Pot-O-Gold Cupcake Toppers

St. Patrick's Day isn't often a highly anticipated holiday, unless you enjoy the odd adult beverage.  Kids however love to celebrate even the smallest holidays, and I'm always looking for an excuse to make some cupcakes!  I can't wait until Roman is old enough to take treats to school, but until then John will have to take them to work.  Heaven knows we can't possibly eat all these treats!

When I decided to make a St. Patrick's Day cupcake I knew I wanted to do something recognizable but give it a fun twist.  I love to see the reaction my cupcakes get from people, so I always keep that in mind when deciding on a design.  Why decorate a cupcake if it isn't going to bring a smile to the face of everyone who sees them? 

When you think of St. Patrick's Day, one of the first things you probably think of is a pot-o-gold, no not the scratch n' win ticket, but the wonderful treasure at the end of a rainbow!  What better treasure than a delicious cupcake?  This pot-o-gold cupcake topper is incredibly easy to make.  If you can roll a ball you can make these toppers, which would make this a great project to do with older kids!  The best part is, they are completely edible. 

Supplies
Fondant - you can make your own or you can purchase pre-made fondant.  The amount of fondant
                you need will depend on how many toppers you are making.
Black gel coloring
Yellow gel coloring - I used Daffodil Yellow from Wilton as it was the only yellow I had on hand.
Edible gold glitter
Small paint brush
Water

*NOTE - when working with fondant you want to keep the fondant you aren't using at the moment in a air tight container to prevent it from drying out.

To color the fondant, take a ball of fondant and knead it a few times.  Dip a toothpick into the coloring and run it through the fondant.  Start with a small amount of color and gradually add more.  It is much easier to make fondant darker than it is to lighten it.  *TIP - use a new toothpick each time you dip into the coloring.  If you double dip you may deposit icing into your coloring which will cause it to go bad faster.  Knead the color into the fondant until it is evenly distributed.  Repeat this process with the black coloring.  *TIP - always color lighter colors first to reduce the chance of transferring color from once of fondant to the next.  Washing your hands in between colors will also help. 

Roll a piece of black fondant into a ball 1 inch in diameter.  Press down on the top of the ball to make the base of the pot.  Roll a second ball about the size of a grape, and press down on the top until it flattens into a disk.  To form the feet of the pot, roll 3 small balls about the size of blueberries.  Apply a small amount of water to the top of the pot and press the disk into place.  Flip the pot over, apply a small amount of water to the bottom of the pot and press the feet into place.  Your almost done!

Now to fill the pot with thousands of dollars of gold!!!  Or fondant gold....  Roll several small balls of yellow fondant, 1/8 inch in diameter, and squish them into disks.  Arrange the disks on the top of the pot.  I randomly placed the disks to look like a pile of gold.  Apply a small amount of water to the yellow disks and dry the paint brush off.  Dip the paint brush into the gold glitter and dab it onto the yellow fondant.  If glitter falls onto the black fondant use a dry paint brush to wipe it away.

Now all that is left to do is to pop it on top of your cupcake!  It's just that easy!!  You could also make a great St. Patrick's Day scene on a cake using this topper!  Maybe find a plastic leprechaun, or make one from fondant if your good at molding people (my people always look like wider stick men), and stick him on the cake.  Then pipe a rainbow with this pot of gold at the end and sprinkle shamrock shaped sprinkles over the rest of the cake.  Just an idea...now I want to make that cake!!

If you are making your toppers in advance, which you likely are, you can let them sit out on a cookie sheet until you need them.  I would suggest covering them with plastic wrap just to keep dust from landing on them.  Nobody wants to eat a dusty pot-o-gold!

I decided to make a chocolate cupcake and top it with a mint buttercream icing.  John loves the combination of chocolate and mint, and since I've never made a cupcake with mint icing and the colors work well for St. Patrick's Day, I thought I would give it a shot.  *TIP - If you are using a light colored icing with this topper, I would suggest putting these toppers on last minute because the black color from the pot might bleed into your light icing it sits long enough.

Heavenly Chocolate Cupcakes

The quest for the perfect cupcake.  Am I the only person on this journey?  Judging by the amount of cupcake TV shows, home decor, Christmas decorations, and pins on Pinterest, I clearly am not.  For me the perfect chocolate cupcake has to be moist, fluffy, and most of all, super chocolaty!  But let's face it, at 9pm after a long day of chasing Roman, I'll eat almost anything that looks like chocolate and is in the shape of a cupcake.

