—you'll find out soon enough. :-)

• — • — •

Mint leaves used as garnish on the chocolate-covered strawberry cupcakes.

Pink malt ball toppers for red velvet-vanilla malt cupcakes.

Boxed up and ready to go!

Red velvet cupcakes with vanilla malt frosting—a lush classic!

Chocolate-covered strawberry cupcakes: strawberry cake, strawberry frosting, dipped in ganache and garnished with a mint leaf.

Superbowl Party Perfect Dips.

2011-01-31T22:57:00.009-05:00

I would like to interrupt your regularly scheduled Valentine's Day offer to talk about my latest idea. PARTY DIPS!! As you may have heard, there's this thing called the Superbowl. People tend to celebrate this event with a party. You know what'd be perfect for that party? These insanely tasty party dips. Check it out.

• — • — •

So what's the deal? Each dip is an 8 ounce tub layered with delicious Sugarlush confections.

[1] Salted Caramel Pretzel Dip: A thick layer of salted caramel frosting, a thin layer of cream cheese, topped with ooey gooey chocolate ganache. It's amazing on pretzels, but perfect on just about anything.

[2] Vanilla Strawberry Cookie Dip: Two classic flavors joined at the hip for one delicious dip! Vanilla malt frosting is topped with strawberry puree. Inspired by a Nilla Wafer fiend, but also great for graham crackers, shortbread, ginger snaps, the list goes on and on!

Each tub is $6. Pick-up is required on Sunday, February 6th before 4pm. Want to order? Send me an email. All orders must be placed by END OF DAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4th! If you have any questions, you know how to reach me.

Want to download the PDF with information? Click here and hit "download."

You're dreaming of these now, aren't you? Salty pretzels with caramel and chocolate… sweet Nilla Wafers covered in vanilla malt frosting and strawberry goodness… Oh yes. Don't hold back. Be the hit of your party and be a lush!

VALENTINE'S DAY 2011 SPECIAL!

2011-01-26T10:03:00.008-05:00

click image to see full-size

• — • — •

The Valentine's Day Special is back!

Here's the deal. Like it says, $10 for one box of 6 (that's a half-dozen) cupcakes. There are two flavor combo options:

[1] Strawberry cupcake with strawberry frosting, dipped in chocolate

[2] Red velvet cupcake with vanilla malt frosting

You choose either one flavor combo, or opt for the popular "3 & 3" box. You pick them up on Saturday, February 12 between 2pm-4pm. That way you can enjoy them all weekend long!

Want to order? OF COURSE you do. Send me an email at sugarlushcupcakes@gmail.com.

Orders must be made by THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3rd! That's NEXT WEEK, PEEPS! I take cash & Paypal. I'll send out Paypal invoices so both of us have a record of your order and payment status, but feel free to pay with cash if you prefer (just let me know that that's how you plan to pay).

Sounds good? Have any questions? If so, you know how to reach me. Ready? Set... Order! XOXO ;-)

PS: In case you want a recap of last year's goods, read this post.

Ginger Meyer Lemon Bars

2011-01-20T09:37:00.001-05:00

• — • — •

Meyer lemons. What's the deal? I'll tell you what the deal is—they're delicious. The little special lemons are a hybrid of a lemon and an orange. They're small, juicy, and sweeter than your usual lemon. Over the past few years they've become the little darling of the culinary world. They're not necessarily that easy to come by either, at least, not if you're going to your regular grocery store in Columbus. They tend to be a specialty item, offered for a brief time, and also kind of pricy.

That all changed two weeks ago when I walked into my Kroger one fateful Wednesday. There was a produce fixture full of bags of meyer lemons... for $1.25 per bag. Each bag contained 6. Um, hello? This is amazing! I grabbed a bag. Then turned around for a second bag. Then went back later for the 3rd. That's right. Three bags of glorious little meyer lemons in my grasp for whatever baking project I see fit. Oh, sweet glory be.

The decision was hard. What do I do? What should I make? I considered limoncello, but since that involves the lemon peel, meyer lemons don't really get me anywhere on this. Do I make a tart? Sounds reasonable enough. But wait... I could also make LEMON BARS. I don't make them very often. Maybe once or twice a year, if I have time? I think it is the perfect opportunity. Meyer lemon bars... with a hint of ginger. Now doesn't that just sound delightful??

• — • — •

I planned to try out a recipe from The Craft of Baking. I've had this book for a little over a year and haven't dived nearly deep enough into it. While my usual lemon bar recipe is solidified (and awesome), I wanted to try something new. Research, you know? After reading the instructions for the crust, I gave up. Sort of. I settled on a crust from a Martha Stewart recipe, but kept The Craft of Baking's recipe for the lemon goo. Turns out, the crust in TCoB is made like pie dough—chilling, rolling, etc. Yeah, I didn't have time to mess with that. I wanted to do this in one Saturday afternoon in under 3 hours, including oven time.

• — • — •

Martha's crust is divine. It's insanely buttery and rich, as opposed to crumbly and painfully sweet like most recipes. I used an 8x8 pan, for which I cut the crust recipe in half. Also, I replaced the wheat germ with cornmeal. I'm a sucker for cornmeal, and it seemed crazy enough to work. In the past I've done straight flour, which works also.

Now for the lemon goo. This recipe doesn't use much lemon juice, there's a good amount of sugar, and I used meyer lemons. What does that mean? They're not uber tart. They're pretty mellow for lemon bars, actually. I would've preferred a slightly larger pucker, but everyone else truly loved them. Also, you can vary the amount of fresh ginger—that's entirely up to you. I like a punch, so I lean more towards 1.5-2 grated tbsp. If you want just a little essence, I'd err towards 1 tbsp.

:::Lemon Bar Filling:::

Adapted from "Little Lemon Bars," The Craft of Baking

4 large eggs

2 cups granulated sugar

Zest of 2 lemons

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (approx. 3 lemons), strained

1-2 tbsp freshly grated ginger

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Prepared your crust and bake as directed (again—follow Martha's recipe, but cut the crust amount in half for your 8x8 pan). Start blending the filling ingredients. Juice your lemons and strain the juice to get rid of the pulp. Zest two lemons (use two of the fruits you just juiced), then grate your ginger. If you want a strong ginger kick, go for 2 tbsp. If you want it milder, use just 1 tbsp. TIP: You can keep fresh ginger in the freezer. You don't even need to thaw it if you're going to grate it—you can just pull it out and grate as needed. I don't know about you, but I can't go through an entire piece of ginger root before it goes bad. The freezing tip (from Melissa D'Arabian of Food Network) is a big ingredients and money saver! Next, blend the juice, zest, and ginger into the eggs and sugar. In a separate small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together, then pour into the egg mixture. Mix until just combined.

The crust should be baked until lightly golden. Pour the lemon bar filling onto the baked crust, then pop back into the oven for 30-40 minutes at 350°. The top should be firm to the touch when finished. Transfer to a cooling rack, cool completely, then sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

• — • — •

I still have about 8 lemons left in my refrigerator. I've been using them randomly—in cocktails, or just as straight juice added to mug of hot water (I'm telling you—healthy and tasty!). But what to do with those last few? A tart? Pancakes? Oh, the possibilities!

Valentine's Geek Out: Carnation Cones

2011-01-19T14:05:00.007-05:00

I'll admit it. I love Valentine's Day. It's one of my favorites. It might even be THE favorite (I know—WHOA). It's just so pink and festive. It's not serious. You don't have to worry about buying things for seventeen different people. It's just about you and one other person. It's cute. You get to eat frouffy desserts. Flowers are generally involved. Everything has hearts on it. Heck, you can even be anti-Valentine's Day and make it fun. What is not to love?

• — • — •

I adore February issues of magazines because they're usually centered around this holiday. I came across this little craft idea in Martha Stewart Living and I thought it was too adorable not to share. They look like ice cream cones! My goodness, don't you just want to sprinkle these floral cones everywhere? And the best part? Carnations are pretty stinking cheap. While, of course, they'd look lovely with hydrangeas or peonies, let's face it. You can get a bouquet of carnations for the cost of one single hydrangea stem. Brilliant, right? You can download the clip-art for the cones here.

30 Before 30: The Recipe To Do List

2011-01-16T15:52:00.011-05:00

— • —

Have you guys heard about 30 Before 30? It's basically a list of goals you set for yourself to achieve by the time you hit the big 3-0. Some goals are serious, some goals are fun. I've seen a lot of bloggers doing it, and it makes me think because one of these days… I'll be thirty just like everyone else. I still have time—approximately two years. But you need time to think of these things! Why not start now? New year, new goals. While the list of general life goals will take a little more consideration, I do, however, have an ever-growing "Recipe To-Do List," as I like to call it. I'm finally going to do something about it—I'm combining the two: 30 Before 30—The Recipe To Do List.

Sadly, it will probably take me awhile to get through it. There's not much time for making croissants from scratch or even testing out new cupcake creations. Maybe this can be a little fuel to make these things happen, and maybe give you guys a few ideas too. Or—even better—give you ideas of things you want to order! Now that's not a bad idea, right? ;-) Here's the list so far:

Mocha Crepe Cake
Braised Short Ribs
Red Velvet Funnel Cake*
Chocolate-Covered Caramel Pretzel Cupcakes (I'm excited for this one, and you should be too!)*
Meyer Lemon Tart
Ginger-infused Limoncello*
Croissants, from scratch
Chocolate Babka
Gordon Ramsey's Raspberry Souffle
S'more Cookie Bars
My own version of Petit Fours*
French 75 cocktail
Blackberry Champagne Baklava (Yeah, sounds good, right?)*
French macarons, Martha Stewart's version
Mini fruit-filled Kiss Pies (only, w/out using Hershey Kisses. Yuck...)
Cannoli Crunch Pie*
Caramel Stout Frosting*
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake (I'll probably end up altering this, too)
Homemade gnocchi
Vietnamese Coffee
Donuts to accompany that Vietnamese Coffee
Ice Cream. Possibly peanut butter... or something...
Beef Wellington
Mini Grilled Cheese on a Stick
…

* denotes recipes I plan to make up or alter... a lot.

Alright, so I'm just a little under 30. Hey, I have time—I have to seriously consider my options here! Plus, it'll be good to leave a few blanks since I'll have two years to do this. I'm sure something will change. From the time I started this post to the time I reread the list 2 days later, I already debated "Do I really want to commit to that?"

January's passing by quickly, so it's time to get crackin'! And if you make your own Recipe To Do List, holler at me. I'd love to hear about it! :-)

Senate Restaurant: Cincinnati, OH

2011-01-04T18:17:00.032-05:00

— • —

I may live in Columbus, but I graduated from the University of Cincinnati. It's funny how young professionals are always assumed to be OSU grads in this town. I'm a Bearcat through and through, and proud of my 5 years in "The 'Nati" (My degree—graphic design—is a 5 year program, like many majors at UC). I don't hang out in Cincy that much anymore, but every now and then I miss the energetic areas around campus, Clifton, Hyde Park, Mt. Adams... but Over-the-Rhine? Scary, dude. It's the kind of place you maybe have to drive through once in awhile, but you don't really make a habit of staying. For those of you unfamiliar, OTR is a historic neighborhood in central Cincinnati. According to Wikipedia, "It is believed to be the largest, most intact urban historic district in the United States…Its architectural significance has been compared to the French Quarter in New Orleans, the historic districts of Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina, and Greenwich Village in New York City. Besides being a historic district, the neighborhood has an arts community that is unparalleled within Cincinnati." Impressive, right? It's the kind of thing that would make a native proud. Unfortunately, it's also—literally—one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the country.

I found out a few months ago that Over-the-Rhine (or OTR for short) has been turning over a new leaf for quite awhile now. The entire neighborhood isn't completely reformed, but there's a newly rebranded strip near downtown, OTR Gateway, that's revitalizing the area. It's a little bit like the Short North in Columbus—a series of boutiques, businesses, cafes, restaurants and bars that breathe new life into both OTR and downtown. My interest was piqued when I saw a friend "like" a certain restaurant on Facebook. "What is this Senate place she likes?? Hmmm…" Senate. A little restaurant located at 1212 Vine St. that has a creative, intriguing menu, and had me tugging my boyfriend's arm saying "Can we go? Can we? Pleeeeeease?????" I've been dreaming of this for months. Like six months, at least. Luckily, we were able to make a visit during the holidays. Hallelujiah!

— • —

First, take a look at this menu. Are you into food? Do you consider yourself kind of a "foodie?" I thought so. Seriously—truffle fries? Duck fat fries?? I'm dying here. Those hot dogs? We have Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace here in Cbus, but I will take these gourmet versions over anything on that menu any day. And warm pretzel beignets?! I don't know how beignets and pretzels can be combined in one bite but I am more than willing to give it a whirl.

— • —

Upon arrival, I will honestly say that this strip of OTR was not sketchy. That was the question of the night—will we be safe? Is it shady? While I won't guarantee it (I know better than that), I will say that the Gateway strip seemed pretty solid. Just make sure you're not alone, okay? And bonus—there's a public parking lot located next to the restaurant so you don't have to walk several blocks into the "bad parts" of the neighborhood. We got there at 6 pm since they don't take reservations, and the place became packed while we were there.

— • —

I started with the Lucy Lou cocktail (limoncello, St. Germaine, lemon juice, and cremant) and George (the BF) had something called "Applecrack," I think. It's not on the menu online, but I do remember it contained rum and… other liquor. Both were excellent. The Lucy Lou was a perfect balance of sweet and sour—not the kind that makes your face twitch and teeth curl.

Narrowing down our choices was painful. Time to strategize! First thing's first. We ordered the Poutine for our appetizer. The Poutine is a plate of truffle fries topped with local cheese curds, braised short ribs, and a light gravy. Holy mother of pearl, they were awesome! The braised short rib shredded on top was AMAZING. So flavorful and tender. I have my weird taste aversion to cheese, so I took the melty cheese curds off my share (I know, I know) but I assure you, George (who loves his cheese) and I were both thoroughly in love. If they had just a plate of plain ol' braised short ribs, I would order it. Multiple times.

