What could be cuter than these adorable cupcake pops? They are an easy treat to make and will bring a little whimsy to any event. Use the cupcake mold to create these treats without fuss.

Cupcake Pops
Ingredients
9-by-13-inch Midnight Chocolate Cake (See below)
2 cups Chocolate Frosting (see below)
1 package chocolate melts
1 package white chocolate melts
1 package pink candy melts
Sprinkles and/or colored sugars
Candy Red Hots or mini red M&M’s

Lollypop sticks

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Trim about 1/2 inch from edges of the cake. Working in batches, crumble cake into a large bowl. Make sure the cake is fine, with no substantial pieces.

2. Add frosting until well combined.

3. Place the mixture into the refrigerator for about 2 hours.

4. When mixture is chilled throughout begin to form the cupcakes by placing a small amount of the mixture into the cupcake mold. Release the cupcake from the mold and place onto a prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process until you have used all the mixture.

5. When you are finished place the cakes into the refrigerator to chill for about 1 hour or place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

6. Melt chocolate in heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

7. When the cupcakes are chilled dip the bottom of each cupcake into the chocolate; Place cupcakes, bottom-side up, to prepared baking sheet.

8. Place a lollipop stick into the bottom of each cupcake. Before dipping the tops, let the chocolate set completely.

9. Melt white chocolate and/or pink candy melts in heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the white chocolate or pink candy melts and place right-side up by sticking the lollipop sticks into a Styrofoam square.

10. Decorate with the candy and sprinkles.

Midnight Chocolate Cake

For the cake:

2 cups cake flour
1 ¾ cups sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cup milk
¾ cup shortening (Use the butter flavored Crisco.)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
12 ounces (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup shortening
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup milk

To make the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9×13 inch cake pan.
2. In a large bowl combine, with a fork, flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. Add milk, shortening, eggs and vanilla (still combining with a fork)
4. Then mix at high speed and blend all ingredients until smooth.
5. Pour into 9×13 cake prepared cake pan.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. (While the cake is baking make the filling.)
7. Allow the cake to cool, and then slice each cake into 2 layers.

To make the frosting:

1. In a double boiler (or just stack saucepans, the one for the ingredients needs to be a good size), over hot, not boiling water, melt the chocolate with the shortening.

2. Stir in the sugar and milk.

3. Remove from the heat

4. Beat with a spoon until smooth.

5. Frost sides and top of cake. Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings if you are feeling creative.

Photography Data:
Featured Photographer
Ruth Black
ApertureFNumber: f/4.0
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 7D
ExposureTime: 1/8
FNumber: 4/1
ExposureProgram: 3
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MaxApertureValue: 3/1
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 100/1

What could be cuter than these adorable cupcake pops? They are an easy treat to make and will bring a little whimsy to any event. Use the cupcake mold to create these treats without fuss.

Cupcake Pops
Ingredients
9-by-13-inch Midnight Chocolate Cake (See below)
2 cups Chocolate Frosting (see below)
1 package chocolate melts
1 package white chocolate melts
1 package pink candy melts
Sprinkles and/or colored sugars
Candy Red Hots or mini red M&M’s

Lollypop sticks

Directions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Trim about 1/2 inch from edges of the cake. Working in batches, crumble cake into a large bowl. Make sure the cake is fine, with no substantial pieces.

2. Add frosting until well combined.

3. Place the mixture into the refrigerator for about 2 hours.

4. When mixture is chilled throughout begin to form the cupcakes by placing a small amount of the mixture into the cupcake mold. Release the cupcake from the mold and place onto a prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process until you have used all the mixture.

5. When you are finished place the cakes into the refrigerator to chill for about 1 hour or place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

6. Melt chocolate in heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

7. When the cupcakes are chilled dip the bottom of each cupcake into the chocolate; Place cupcakes, bottom-side up, to prepared baking sheet.

8. Place a lollipop stick into the bottom of each cupcake. Before dipping the tops, let the chocolate set completely.

9. Melt white chocolate and/or pink candy melts in heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the white chocolate or pink candy melts and place right-side up by sticking the lollipop sticks into a Styrofoam square.