After years of searching through cook books, family recipes, and the Internet, I have finally found the holy grail of chocolate cupcake recipes!  Originally posted on My Baking Addiction, this recipe will be one you keep on hand for years to come.  The original recipe is for a Rolo cupcake (which I have also made and it is amazing!), but this adaptation is also to die for!

I normally steer clear of boxed cake mixes because they often have very little taste other than being overly sweet.  However, the addition of the chocolate pudding mix and sour cream not only keeps the sweetness in check but it elevates the regular box mix to a whole different, deliciously chocolate, level.

Chocolate Cupcakes
1 box Devil's food cake mix
1 (5.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream *See Note*
1 cup oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water
1t vanilla

*NOTE* - You could substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream.  The yogurt has the same zing that the sour cream does but it will reduce the calories and add some protein to the cupcakes.  Not that anyone is really concerned about calories or protein when they start to devour cupcakes.

Dump all ingredients into a bowl and mix until smooth.  (I LOVE when all I have to do is dump it all in and mix!!)  **DO NOT skip this step....lick the beater!!!  I know, I know, your not supposed to eat raw eggs.  Don't act like you don't do it anyway!

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. *TIP - to ensure you have the same amount of batter in each muffin cup, use a measuring cup to fill them. **Another important step you DO NOT want to skip.....lick the measuring cup/spoon!

Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool completely before icing them.  If you try to ice them before they are cool, your icing will melt and run off the cupcake (and that would be a horrible tragedy).  I suggest a thick layer of delicious buttercream icing!  . 

Now don't these cupcakes look amazing!!!  I'm actually getting excited about them while I'm typing this blog post....and I kinda wish I hadn't given away the left over ones from the party....sigh.  I love how the tops crack to reveal the decadent deep chocolate color that is waiting for you inside.  The cupcakes will be extremely springing to the touch and will keep this texture after they cool.  To save time I baked my cupcakes 1 week ahead of time and frozen them.  The freezing did not change their texture at all.

I have tried a lot of different cupcake recipes in my time, and John immediately decided these were the best yet, and they didn't even have icing on them yet.  If that wasn't confirmation enough, my brother, who isn't really big on sweets, obliterated 5 of these babies and then took 9 home with him.  He claims they were for friends he was having over that night, but I'm not so sure....

Veggie Pizza

Every party seems to have a tired, pre-made, store bought, vegetable tray.  You know the one where the carrots are starting to turn white and there is always more cauliflower than anyone will ever eat.  Why settle for vegetables that were prepared who knows when when you can have a delicious, fresh, and appealing vegetable dish that people will actually eat?  The best part?  You can make this veggie pizza yourself in no time flat and people will think your are a kitchen ninja!

This dish was a huge hit at Roman's baptism party.  It was almost completely devoured and people were asking for the recipe (always a sign of a great dish).  This original recipe this was adapted from was posted on Allrecipes.com.

 

 Veggie Pizza

 2 - 8oz cans crescent rolls
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1t dried dill
1/8t garlic powder
1/2 cup broccoli, chopped
1/3 cup cucumber slices
1 tomato, seeded & chopped
1/4 cup carrot, shredded

*I also added red pepper to my veggie pizza because I love peppers.  You can add more/less veggies to your pizza to fit your taste.

Unroll dough into 4 long rectangles.  Obviously I didn't follow this step very well.  I pieced the crescent rolls into my round pizza pan (all my cookie sheets were holding cupcakes), then arranged the rest in a 9x13 baking pan.

Bake at 375° for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.  Cool completely.  I was concerned because I was distracted with Roman and forgot about my crusts and they got a little darker than I wanted.  They were pretty crispy and I was worried they were going to taste horrible.  But after sitting in the fridge with the "sauce" and veggies on them, they softened up and were delicious!

 

 

While the crust is baking, chop and slice your veggies.  *TIP - when preparing a lot of veggies use a garbage bowl!  This saves you time by reducing the number of trips you make to the garbage can.  You wouldn't think this takes up much time, but I promise if you try this method you will notice a difference in prep time.

 

 

I also highly recommend hiring a cleaning crew.  I found these two at a local shelter.  They do an amazing job, work for peanuts, and who doesn't like to help the homeless!  Well, they actually work for kibble and the odd scrap, but they are quick and efficient!  All I have to do is mop at the end of the day, no sweeping required!