— • —

The main course took a little more consideration. The Poutine was an easy choice, but our dinner?? Oy. Did you notice the Lobster BLT or the McBelly? Or the Wood-Grilled Sirloin that has MARROW BUTTER??? My God, why don't these people create a tasting menu so we don't have to make all these decisions??? We had to do it up right though. We had to get a hot dog. George ordered the special dog of the day, the Tijuana, which comprised of wood-grilled pork sausage topped with mole-braised pork belly, avocado & queso fresco.

— • —

I opted for the Croque Madame: a beef hot dog topped with black forest ham, béchamel sauce, and a poached egg on a brioche bun. That's right—ooey gooey eggy deliciousness oozing all over one salty, tasty beef hot dog. Do I really need to tell you how splendid they both were? Or will you just assume they were delicious? Let's go with the latter.

— • —

George ordered the Lobster Mac & Cheese as a side, but we didn't quite realize how full we'd be. But like I said—it's our maiden Senate voyage! It's time to go all out! The side is plenty to share, and it had huge chunks of lobster. They don't skimp. It's worth it. We ended up taking it home with us though. We had to save room for dessert!

— • —

Unlike dinner, dessert took no deliberation. One order of Warm Pretzel Beignets, please! They came with a Caramel Marscapone dipping sauce, which had me curious. I like caramel, but honestly I would prefer a warm chocolate ganache. This was perfect though. It was light, fluffy, and just a weeny bit sweet. And what exactly do they mean by "pretzel beignets?" A beignet (ben-YAY) in the US is basically fried dough (of the choux variety) sprinkled with sugar. Simple, but effective. And 100% delightful. The beignets came to us fresh from the kitchen in a paper bag, shaken by the chef. The little fried blobs are shaken in cinnamon, sugar, and crushed pretzel pieces. A-HA! So that's what they mean by "pretzel beignets." Fork, beignet, marscapone, dip in pretzel remnants, devour. Perfection.

— • —

Have I talked your ear off enough? Are you tired of me? Probably. But take my word—Senate is worth a visit. And so is Cincinnati and the little strip of OTR Gateway, for that matter. And Senate, if you hear me, I want to give you a high-five. Your offering is creative and lived up to my high expectations. Now, will you open a location in Columbus, please? You'd have a strong following—now that I will guarantee!

Peanut Butter Toffee Grahamwiches

2010-12-23T11:29:00.006-05:00

• — • — •

It's been a REEEEAAAAALLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYY long time since I blogged. Oy. I'm so sorry! It gets a little hectic around here sometimes. Can I get an assistant? Preferably someone willing to work for $1/hour? Plus all the baked good leftovers they could want? Fat chance. Sigh.

I wanted to post the latest grahamwiches. The grahamwiches come out most frequently for the Grandview Hop, during which they sell out. Between last-minute prep for the Hop, and no leftover inventory, photo ops are slim. I recently had an order for an artisan open house and was able to take some pics before pick-up time. These are peanut butter frosting filled grahamwiches, dipped in chocolate, and sprinkled with homemade toffee bits.

• — • — •

Yeah, tasty little things, aren't they? The order also included key lime grahamwiches, which are my personal favorite combination.

So that's the lastest. Grahamwiches, taking over my kitchen. With the holidays here now, there's a different item taking over, and that's MARSHMALLOWS. Sticky, marshmallow goo EVERYWHERE. Nothing in my kitchen is safe (especially not me or my hair)! At least it cleans up easily after a little soak. This year I'm making Earl Grey-Lavender Marshmallows and Salted Caramel Marshmallows. If the Salted Caramel variety turns out well, I'm guessing those will be the crowd favorite. No one can turn down salted caramel, no matter how much they try.

I guess that's a sign I should go tend to my mallow mess. Until we meet again, have a safe and happy holiday season, friends!

Caramel Pecan Cheesecakes

2010-10-17T11:25:00.011-04:00

• — • — •

Who doesn't like cheesecake?? Actually, plenty of people. I used to be one of them. I know, shocker, right? It was a rough life. Cheesecake's for dessert—what do you do? Luckily, I make a mean cheesecake...cupcake. It's so simple, but it's perfect—loved by cheesecake lovers, enlightens non-cheesecake lovers and opens their world to the creamy confection. It was the cake that converted me. I am a hater no more.

• — • — •

The cheesecakes were for a wedding reception a few weeks ago. The super sweet client had a short timeline and basically said "Whatever you can do would be amazing." She needed 6 dozen of... something. I already had cheesecakes in the works for the Grandview Hop (yup, both events were the same day. OY.), so I said, "Hey, what about these?" Like I said, they're so simple, a large batch would be easy-peasy. I split them up into two varieties—caramel pecan cheesecakes and strawberry-studdened cheesecakes topped with chocolate drizzle. They all have a chocolate-chip-cookie-crust which, I'm not going to lie, is pretty freakin' delicious. :-)

• — • — •

The cherry adds a cute, festive touch, no? They're so stinkin' cute, I can hardly handle it!

• — • — •

I don't have photos of the strawberry cakes. Pick-up time was approaching, so I had to box up my little sugary delights.

A word of advice: when ordering for an event, order extra. Not a ton, but a dozen or two (depending on the size of the event, of course). Especially if it's easy to eat, like these cheesecakes. A lot of times, I've been a guest at the event for which I've supplied the dessert. I've witnessed the depletion of the supply. The extras always go, especially if there are different varieties. People want to try a little bit of everything. A lot of people are surprised when I say "You have a wedding of 100 guests? Well order 10 dozen, not just 8 or 9." "Really??" And yup. They're glad they did. It's not hard to get rid of sweets. Vegetables, maybe. But cupcakes? Never. ;-)

Vanilla Lavender Meringue Menagerie

2010-10-03T20:09:00.006-04:00

• — • — •

So. Meringues. It's meringue madness over here! It all started a few weeks ago at work. Someone brought in a container of Trader Joe's meringues, which were staring me in the face all during lunch that day. I held off for awhile. I was convinced I was going to say no. I bake stuff all the time! I don't need more sweets! I can turn away—no problem! By the end of lunch, the perfectly shaped little white puffs were singing their siren song so loudly that I finally decided "Eh, what the hell? I'm going to give it a whirl." I've had meringues before, don't get me wrong. It's just been awhile. I was trying to do the healthy thing and resist the little white puff of sweet, crispy egg whiteness, but what's the harm in one little meringue??

It melted in my mouth. It was super sweet, no doubt, but its lightness made the sugar overload forgivable. And that started the conversations. Conversations about making meringues, as meringues for favors (I'm pretty sure they might make an appearance at my someday wedding), about different flavors of meringues, about stuffing your face with these elegant little sugar monsters. My work-neighbor was in meringue mode herself, even making some with hibiscus powder. FASCINATING! (Note to self: obtain hibiscus powder. Pronto.) To add to the madness, images of white fluffy blobs kept popping up on Pinterest, and the visuals were enough to make me want to bust through my computer screen, grab a hold of every little puff and munch myself silly. Today, I gave in.

• — • — •

I had a few frozen egg whites in the freezer for just this kind of occasion (well, actually, more like making macarons, but these are much easier for now). I used a recipe by Emeril Lagasse as my guide, and just added vanilla extract and ground lavender for flavoring. And since they're lavender, why the heck not blend in some pretty purple swirls? I also couldn't resist adding some rainbow non-pareils to a few. Rainbow sprinkles in general are a major personal weakness.

Vanilla Lavender Meringues

Adapted from Forgotten Kisses, Emeril Lagasse

4 egg whites

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 1/3 c superfine sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon rosewater

1 1/2 teaspoons ground lavender buds

First, preheat the oven to 350° and line a few cookie sheets with parchment. I'm not sure if it's necessary, but I spritzed my parchment with a little cooking spray just to be safe. Whip those egg whites with an electric mixer at medium speed. When they're getting nice and foamy, add the cream of tartar and keep whipping. Gradually add the sugar to the whipping egg whites, 2-3 tablespoons at a time (I actually used a shot glass for this—it's the perfect measure). After half the sugar has been added, add the vanilla, rosewater, and lavender powder, then go back to adding the sugar (again, gradually), all while still whipping the egg whites. Beat the whites until they're shiny and thick, with stiff peaks. That's it. Easy, right? Next, for shaping the actual meringue cookies, you could either fill a piping bag (my weapon of choice) and pipe out the size you prefer, or just spoon out organic little globs onto the parchment. The size, of course, will determine how many you yield. If you pipe a bunch of little ones, I bet you'll have 4-6 dozen or something. If you pipe a bunch of big ones, you'll probably get 18-24. Anyway. Pop the pans in the oven, and then turn it off. Let them sit in the oven for at least 2 hours, but preferably longer. Even overnight is okay, just as long as they dry out. In the end, the meringues will be dry and crisp.

For more meringue references, I also used this post from The Kitchn.

The Buckeye and Scarlet & Gray

2010-09-26T10:22:00.004-04:00

Live and in person.

• — • — •

They were featured at last night's Grandview Hop in honor of football season starting. I'm a Bearcat myself, but I still get psyched for our hometeam. Plus, what's not to love about a team that gives you both color combos AND flavor combos that can be applied to desserts!? The Buckeye Cupcakes sold out—chocolate and peanut butter is a craving that you really can't deny.

OSU Football Season Cupcakes! Available September-December.

2010-08-31T09:27:00.002-04:00

Click image to view larger.

• — • — •

It's football season, and we're in Columbus. You know what that means?

OHIO STATE THEMED CUPCAKES. Oh yes. That's right. Hello, Scarlet & Gray. Hello, Buckeye. Let's review the play-by-play of these flavors, shall we?

The Scarlet & Gray cupcake is red velvet cake topped with its match-made-in-heaven, vanilla malt frosting, dyed gray to match the city's favorite color combination.

The Buckeye cupcake is a chocolate cake, swirled with peanut butter. It's topped with a ring of chocolate gooey frosting, then topped with a dollop of peanut butter frosting. And because everyone likes cupcakes to look extra cute, it's garnished with a mint leaf for that extra buckeye touch.

Need them for a game? Or any ol' event? Or to fulfill that crazy craving you just got when you thought about the chocolate cake with peanut butter swirl (I know, I've been there)? Pricing for each is $20/dozen, no matter how many dozens you buy. They're available, by order, from now until December. I will still need at least one week's notice. Call or email, you know the drill!

O-H!!!!

Happy National Toasted Marshmallow Day!

2010-08-30T22:41:00.009-04:00

• — • — •

So, the day may be almost over, but the spirit of toasted marshmallows will live on! I just learned late this afternoon that every August 30th is dedicated to a sweet weakness of mine, the toasted marshmallow. If the mallows are untoasted—just plain, white and fluffy—I can do without. I can turn around with my nose in the air and wave them away. But if they're toasted? Oh sweet mother of pearl, this girl melts as if that marshmallow has the irresistible charms of Zack Morris.

I have to admit, my enthusiasm for National Toasted Marshmallow Day takes root in my latest obsession. Or an addiction, maybe? Craving? Anyway, I am a sucker for fresh chocolate chip cookies topped with a squishy, brown and toasty marshmallow. It all started at the Movie Tavern on the west side, with a little dessert called The Ultimate Cookie. My boyfriend was originally the interested party—I was more along the lines of "Igh.. I guess. Why not?" I'm telling you, that plate of three cookies was so much more than I could've ever imagined. A hot, melty, gooey chocolate chip cookie (with cake-like qualities) topped with a golden, toasted marshmallow. Sounds simple, basic even. But the flavors of both are just meant to be—they compliment each other beautifully. Ever since that fateful day in early summer, those cookies have been haunting me and my attempts to eat healthily.

• — • — •

So today, in honor of Mr. Toasted Marshmallow, I broke out the cookie dough (that's right, even bakers use ready-made dough for a quick fix). I baked them until they were golden but still undercooked, heated up that broiler, squished a jumbo marshmallow on top, and toasted until they were a smokey, golden treat.

• — • — •

I highly encourage you to try this at home. Grab a bag of mallows, a pack of cookie dough, and hunker down for the evening with a big fat glass of milk. Happy National Marshmallow Day, everyone! And to all, a good night.

Farmer's Market Blitzkrieg

2010-08-07T13:07:00.004-04:00

• — • — •

Saturdays can be a little rough around here. When it's a busy month, it's usually b/c I'm up late on Fridays and up again early the next Saturday morning baking away. Then between the usual monthly visit home to the fam and whatever other events are going on, a lazy weekend is SOOO EXCITING. Thankfully, this is one calm weekend for me and my bf George. We haven't gotten over to the farmer's market yet this year so that's how we started our Saturday. There are a lot of local farmer's markets here in Cbus, but we prefer the popular Clintonville Farmers' Market. Not that we live there, but it's close enough and we usually see a friend or two... or three. Yay for local, right? :-) The market goes from 9-12. We got there a little after 11:30. But that didn't matter. We still did plenty of damage in record time! Our tally:

• one green zucchini

• two yellow zucchini

• 6 peaches

• small basket of blackberries (score!)

• basket of green beans

• two cheeses: string cheese and a chipotle something or other

• one 12 oz. bear of honey

• one yellow watermelon (personal-sized)

• one super juicy red watermelon (also personal-sized)

• one cantaloupe

• one honeydew

• three patty pan squash

• — • — •

Everything...for the most part.

• — • — •

PLUS we stopped at a BBQ cart/stand outside of Global Gallery on High St for one BBQ pork sandwich and 4 ribs. Hey, shopping for fruits and veggies works up quite the carnivorous appetite! Hah. Hello fruits, veggies, and meats! Good-bye, cash!