10. Decorate with the candy and sprinkles.

Midnight Chocolate Cake

For the cake:

2 cups cake flour
1 ¾ cups sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cup milk
¾ cup shortening (Use the butter flavored Crisco.)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
12 ounces (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup shortening
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup milk

To make the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9×13 inch cake pan.
2. In a large bowl combine, with a fork, flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
3. Add milk, shortening, eggs and vanilla (still combining with a fork)
4. Then mix at high speed and blend all ingredients until smooth.
5. Pour into 9×13 cake prepared cake pan.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. (While the cake is baking make the filling.)
7. Allow the cake to cool, and then slice each cake into 2 layers.

To make the frosting:

1. In a double boiler (or just stack saucepans, the one for the ingredients needs to be a good size), over hot, not boiling water, melt the chocolate with the shortening.

2. Stir in the sugar and milk.

3. Remove from the heat

4. Beat with a spoon until smooth.

5. Frost sides and top of cake. Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings if you are feeling creative.

Photography Data:
Featured Photographer
Ruth Black
ApertureFNumber: f/4.0
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 7D
ExposureTime: 1/8
FNumber: 4/1
ExposureProgram: 3
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MaxApertureValue: 3/1
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 100/1

Celebrated on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day is the saint’s religious feast day and the anniversary of his death which is believed to be March 17 (between 461 and 492 A.D.). Saint Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years.

St. Patrick was born, Maewyn Succat, in Roman Britain around the year 387 A.D. . The Romans ruled England at that time. Calpurnius, Patrick’s father, was a high Roman diplomat living in England, but a Roman citizen. This is, if you reach far enough, is why many Italians declare that St. Patrick was actually Italian. (It is quite the stretch.) His Father was Calpurnius, a Briton and a Deacon; his mother, Concess, was a Frank and a close relative of St. Martin of Tours.

From St. Patrick’s Confessions (autobiographical ):

“I, Patrick, a sinner, a most simple countryman, the least of all the faithful and most contemptible to many, had for father the deacon Calpurnius, son of the late Potitus, a priest, of the settlement [vicus] of Bannavem Taburniae; he had a small villa nearby where I was taken captive. I was at that time about sixteen years of age. I did not, indeed, know the true God; and I was taken into captivity in Ireland with many thousands of people..”

There was much unrest in Ireland (Eire) as tribal kings continually vied for control. One such king, Niall, attacked England, taking thousands of prisoners for slaves. At the age of 16 St. Patrick became a slave in Ireland. Patrick was taken to Northern Ireland and sold to another tribal king named Meliucc.

After six years of slavery, at the age of 21, St. Patrick escaped. .

“And after a few ‘ears I was again in Britain with my parents [kinsfolk], and the welcomed me as a son, and asked me, in faith, that after the great tribulations I had endured I should not go an where else away from them. And, of course, there, in a vision of the night, I saw a man whose name was Victoricus coming as it from Ireland with innumerable letters, and he gave me one of them, and I read the beginning of the letter: ‘The Voice of the Irish’, and as I was reading the beginning of the letter I seemed at that moment to hear the voice of those who were beside the forest of Foclut which is near the western sea, and the were crying as if with one voice: ‘We beg you, holy youth, that you shall come and shall walk again among us.’ And I was stung intensely in my heart so that I could read no more, and thus I awoke. Thanks be to God, because after so many ears the Lord bestowed on them according to their cry. “

St. Patrick returned to Ireland and was credited with bringing Christianity to its people. As more and more tribal kings and their people became Christians, they came together to worship, uniting more closely. The mythology surrounding his life became ingrained in Irish culture. One of the most well known legends is that St. Patrick explained the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) using the three leaves of a native Irish clover, the shamrock. Today, the shamrock is Ireland’s national flower.

So, for approximately 1000 years the Irish have been celebrating the feast day of St. Patrick’s which happened to fall during the Catholic season of Lent. While eating meat during Lent was prohibited, the Irish would attend church on the feast day and then permitted to eat meat, feast and dance. It wasn’t until March 17, 1762 in New York City, in Colonial America, that the first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place. Irish soldiers who were serving in the English military marched through NYC.

The Feast Day of St. Patrick was placed on the liturgical calendar in the Catholic Church in the early 1600s. Saint Patrick’s Day thus became a Roman Catholic holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics in Ireland. In 1903, Saint Patrick’s Day became an official public holiday in Ireland. Today one can attend the Saint Patrick’s Festival which was first held on 17 March 1996 in Ireland.

