10,000 Pounds of BANANAS!

I used a recipe from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes called Banana-Pecan Cupcakes. Since I used cake flour, I expected the cupcakes to be light and fluffy. However, they were reminiscent of bread. The flavor of the pecans was fantastic, so I used those to spice up their appearance. When I attempted Martha's Caramel Buttercream recipe, I messed up the meringue and had to do it another way. The frosting turned out very sweet and tasty, and I'm proud to say there is absolutely no confectioners sugar in it! Overall, the recipe was pretty complicated and time consuming for a cupcake with decent flavor. I'll definitely have to mess with this recipe until I find the perfect one. 

Annie, Grab Your Bowtie

Who can resist a man in a bow tie? Besides your Uncle Earl, of course. Speaking of Uncles, I don't think I have any relatives who wear bow ties. Does anyone even know how to tie a bow tie? I have to wear a striped double windsor tie to work (oh, the joys of the restaurant world). The best part is that I have no clue how to actually tie a tie that way, so I've been sliding the knot up and down for a few months now. I hope it lasts. P.S. I don't work at Olive Garden as you may have guessed. :)

From top left to right: Forage Bow Ties, Amy Atlas, How About Orange, blonde+blue, These Peas are Hollow

Marshmallows

Links from top: Anders Ruf Etsy Store, [4] conk kids, Maddycakes Muse, Cherished By Me, Bakingdom

TV Series DC Cupcakes Georgetown Cupcake

So, more recently (well, if recently means September) I was able to take a trip to DC to visit the fella's family. By request (if you call, "We have to go there!" a request) we visited Georgetown Cupcake. I love everything about this place--pink everywhere, the windows, the logo, the storefront--it's super adorable. Unfortunately, I did not see Sophie or Katherine, but recognized a few faces of the staff.

Scrapbooking for Cupcakes

We all know that cupcakes look fantastic on their own. However, if you're willing to put down the big bucks (typically $1+/ea) to make your cupcakes look spectacular, laser cut liners are perfect. They have a customized feel to them and make a dozen cupcakes look like an elaborate centerpiece. Here are some of my favorites. Enjoy!

1. King Arthur Flour 2. My West Coast Wedding 3. Global Sugar Art 

4. Country Living 5. Paper Orchid 6. WeddingBee 7. Bride To Be 

8. Train Party 9. Pink Frosting 10. Save On Crafts

And the Nominees are...

I have attempted to begin the search for the prettiest cupcake. If I had all the money in the world, I would travel everywhere to taste these wonderful creations. Unfortunately, I have to settle on salivating over these lavish sparkly concoctions over the world wide web.

1. Teatime Folio 2. Rock-a-bye Baby 3. Glitterista 4. Shamima Desai 5. The Winsome Girl 

6. The Cupcake Shoppe 7. Greenwala 8. Peggy's Cupcakes 9. Sugarbloom Cupcakes 

10. Pink Cake Box 11. The Hip Hostess

Woodsey Elegance

I love the earthiness of browns, lavenders, and greens. They feel simple, organic, and natural. They aren't imposing or showy, rather subtle and undemanding.

I think this post can be attributed to the adorable etsy-esque headband I bought at Macy's this weekend (with a $10 off coupon!).

From left clockwise: 1. Merci New York 2. Love and Lavender 3. Once Wed 4. Clover and Bee 5. The TomKat Studio

Winter Wonderland Inspiration

Here's a fresh batch of inspiration for the post-Christmas blues. I love the idea of marshmallows on a wooden candy stick or snowflake cupcakes. Plus, who can resist anything iridescent? 

From left clockwise: Torie Jayne, Country Living, Paris Hotel Boutique Journal, Amy Atlas