• — • — •

We're psyched though. I am particularly excited about the Patty Pan squash. All morning I've been randomly yelping "Patty Pan!" Just b/c it's fun. And they're funny looking. What's not to love about that? I had some last night at the restaurant DeepWood so I was kind of on a mission for it this morning.

• — • — •

Sadly, I don't think I'll be baking with any of this stuff. I'm tempted by the blackberries, but they're too precious. I think we'll just be savoring them in their natural state.

• — • — •

Although, you know, I may just have to muddle a few of these babies into a cocktail. Nothing's every too precious for a cocktail. ;-)

Miami Vacation 2010

2010-07-11T20:20:00.001-04:00

I've been gone a long time, but with good reason! My boyfriend and I took a little vacation to Miami, FL. Sun, sand, food, drink, what's not to love?? I know one thing. I'm in love with Miami and I'm itching to go back. We took a little over 1,000, but here's the best of. It's still a good 240-something, but that's a fraction of 1,000, right? ;-)

Lush Blossoms.

2010-07-01T11:12:00.003-04:00

Hello, pretties!

• — • — •

This morning I filled an order for a girl's 13th birthday party. There was much brainstorming between her mother and me, but in the end we decided on some brightly colored flowers for the 12 vanilla-vanilla malt cupcakes in the order.

• — • — •

I call these little babies "Lush Blossoms." You may remember them from a post a few months ago. They're not a technical method of flower piping—they're not roses, they're not begonias or pansies, they're not chrysanthemums. They're just...really cute flowers. If you ask me, they're a cross between a dahlia and a mum. A "dalimum," maybe? A "chrysanthlia?" No. Too complicated. Forget it. I call them "LUSH BLOSSOMS." Why? B/c I'm Sugarlush. My brand is Sugarlush. My tagline varies between "Be a lush," or "Are you a lush?" and b/c I created these little ladies. So they're mine. At least, I think they are. I'm owning it, gosh darn it! And "blossom" is kind of generic for "flower," plus it sounds so much better. So "Lush Blossoms" it is!

The party is this afternoon so I'm just hoping all goes well. It should... right? For some reason I'm always still so nervous after my orders are picked up. One of these days, I'll get over it.

Alert! Updated Menu and New Items! :-)

2010-06-22T13:05:00.000-04:00

Hey all. I've recently updated my menu and the new PDF is available for download. You can download it on the top right side of the page in the CUPCAKE MENU section, or you can click here. It will take you to Mediafire, and you can download from it from there.

• — • — •

So what's new? Why an updated menu? First, the Grahamwich has been added as an official item. Grahamwiches use the same frostings as the cupcakes, except for ganache and lemon glaze, of course. But aren't you excited?? ;-)

Next, the Frosting family has grown! The chocolate ganache selection is more plentiful with original, spicy, orange, mocha, and mint. Oh, how to choose?! Furthermore, two brand new frostings, key lime and coconut, have been added!

Welcome to the family, Key Lime! Glad you could join us, Coconut. :-)

And the key lime? It's quickly becoming a fan favorite. So much so that this month I'll have key lime cupcakes at the Grandview Hop on Saturday, June 26, so come on out and grab one! I'll also have cinnamon toast cupcakes, strawberry grahamwiches, and s'mores with homemade marshmallow filling. It's like the original grahamwich, just augmented to awesomeness! Plus, I'm planning on having a cookie that'll be 2/$1. Those always go over well. But what kind of cookie—now that's the question!

Alright guys, back to the grindstone. I have some baby shower cupcakes to get ready for. Until next time...

At the Hop: Cupcakes for all at the Grandview Hop.

2010-05-30T12:52:00.013-04:00

• — • — •

Long time no blog, eh? What's up with that? It's been a little hectic over here, plus my birthday was just a few weeks ago so blogging had to take a back seat for awhile. But I've still been baking! Boy, have I been baking. Most recently for the Grandview Hop. I know, you're like "What's the Grandview Hop? I've never heard of it." The Grandview Hop, for you locals here in Columbus, is like the Short North's Gallery Hop. It's a neighborhood affair with vendors & artists lining the streets, people milling up and down Grandview Ave checking out the shops and general goings-on, maybe taking a walk after going to dinner. The dance studio has free lessons. It's a really quite a nice affair. It happens the last Saturday of everything month from April-November. This past Saturday was my first Hop—actually, it was my first public vendor appearance period!

• — • — •

The idea came from a friend who said "You know, we were talking and we think you should sell your cupcakes at the Grandview neighborhood thing that they have." Well, he didn't say it exactly like that, but you know. So that meant the Grandview Hop. And a lot of times when people say to me "Hey, why don't you do this?" I groan because it's usually some cockemamy, hair-brained idea that would take oodles of time and effort that they just don't understand, especially while holding down a full-time job plus the side business. BUT THIS IDEA??? I sat there, eyebrows furrowed, saying "You know... actually... that would work. That really would make sense... YES!!!" EUREKA! The location is perfect. The frequency of the event is perfect. The clientele is perfect. These are my peeps! Plus, I know a super sweet shop owner who would let me have a space outside her store, which is perfect. It just made so much sense! So I went for it. I contacted my shop-owner-lady-friend who was equally excited. We're a perfect match!

• — • — •

So here's the set-up! I'm stationed in front of Peabody Papers, for future reference (Hint Hint: Come see me in action!). It's a great brand partnership. Gorgeous, sophisticated paper & stationery mixed w/ gorgeous (just go w/ it), delicious cupcakes. What could be better? And Brooke, the owner, is quite possibly the nicest person with whom you could ever cross paths, so if you come by, make sure to stop into Peabody to check it out.

• — • — •

On the menu for the event was two cupcakes, two grahamwiches, a butter sable cookie, plus some frosting free for all to try. Who doesn't love a sample?? So for cupcakes I had red velvet with vanilla malt frosting since it's delicious, relatively safe and standard, but just intriguing enough. Next was the chocolate cupcake with raspberry amaretto frosting topped with a thin lemon cookie. A little usual but very delightful combo when it comes to fluffy little cupcakes. Just enough to make people stop, look, and really think about the baked goods they're craving. The frosting sample though? Brilliant. I would without a doubt say that I make a darn good frosting. I kick a lot of frosting behind, if you know what I'm saying. Why not let everyone try it out?

• — • — •

And now for the sables. A sable is a buttery, French shortbread. It's so much better than your everyday shortbread if you ask me. Much richer with a much better texture. These were filled with orange zest, chopped roasted and salted pistachios, and chopped chocolate—both bittersweet and milk. Plus, I throw in a little extra salt for good measure. ;-) Thankfully, I have a few leftover that I'll probably munch on in a few minutes here.

• — • — • • — • — •

And last but not least, the newly revised menu! I'll be posting this soon—I just have to adapt a downloadable PDF version. But this has an updated list of frostings plus TWO NEW FLAVORS! Key lime and coconut, welcome to the family! Grahamwiches have also been added to the offering.Speaking of grahamwiches...

• — • — •

The grahamwich selection? A salted caramel grahamwich, dipped in chocolate, and dipped in roasted, salted pecans (and some without nuts if that's your preference.) Also, a key lime grahamwich dipped in chocolate and shredded coconut (and of course, some without the coconut). The key lime frosting tastes just like key lime pie, just an eensy bit sweeter (due to the sugar in the frosting, of course). But my God, it's good. Seriously. You're going to have to try it.

• — • — •

So what's next? Well there will be another Hop at the end of June on the 26th. Remember, the last Saturday of each month. I'm usually set up about 5:30 and stay around til 10 or until I sell enough to make me happy—whichever comes first. :-) On the menu will be key lime cupcakes (another chance for you to get that frosting!), cinnamon toast cupcakes (intrigued? you should be!), and of course a grahamwich or two. Just have to decide on which ones!

This coming weekend I have a graduation party to bake for. The menu consists of vanilla cupcakes with lavender-lemon-vanilla bean frosting (a custom request) and probably some with key lime frosting, strawberry cupcakes with strawberry frosting dipped in chocolate, and brown sugar cupcakes with chai spice frosting. Maybe that will inspire me for the next hop!

Meet the Grahamwiches.

2010-05-06T18:32:00.007-04:00

Everybody, I would like you to meet The Grahamwich. Grahamwich, I'd like you to meet... everybody.

• — • — •

Grahamwich. Say what? GRAM-wich, like sandwich. Noun. A sandwich made of homemade graham crackers (yes, really homemade) with frosting in between, then partially dipped in chocolate and garnished with...something else.

It all started one day at work when I was in desperate need for a snack. I was rummaging through my desk drawer (where I have a hefty snack supply, let me tell you), and I came across a leftover bag of little bitty graham cracker sticks. Or as Kroger refers to them, Graham Stix (Clever using that "x," guys). Anyway, I digress. It was late in the afternoon and I needed a snack and I needed it right that second. The graham sticks were a good start, but it wasn't enough. Luckily, I also keep a jar of peanut butter at work because 1) it's delicious 2) it's full of protein 3) it's delicious. Graham cracker sticks + peanut butter. This could work. So in the peanut butter the graham sticks went and it. Was. Good. Really good. Surprisingly good, actually. That's when I had an idea. THE GRAHAMWICH.

Homemade grahams, in progress.

• — • — •

Homemade graham cracker, topped with peanut butter, dipped in chocolate, and then covered in sprinkles... or toffee, or nuts, or anything, really. Because hungry or not hungry, those cheapy little Kroger brand "stix" with the Smart Balance Peanut Butter (Shout out to Smart Balance PB) were awesome. How could you go wrong with this concept? There is no going wrong.

Ever since I gave birth to the idea of the grahamwich, I was dying for a chance to actually BAKE the grahamwiches. There was just no time or opportunity. Until it happened. A friend at work asked if I could bake "something delicious" for a birthday for a friend of hers. I gave her two choices, because the request came pretty late in the game. Option 1 was the glorious invention of the grahamwich. Option 2 was the standard cupcake, but preferably with a frosting like vanilla malt or salted caramel--something quick and easy. This girl is no newbie to the world of fine baked goods. She knows a thing or two, and she's also always ready for a culinary adventure. The idea of "homemade graham cracker" reeled her in and got her hooked on the idea of the grahamwich, which made me super excited because FINALLY! I CAN TRY THIS PUPPY OUT!

• — • — •

While creating the components, I was thinking... it doesn't necessarily have to be peanut butter frosting. It could be anything, really. Vanilla malt would be fantastic in this case. Classic, but with a twist, and perfect with the graham. My friend/customer, was of course, up for two flavor options. Seriously, the baker is willingly offering you a variety--who's going to turn that down?!?

• — • — •

So here they are. My little grahamwiches. Delicious and cute as a stinking button. Remember Dunkaroos?? Yeah, like that, sort of, only BETTER. But you know what I'm most psyched about?? THE POSSIBILITIES. THINK OF THE POSSIBILITIES, PEOPLE!! I am brimming with excitement! Graham + salted caramel frosting + chocolate + homemade toffee. Graham + chai frosting + white chocolate. I mean, I could go on and on but I'll try not to. So when I'm able, I think I'll be revising my menu to include the grahamwich. I'll be working on some suggested combos as well. They're available for order, folks, and I highly recommend it! The Grahamwich. Coming soon to a party tray near you!

Bread & Butter

2010-05-03T23:06:00.007-04:00

• — • — •

I have to admit, as much as I love the adorable cupcakes, chewy cookies, and other delectable sweets, I REALLY REALLY love bread. And salted butter. With the bread toasted, preferably. It's simple but SOOOO GOOD. Throw a glass of wine in there and I'm a happy camper. (Does the wine make me sound pretentious? It's most often Trader Joe's Charles Shaw, aka 2-Buck Chuck. There. Unpretentious.) This weekend I didn't have many obligations, so Sunday was a primo time to try baking something new. That led me to a recipe I found in ReadyMade Magazine for a simple baguette. Besides sounding delicious, it also sounded pretty easy.

• — • — •

First off, THE POOLISH!!! That's pronounced "poo-LEESH," fyi. The poolish is a fermentation starter that (while sitting around for several hours) develops a complex flavor as well as a better texture for the bread dough. I could try to educate you and drone on and on, or I could just send you to the Wikipedia explanation. Or this one here from the blog Baking And Books. They'll explain it a lot better. The poolish for this recipe is one part water, one part flour (1 cup of each here), and one tbsp active dry yeast. What you're seeing above is right after the poolish has been sitting for 4.5 hours and I just added the salt.

• — • — •

Next, after adding the remainder of flour, yeast, water, and salt, you let the dough sit and rise for an hour. That leaves you with a big giant blob of dough. After that first hour, you punch the dough w/ the heels of your hands to get rid of the gas/air the dough has collected. I was pretty psyched. The dough was big and puffy and I couldn't wait to punch that thing. However, silly me, I forgot that just maybe I should've floured my hand first... yeah, smooth move, ML. Brilliant.

• — • — •

After letting the dough rise yet ANOTHER hour, you shape the dough into loaves and then BAKE AWAY! But first, I made sure to put a lovely egg wash on the loaves and coat those puppies in tasty sea salt and pink himalayan salt! Oh, salty bread, I'm drooling just at the thought.

• — • — •

And here you have it! About 22 minutes/loaf later, you have crusty bread that's super soft on the inside. HELPFUL HINT: How can you tell when bread is done? It's not like you can poke this thing with a toothpick and "see if it comes out clean," you know what I'm saying? Turns out you can use a thermometer. The internal temp should be about 190°. You could also try some sort of old school method of turning the loaf upside down and hitting it and seeing if it makes a "thumping" sound but 1) that sounds archaic and I have a thermometer and 2) that might knock off my tasty salty topping so forget it. Trusty thermometer it is.