While it isn’t a legal holiday in the United States, St. Patrick’s Day is widely celebrated. The famous parades in NYC and Boston are attended by many. American celebration includes the wearing or decorating with the color green, feasting, consumption of alcohol and religious observances.

Many other countries have St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, some of which might surprise you: Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Montserrat and Argentina. There may be other countries and we’d love to hear from you if you can add to the list.

Free Gift From Us to you: Here is the file.

1. PSD Logo Transparent, editable, or to use as an overlay for your photos (watermark)
2. Cake Toppers (printable)
3. Thank You Card (PSD File editable to suit your size)
4. Invitation (PSD File editable)

To Download the entire set please follow this link: Zip File

{Logo Watermark for your Photos}

{Sample Below}

{Thank You Card}

{Free Editable PSD Invitation}

{Cupcake Topper}

Useful Products:

1. Nordic Ware Cake Pop Pans from Sur La Table.
2. Cake Pops Tips and Tricks by Angie Dudley

Chocolate Matcha Marble Cake/Cupcake (Recipe from Fresh From the Oven)
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee powder
1/3 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 whole egg
1 egg white
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup low fat yogurt
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons matcha powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the lower third of the oven. Spray cake pop (oven) mold pans with cooking spray.

2. Use a whisk to combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift together. Set aside. In a small bowl combine the espresso powder, cocoa and 1/3 cup of the sugar with 1/4 cup of water. Whisk until smooth. Set aside. In another small bowl, whisk whole egg with egg white. Set aside.

3. Cut the butter into pieces and place in an electric mixing bowl. Beat for 1 minute to soften. Gradually add remaining 1 cup of sugar and beat at high speed for about 3 minutes. Dribble eggs in slowly, about 1 T at a time, beating constantly for about 2 minutes. On low speed, beat in a third of the flour mixture. On medium-high speed, beat in half of the yogurt. On low speed, beat in half of the remaining flour. On high speed, beat in the rest of the yogurt and the vanilla. On low speed, beat in the remaining flour.

4. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of yogurt batter and mix into the cocoa mixture. Set aside. Add matcha powder to the rest of the yogurt batter in the mixing bowl.

5. Use a spoon to fill the bottom of each cake pop mold with about half of the green batter. Cover the green batter with chocolate batter. You can give each pop a little swirl with a knife (only a swirl or two otherwise it will blend together). You don’t have to swirl. You will get a nice two tone cake pop.

6. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

7. Cool for 10-15 minutes on a rack. Unmold the cake. Cool completely before serving or storing.

Creating the Cake Pop

Ingredients

1 (12oz) bag Wilton white chocolate candy melts (or gourmet white chocolate one without all the partially hydrogenated oils)
1 package Wilton 6 inch treat sticks
Decorating Stand (or a large Styrofoam cube works well)
Green food coloring (Matcha works well to avoid any chemical coloring, use natural food coloring when possible.)
Flavoring (Optional)
Wilton Ready –to-Use Fondant (green, white and yellow) (or make your own)
Wilton Floral Collection Flower Making Set

Coating the Cake Pop

1. Chill the cake balls for at least 30 minutes

2. In a microwave safe bowl that is deep enough to dip the cake pop in one motion, melt the white chocolate candy in the microwave, at a low level, constantly checking and stirring the white chocolate. Do not over heat. Remove as soon as the white chocolate is melted and smooth. Add green food coloring to desired color.

3. Dip the end of the treat stick into the melted chocolate (just about ¼ inch) and then insert into the cake ball.

4. Dip the cake pop into the bowl of melted chocolate, coating the entire ball of cake. Do not swirl. Simply dip down and up. If a section is not coated move the cake pop gently, slowly, until covered.

5. Remove from the bowl and let the excess drip into the bowl. Be patient and make sure it drips well. Place the cake pop into the cake pop stand or into the Styrofoam block to set.

