A stroll down memory lane

I just wanted to take the opportunity to wish myself and my assistant a very happy (and very belated) blogiversary! We've come a long way since that very first post in December of 2008 in which I smugly announced that I'd be "bringing bundt back." I was wrong -- the classic, old-fashioned bundt has continued to be outshone and outfrosted by layer cakes and cupcakes, but I still have a soft spot for the modest little bundt that sparked Carrie Cakeaway and brought lil ol' me into existence.

And what an existence it has been! A mere figment of my assistant's imagination, I've been able to play cake bartender and craft cocktail cakes made to taste just like their namesakes while continuing to experiment with and improve upon classic favorites. Oh, and how can I forget my biggest accomplishment to date: showing the world that cupcakes can do a whole lot of good. It's been a huge learning experience for my assistant in everything from food chemistry to cake decorating to customer service, and there's plenty of learning ahead.

One thing's for certain: despite learning the hard way that flour and powdered sugar make the wildest messes (particularly when airborne), getting used to smelling almost permanently of butter and sugar, and occasionally opening the oven only to find a failed, fallen cake inside, my assistant has simply fallen head-over-heels in love with cake and the entire process of this little operation, from creation to delivery.

As I continue to inspire my assistant, you never cease to inspire me. Thank you for all of your support and for your unique requests that provide such interesting challenges and so much fun! And stay tuned for a very special story of the cake that almost got away...

A holiday birthday

(Please suspend your disbelief, ignore all of the pink and red reminders that Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and pretend that this post was published on December 24, 2009. It's Christmas Eve and my assistant is on my naughty list for falling a month and a half behind on blog posts!)

Kids with birthdays so close to Christmas find that it sure is hard to compete. With all the shimmering tinsel, glistening lights, and sizeable holiday to-do lists, it's easy for folks to lose sight of birthdays in the 20-somethings of December -- and terribly disappointing for those who grew up with post-holiday "I'm sorry this is so late..Happy Belated Birthday!" greetings and a single HappyBirthdayMerryChristmas present when all the other kids got two.

Take Victor, for instance, whose birthday is on December 23. That's the eve of Christmas Eve, mind you. With so much going on, it's easy to let a birthday slip by, especially if you're frantically rustling through ransacked shelves searching for items that suck the least amongst all the leftovers. (Last-last-last-minute shoppers, you know who you are...)

Anyhow, my assistant and I weren't going to let Vic's birthday go by unnoticed -- and neither were his friends! What better surprise to give to the birthday boy than a triple layer cake featuring his favorite dessert flavor combination: chocolate and raspberry?
That's right folks, my Triple Layer Raspberry Chocolate Decadence features smooth, luscious chocolate paired with the sweet, delectably tart little raspberry in three layers of rich chocolate cake filled with raspberry jam and generously frosted with milk chocolate mousse frosting. Lace the sides with crunchy chocolate cookie crumbs, top it all off with fresh raspberries, and you've got yourself a cake fit for a king.
Or at least a very special birthday boy.

Happy birthday, Vic! Hope you enjoyed the cake as much as we enjoyed crafting it.

And happy holidays, everyone!

I know, I know

Posts are long overdue! It's been rough without my assistant's camera ever since she lost it during our hugely successful charity bake sale over the holidays, and Santa did not give her a new one for Christmas. I'm sure I made his nice list, but I bet he has a hard time delivering gifts to us imaginary folk. Anyway, my assistant's working on collecting photos from the cameras of friends and family members, and will update this blog soon!

We haven't even celebrated our blogiversary yet - sheesh!

Happy birthday with sushi, sake, and cupcakes

What better way to celebrate a 27th birthday than by rounding the troops to eat, drink, and be merry at a local izakaya where small plates of deliciously fattening appetizers (mm...miso-marinated pork belly and fried chicken, anyone?), fresh sushi, pitchers of beer, and massive bottles of dangerously smooth sake are shared family-style? This was the scene at Sara's birthday dinner, complete with a boisterous and unabashedly pervy owner, Oyaji-san, for whom the restaurant is named. My assistant attended the celebration and I, of course, was there in spirit.