• — • — •

Do I really need to convince you that the bread is delicious? I mean, look at it. It's a beautiful crusty baguette. Unless you hate on baguettes on a regular basis, this simple loaf will win you over, especially if you're a salt fiend like yours truly. And that salt on top? The crusty outside + the sea salt is similar to a soft pretzel, only better in my opinion!

Now, the recipe will give you 3-4 loaves. What do you do then? I opted for drenching some slices in dipping olive oil, toasting some and slathering them with Nutella, or my first aforementioned love, covering them in salted butter (after toasting them, of course!). I also brought a loaf and a half to work b/c let's face it. This little lady can't consume three loaves of white bread herself! Yikes! I imagine this would also be delicious in soup and it could make some killer appetizers (tomato, basil, mozzerella, DONE). So what do you think? Will you go for it? Are you going to bake some bread??? You know you want to... ;-)

Soda Fountain Fave: Chocolate Root Beer Hi-Hats

2010-04-19T10:59:00.008-04:00

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My boyfriend just turned 30 a week ago. This past weekend was a big giant party to celebrate his not-really-over-the-hill-but-big-enough-to-make-a-fuss-over birthday. This, of course, gives me a reason to bake something fun and exciting. YESSSS! George, aka Mr. Boyfriend, loves peaches. Like... L-O-V-E LOVES them beyond all imagination. I'm a strawberry fan myself so this love is not shared, but since I love him (Go ahead, I'll give you a second to "awwww"................ and we're done) I made mini peach cheesecake cupcakes in his honor.

But that's not what's pictured here. What's pictured here is the second cupcake option. I struggled a little bit with what cupcakes to make. I knew I'd make the peach cheesecakes, but the second option was still up in the air. What do I do? Do I even do a second option? What should it be? So as of Tuesday, I was still debating until it hit me!!! HI-HATS. Glorious, poofy, yet-to-be explored HI-HATS.

• — • — •

Have you heard of hi-hats? They're apparently an old school New York favorite. That, of course, makes them cool in my book. It's basically chocolate cake, a fluffy marshmallow/7-minute frosting "filling" that's really more of a mountain on top of the cake, then you dip that in chocolate. I know, right? HOLY MOLY! I've always wanted to make them, but haven't had the chance to just do it for fun. This time, it's PERFECT! Only, do I just fill them with plain ol' marshmallow filling? Just sugar-flavored? That's so not like me! So first I was thinking maybe coffee-flavored. That'd make them unique and quite charming to the adult palette. But then DUH. I remembered the root beer concentrate I've had sitting in my refrigerator for a year and a half. HELLOOOO. ROOT BEER HI-HATS! Perfect! Brilliant!!!!!

George was game. Sometimes he's into my whacky ideas, and sometimes he gives me a weirdo look like I'm crazy and he's all "I dunnoooooooooo" and I just yell "TRUST ME. WHY DO YOU STILL NOT TRUST ME????" Luckily, this didn't take any convincing.

The baby hi-hats (low-hats??) were a HUGE hit at the party. Everyone loved them, and even a few non-root beer fans were digging them too. Seven-minute frosting has a serious sugar-flavor so if you flavor it, you really have to kick it up a notch. That sugar-strength actually helped the root beer concentrate so it wasn't too strong. I mean, don't get me wrong, I made sure there was some serious root beer flavor in there, but it wasn't over the top. It blended beautifully.

I'll give you more details (and of course, pics!) in the next post. Until then, friends...

Cookie Dough Peanut Butter Brownies: The Completion

2010-04-04T20:22:00.011-04:00

• — • — •

As promised, this is Cookie Dough Peanut Butter Brownies: Part 2. They were a HUGE hit at the family affair and bonus: they traveled quite well during the 7 hour drive there & 7 hour drive back (there were thankfully some leftovers for me to share with the folks back home). Sometimes you gotta worry about those pesky details like dessert durability!

• — • — •

And the second thing I promised—the peanut butter filling recipe. As a bonus for you I've added a downloadable recipe card with the recipe to the post so scroll on down! This filling can be used to kick any recipe up a notch—brownies, cake, etc. It's actually pretty similar to making frosting. Here we go.

Peanut Butter Filling via Martha Stewart

• 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

• 1/2 c confectioner's sugar

• 3/4 c smooth peanut butter

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Combine ingredients in bowl & blend well. Add to brownie batter by the spoonful and swirl with knife to create marbled-pattern.

::: Click here to download recipe card PDF :::

Mmm, deliciousness. The peanut butter filling really does add the perfect touch--it's a little hint of salt in a sweet, rich, chocolatey treat. I added one batch of peanut butter filling to the brownies, but personally, I would maybe even add 1.5 batches. But I'm 110% obsessed with peanut butter, so that could be why. :-)

Cookie Dough Peanut Butter Brownies. Right here. Right now.

2010-03-26T09:30:00.002-04:00

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I have a family thing this weekend. I have to bring something. The problem is, there's travel involved. UGHGH. What to make?? What to do?? I need to make something ahead since I have to work then travel, and SINCE it has to travel, it has to be sturdy--none of this delicate, fancy business. Plus, I work, so it's not like I have all this time—I need something easy peasy. I suppose there's always the option of going to the store and buying something, but yuck. Who wants that?? Gross. I'm cringing just thinking about it.

That's when I remembered something I saw on Bakerella. No, I can't take full credit here. And I think Ms. Bakerella found this through Betty Crocker if I'm not mistaken. Here's the deal. It's a box of brownie mix + a box of chocolate chip cookie mix. You make the brownie mix according to the instructions & pour the batter in a 13x9 pan. Then you make the cookie dough and drop the sweet little blobs right into the unbaked brownie batter. You bake them together, et voila! Chocolate chip cookie dough brownies. Top them with a rich chocolate ganache and you got yourself a winner. I made them about a year ago for a friend's birthday. I assure you, they won the hearts of all who ate them.

BUT THIS TIME. Oh no, this time I did something a little bit different. I made a peanut butter filling. So first it's brownie mix, then I dropped in the peanut butter filling & swirled it for peanut butter marble brownies, THEN dropped in the chocolate chip cookie dough. HEEEECK YEAH, baby.

• — • — •

You then bake according to the instructions. The brownie boxes say 350°. The cookies say 375°. I opt for 350° so nothing cooks too quickly & burns.

• — • — •

Unfortunately, this is going to have to be a two-parter. A cliffhanger! I've coated them in ganache and they're in my fridge, however, photos of a big pan of ganache aren't quite as exciting to stare at, oh no. So this weekend, once I finally rip into these little delicious monsters, I plan to take the finished process photos and post away. I'll also give you the recipe for the peanut butter filling, I promise. Until then, to be continued... ;-)

Shiny New Recipe Cards

2010-03-24T10:00:00.002-04:00

• — • — •

Who doesn't get excited about new stuff? New clothes. New shoes. New pots & pans. New episodes of TV shows. Heck, even new shampoo! It's thrilling! So that's why I'm excited right now. I have a new recipe card available in the Etsy shop! It will be available as a PDF file with 3 color variations of the same design (pictured above... as if you needed to be told). Perfect for writing down a bunch of NEW (or old) recipes. ;-)

Key Lime for the Win!

2010-03-21T09:00:00.003-04:00

— • — • —

I stumbled upon this on Jezebel by way of NYMag. (If you haven't heard, I like to pretend I'm a New Yorker and read NYMag.com constantly. Anywho...) I don't really care about March Madness. I WANT TO. I want to so badly. I want to go to a bar and yell and get super into the game but I just...can't. I get bored. Yaaawn. Beer can only keep me entertained for so long (I know, right?). But anyway, on Friday, I came across the article on NYMag speaking about a new kind of "bracketology" of the Cake Vs. Pie variety. SAY WHAT???

Hmm, cake vs pie. Now that's something I could get into! Normally, I choose cake. I love cake. Obviously. What do I sell? Gimme a C! Gimme a U! Gimme a P! Gimme a CAKE!!! And fruit pies are NOT my thing. They're alright, but I wouldn't choose it. Cream pies and goo pies? That's a different story. I love pumpkin pie. Some kind of chocolate goo pie? Peanut butter pie? Key lime pie?? Heck yeah, I'd hit that. Little did I expect this to happen though:

— • — • —

KEY LIME FOR THE WIN!!!! Holy cow! I love funfetti. I love red velvet (especially my own & Sprinkles'—most others fall short) but WOW... KEY LIME. FOR. THE. WIN. I didn't see that coming at all. You know why? Key lime pie, to me, can transcend traditional pie expectations. The creamy texture, the burst of exquisite flavor, the buttery graham crust, but most importantly the possibility for sophisticated gourmet alterations—it's just beyond a normal pie in my opinion. Now, one could argue that ANY pie could achieve similar heights but here on this blog, Key Lime reigns.

So I'm for pie. Who knew? Even if I had to switch it up, peanut butter pie would be my champ. I have an undying love for peanut butter, but that's a whole other blog post.

What are you thoughts? What's your bracket? Most importantly, WHO IS YOUR CHAMP?

Pretty petals of frosting.

2010-03-10T23:19:00.010-05:00

• — • — •

Flower cupcakes, piped at a friend's special request. By no means is this some technical method of piping. It was a trial & error discovery. But I'm digging them! They remind me of dahlias. They're not the official way to pipe dahlias, but hey... who says there's only one way, right? One of these days I'm going to practice piping dahlias, roses, begonias, peonies, chrysanthemums... yeah, all those.

Culinary Covet List: Femme Fab

2010-03-09T08:52:00.001-05:00

I have a serious shopping problem. I want thing, lots & lots of pretty things & sooner or later I can't control myself. Well, I can... it's just not nearly as fun & it's a lot harder than it seems! That's when I came up with the idea to share my Culinary Covet Lists as a form of personal therapy for when I develop serious "I WANT" syndrome, & it's also a way for me to share all the cool stuff I come across. Plus, it also gives me a way to develop eye candy for the blog. We like eye candy here, right? That was rhetorical, ps. :-)

• — • — •

— Covet List No. 001: Femme Fab —

1. Spring Fed Dinnerware 10" melamine plate from Pop Ink
2. Luster Bell Optic Flute-Set of 6 in green from Target
3. White & Silver square tray with bird graphic from Pier 1
4. Liberty of London for Target tiered dessert tray. From Target, in stores March 14
5. Sparrow Salt & Pepper Shakers from Fred Flare
6. Damask Embroidery Table Runner in beige & olive, from KainKain's Etsy Shop

Triple Chocolate Pistachio Praline Cake

2010-02-26T21:11:00.008-05:00

Are you ready for this? Can you handle it?

• — • — •

This is the latest from my kitchen. The Triple Chocolate Pistachio Praline Cake. It's a combination of rich chocolate flavors, notes of mocha, hints of salt, & a delicious, sweet, nutty crunch that join together to do the ultimate happy-dance on your tongue.

A friend at work asked me to make a "birthday cake" for a friend of hers. She & her husband were having the friend & husband over for a birthday dinner so they wanted a dessert. Only, I know this woman well enough to know that a normal "birthday cake" seemed a little out of place. These people are foodies in every sense of the word. They love to experiment with food, they truly appreciate new combinations of flavors & textures, but indulging in any ol' thing that's sweet is not a part of their daily habit. So when I asked to clarify, she really just wanted a delicious, beautiful dessert but it didn't have to be the standard "birthday cake." It just had to be chocolate, as the friends were both super chocoholics. PHEW. I mean, I could do a birthday cake, of course. I just knew this wasn't the time, place, or audience for it. But you know what that means? Time to put the creative baking cap on!! YESSSS.

You remember the layered brownie thing I made back in December? The Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Tart? I drew my inspiration from that. It was easy (well, relatively speaking) but elegant, & the individual components were simple but delicious so I thought about turning it into cake form. The brownie tart was great, but quite honestly, the ganache & whipped cream could've used something a bit more porous & delicate to absorb the layers of goo. Enter the cake.

• — • — •

For the bottom layer of the cake I adapted the recipe for my favorite chocolate cake, a super moist & flavorful Dense Chocolate Loaf Cake from Nigella Lawson's book How to be a Domestic Goddess. I added my own twist to it (of course). For one, you can see that it's clearly not in loaf form. I used a 9.5" springform pan. Secondly, I added ground pistachios. This cake typically falls in the middle b/c it's so dense--WHICH IS OKAY, it's supposed to. But I did add a little something extra to counteract that. Plus, a few extra twists. ;-)

• — • — •

Time for the ganache & the praline. Instead of a typical chocolate + cream ganache, I upped the flavor profile by adding a strong coffee flavor plus a blend of different types of chocolate for a richer, more flavorful topping. Mocha ganache!! Oh my goodness, it was so tasty. The ganache was poured on top of the cake, while the praline was crunched, smashed, chopped, and crumbled so it could grace the edges of the cake. Truth be told, it could also be a pistachio brittle, but in the end, it's basically a seriously sugar-coated nut so I'm going with praline. Semantics. Go figure.

• — • — •

Next up! The chocolate whipped cream. This had a much different chocolate flavor b/c the natural flavor of whipped cream is so strong. The chocolate is much lighter in this component. It works out beautifully though, it's balances out the other intense flavors. It's the perfect compliment.

• — • — •

And here we go! The complete creation. The Triple Chocolate Pistachio Praline cake. The top is garnished w/ chocolate ganache frosting & more pistachio praline crumbles, mixed w/ chopped pistachios.

• — • — •

One more reason I'm so excited about this cake: it can translate into cupcakes. Quite easily!! Can you imagine it? Perfect little bouncy cupcakes, dipped in mocha ganache with crumbles of pistachio praline & topped with a dollop of chocolate whipped cream? Yeeeaaaahhhhh, doesn't that sound INCREDIBLE??? (that's a rhetorical question, of course it'd be incredible)

Now this makes me think about my Couture Cupcake collection. A select few flavors that up the ante on your average vanilla cupcake + some color of sugary frosting. How do you feel about that?? I'm excited, are you?