 

 

In a small bowl, mix Greek yogurt, cream cheese, dill and garlic until smooth.  Spread over cooled crust. The crust must be completely cooled or the cheese mixture will melt and run off your crust.  Top with veggies and serve!  You can also make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge.  I prefer making it ahead of time because it gives the flavors in the cheese mixture time to meld together.

 

 

Now don't these veggies look much happier than the sad, white carrots in the store bought vegetable tray!?  Vegetable dishes should be bright, colorful, and tempt you to sample them.  Eating your vegetables shouldn't be a chore, and this recipe definitely makes it an enjoyable experience!

Baptism Menu

What's a party without food?  I have no idea, I've never been to this strange, foodless, gathering you speak of.  As soon as we decide to throw a party, recipes immediately started scrolling through my mind.  The all time favorites, the recipes I've seen on TV and Pinterest, and maybe even a few that friends have made that I've enjoyed. This is usually the most difficult part of part planning for me is deciding on a menu.

 

In no time, I had a list of close to 10 dishes that I wanted to make.  I love a challenge as much as the next person, but 10 dishes in a week, while looking after a 7 month old, not going to happen. The fact that it would have been five times more food than we needed was only a minor problem. After some serious deliberation, we decided to go with the following dishes for our lunch baptism celebration. 

Bakery fresh buns with deli meats, cheese and pickles - I realise I didn't make these items, so I can't take credit for their deliciousness, but I just had to mention the amazing bakery that made these buns!  If you are ever in Moose Jaw, SK you must, I repeat, MUST visit Maple Leaf Bakery and purchase some of their spectacular buns! (their donuts are amazing as well!!)
Fruit Tray

Cucumber cups filled with chicken salad - more like bursting with chicken salad (thanks to John), were definitely a topic of discussion.  Not something you usually see at a baptism, or any party really, but I like to spice things up!  These are so much easier to make than they look.  So easy in fact, that John whipped these up in the time it took me to do my hair for the baptism!  If your catering to a person that eats a low or no carb diet, these would be great for them!

 

Veggie Pizza - was completely devoured! I always know that a dish is a hit when people ask for the recipe, and this was one of those recipes.  It's super easy, delicious, and good for you.  I think this is way more fun to serve than the over used veggie tray that nobody really eats.  I highly suggest making a good amount of this.  If your guests don't eat it all you will be happy to have the leftovers!

 

Vanilla and chocolate cupcakes with buttercream icing - people hated these....just kidding!!!!  Really, who can hate a cupcake?  Not only did everyone love the toppers on these cupcakes but they found the taste heavenly!  At least I assume this because I had 3 dozen cupcakes and 10 people at the party, and only ended up with a dozen cupcakes left over!  I don't mean to throw anyone under the bus, but my brother did eat 5 and take 9 home with him!  In his defense he was having 9 people over that night.  I wonder how many people actually got cupcakes or if he hoarded them all?.....
 

 

We didn't have a very large gathering so this was more than enough food for everyone. All of these dishes were items I made ahead of time (minus the meat and fruit trays) as I didn't have time to cook before people arrived after the baptism.  I had zero complaints about the food, other than people wishing they hadn't eaten so much of it, which is always a good problem to have when hosting a party!

Pedestal Serving Plates

Whether it's a unique serving bowl or arranging a fruit tray in an interesting pattern, I'm always looking for a new way to serve food at a party.  For an idea to make it to my table it has to look great, be easy to achieve, and of course inexpensive!  The thrift store and the dollar store are my best friends when it comes to projects like this. I'm always surprised at the gems that can be found at these discount stores, and your guests will be equally surprised when they ask where you found such amazing pieces!

 

Pedestal serving trays and cake stands are all the rage now.  Just one of these gorgeous stands can cost upwards of $50 in a home decor store.  I knew I wanted to have a few stands so purchasing them was not an option.  I had seen a few Pins on Pinterest (my love!) for pedestals similar to these, and I knew I could make them.  

I headed to the dollar store and found these great cups and plates.  I had planned on spray painting the finished products, but since I found pieces that matched my colour scheme I decided against it. I can always spray paint them later to match another party's decor. Instead of matching the colours of the pedestals and trays, I decided to mix them up to add more visual interest. 

To attached the plates to the cups, I ran a bead of hot glue around the rim of the cup and pressed it onto the plate. It held extremely well!  And that is all there is to it!  These three serving trays literally took me 10 minutes, and most of that was spent peeling the UPC stickers off of the plates (what in the world is in that glue?!?).  Not only are these going to look amazing on the food table for Roman's baptism, but they are pieces that I can use again for other parties, as a cookie tray, or a decor piece.

