We all scream for ice cream!

This was maybe the most fun little cupcake creation I've done so far... and so easy.  I saw this picture somewhere late one night and have been saving the idea until we did our little ice cream party.  

Basically, get a nice long serving platter or covered cardboard to put this on.  Do that first.  You'll be glad you figured that out before you get going.

Then, cut the back off of a waffle cone and place it on the bottom of your serving surface using a little icing as glue.  Then ice your cupcakes and start layering them up - add sprinkles, chocolate sauce - whatever you like putting on ice cream (or cupcakes).  My kids LOVED doing this!  I popped the whole thing in the freezer and then we added some of that chocolate sauce that hardens right before serving.  Very fun - and very delicious ;)

Some 4th of July treats

Here's a quick assortment of our tasty 4th of July treats this year.  We spread our celebrating out over several days - 4th of July is huge in Texas!  So much fun.  With the heat steadily rising, I was looking for ways to bake less and chill more.  Here's what we ended up with:

These are layered jell-o pops that are frozen.  The white in the middle is super delicious cream cheese mixed with Cool Whip.  I'm not sure if you can see them, but we added some chopped up marshmallows in the blue... in an attempt to make stars to go with our stripes.

 This was a hit!  My first attempt at ice cream cake, and it worked.  That always feels good.  Basically, take one vanilla/white cake batter and split it in two.  Color half red and half blue.  Bake one and then bake the other.  Then wrap and freeze both.  Line the pan you used for the cakes with plastic wrap and spread some melty vanilla ice cream in it.  Freeze well.  Mix up your favorite type of icing - this was just plain buttercream and it worked great!  Then layer everything together, frost the cake, enlist your daughter to help get the berries on top and then either freeze again, or serve!  I'd recommend giving yourself time to freeze the cake a bit longer after icing and decorating... especially if you live in heat and humidity.  Serve frozen - it is SO good!!!! (I mixed some strawberry puree in with the red and some blueberry in with the blue...not sure if it added too much, but it was fun)

 And last, but certainly not least... Red Velvet Pancakes.  I've wanted to try these for a while, and finally had a reason!  I looked at a bunch of recipes and then just ended up doing my own version - I took our regular multi-grain pancake mix, added a scoop of cocoa powder, a little more sugar, some red food coloring and that was that!  I served them layered with plain pancakes and topped with blueberry yogurt and blueberries.  The kids thought they were awesome!  Pretty fun, and not too terrible for you.

Jack is 2!

My hilarious little boy turned two on June 19th - Father's Day.  In order to celebrate both occasions with just one treat, I went with Handy Manny - popular with the 2-year old and tool-appropriate for Dad.  It worked ;)

This is a frozen buttercream transfer that I pulled together a few days earlier and it stayed in the freezer until after  dinner.  I plopped that picture down on a bunch of mini-cupcakes - very simple, and very tasty!


And here is the 2-year old:

He is just recently in love with this tie; and no, the glasses are not for him :)

Just hand over the chocolate... and no one gets hurt.

This is a little 6-inch chocolate cake for my sweet friend's birthday.  I so enjoy working with her in our Primary at church... she is one of those rare guileless people who can always maintain such a great composure and kind feeling about her.  I figured she wouldn't make any noise about her birthday, so I wanted to surprise her with something little - I feel like a 6-inch dark chocolate cake could be a treat you share with a few special people, or one that you enjoy as your own indulgence.  I heard later that the cake didn't make it out of the church parking lot... sometimes it can be hard to wait for those stragglers, and it was nice to dig in to a treat while waiting!  Dark chocolate cake (my favorite go-to recipe for chocolate lovers) and chocolate buttercream.  Yum.