Pistachio Praline

2010-02-22T22:27:00.007-05:00

What happens when you cook sugar & water, then pour it over chopped pistachios & let it cool?

• — • — •

You get this! Pistachio praline. I used it for a cake garnish over the weekend, which was a perfect unique way to add a new flavor & interesting texture change. More to come on this in a few days.

• — • — •

Screw flowers. Valentine's day is for CUPCAKES!

2010-02-21T10:05:00.000-05:00

• — • — •

I have something to confess. Valentine's Day... is one of my favorite holidays. But not b/c I'm a sap. I'm actually not much of a sap at all. You know why I love it? B/c everything's pink. (Yup, it's that easy.) And red & white. AND CUTE. And full of hearts! I flippin' love hearts. You see my logo? Yeah, hearts. Lacey doiley things? Totally appropriate for Valentine's Day. If this was how Arbor Day was celebrated, I'd probably be all about Arbor Day. But turns out, it's Valentine's Day so dang it, I'm gonna embrace it.

Valentine's Day is also a perfect time to promote cupcakes. Everyone's buying random gifty things. It's not like Christmas where you have a list (or I dunno, it may be like that for some people—not me). It's not like a birthday. If you need something, you don't ask for it for Valentine's Day. You just give & get... nice, happy stuff. THUS THE CUPCAKES. They're celebratory, they're cute, they're a delicious treat, & the holiday gives people a reason to order them so really, I couldn't be happier! My Valentine's Day promo is a pretty darn good deal if you ask me. Six cupcakes for $10—you can choose between one of the two flavors offered or mix it up for 3 & 3. This year's flavor options? Red velvet cake with vanilla malt frosting, & strawberry cake with strawberry frosting, then dipped in chocolate.

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This year I had 9 total orders. It's less than last year, but still a good bit of work. Pictured above are the order cards. I had a spark of inspiration one day while perusing the online shop Paper Valise when I saw old-school library cards. Library cards... THAT COULD WORK!! As long as I design my own, that is. But hell, that's not hard! The card could actually have the order on it. I could stamp the date. Mark whether it's pick-up or delivery. Place it in a little pocket on the box, which also gives me a place to put a business card to give people... it's just crazy enough to work! Plus, I get to use that sweet date stamp like SERIOUS old school library style. I feel like I'm back in grade school!

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Below is pretty self-explanatory. It's the naked cakes! Top is red velvet. Bottom is strawberry.

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And here we go. The GOOD stuff. Below are the strawberry cupcakes. They turned out very well, & I was super psyched about how they looked. In my head, everything was going to work. But sometimes what's in your head doesn't match what comes out of your kitchen. That day, luckily, it did. So here you're seeing the strawberry cake, topped with strawberry frosting, dipped in rich chocolate ganache, topped with a very light sprinkling of thin chocolate sprinkles topped with a mint leaf for garnish.

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Next up are the red velvet-vanilla malts! This is one of my personal favorite cupcake combos, if not THE favorite. The pairing is just so classic, but still different b/c quite frankly I'm the only one here doing vanilla malt frosting! And if I'm not the only one, I'll bet you $$ that mine's the best. The light chocolately flavor of the red velvet cake & the creamy, sweet vanilla bite of the malt frosting compliment each other perfectly. SO GOOD. On top is a Whopper malt ball of "strawberry" flavor. I put "strawberry" in quotes because I have a feel it's more the color than the actual flavor that makes them "strawberry."

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The next photo is one of my favorite shots. The image is just so graphic—I really love it. Strawberry on the left, red velvet on the right (duh).

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And here we are! The final packaging. Authentic library card pocket & all. The pockets were purchased from the local United Art & Education. The library order cards were designed by yours truly. When my design world & baking world compliment each other—that makes me a happy camper.

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And there we have it, in somewhat of a nutshell. Now don't you wish you ordered some?? ;-)

Happiness in blog form

2010-02-18T12:15:00.000-05:00

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This has nothing to do with food. Well, not exactly. It's candy. Eye candy. Pure, delightful, colorful, thoughtful, happy-making eye candy.

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I found this blog, A Creative Mint, awhile ago but haven't visited it in the past few months until yesterday. I forgot how happy it makes me. All you have to do is sit there and absorb the beautiful images—nothing else. You can find more from Leslie (the blogger) on Decor8 as a regular guest feature called Color Me Pretty. Her blog posts are so visually stunning, they have a calming effect on me during crazy days at work when deadlines are looming closely overhead.

Pretty amazing stuff, right? *sigh* Happy place.

So you guys don't get uber bored...

2010-02-01T23:54:00.008-05:00

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This is one of the latest projects to come out of the Sugarlush oven this past weekend. More about them after Valentine's Day! Speaking of which...

If you're in Columbus, have you made your Valentine's Day order yet?? $10 gets you 6 cupcakes. Email me if you want to reserve a box! For more info, go here (or just scroll down to the next blog post).

BE A LUSH on Valentine's Day!

2010-01-27T13:50:00.007-05:00

The Valentine's Day Special is back y'all!!!! HOLLA!!!!!! Click on the pic to see it at full-size.

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Click me, s'il vous plait.

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Here's the deal. Like it says, $10 for one box of 6 (that's a half-dozen) cupcakes. There are two flavor combo options:

[1] Strawberry cupcake with strawberry frosting, dipped in chocolate

[2] Red velvet cupcake with vanilla malt frosting

They're both delicious, I promise you. You pick them up on Saturday, February 13 between 2pm-4pm.

Want to order? OF COURSE you do. Send me an email at sugarlushcupcakes@gmail.com. Orders must be made by WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3rd! You have ONE WEEK FROM TODAY to think about it! I take cash & Paypal. I'll send out Paypal invoices so both of us have a record of your order and payment status, but feel free to pay with cash if you prefer (just let me know if that's how you plan to pay).

Christened Cupcakes

2010-01-25T23:05:00.009-05:00

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Okay, so these cupcakes aren't actually christened. Rather, they were for a christening. My friend & loyal customer Katie had a super cute baby back in the fall. Rocco (that's the baby) was just baptized this past weekend and for his celebration, Katie ordered two dozen chocolate cupcakes with various types of frosting. Normally, I'm not sure if I'd go through all that rigamarole for just two dozen cupcakes. But since she's always extremely loyal and supportive, whatever Katie wants Katie gets! Plus, she's always willing to stray from the norm and order different flavors of frosting! I love it!

You ready for the pics? Of course you are. And away we go!

First up, we have a lovely shot of 3 of the 4. The Tiffany Blue dollop is your basic cream cheese frosting with a royal icing topper. In the middle is the classic salted caramel frosting (Katie's willing to stray from the norm EXCEPT for this one. She L-O-V-E-S this one. As do most). Then on the far left we have Cookies n' Cream. It's a vanilla frosting with Oreo cookies mixed in, then it's rolled in even MORE Oreos. Mmmm, Oreos... anyway, moving on...

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Cookies n' cream frosted cupcakes... this is when I start drooling...

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All six cream cheese frosted cupcakes with alternating royal icing toppers.

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And finally, the surprise. Katie got an extra cupcake with her order of 24. Her birthday was a few days earlier so I piped a special cream cheese frosted cake just for her. It's a flower...incase it's not super obvious. So, I received Martha Stewart's Cupcakes for Christmas. It has a lot of great piping ideas and tricks. In the book, there's a gorgeous chrysanthemum flower technique. It looks great, but it's actually quite simple. That is, if you have the right frosting.

This is what I tried. Only, my cream cheese frosting? Yeah, that didn't want to hold the shape. So instead it came out squiggly/ribbon-y. This is when I need to actually do a Swiss Buttercream, but that's a whole other story. But you know... I think it looks kind of carnation-y. I like it!! I was planning on doing a paper leaf & paper flag topper all along b/c 1) I didn't want to color more frosting just for a tiny leaf and 2) it needed to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Plus, I think they add character and a personal touch since I'm a graphic designer--this is the kind of little thing I geek out on.

So that's my story. Rocco's baptism cupcakes + Katie's special birthday cupcake. In the meantime, I'll go work on that Swiss Buttercream and flower piping technique.

Be a lush...

2010-01-20T19:34:00.004-05:00

Are you a lush? Come on, you know you are. If not, I highly suggest that you become one. Or better yet... become a fan!

Guess who just got a Facebook page! Well, I, as a person, have been on Facebook for quite sometime. I was in college when it all started—I remember the days when it was still "Thefacebook." But as a BUSINESS, my page is fresh out the oven. It's easier to update Facebook rather than the blog, so look there for additional tidbits, current happenings, and process photos. I'll still keep the blog going, of course! But Facebook will be more frequent. I have a small event coming up, so it'd be a good time to show a progress image or two. Or maybe gather ideas on new flavors? Post new promotions? You get the idea.

Plus, the more "fans" I acquire, I can eventually claim a Username, enabling me to shorten the link and be "facebook.com/sugarlushcupcakes" instead of "facebook.com/pages/sugarlush-cupakes/#totalgobbledygook." I'm not going to lie—there are technological benefits to gaining friends. So, if you fan me, that'd be totally awesome.

Thank you guys for your support! I hope to see you there!

Cupcake Menu Download

2010-01-13T13:30:00.007-05:00

As I occasionally mention, I sell cupcakes to order. The post w/ my menu info has gotten buried in the depths of the archive, so here I am to post a DOWNLOADABLE PDF (wooo!!!) of the menu. Click on the link and you will be able to download the sweet, sweet menu to cupcaketown. For future reference, it's also available in the right-hand column.

Note: For orders, the more advance notice, the better. I require AT LEAST ONE FULL WEEK. Even then it may be hard to squish you in, so order early!

Snow caps of a different variety

2009-12-21T00:11:00.010-05:00

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Usually, "snow caps" in the candy world refer to chocolate non-pareils. Tonight in my kitchen, that it not the case! Tonight, I have a snowy field of marshmallow caps on my kitchen table. Earl grey-flavored marshmallows to be exact.

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I used a recipe from Emeril Lagasse for lemon marshmallows. I'm on a constant search for the perfect mallow recipe so this year I'm giving this one a try. I've tried one from Gourmet magazine that used egg whites--didn't like it. They were oddly moist & squishy--not in a good way. I think I've tried Alton Brown's recipe. It was fine, but not enough to stop my search. And this year, it's Emeril's turn.

I've been dying to make earl grey marshmallows. I am in LOOOOVE with the scent and flavor of earl grey tea. I am intoxicated by the earl grey tea lattes (formerly known as a London Fog latte) at Starbucks. Why not infuse a big sugary blob of marshmallow with this alluring flavor?

I started by making 1 1/4 c of VERY strong earl grey tea. 1 1/4 c water, 5 tea bags. Intense. The recipe technically only uses 1 c of water total, but it doesn't hurt to have a little extra in there due to evaporation during heating and the liquid soaked up by the tea bags. I did not use any lemon juice or zest like the recipe said. Funny thing though, I trusted this recipe b/c of the lemon factor. I was nervous that the acidity of the tea might mess with the coming-together chemistry of the marshmallows (gelatin, hot sugary liquid, acid...who knows). With lemon prominently featured, however, I stopped worrying. Where Emeril says to add in lemon zest at the end, I added 1 tsp vanilla extract instead. In a perfect world where I have access to fancy ingredients, I would add some sort of bergamot extract. BUT I live in Ohio. Vanilla it is! Other than replacing plain water w/ tea & zest w/ vanilla, I followed the recipe exactly.

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I just piped them onto a confectionery sugar-covered sheet of parchment about an hour ago and they will sit out for the rest of the night. Tomorrow they will (hopefully) be slightly dried-out little blobs of sweet heaven to melt in hot cocoa or simply sink my teeth into. Also, they make great Christmas gifts. Who makes their own marshmallows?!?!? Not many people. And even if you're not a mallow fan...well, you'll probably like the homemade kind. They're not your average Jet-Puffed variety from Kraft! OOOOH. Take a round gingerbread wafer, place a small piece of chocolate on top & a marshmallow cap, microwave for a few seconds, and you have yourself a very dandy s'more. I think I just talked myself into making gingerbread cookies. UGH, the culinary adventures never end!!! Until next time...

RECIPE SOURCE: Adapted from Lemon Marshmallows

1 tsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 (1/4-ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin (about 2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup VERY strong earl grey tea
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup VERY strong earl grey tea, cold
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp vanilla

For the how-to, check out the link. (It's a long one so I'd rather not copy/paste!)

Pistachio & Eggnog

2009-12-15T23:51:00.014-05:00

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So, first of all, is "eggnog" one word or two? Egg nog? Or Eggnog? Does it matter? Do you care? Anyway. The latest cupcake creation is my Pistachio Eggnog (yeah, I'm going w/ 1 word) cupcake. It. Was. Good. I don't really like eggnog. My mom LOOOOOVES eggnog. Also, it's worth noting that my mom loves eggnog, drinks eggnog during the holiday season a lot, and cannot drink alcohol due to certain medication so it's not just for fun & booze. Oh no. It's a real LOVE of the stuff. You would think this would somehow be hereditary and I too would hit the nog-bottle on occasion. But do I? No. I can handle it. I don't mind it. But I don't LOVE it. I don't search it out, for sure. For booze? Well, that might be another story ;-) but otherwise, no. Not on my list.

I did, however, feel strongly about eggnog frosting. How could that be BAD?!?! My vanilla malt frosting is a winner and a half, and this is in similar vain. I struggled with the pairing--what cake do I match it with? Vanilla is fine, but it's just so sweet and strong that I don't like pairing it with certain frostings. This is like wine & food, people. It's serious business! Chocolate could be a good contrast and it's not super sweet, so it would be good. But it wouldn't enhance any eggnog flavor really. I considered brown sugar cake. I actually came very close to making brown sugar cake. But no. In my heart, in my big, fat, cupcake-filled heart, I was feeling "Pistachio!!!! Specifically, Pistachio + Cardamom!!!" (I can't take full credit for the genius pairing of pistachio & cardamom—I was inspired by Duff from Ace of Cakes.)