Roman's Baptism

What a special and perfect day for Roman!  The ceremony was perfect and we were surrounded by our family and friends.  Roman's gown was made by a family friend from my wedding dress.  Many people would cringe at the thought of their wedding dressing being cut up, but I don't really see the point of keeping a dress stuffed in a closet for the rest of my life. Some women like to keep their dress in hopes that one day their future daughter will wear it when they get married.  Now think of your Mom's wedding dress, would you wear that on your wedding day? I didn't think so. Last I checked hats with attached veils weren't in style anymore.  No offence Mom!!!

 

For the party I decided on a blue and white colour scheme. I'm all about throwing a party on a budget so most of the supplies were purchased from, you guessed it, the dollar store! I really am obsessed with that store!!  I decided to keep the decorations fairly simple using tissue puffs and streamers to decorate the room. 

For the food table I made two ribbon topiaries with a variety of shades of blue for contrast and visual interest. Plus every party needs a little glitter! We used a square plate with a polka-dot border, a solid blue cup, and a blue striped napkin. Mixing patterns and shapes gives some dept and texture to the table, and prevents them from fading in to the tablecloth.  I went with paper plates and cups because I really didn't want to do all those dishes.  Plus coloured and patterned settings are way more fun than plain old white!
 

I used a vinyl table cloth because they come in a variety of colors and are super easy to clea, can be folded up and saved for the next party, or just tossed away if it's damaged. 

The pedestal serving trays are functional and look great. They are made from inexpensive materials and are incredibly easy to make which is an added bonus! They are sturdy enough that they will last long past one party and can be used again and again.

 

Now for my favorite part of any party, the cupcakes!!  I made vanilla and chocolate cupcakes and frosted them with homemade buttercream icing. The toppers are made from fondant and royal icing. Cute, simple, and tasty, these cupcakes were a big hit!

 

 

Everyone had a great time visiting with Roman and each other. It had been awhile since some of our friends and family have seen Roman so it was great to see everyone again. We are so blessed to have an entire village of people that love and care for Roman and want to be a part of his life!

Ribbon Topiaries

At 7 months old, we are finally having Roman baptized!  We are very excited for Roman and to have our friends and family over to celebrate after the service.  As soon as we decided on the date I headed to my favourite website for inspiration, Pinterest!  After sifting through several pins, and being distracted by more than one cupcake recipe, I found a great idea for a table decoration.  For the original pin, click here.

These topiaries looked like something that I could make quickly, easily, and inexpensively. Not to mention they are beautiful!  To make two topiaries you will need:

- 2 styrofoam cubes. I used 5" cubes.

- 2 styrofoam balls. I used 5" balls.

- 2 wooden dowels. You can use whatever length you like to make the topiaries as tall as you like. I used a 36" dowel and cut it in half.
- 25 yards of ribbon.  Use as many patterns or colours as you like.  You will need more ribbon for a larger ball, larger loops and the optional bows on the side of the cube.

- wrapping paper

- tape

- pins.  I used a box of 200 and had a lot left over.

- hot glue

First decide how big you want your loops of ribbon to be. I cut my ribbon into 3.5" lengths. Run a line of glue along the end of the ribbon on the good side, then bring the other end around to make a loop.  Continue this process with all the ribbon.

Next push one wooden dowel into the centre of the cube.  Remove the dowel and wrap the cube in the wrapping paper, just like a present, making sure the seam is on the bottom.  Find the hole you made with the dowel and poke a hole in the paper. Squeeze some glue into the hole and insert the dowel.  Push the other end of the dowel into the centre of the ball and remove the ball.

To attach the ribbon loops to the ball, insert a pin into the ribbon along the glue line and in the centre of the ribbon.  Stick the pin into the styrofoam ball.  Continue adding ribbon loops to the ball, alternating the direction of the ribbon, until the ball is completely covered.  Be sure to leave the hole for the dowel exposed.

 

Squeeze some glue into the hold in the ball and press it onto the dowel.

I decided to add the bows to the side of the cube to hide the tape because I had ribbon left over.



I purchased all my supplies at Michael's and both topiaries ended up costing around $50.  They could be made inexpensively if you purchased your supplies from the dollar store.  I have seen many of the same supplies there, I just happened to be at Michael's (such a treat!) so I picked everything up there.