Even though almost everyone was stuffed silly, the guests managed to make room for dessert. This comes as no surprise, as I'm a firm believer that there's always room for dessert. My assistant was pleased to present the birthday girl with a batch of cupcakes of her choosing: Rum and Chocolate Cupcakes
Light, fluffy rum-spiked cupcakes with a smooth, rich dark chocolate mousse frosting, these bad boys were quickly gobbled up by the birthday girl and company
Cheers, Sara! Hope you found your birthday celebration as fabulous as you are.

The sweetest bon voyage wishes

Farewells are complex, often bittersweet, and the accompanying emotions can run anywhere from utter joy (oh, come on, we've all had our "good riddance" moments) to heartbreak when saying goodbye to one who will be sorely missed. For instance, saying farewell to a coworker can include a mix of excitement for her next big adventure as well as disappointment at losing a friendly and dependable comrade at the office. While saying goodbye isn't always easy, one can send a colleague off properly with a nice farewell party, complete with warm wishes and a sweet surprise...
...like my signature Mocha Mudslide Cupcakes -- dark chocolate cupcakes infused with strongly brewed coffee and Kahlua liqueur, topped with creamy Bailey's cream cheese frosting and a chocolate-covered espresso bean to truly bring out the nutty coffee flavor in this boozy chocolate and coffee concoction.
Thanks, Doris, for ordering these for your team's bon voyage celebration for Jenny. And Jenny -- best of luck on your new adventure!

Time for a tea party

When people think of tea parties, they usually imagine lush garden settings in the spring with plenty of green grass and blossoming flowers, fancy table settings, adorable tea sets, and an assortment of delicate finger sandwiches and pastries. Well, something seems to be missing from that picture. Cupcakes! Obviously. And whoever said that tea parties were only apt in the spring? Fortunately, in California, you can catch rays of sunshine even in December -- making an outdoor tea party in the winter not only possible, but a simply fantastic idea.

Jacquie wanted to give her guests a sweet treat at her tea party (an annual tradition, mind you!) and ordered two batches of kid-friendly cupcakes:
Rich, old-fashioned chocolate cupcakes topped with silky chocolate mousse frosting and...
Vanilla cupcakes filled with vanilla custard and topped with sweet, tangy cream cheese frosting.

And Jacquie made these teacakes extra special by decorating them with sprinkles and arranging them in a lovely tiered cupcake stand:
What a treat! Thanks again, Jacquie. I hope you and your guests had a wonderful time at the tea party and enjoyed the cupcakes!

Sweet and sassy cupcakes for some sweet and sassy dancers

Let's face it. Not all workouts are fun. A two-mile run? Groan. A half hour on the elliptical? Ehh... Pole dancing classes? Meh--wait, what? That's right, S Factor classes give students the opportunity to flaunt their inner vixens, build some serious upper body strength (have you seen some of the more intricate pole tricks?!), and let loose in a fun, safe, and supportive environment. No wonder Stefanie wanted to treat her classmates to a batch of cupcakes after one of the sessions!

And so she did, choosing a batch of (Almost) Mocha Mudslides to share as a post-workout treat.
Why the "(Almost)"? Well, these cupcakes packed some very strongly brewed coffee in the batter, but no Kahlua, so the coffee component of the mocha equation didn't shine through as potently as it does in my usual Mudslide cupcakes. Instead, the coffee in the batter worked its magic by intensifying the chocolate flavor of the super moist cake, creating a nice contrast against the silky Bailey's cream cheese frosting that rocked a mellow sweetness and a subtle tang. Yum!
Ladies, I hope you enjoyed the cupcakes! And thank you, Stef, for trusting me to whip up some sweet and sassy cupcakes for some even sweeter and sassier dancers ;)