Here's why. First, I love pistachio flavored stuff. No scientific thinking there. 2. Pistachio can be exotic. Pistachio & cardamom has a very Eastern Europe/Middle Eastern kind of feel. Eggnog is flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg. While the roots of eggnog seem to be English or Middle European, nutmeg also pairs well w/ pistachio, cardamom, and other flavors/desserts of Eastern European inspiration. It'd be a wonderful pairing of flavors instead of a mish-mash of sugar piles. See, like I said—it's serious business.

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So here we are, pistachio-cardamom cupcakes topped with eggnog frosting & graced with a light sprinkling of freshly grated nutmeg. And those cupcake wrappers—aren't they just ADORABLE? They're from Bake It Pretty. One of my friends bought them for me as a gift. She's very supportive of my cupcake business and she sent me a care-package of several different cupcake wrappers in the following CUUUUUTE designs:

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I know, can you even handle the cuteness?? I couldn't. I've been saving them to use for the perfect moment when they'll be fully appreciated. What better time than Christmas to break out some red & green polka dotted wrappers, am I right?

So that's my story. Pistachio. Cardamom. Eggnog. Nutmeg. It's delicious. They were well-received at work and I fully-approve of my own work (I am my harshest critic usually) so they're a seasonal winner. Want some? Let me know. They're only available for as long as eggnog season lasts. ;-)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Tart

2009-12-13T15:34:00.007-05:00

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Hey, looky there! What's that? It's a big chocolately ball of goodness, that's what it is. Here we have what I call a Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Tart. I saw the original picture of it on Tastespotting, and that led me to the recipe here. The recipe calls it a "Chocolate Truffle Dessert," which also works. But I was making mine for a party where I would not be able to explain to people what it is. Therefore, the more straight-forward the better. Chocolate? Peanut butter? Brownie? Check, check, & check. Serve me up a piece of that, s'il vous plait!

This is a multi-layered gob of deliciousness. Layer 1 = brownie. Layer 2 = chocolate ganache (don't get scared, it's just chocolate, cream & butter melted together). Layer 3 = peanut butter sauce (homemade). Layer 4 = chocolate whipped cream (yes, homemade). Layer 5 = chocolate garnish/flourishes. The edges are Pepperidge Farm Pirouette cookies. Layer 3, the peanut butter layer, is my personal addition to the recipe. For the most part, I followed the recipe closely (which is RARE for me), but I wanted to do something to make it my own. Plus...I love me some chocolate, but that's a helluva lotta chocolate if you know what I'm sayin. The peanut butter sauce adds a little something extra to help balance that all out. The great thing about this is that while it's rich, it's not overly sweet. You won't feel the enamel on your teeth start to fade away. Also, since it's rich, you don't need to eat a lot, meaning it may be small but it serves many!!! This was made in an 8" springform pan.

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So I made this little guy for my work Christmas party. My goal was to make something nice & quasi-fancy, but not kill myself over it. This is perfect for that. You know why? That brownie layer? Yeah, that's a box mix. (I know, GASP!) Normally, I'm very anti-box mix, but the problem is a lot of people can't tell the difference. Box mixes can produce decent stuff. ESPECIALLY when it comes to brownies. Cake is one thing. But brownies? Brownies, in my opinion, are HARDER to make from scratch b/c the box mixes have done such a good job of getting that perfect mix of fudgey-chewy-moist-melty texture with a chewy edge and a delicate flakey top... it's just hard to duplicate. And the time difference between a box mix vs scratch... well, you can guess. Box mix is faster...much faster.

Next time, if I DO have the time, I'll probably do the brownie layer from scratch. Then I can really kick it up a notch and go wild! But for now, especially w/ all the crazines of the holidays, a box mix will work just fine. :-)

Current project...

2009-12-02T23:05:00.007-05:00

Buy it, use it, print it, tape it... (to the tune of Daft Punk "Technologic")

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As some of you may or may not know, I have another side business. I'm a graphic designer in my real everyday life and my other business (aside from my full-time job) is as a paper goods designer--Sweet Bippy Papers. My best sellers are the recipe cards, hands down. So anyway, here at the Sugarlush kitchen/Sweet Bippy Papers factory (otherwise known as my apartment), I'm busy working on some Christmas wrapping tags. My plan is to post them in my Etsy shop as a printable PDF. I might also post them as real, physical, pre-cut tags with adhesive. I'm not quite sure yet. But what I DO know, is that I hope to have these puppies up in my shop by Friday. That'd be ideal. There are also two more designs (a green & a blue), but that'll just have to be surprise for when they're posted! ;-)

*UPDATE: They're now available! Check them out here.

pretty.

2009-11-25T15:39:00.005-05:00

Inspiration photo of the day. My fabric bin sits next to my couch, adjacent to my hallway. I just folded and stacked the fabrics I used for my cupcake photoshoot and they're sitting there, their pretty patterns and colors staring me in the face when I walk by. My favorite's the brown polka dot. I'm a sucker for polka dots. Maybe it's b/c they look like sprinkles.

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I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving holiday. I look forward to sharing some of my holiday ideas soon!

Sugarlush Wedding Post No. 02

2009-11-21T23:32:00.019-05:00

Vanilla cake, raspberry amaretto frosting & rainbow nonpareils.
Sprinkles are my ultimate weakness.

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My second round of cupcakes for a wedding! Actually, a wedding reception. The couple was married in Hawaii over the summer and they just had a reception here this past weekend. A college friend showed her some of my pics on Facebook. See? All those fb photos aren't just for show! They're good for business! Anyway. The order started out being 5 dozen. Alright, no prob. Later, the girl called me back and changed it to 7 dozen. Eeek! But, luckily the cake flavors were just additions to what I was already making, with an additional frosting.

Total Tally:
• 84 cupcakes
• 2 dozen carrot cake, cream cheese frosting
• 2 dozen chocolate cake, salted caramel frosting (the most popular order)
• 1 dozen chocolate cake, citrus glaze
• 1 dozen vanilla cake, citrus glaze
• 1 dozen vanilla cake, raspberry amaretto frosting

WHEW! Thank goodness, with a little bit of prep work each day of the week, it's completely managable. Before boxing them up for pick-up, I did the usual living room photoshoot. And away we go!

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Carrot cake, cream cheese frosting & slice of carrot

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Vanilla cake, raspberry-amaretto frosting & silver dragee

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Vanilla cake, citrus glaze & decorative piping

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Chocolate cake, salted caramel frosting & fleur de sel caramel topper

So those are the cupcakes. They only look half as good as they taste, and they look pretty dang good, right? ;-) Sometime I'd like to venture out and do cute printed-paper toppers that could label the flavors &/or state the names of the couple. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to do that for this one but if you give me enough notice, it's certainly a possibility! It'd be perfect for baby showers too.

And with that, I bid you adieu so I can go clean the mess in my kitchen. WOO!! Fun Sunday! :-)

The Monkey Cake.

2009-11-17T20:13:00.011-05:00

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My boyfriend has two friends (a married couple) who have a super cute little boy who just turned one. They commissioned me to do a monkey cake, as the party was Curious George themed. The cake didn't necessarily have to be Curious George, but it did have to be a monkey. It also had to be big. Big enough for a guest list of 30-40 people. YOW! That's one popular baby!

Knowing that I love to bake, they hired me to do the cake. They were going to do it themselves, but figured it'd be best to hand it over to someone else. This is the first full cake I've ever done. Sure, I've made like a 9" x 13" sheet cake before, but those were lame, especially compared to this.

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The rectangular part of the body was made from a 12" x 18" pan, and the head was a 9" round. The ears were from a 4" ramekin, cut in half and trimmed down. And that thing that looks like a belly button? That's from the heating core. Wilton makes these heating core things that look like the middle of a bundt pan. You stick it in large cake so they bake more evenly. They're hallow, so you fill it w/ batter and when everything's done baking, you take the cake out of the core and plug it back into the whole cake! BRILLIANT! Thus the belly button in Mr. Monkey here.

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The cake is vanilla. All the colored frosting is vanilla malt. The darker brown parts of the monkey are chocolate frosting. This was also the first time I ever made chocolate frosting. Out of all the crazy, nutty things I bake, I have never once made homemade chocolate frosting. Funny, huh? Everyone always orders the salted caramel, vanilla malt, or raspberry amaretto frosting. But since this was both adults and kids, it had to be pretty tame.

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Here he is! In all his vanilla monkey glory. Not bad for a first time big fat cake, right? He probably would look better in fondant, but let's face it. Fondant's gross. I don't know anyone who likes to eat fondant. Do you? I doubt it. Even Duff from Ace of Cakes admits its gross--that's why they cover the cakes w/ buttercream before putting the fondant on. That way you can just take the fondant off and eat what's underneath. So gooey frosting it is!

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The piping wasn't perfect, but for someone who's never taken a class or been trained in anything... not too shabby, I'd say.

Sunday Afternoon Cocktail Hour

2009-11-15T21:57:00.011-05:00

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I had this splendid idea a few months ago to design a Cocktail-of-the-Month Calendar for 2010. I'm going to sell it on my Etsy site. Once it's complete, that is. During all this research & design time, I, of course, HAD to try out different cocktails to see what I wanted to include! I know, rough assignment, right?? I almost have them all picked out but I noticed I'm missing any representation from my favorite category... GIN! Perish the thought! You know what that means?? BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD! Or should I say "CUTTING BOARD" instead for some kind of pun?? Igh, maybe not.

My gin concoction will be for a winter month (the summers are all taken), which inspired me to use fresh rosemary to give it an alluring, woodsy aroma. "Woodsy" probably isn't a quality you put in the same sentence as "alluring" and "I want this in a drink," but lemme tell you... IT WORKS. It works, y'all.

I also thought, with all my drink explorations, a quasi-regular blog segment could be fun! Fun for me and fun for you! What do you think? Sunday Afternoon Cocktail Hour. It could be "Weekend Cocktail Hour," or whatever. But I find Sunday Afternoon a little more exciting. It just seems a little bit...naughtier. :-) And with that, I give you our first installment of (DRUMROLL PLEASE ........)

::: SUNDAY AFTERNOON COCKTAIL HOUR :::

Blackberry Nymph

• 5-6 blackberries
• 1 tbsp simple syrup + 1 pinch sugar
• 1.5 ounces gin
• 1.5 tbsp triple sec
• 1 tsp rosewater
• club soda, to top (less than 1/2 cup)
• fresh sprig of rosemary

In a cocktail shaker, muddle blackberries with simple syrup & pinch of sugar. If you don't have simple syrup, go ahead and use 2 tbsp sugar for this part. After you've muddled the berries, fill the shaker with 3-4 ice cubes. Pour in the gin, triple sec, & rosewater. Shake the shaker (novel idea!) for about 15 seconds, until you can feel the shaker become cold. Pour the contents into a highball or collins glass. Top with club soda and garnish with rosemary sprig.

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Why the "nymph" in the name? First, try the beverage. Pretty good, right? The flavor & scent of the rosewater along w/ the aroma of the rosemary garnish create an ethereal, floral concoction. If you look up "nymph," the definition is "any of the minor divinities of nature in classical mythology represented as beautiful maidens dwelling in the mountains, forests, trees, and waters." Take another sip. Seems appropriate, right? I thought so.

This beverage would also be good with vodka, though you'll be missing the fine juniper flavor of gin. Maybe even use a citrus or berry-flavored vodka to enhance the fruit.

I Heart Macarons. Times 10... or more.

2009-11-12T23:23:00.008-05:00

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This is a picture I stole from Fred Flare. I'm not going to lie. I'm not going to pretend its mine. I wish it was, but its not. I saw this on Facebook. I'm FB friends w/ Fred Flare, and therefore this little ditty was in my Live News Feed. A book entitled I Heart Macarons. (PS: Hi Fred, or should I say People of Fred. I've been a fan for a long time!)

Let me tell you. I. LOVE. MACARONS. I can't handle how much I love them.

See that? There I am in Beverly Hills (visiting one of my bestest friends who lives in LA) in front of Paulette, a macaron bakery. A STRICLY MACARON bakery. They are such wonderful, beautiful creations. I only wish I could go back to obtain more of the gorgeous goodies so I could photograph them in all their delicate glory. This photo is about a year and a half old now (a long-term love affair I have w/ this cookie) and looking at it makes me want to go into a whole new story (the packaging, the brilliant logomark macaron cut-outs on the bench, etc) but I DIGRESS. I'M TALKING FOODS HERE, PEEPS. I'm talking MACARONS!!

This photo? It's from Paulette Macarons website. I certainly did not make, nor did I photograph these beauties. But I do recommend you go to Paulette and indulge in a serious way. You'll be so glad you did.

The macaron is, like I said above, VERY DELICATE. It's a curious little puffy shape, the entire constructed cookie sandwich looking hamburger-esque. Its sturdy but the second you touch it just a little too hard it will crumble to pieces. Its made of mainly egg whites, almond flour, sugar, and maybe some flavoring for the cookie part. The inside is usually a ganache, jelly, or jam concoction. My favorite flavors involve pistachio and/or anything floral--rose, lavendar, whatever. I'm a sucker for it everytime. Besides cupcakes & frosting, these are such a wonderful vehicle for experimenting with dessert flavors.

