Saturday in NYC

Saturday I headed to NYC to tour and interview at The Institute of Culinary Education. I'm so excited now to move this summer. The tour was great and my parents and Mike were able to come along for the experience. We were pretty hungry afterwards though- it was the most aromatic tour I've ever been on..

Dolce de Leche Cupcake from Big Booty Bread Co.

We found it! Actually stumbled upon on our way back to our parking garage. It's right down the street from ICE so I know we'll become great friends :)

Before we found BBBCo. we went on a mission to Magnolia's Bakery.

Dad with a Peanut Butter Blondie with Toffee bits.

Hummingbird- Banana Cake with Cream cheese frosting and pecans

Amazing, amazing cupcakes. I appreciate moist cake like no other, and after a few dry cake experiences earlier in the week, this was heavenly.

Cheap Date

We had dinner, but nothing for dessert. Mike and I decided to make a Cherry Chip cake mix my mom had sent. I had some left over frosting from Katie's birthday the day before, so we used that.

Betty Crocker Cherry Chip Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Katie Turns 21

Katie turned 21!...just around the time everyone was burnt out from school. So I made a vegan chocolate recipe, we had dinner in and decorated with any sprinkles we could find. What a good time it was to mismatch sprinkles everywhere, and not have any set design plans. And yes, that's an Edward cupcake in Caley's hand (for Kendra.)

Vegan Chocolate with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Mummy Mocktails

This Halloween, my friends and I went to the MassArt Iron Pour before getting together for Halloween Mocktails. The metal smith class melts down scrap iron to make molds and quite a light show. Here are a few photos:

I made these mummies I had seen on one of the many blogs I follow (can't remember which one). Their base is pumpkin carrot with a cream cheese frosting. It was an excuse to try out some of my flatter frosting tips, and the really really micro round tips for the eyes. My friend Kim made some awesome vanilla spider cupcakes to compliment the mummies, and my mom brought all the do-dads to decorate pumpkins.

Pumpkin Carrot Mummy Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, Pumpkin decorated by Monica, Vanilla Spider Cake with Chocolate frosting by Kim

Lisa's Birthday Bake Off

The end of last semester it was brought to my attention a teacher at school loves to bake. I have her this semester and we have challenged each other to a bake off, much to everyone else's enjoyment. So far it's been a slow start...

She baked a few weeks ago, and I had yet to make anything to bring specifically to class. Lisa's birthday happened to be this week and so I took the opportunity to bake FOR the competition.

I've never tried such a combination, but the results were fantastic. The cake was moist, while the frosting was the most successful cream cheese frosting I've made to date. I think I've found a recipe to keep, thanks Countryliving!

Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Pumpkin Spice Spider Cakes

October is here! I made these pumpkin spice cakes from a pumpkin bread mix because the store was out of pumpkin puree. The cream cheese frosting is the homemade, with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. They are good, but a bit crumbly.

Pumpkin Spice Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Baking Date

I had a baking date with Megan tonight while everyone hung out at Mike's. We made pumpkin spice cakes from scratch, called it a night, and frosted them with Betty Crocker's cream cheese frosting. We colored the frosting for autumn and experimented with my frosting tips. It was incredibly hot with a full apartment, so our frosting became a little soupy, but still delicious!

We had tea from ghoulish mugs and Megan brought some super cute Halloween cupcake liners too.

Pumpkin Spice Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Meeting Mason!

He may only be 5 months old, but I've already baked for him twice. Going to spend the afternoon at Mark's, I brought along these cute little critters in honor of baby Mason. 

Peach, Blueberry and Thyme Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

'Little Critter' Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Thanks to Mike for helping photo-document these while I crazily finished frosting that morning, and for being my thyme sprinkler and sprinkles coordinator.