Saturday, July 31, 2010

MM MM MM, Carrott Cupcakes w/a Ginger Spice Cream Cheese Frosting



I love, love, carrot cake, I do...like that's my Birthday cake. I'm not into traditional birthday cakes with butter cream frosting. Even as a little girl I didn't eat birthday cake, not even my own or enjoyed the frosting at all. I prefer cream cheese frosting, I mean I abuse it!! One year, 2002, my husband, then boyfriend bought me a carrot birthday cake from a bakery in New Jersey called Calandra's Bakery. That was the beginning of my love and need for a carrot cake for my birthday every year. The following year, 2003, he decided since he knows I love coffee, he would buy me a Cappuccino cake. Ummm, although the cake was ok, it was not fabulous, and definitely not a carrot cake. Besides I think the best frosting ever, again is a nice cream cheese frosting. Not overly sweet, just enough sweetness where you can still taste the cream cheese, yum! Needless to say, he absolutely knows from that point on that I'll always prefer a carrot birthday cake. Oddly enough, as much as I adore carrot cake and have intentions on making one, I never have. Until last night that is. I'm on a quest to find or at least alter a carrot cake recipe that makes my heart sing. So last night I compared two recipes, sifted through the ingredients I like and made my first carrot cupcakes. It was good, moist, but tasted more like a muffin. Using whole wheat pastry flour due to circumstances beyond my control, (didn't feel like going to the market to pick up white flour, aah it was late), probably contributed highly to the fact of it tasting more like a scrumptious carrot bran muffin. Nice flavor, sweet w/a little spice. Reminiscent of sweet potato pancakes, I had @ Melba's in New York. Anyhoo, I'm going to keep grating carrots until I create the best carrot cupcakes, well best, relatively speaking!
PS Grating carrots have got to be the worse part about making a this cake. It took my two little sisters and I to finely hand grate enough carrots to make only 1 1/2 cups of carrots, thank goodness I opted to make only 12 cupcakes. I can't imagine how long it would have taken if I needed 3 cups. I wonder if they sell a fine grate attachment for my food processor. I have to find out as I attempt another carrot cake recipe! ❀Chyna

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Styling Our Snack/Dessert Bar @ Bounce U

That's us, the EveryBuddy Dreams Team (Shakira in the pink tank, Yvonne behind her but you can't see her face ☹ and Chyna in the denim romper)

Baby/Toddler Friendly Goodie Bags




Bounce U did not prefer that we stick anything all the walls so we placed the Happy Birthday banner on the snack bar table. Quick fix and it didn't look too shabby. (Happy Birthday banner by Charlottex143 on Etsy.com) (Photography by Speshyl JaneƩ)

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

It's My Party and I Bounce If I Want To ☺



This past weekend we celebrated Cymae's ④th. Birthday @ Bounce U. A place where both kids and adults could really enjoy themselves, bouncing, sliding, and just goofing around. Although we planned this party @ a designated party place, we were still able to add our little touches to really personalize the event to add a little cute, sweet, and yummy. We made all of Cymae's favorite treats to share with everyone. We focused on incorporating foods w/a circular shape associated w/bouncy objects like balls. Our "Snack Bar/Dessert Lounge" included, Red Velvet cupcakes to go w/the red & purple color scheme, Cake Balls, Grapes, Trix for the littlest bouncers to snack on and Fruity Pebble Treat Pops. The Fruity Pebble Treat Pops were made w/a dairy free butter, to accommodate Cymae's dairy allergy. We attached a circle shaped tag on the back, with the print, "Thank's 4 Bouncing Around With Me, ♡Sammi (her nickname for a personal touch). Since Bounce U goodie bags are not intended for children under 3, we made cute little baby & toddler friendly goodie bags for our babies who attended. Special for the birthday girl, a dairy and egg free red and purple "velvet" cupcake to top the dessert tower. We've included the recipe in our EveryBuddy Bakes and Allergen Free sections. Bounce U allowed us to really personalize the party with a dessert table and it was fun doing so, as much fun as it was bouncing around!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Everyone Loves A Carnival


Who doesn't love a carnival? As a child wasn't that what we all looked forward to approaching the spring and summer months. Cotton candy, popcorn, games & prizes, ice cream, and clowns. Well, Miss Brielle was no exception, for her 7th. birthday she requested a carnival, so that's exactly what she got. A carnival brought to her own back yard to enjoy with all of her "besties". She had her very own ice cream truck @ her service, what more could you ask for, even the adults had a nostalgic moment. Best of all, the kids had a blast!