I've tried making these many a times. I wouldn't quite say I SUCCEEDED, but I certainly didn't fail (well, I failed once, but other than that...). I'm like...85-90% there. The basic idea is down. It's a tough nut to crack. Its a French creation, which means most recipes (even the ones in English) are in metric measurements. It's one of those moments where you feel like an American hick w/ the rest of the world all speaking metric and here I am, trying to translate 55 grams of egg whites into a measurement in cups. LAME. But its worth the struggle. I never went to any sort of baking school so I go into these experiments blindly. I just really want to try to do something so I don't actually realize how difficult or tricky something might be until the 4th time around b/c... I just don't know better.

In order to find recipes, I scoured the internet and generally fell into the same two or three recipes that were pretty widely used. I received Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook last year for Christmas which ALSO has a recipe for French macarons, which I have yet to try. (I KNOW. I KNOW!!! What have I been doing?!?!) BUT THIS??? This is like a godsend. Or maybe its not, I don't know. But it looks amazing. So between Martha & this? I have to think I'd be able to kick some Macaron ass, right? Maybe? Hopefully?

So this post is in honor of Macarons. It's in honor of this book, in honor of Fred Flare, and even Paulette Macarons. Thank you, wonderful people, for providing us with either the baked confections or just the resources with which we can create our own goods. I'd hold up a champagne toast but I've got no bubbly so we'll just have to pretend. Here's to making beautiful, colorful, luscious treats for one and all! *CHEERS!!!!!!!!*

And just for fun, here are some photos from Paulette's site. Really, if you're ever in LA (Beverly Hills, specifically), make it a point to stop in and take a few bites. The staff was incredibly kind, the space was chic, and the cookies were tops. And the logo & business card? Yup, even those are good too. ;-)

Buckeye Baklava!

2009-11-02T19:40:00.008-05:00

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I'm in Ohio. Ohio, where our nickname is "The Buckeye State," and on any given weekend during the fall there's a colossal amount of people in scarlet & gray getting ready to cheer the beloved OSU Buckeyes onto (hopefully) another football victory. Pretty much, if it's Buckeye-themed or scarlet & gray, whatever "it" happens to be, you'll gather at following. And that's how these little babies were born.

It all started one day when I was driving back from visiting my parents (or "home-home" as I like to call it, as opposed to "home" which is where I am every other day of the year) and I had a brainchild. Just out of the blue. An Immaculate Conception of an idea. I...would create... BUCKEYE BAKLAVA.

I'm a baker who likes to give common treat-favorites a little twist so suddenly they're anything but common. I'd love to make a living having my own bakery someday. This just seemed... NATURAL. Here I am, in the home of the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Buckeye State. WHY THE H- NOT???

Buckeye Baklava is a twist on the luxurious Meditteranean treat of walnuts, pistachios, honey, & filo dough. Buckeye Baklava is like traditional baklava and a buckeye candy had A REALLY GOOD BABY. It's peanuts (w/ some pecans), chocolate chips, some flavorings, layers upon layers of filo dough and butter, a magical peanut butter sauce full of layered flavors, and chocolate ganache. I can't tell you everything b/c it's a secret. You know how I said I'd love to have my own bakery? Yeah. I gotta keep this stuff close to the vest if I want to make a living off it, you know what I'm sayin'? No one wants to buy the cow if you get the milk for free. So... buy my baklava! Just kidding... no, not really. Buy my baklava. Please.

So that's the story. I CAN tell you my source recipes to which I referred for measurement approximations & all that. I used one from Epicurious and one from Food Network by Emeril Lagasse. I'm not going to lie--it's time consuming whether you're experienced or not. But it's worth it. Sooooo worth it. ;-)

Effervescent Deliciousness.

2009-10-28T19:30:00.002-04:00

Effervescent. It's a good word, right? EF-FER-VE-SCENT. It just sounds...sparkly. Light. Airy. Positive. Uplifting. And DELICIOUS. Thirst-quenching. I've been craving effervescent beverages and because you can't drink champagne 24/7 (dammit!), I've been filling it in with other fruity substitutions when I need a serious fix. Izze does the job—I'm partial to the grapefruit and ginger flavors. How could you not be drawn in by the colors and simple, chic design? I've indulged in an Italian soda or two from Target's Archer Farms line or World Market. Blood orange soda? Peach Pear Soda? Yup! But you know what really strikes my fancy?

• — • — •

ORANGINA. See the bottle in the bottom of the illustration? Isn't it perfect???? That's part of the fun, the Orangina adventure. That short, squatty little bottle that's bulges out like a bulbous orange is inside the bottle giving it its shape. But, as a graphic designer, you know what else I love about the stuff? The ads. They're pretty pleasures. And you can download them from their website (which is where these came from)! They have desktop images, as well as a gallery of their poster campaigns. These are a few of my faves that I pulled for you (and me) to enjoy.

• — • — •

They make me yearn for warmer weather, sunny skies, and a bulbous little bottle of the good orange stuff right now. *LE SIGH* I guess these will just have to do for now!

i didn't mean to!

2009-10-26T00:15:00.005-04:00

I didn't mean for this to happen. It was a total accident.

• — • — •

• — • — •

See these? These are little shortbread cookies with a jam filling. I started digging out various jam jars in my fridge and got super psyched about using each one. I didn't intend for a color progression, but it's kind of a bonus. :-) Who doesn't love a good rainbow?!?!

Apple Pickin' Perfect.

2009-10-25T23:08:00.018-04:00

• — • — •

I have a lot of blogging to do. I've been behind. Uber behind. I planned to do a big ol' cute post on a trip to Lynd's Fruit Farm out in Pataskala, only that was two weeks ago and I finally sorted through the photos. My boyfriend and I only started going to Lynd's last year but I'm pretty sure it's going to be a yearly tradition...mainly b/c I'll stomp around and whine if I don't get to go. PLUS, going to Lynd's means there's apples with which to make crisp and/or pie. So really, making sure I get to Lynd's is a favor to EVERYONE. (uh huh, yeah, sure) ;-)

See the sun? The pretty blue sky?? (Hang on, wait, let me find a picture...)

Just enough cool air to nip your nose but just enough sun and warmth that as long as you bundle up, you don't need a coat. Early October apple picking is PERRRRFECT. So perfectly fall. I always read blogs by people in fancier cities (LA, NYC, San Francisco, Belgium, blah blah) and they always have such gorgeous posts of their local markets and produce and ingredients. Well, I'm here in the middle of Ohio. We have that stuff, don't get me wrong. But it's not quite in abundance as oh, say, walking around France and picking up some fresh baguettes, cheese, and berries to get you through the day (sad face). Or maybe it is and I just don't have my trusty camera poised and in position ready to snap away (dang it!). But now it's my turn! My turn to post images full of vibrant natural colors, delicious foods, and plain, good old-fashioned seasonal freakin' fun. I could yammer on and on...but why? Heeeerrreeeee we go!

• — • — •

Close-up of a suncrisp apple, my favorite. The red ones are melrose.

Inside the tent at the farm. If you don't find what you're looking for while you pick, you can find it here.

Silly me, when we walked past these really quickly (my boyfriend thought I was nuts for stopping for photos every two seconds) I didn't really notice what these were. Due to their color my brain just thought "blueberries." But uh, yeah. Isn't blueberry season quite over? Turns out while I was making my way around the tent a second time, I actually read the sign that said they were concord grapes. They're pretty, aren't they?? And I just LOOOOVE the little green baskets. I know, I know. It's the simple, little things, right? You don't get cute little green baskets when you buy your stuff from the big box grocers. Kroger, where is my cute produce packaging, dammit!

Back outside! Time to check out the pumpkin patch.
Um, yeah, the patch is actually...kinda gross. Mudtown. Super mudtown. Lots of bruised and rotting pumpkins. BUT hey, today is nature day, right? WE LOVE NATURE. BRING IT ON, PUMPKINS.

And that's it. I'll be posting these to my flickr account if you're wildly interested so once those are up, I'll let you know. Now don't all these pictures make you want to go bake a pie???? (okay, that might just be me.) :-)

Cupcake Camp Columbus

2009-10-10T19:17:00.005-04:00

Stories to come. PROMISE. For now, just dream about these little delicious things. For more pics (that is, until I do a real post), check them out on my Flickr stream.

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Cookie Craving. Peanut butter Ginger Bacons.

2009-09-12T12:13:00.003-04:00

• — • — •

Oh yeah. I went there. And they're even dipped in chocolate.

I can't really take FULL credit. The idea came from Joy the Baker when she made her Peanut Butter Bacon cookies a few days ago. It was super easy. Have you ever made 5-ingredient peanut butter cookies? Peanut butter, sugar, egg, baking soda, vanilla. That's it. No flour, so I guess they can even be called "gluten-free." So it's basically that, plus cooked bacon.

Well. Here's my problem. When it comes to baking and recipes, I can't just leave well enough alone. (That's the saying, right?) I have to doctor it up or do something to give it my own twist. Even before I make the original recipe. People yell at me for this. I say "Screw it. I wanna do it this way." It's so much more exciting! So what I did w/ the cookies...

I candied the bacon first. DELICIOUS. If you haven't heard of candied bacon, it's super easy. You basically coat the bacon in brown sugar and bake or broil it. Some people make a glaze. Some people add a spice. Emeril Lagasse does it with brown sugar & cayenne powder. I made a glaze of 2 tbsp honey, 1/2 c brown sugar, & 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger. Then you schmear it on the bacon—I made 10 pieces. My glaze was too thick and I had a ton left, so next time, I'm going to keep the amount of honey & ginger but only do 1/4 c brown sugar. Then you bake it (or broil it). And then you eat it. And it's AMAZING.

So after the bacon cooled down, I chopped it up into bits and pieces, put it in the cookie mixture, folded it in, et voila. Peanut butter bacon cookies. But that wasn't all. I also added 1 tsp of the bacon grease to add a smokey flavor and 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger to the cookie mixture. I'm obsessed w/ fresh ginger. I can't get enough. Its like I was missing it my whole life and only within recent started integrating it into sweets. There were some doubts, but you know what I say? Y'ALL. TRUST ME. Just trust me on these things. The peanut butter + ginger? It's good. It was a good idea. It's your prerogative not to like it, but just give it a whirl before you go hate on it. Thank you. :)

Alright. After all that, roll it up, dip them in sugar, press some fork criss-cross patterns into them if you like, and pop it in the oven at 350 until they're lovely golden brown & delicious. Probably 8-10 minutes. My oven's a bit psychotic so I can't accurately gauge timing (that story will be another day).

After they've baked and cooled, melt some chocolate w/ some paraffin wax. Dip an edge of the cookies in the chocolate, set them aside and let them cool yet again. I put them in the fridge so the chocolate would set better.

In the end, I think candying the bacon actually toned down the bacon flavor, which made them more versitle. Not everyone loves the idea of bacon in their baked goods but the bacon flavor in these was subtle, even while biting into actual bacon pieces.

So yeah. That's it. I shouldn't say "that's it" b/c it's more involved than I expected, but still easy! What's not to love about a peanut butter cookie dipped in chocolate? AND THEN BACON???? The intrigue level is HIGH. "Say what?? Bacon? For real?" Yes, for real. Plus, you can pass them off as "high-protein cookies" if anyone needs extra convincing. :-)

Adventures in Cake Balls

2009-09-02T21:49:00.004-04:00

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What's this, you ask? It's a cake ball! It's cake, frosting, & chocolate all wrapped up into a cute little bon-bon type treat. AND... they're called "cake balls." Let's face it. Saying the word "balls" is funny. (Yeah, you know what I'm talking about!) I'm normally not one to love fifth-grade humor, but even I get a secret chuckle out of saying "cake balls" to people. When they ask "What are these?" and you cheerfully reply "Cake balls!" with a toothy grin, they smile back, giggle like a 10 year old and say "CAKE BALLS?!?" b/c 1) they look super cute--how could you not love them? and 2)...they're laughing b/c you just said "balls." It's fun. Try it. But anyway, I digress. On to the point.

The inside is chocolate cake mixed w/ salted caramel frosting, actual salted caramel, cream cheese, & cinnamon. Then it's dipped in milk chocolate and topped w/ salt & roasted pecans. This was the first cake ball making adventure. I had a batch of chocolate cupcakes that didn't turn out quite right a few evenings ago. They tasted absolutely fine! But I must've been rushing through the motions and not put the right amount of baking powder or something in the mix b/c they just would not hold together. I'd unwrap them, and they'd crumble. Again, they tasted fine! So I really didn't want to toss the 36 bunk cupcakes that I now had sitting around b/c that's some expensive ingredients to just toss, you know? So now what??? How about some cake balls!

Have you heard of cake balls? If not, check out Bakerella. She's got a bunch of ideas. The link will lead you to her "cake ball" section, but she also has some tasty looking cake pops (basically the same thing but in a slightly different form). If you Google a recipe, the basic ones will tell you that it's a sheet cake (baked) crumbled up and mixed w/ a can of frosting, rolled into balls, chilled, and then dipped in chocolate. Since I make all my own goods here at the Sugarlush kitchen, I use my gourmet frostings & other ingredients to enhance the deliciousness of each tasty morsel. It's totally worth it.

Before I leave you, might I recommend a glass of milk to go along with the tasty bites! They're delicious, but SUPER RICH. So maybe even an ideal diet dessert, right?!?! It's by no means low-fat, but you eat just one and you're satisfied! It's a good theory, anyway. ;-)

Sugarlush goes to a wedding.