6. Roll out the fondant and shape into flowers (or Shamrocks)

To make the shamrocks pop you can lightly color the chocolate making a pale green and then use a dark green fondant for the shamrocks. You can make shamrocks using fondant or you can buy shamrock sprinkles to use. Place the sprinkles on when the chocolate coating is medium-firm, but not hard (or the coating will crack)

Photography Data:
Featured Photographer
Olga Lyubkin
ApertureFNumber: f/7.1
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
ExposureTime: 1/20
FNumber: 71/10
ExposureProgram: 3
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MaxApertureValue: 3/1
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 0
FocalLength: 57/1

Celebrated on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day is the saint’s religious feast day and the anniversary of his death which is believed to be March 17 (between 461 and 492 A.D.). Saint Patrick is the patron saint and national apostle of Ireland. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years.

St. Patrick was born, Maewyn Succat, in Roman Britain around the year 387 A.D. . The Romans ruled England at that time. Calpurnius, Patrick’s father, was a high Roman diplomat living in England, but a Roman citizen. This is, if you reach far enough, is why many Italians declare that St. Patrick was actually Italian. (It is quite the stretch.) His Father was Calpurnius, a Briton and a Deacon; his mother, Concess, was a Frank and a close relative of St. Martin of Tours.

From St. Patrick’s Confessions (autobiographical ):

“I, Patrick, a sinner, a most simple countryman, the least of all the faithful and most contemptible to many, had for father the deacon Calpurnius, son of the late Potitus, a priest, of the settlement [vicus] of Bannavem Taburniae; he had a small villa nearby where I was taken captive. I was at that time about sixteen years of age. I did not, indeed, know the true God; and I was taken into captivity in Ireland with many thousands of people..”

There was much unrest in Ireland (Eire) as tribal kings continually vied for control. One such king, Niall, attacked England, taking thousands of prisoners for slaves. At the age of 16 St. Patrick became a slave in Ireland. Patrick was taken to Northern Ireland and sold to another tribal king named Meliucc.

After six years of slavery, at the age of 21, St. Patrick escaped. .

“And after a few ‘ears I was again in Britain with my parents [kinsfolk], and the welcomed me as a son, and asked me, in faith, that after the great tribulations I had endured I should not go an where else away from them. And, of course, there, in a vision of the night, I saw a man whose name was Victoricus coming as it from Ireland with innumerable letters, and he gave me one of them, and I read the beginning of the letter: ‘The Voice of the Irish’, and as I was reading the beginning of the letter I seemed at that moment to hear the voice of those who were beside the forest of Foclut which is near the western sea, and the were crying as if with one voice: ‘We beg you, holy youth, that you shall come and shall walk again among us.’ And I was stung intensely in my heart so that I could read no more, and thus I awoke. Thanks be to God, because after so many ears the Lord bestowed on them according to their cry. “

St. Patrick returned to Ireland and was credited with bringing Christianity to its people. As more and more tribal kings and their people became Christians, they came together to worship, uniting more closely. The mythology surrounding his life became ingrained in Irish culture. One of the most well known legends is that St. Patrick explained the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) using the three leaves of a native Irish clover, the shamrock. Today, the shamrock is Ireland’s national flower.

So, for approximately 1000 years the Irish have been celebrating the feast day of St. Patrick’s which happened to fall during the Catholic season of Lent. While eating meat during Lent was prohibited, the Irish would attend church on the feast day and then permitted to eat meat, feast and dance. It wasn’t until March 17, 1762 in New York City, in Colonial America, that the first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place. Irish soldiers who were serving in the English military marched through NYC.

The Feast Day of St. Patrick was placed on the liturgical calendar in the Catholic Church in the early 1600s. Saint Patrick’s Day thus became a Roman Catholic holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics in Ireland. In 1903, Saint Patrick’s Day became an official public holiday in Ireland. Today one can attend the Saint Patrick’s Festival which was first held on 17 March 1996 in Ireland.

While it isn’t a legal holiday in the United States, St. Patrick’s Day is widely celebrated. The famous parades in NYC and Boston are attended by many. American celebration includes the wearing or decorating with the color green, feasting, consumption of alcohol and religious observances.

Many other countries have St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, some of which might surprise you: Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Montserrat and Argentina. There may be other countries and we’d love to hear from you if you can add to the list.

Free Gift From Us to you: Here is the file.

