Oh Sprinkles

It has been a while since I have posted on this blog. I still bake. I can't wait to show you some new content. I promise there will be excitement here soon!

Pork-o-rama!

What a great day! My dear friend Janelle had a Summer feast called Pork-o-rama & BBQ and she asked me if I would make a Piggy Cake in honor of Archimedes the guest of honor. The Piggy cake and mini-cupcakes were both my special recipe chocolate with pink cotton candy Italian buttercream. I was short on time this week so the sunflowers, apple, and greens are real but I think it turned out cute and was almost as tasty as the rest of the pig at the party.

Cupcake Wars! Look Daddy, I'm on Food Network!

I'm so excited to share one of the most fun baking experiences in my 8+ year professional baking career. I auditioned and made it to Food Network! Check out some screen shots and photos from the viewing party we had in Orange County! So proud the the two recipes I developed on the show were a hit! Vista was the "lead baker" for the show and also made two recipes on the show (Dodger Blueberry and Strawberry Ginger Cupcakes). What follows is how I made some magic happen in the kitchen and was able to bring it to TV! In the end of the post I have a pictures my recipe development taste testing team which includes Myles and Lauren and beer!

I invented a Chocolate Imperial Stout Cupcake with Cotton Candy Italian Buttercream. I tried several beers and then also tried using them in making a new recipe for a cupcake. My dear beer guru friend Bryan turned me into a fan of North Coast Brewery's Old Rasputin Imperial Stout, and that was the winner. I love my beer geek friends! We tried two kids of beer on the show and one failed. Cotton Candy is one of the few sweet things I adore so much! I always wanted a cotton candy machine and found one. I played with the idea of how to make frosting that is as light and lovely as cotton candy. Well, thank you culinary school education for teaching me how sugar can be manipulated because the same sugar makes a divine Italian Buttercream! Problem being that the "table-top cotton candy maker" only wanted to work under the table. I feel it was a nod to the Dave Matthew's song Under The Table and Dreaming. I made it work and was laughing the whole time.

Second, as you may know I'm a huge fan of Parisian Macarons. They have become my specialty over the years. A labor of love, if you will.I always wanted to create a marriage of two of my known works. I was at my local market back in March and discovered Coconut Flour, a product I have never seen nor worked with. I love coconut cupcakes and since it is similar to nut flours I decided to try it as a base for a cupcake to get more coconut flavor. Using the idea of a macaron style cupcake I invented on my Slider cupcake. The beautiful balance between cupcake and macaron. It is probably the recipe I am most proud of to date! I have also made a more traditional almond version using almond flour and almond milk instead of coconut flour and coconut milk.


Imagine my surprise on the show when we learned it was my LA Dodgers baseball as the theme! How cool that stuff I love so much were the theme ingredients on the show. Honestly we were lucky and had a blast!

My sweet Marie & Dave's Wedding

Wedding bliss at Mission Viejo Country Club.
Flavors: Black Forrest (Dark Chocolate, filled with Cherries), Vanilla Chai, Bananas Foster, Hummingbird (Cinnamon Spice Cake with Bananas and Pineapple). Hand made monogram made of sugar and Swarovski crystals. Personally designed cupcake stand reflecting the ivory and gold tones of the beautiful wedding.
Cheers to my friends for inspiring me in faith , love, and cake!

Lot's of cake!