2009-08-09T23:27:00.017-04:00

• — • — •

I had my first wedding! As a baker, that is. My excellent friend (and former roommate) Stefanie got married yesterday. Being the wonderful person she is (as well as budget-conscious!), she hired me to do the cupcakes for her wedding. The guest list was small—approx 50 people in attendance—which was absolutely fine by me! I baked 6 dozen cupcakes, which means 72 little cute cakes for you non-dozen-converters out there. The wedding turned out beautifully, and everyone dug into the cake and definitely didn't hold back when it came to grabbing a second. :-)

• — • — •

The flavors she chose were Spice Cake with Vanilla Malt Frosting and Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting, w/ 3 dozen of each. The Spice Cake was appropriately garnished with a cinnamon stick (TRES CUTE!)…

• — • — •

…while the Chocolate Cake w/ caramel frosting was garnished with the usual piece of fleur de sel caramel candy. The results were positive! They were much loved by all. The chocolate ones were demolished. There was one left towards the end of the evening, which Stef set aside to freeze for the 1-year-anniversary-tradition. There were a few spice cake cupcakes left since most got their fill on the chocolate option. Seriously, the chocolate-cupcake + salted-caramel combo is a crowd pleaser! For some reason, I'm always surprised at how quickly that one cleans up.

• — • — •

So how 'bout that tiered mappy lookin' display there, eh? That was made by Stef, the bride herself. We found something online awhile ago about about a 3-tier cupcake display. If I remember correctly, some blogger girl (? I think??) was both selling kits, as well as giving instructions on how to do it yourself. I can't remember if Stef bought the kit or not... I'll have to ask her. But anyway, she put it together herself. She and her man, Steve, both majored in Geography-type studies in college. They share a LOOOOVE of maps. So we saw this online and obviously it was the winner. She made it, I just put the cupcakes on it. Cute, right? And quite a great idea. If you could get circular discs, this concept could be used for any number of occasions--all you have to change is the paper! BRILLIANT! The tiers were held with 2 pieces of corrugated cardboard, intersecting in the middle to create the cross-shaped sturdy support.

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So I guess all that's left to say is… Congratulations guys! I'm so happy for you! :-)

Popsicle Explosion!

2009-07-26T19:10:00.001-04:00

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I'm obsessed w/ cupcakes on a regular basis, but for summer time, I'm also obsessed w/ popsicles. Not just regular popsicles though. I could care less about those. I'm talking FANCY popsicles. GOURMET popsicles. Unique combinations and glorious flavor explosions in a colorful shell. It's fun, but sophisticated. It's a chance to experiment, but without serious commitment. It's easy enough to do, but an intricate and intriguing recipe process. The possibilities are ENDLESS!

These are the popsicles sitting in my freezer right now. Of course, they're sitting on a lovely tray and I tried my best to create a lovely photoshoot. But the assortment is quite varied. Here's the color chart:

• — • — •

I might even be so wild as to post some recipes soon. What do you think? Would you be all for it?

Valentine's Day Special!

2009-02-09T13:25:00.006-05:00

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching so I'm hopping in on the action! This holiday is nothing but perfect for indulging in ooey gooey sugary goodies. You know what that means... CUPCAKES.

So for those of you in Columbus (or in Columbus this weekend), I will be offering a special deal of 6 cupcakes (that's a half dozen) for $10. Whether it's for you and some friends, you and your bf/gf/husband/wife, or just for yourself, it's the perfect amount.

I will be baking these two kinds:

• red velvet cupcakes, vanilla malt frosting

• chocolate cupcakes, raspberry amaretto frosting

They will be ready after 1 pm on Saturday, Feb 14. Depending on how many orders I get and where you are located, we'll discuss details about pick-up/delivery.

If you're interested in this sweet deal, let me know SOOOON! But the deadline is by Thursday evening at 6 pm. That's the cut-off.

If you want to know more details, contact me via email. mlpenner@gmail.com

Heaven for sale. And by Heaven, I mean frosting.

2009-01-28T23:36:00.010-05:00

Tasting frosting is like tasting chocolate. You don't just gobble it whole, oh no no. To fully experience the glory within the light, sugary fluff, you must taste it by itself. Take a small lick and let it sit on your tongue for a second. Then smooth it against the roof of your mouth to feel the textures and grind the flavors into your tastebuds. Let the aromas fill your nose. (okay, up close it might just smell like sugar, but give it a second, it'll kick in).

Oh, sweet luscious frosting. If it's truly good frosting, this little gesture will unlock a small but amazing moment of sheer bliss. Perhaps the bliss is the grainy texture--is it malt? Is it salt? Perhaps it's blissfully smooth and silky--it is creamy chocolate? good-enough-to-be-ice-cream strawberry? Or maybe it's a little spicy kick that's sweet at first, then "HELLO!"--it surprises you in the end with a little punch. Cinnamon? Cardamom?

Stick with me, baby. Frostings are an experience within themselves, and ideally, all experiences should be wonderful, right? That's where I come in.

I sell frosting. Delicious pint-sized containers of frosting for you to smooth onto cakes, cookies, or just your finger. A little tub of heavenly indulgence. Here are the details:

—•—•—

Flavors Available:
• cream cheese: $10/pint
• vanilla malt: $12/pint
• amaretto: $10/pint
• chocolate fluff: $10/pint
• cinnamon cream cheese: $10/pint
• strawberry: $12/pint
• raspberry amaretto, aka True Love: $12/pint
• salty caramel: $12/pint
• chai spice: $12/pint
• cookies & cream: $10/pint

—•—•—

Three days notice is all that is needed. The beauty in this is that the frostings have a shorter turn-around time.

Each pint will frost approximately 2 dozen cupcakes (that's 24 for you non-mathies). I say "approximately" b/c it all depends on how much you load up. I could easily frost 26--i know, i know, it's only two more cupcakes, but those two can make a difference!

Next time you need some frosting and don't want to choose between 5 different kinds of white and 4 kinds of chocolate out of a can in some aisle in the groc, come to me. Seek my help. Seriously, you will be delighted that you did.

sugarlush goes public.

2009-01-17T13:28:00.021-05:00

i'm a bit of a cupcake connoisseur. most of the time, i'm a little let down. the cake's not moist enough. the icing's too thick and sugary. and what disappoints me most of the time: FLAVORS THAT ARE PROMISED BUT NOT DELIVERED.

i took matters into my own hands. we're lacking sophisticated, "couture" cupcakes here in columbus. i love to bake, so i've been practicing--JUST FOR YOU. i bake a mean cupcake, whether they're vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, or carrot. BUT i make an even better frosting. i can't define it by any technical terms because it's my own creation--it's just a fluffy piece of heaven full of flavor and beauty. and if i say it's a certain flavor, it packs a whollop--not just a teaspoon of some sort of extract.

so let's talk guys. do you need cupcakes? yes. you do.

think about it. they're perfect individual portions. they're a little trendy but always a classic. they're fluffy and delicious and face it...they're really stinkin cute. whether you need them for a birthday, baby shower, trying to impress somebody, or just having a really bad craving, you should call me or email me. here's the details:

:::cake flavors:::
• vanilla (yellow)
• chocolate
• red velvet
• spice
• pumpkin
• brown sugar
• strawberry
• carrot

:::frostings, or as i like to say, where the magic happens:::
• cream cheese (basic)
• vanilla malt (a delicious twist on a classic)
• amaretto
• chocolate fluff
• chocolate ganache (a gorgeous, rich, smooth and oozy goo as opposed to big and fluffy)
• spicy chocolate ganache
• cinnamon cream cheese
• strawberry
• raspberry amaretto (SERIOUSLY, guys. this one is a real crowd pleaser.)
• salty caramel (also a very popular crowd pleaser)
• creamy citrus glaze (amazing on chocolate cupcakes)
• chai spice
• cookies & cream

other: caramel cheesecake with a chocolate chip cookie crust.

I need to know AT LEAST a week in advance. For orders of 4 dozen or more, I require two weeks notice.

I charge $15/dozen. it's more than kroger, yes, i know. It's a little over a dollar per cupcake, which is cheaper than most fancy, formal bakery places in town. PLUS, they're better. So it all evens out. For the amount of ingredients I use and the extra love and care that goes into each batch, it's worth every penny. I accept cash, check, or credit card. (yes, credit card. b/c my generation doesn't carry cash anymore.)

For extra special orders or expensive recipes, there will be an additional charge of $5-15. What does that mean? It means I need to go out and buy a lot of really expensive chocolate, I need to garish your lovely darlings with something special (fruit, candy bars, etc), that sort of thing. I'll let you know if you will incur this charge once I receive your request. contact info. email me at mlpenner@gmail.com xoxo, sugarlush.

pumpkin cupcakes w/ salted caramel frosting

2008-10-05T12:04:00.012-04:00

Fall is approaching, and you know what that means...? PUMPKINS. More importantly, pumpkin food. Pumpkin DESSERTS. A few miles south of Columbus (my stomping grounds) there is a little town called Circleville, which is home of the official Circleville Pumpkin Show. For 4 days, it's nothing but serious pumpkin worship--pumpkin food of all sorts (from pizza to doughnuts to fudge) a Miss Pumpkin Show Queen contest, parades, pie eating contests, pumpkin toss contests, the list goes on and on. All in the name of pumpkins!!

One of our recent interns at work was originally from Circleville. She's a super sweet , super enthusiastic girl who is 110% proud of who she is and what she does. You know what that means? She's 110% WAAAAY into fall and WAAAY into pumpkins. She was pretty widely loved at work, so at the end of her second quarter with us, I decided to dedicate a round of baked goods to her. The results? Some really freakin amazing pumpkin cupcakes with salted caramel frosting.

Since I'm no baking expert (I just play one on tv! Hah! sorry, bad joke...) I googled pumpkin cupcakes and landed upon a promising recipe from none other than my personal hero, Martha Stewart. Say what you will about her, the woman knows her shit. She has built an incredible business empire doing what she's good at and what she loves and I admire her for that. So Martha, here I come, making your cupcakes.

Pumpkin Cupcakes
(straight from Martha Stewart Living...)

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

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.
In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
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.

So this recipe here, this recipe makes the best moist pumpkin cupcakes quite possibly on earth. The recipe, straight from Martha's website, also claims it makes a quantity of 18. Martha may be good in the kitchen, she may be a killer w/ the crafts and a pro with floral arrangements, but I'm starting to doubt Martha's ability to count. Since I was taking these cupcakes to work, I thought "Oh hey, I better double the batch so I can make sure to have enough! If i have a few left over for myself, then that's cool." Eighteen would've fallen a bit short b/c some days, the baked goods go fast! Well, I doubled it. I had a big freakin bowl FULL of pumpkin cupcake goo. So technically, this would've made somewhere around 36, right? Maybe a little more, a little less? AW HELL NO. I got 42 cupcakes AND A SMALL CAKE!!!! If I hadn't used the batter for a cake, i would've easily gotten at least 48-50 cupcakes. HOLY MOLY. Well, at least I'd have plenty to bring to work! (and then stash away to stuff my face at a later date...)

Well the cupcakes need a frosting and Martha's recipe merely mentioned a cream cheese frosting. I was on my own. Which is okay, b/c I'm pretty confident when it comes to making crazytown frosting. A salted caramel frosting sounded like the perfect match, and I was SOOO RIGHT. THEY WERE SO GOOD.

The salted caramel frosting is made w/ a homemade caramel sauce. I stumbled across the recipe several months ago on a dearly beloved and now defunct blog, Cupcake Bakeshop by Chockylit. The full instructions are as follows:

Salted Caramel

4 tablespoons water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt, kosher or sea

1. Combine the water, sugar, and the corn syrup in a deep saucepan and cook over medium heat.
2. Stir together with a wooden spoon until the sugar is incorporated.
3. Cover the saucepan and let it cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
4. After 3 minutes, remove the lid, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil.
5. Do not stir from this point on, but it is important to carefully shake the pan so that one area of the caramel doesn’t burn.
6. Continue to cook until the caramel turns an even amber color then remove from the heat and let stand for about 30 seconds.
7. *** This is the dangerous part *** Pour the heavy cream into the mixture. Wear oven mitts, stand away from the pan, and be careful. The mixture will bubble up significantly.
8. Stir the mixture, again being careful. Add the butter, lemon juice, and salt. Stir until combined.
9. Measure 1 cup into a Pyrex measuring cup. Stirring occasionally, allow to cool until thick like molasses and warm to the touch, about 20 minutes.

Note: There was a small bit of extra caramel that I poured onto a small plate that I covered in aluminum foil and greased with vegetable oil. I transferred the plate to the freezer for about 30 minutes. I chopped the caramel quickly into squares (its starts to get soft) and topped each cupcake with a square.

Salted Caramel Frosting

2 sticks butter
8 ounces or 1 package of Philly cream cheese
5 to 6 cups powdered sugar
1 cup salted caramel

1. Bring butter to room temperature by letting it sit out for 1 or 2 hours.
2. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy.
3. Sift 3 cups of powdered sugar into the butter/cream cheese mixture and beat to combine.
4. Add 1 cup of the salted caramel and beat to combine.
5. Sift 2-3 cups of powder sugar, in 1 cup increments and beating between each, until you arrive at the thickness and sweetness you desire. I used 6 cups. The frosting wasn’t super thick, but it was starting to get pretty sweet.

I accidentally burnt my first batch of caramel, which may have been a blessing in disguise. You gotta work w/ this stuff FAST FAST FAST. So b/c I was bringing them to work and had a reputation to uphold, I made a better batch of caramel. I used it all in the frosting, and thought it needed a little more carameliness. That's when I added a few tablespoons of the burnt caramel which actually helped punch the caramel flavor through the sometimes-too-sweet confectionary sugar. So it all turned out okay! WOO HOO!! I also probably didn't use the full 5-6 cups of sugar. Well, maybe 5, but quite possibly a bit less. I hate that the flavors get lost b/c confectionary sugar is so strongly sweet--it tends to mask the glorious flavors its' working with. I would rather have a gooey frosting full of delicious flavor than something that resembles a perfectly fluffy buttercream that just tastes like a sugar pile!

Overall, the cupcakes were a huge success. The next weekend I made the same things for my dad's birthday, and only made ONE batch, which still yielded 27 cupcakes instead of the supposed 18. Mom and Dad loved them. So seriously, give this one a try. They're amazing.