1. PSD Logo Transparent, editable, or to use as an overlay for your photos (watermark)
2. Cake Toppers (printable)
3. Thank You Card (PSD File editable to suit your size)
4. Invitation (PSD File editable)

To Download the entire set please follow this link: Zip File

{Logo Watermark for your Photos}

{Sample Below}

{Thank You Card}

{Free Editable PSD Invitation}

{Cupcake Topper}

Useful Products:

1. Nordic Ware Cake Pop Pans from Sur La Table.
2. Cake Pops Tips and Tricks by Angie Dudley

Chocolate Matcha Marble Cake/Cupcake (Recipe from Fresh From the Oven)
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee powder
1/3 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 whole egg
1 egg white
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup low fat yogurt
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons matcha powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the lower third of the oven. Spray cake pop (oven) mold pans with cooking spray.

2. Use a whisk to combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift together. Set aside. In a small bowl combine the espresso powder, cocoa and 1/3 cup of the sugar with 1/4 cup of water. Whisk until smooth. Set aside. In another small bowl, whisk whole egg with egg white. Set aside.

3. Cut the butter into pieces and place in an electric mixing bowl. Beat for 1 minute to soften. Gradually add remaining 1 cup of sugar and beat at high speed for about 3 minutes. Dribble eggs in slowly, about 1 T at a time, beating constantly for about 2 minutes. On low speed, beat in a third of the flour mixture. On medium-high speed, beat in half of the yogurt. On low speed, beat in half of the remaining flour. On high speed, beat in the rest of the yogurt and the vanilla. On low speed, beat in the remaining flour.

4. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of yogurt batter and mix into the cocoa mixture. Set aside. Add matcha powder to the rest of the yogurt batter in the mixing bowl.

5. Use a spoon to fill the bottom of each cake pop mold with about half of the green batter. Cover the green batter with chocolate batter. You can give each pop a little swirl with a knife (only a swirl or two otherwise it will blend together). You don’t have to swirl. You will get a nice two tone cake pop.

6. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

7. Cool for 10-15 minutes on a rack. Unmold the cake. Cool completely before serving or storing.

Creating the Cake Pop

Ingredients

1 (12oz) bag Wilton white chocolate candy melts (or gourmet white chocolate one without all the partially hydrogenated oils)
1 package Wilton 6 inch treat sticks
Decorating Stand (or a large Styrofoam cube works well)
Green food coloring (Matcha works well to avoid any chemical coloring, use natural food coloring when possible.)
Flavoring (Optional)
Wilton Ready –to-Use Fondant (green, white and yellow) (or make your own)
Wilton Floral Collection Flower Making Set

Coating the Cake Pop

1. Chill the cake balls for at least 30 minutes

2. In a microwave safe bowl that is deep enough to dip the cake pop in one motion, melt the white chocolate candy in the microwave, at a low level, constantly checking and stirring the white chocolate. Do not over heat. Remove as soon as the white chocolate is melted and smooth. Add green food coloring to desired color.

3. Dip the end of the treat stick into the melted chocolate (just about ¼ inch) and then insert into the cake ball.

4. Dip the cake pop into the bowl of melted chocolate, coating the entire ball of cake. Do not swirl. Simply dip down and up. If a section is not coated move the cake pop gently, slowly, until covered.

5. Remove from the bowl and let the excess drip into the bowl. Be patient and make sure it drips well. Place the cake pop into the cake pop stand or into the Styrofoam block to set.

6. Roll out the fondant and shape into flowers (or Shamrocks)

To make the shamrocks pop you can lightly color the chocolate making a pale green and then use a dark green fondant for the shamrocks. You can make shamrocks using fondant or you can buy shamrock sprinkles to use. Place the sprinkles on when the chocolate coating is medium-firm, but not hard (or the coating will crack)

Photography Data:
Featured Photographer
Olga Lyubkin
ApertureFNumber: f/7.1
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
ExposureTime: 1/20
FNumber: 71/10
ExposureProgram: 3
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MaxApertureValue: 3/1
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 0
FocalLength: 57/1

We love that cake pops have become so popular. We have cake love, but do not love cake butts. The cake pop is the perfect bite of cake allowing us to have our cake and eat it too! Making cake pops have become a simple task if you own the handy Babycakes cake pop maker. There are also cake pop pans , available, if you prefer baking in your oven.

We love the ease in which you can create perfectly shaped pops in a short period of time. These are an ideal alternative to the cupcake, which we love, but can be cumbersome to transport if, say, making thirty of them for your child’s classmates. Easy to bake, easy to decorate and easy to wrap!

For Valentine’s Day we suggest using a rich red velvet cake. We love Paula Deen’s recipe as it is a little heavy and holds up well. We have not adjusted the recipe to make a certain number of cake pops. We love red velvet cake so we make as many pops as we need and then we bake any remaining batter as cupcakes.

While we have dipped our cake pops in white chocolate, we have also included Paula Deen’s heavenly frosting recipe should you decide to bake cupcakes or a cake. Instructions for coating the cake pops follow the cake and frosting recipe.

Blogger(s) we Adore:{Editors Choice Award}

We can completely relate to Chrisi, the amazing talent behind Love from the Oven, when she says, “I LOVE to bake. I HATE to cook.” Ok, we admit, we love to cook, but we love baking better. And, we admire Christi, who makes it look so incredibly easy. That is what happens when you love what you are doing. Her blog is bright, bold, well organized and fun! We invite you to take a peek.

How to set up the shot:

1. How to get the background Bokeh. You can get a good bokeh by setting your aperture value low and then focusing on a subject. Have fun with it, do a few practice runs.

2. You can buy them almost anywhere (we get a lot of our stuff from Rosanna), but why not try making your own.

3. This place is such a gem, gourmet sprinkles, spice, you name it! We adore Indian Tree.

Red Velvet Cake
Adapted from Paula Deen

Ingredients

For the Red Velvet Cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (recommended: White Lily)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cocoa
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 (1-ounce) bottle red food coloring (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk

For the cream cheese frosting:

1/2 cup margarine
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 box confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped lightly toasted pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round layer cake pans.
Sift flour, baking soda and coco together. Beat sugar and eggs together in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl mix together oil, vinegar, food coloring, and vanilla. Add to the bowl of eggs and sugar and beat until combined.

Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the wet mixture by alternating the buttermilk and dry ingredients. Always start with the flour and end with the flour.

Pour batter into pans. Tap them on the table to level out the batter and release air bubbles. Bake for 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted near the middle comes out clean but be careful not to over bake or you’ll end up with a dry cake.

Let layers cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before turning out of pan. Cool completely before frosting.

For the cream cheese frosting:

This is the “official” cream cheese frosting recipe but we always use about 1 1/2 recipe on each cake to cover it well.

Let margarine and cream cheese soften to room temperature. Cream well. Add sugar and beat until mixed but not so much that the frosting becomes “loose”. Add vanilla and nuts. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Creating the Cake Pop

1 (12oz) bag Wilton white chocolate candy melts (or gourmet white chocolate one without all the partially hydrogenated oils)
1 package Wilton 6 inch treat sticks
Decorating Stand (or a large Styrofoam cube works well)
Coloring or flavoring (optional)*

White Chocolate Coating

Chill the cake balls for at least 30 minutes

In a microwave safe bowl that is deep enough to dip the cake pop in one motion, melt the white chocolate candy in the microwave, at a low level, constantly checking and stirring the white chocolate. Do not over heat. Remove as soon as the white chocolate is melted and smooth.
Dip the end of the treat stick into the melted chocolate (just about ¼ inch) and then insert into the cake ball.

Dip the cake pop into the bowl of melted chocolate, coating the entire ball of cake. Do not swirl. Simply dip down and up. If a section is not coated move the cake pop gently, slowly, until covered.

Remove from the bowl and let the excess drip into the bowl. Be patient and make sure it drips well. Place the cake pop into the cake pop stand or into the Styrofoam block to set.
*With darker cakes, such as the red velvet cake, the white coating may appear a bit pink. If you would like a pinker coating add food coloring to your liking.

Photography Data:
Guest Featured Photographer: Elisabeth Coelfen
ApertureFNumber: f/6.3
Make: Canon
Model: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
ExposureTime: 6/10
FNumber: 63/10
ExposureProgram: 1
ISOSpeedRatings: 100
MaxApertureValue: 3/1
MeteringMode: 5
Flash: 16
FocalLength: 90/1