Scottish Heritage

Now that Easter is over, I am revamping my menu and working on the next project.
Even though we have lived in the Houston are for almost five years, there are still events that happen around here that we learn about.  One of them is the Houston Celtic Festival and Highland Games, and we are going this weekend.  I am super excited about this.  Part of my family comes from Scotland (and other Celtic nations) and I love learning news things about my heritage and teaching my girls about them as well.  
One of the events going on this weekend at the games is a shortbread cookies competition, traditional and non traditional.  I am going to be entering both, so today I worked on the cookies I will be entering for the traditional one, and it will also be my base for the non traditional one.
I had two different recipes; the first I did used powdered sugar, and the other one used white sugar, typical old world traditional.  Here are some pics from my baking adventure today:

 This is the first batch, made with powdered sugar

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I used a cookie cutter that was from my grandmother.  I just got a bunch of different ones from her.  Excited to use them

 Here they are before I put them in the oven.

Here are a couple after being baked.

Here is the second batch made with white sugar.

I actually used a biscuit cutter to make these cookies.  Also from my grandmother.

Here is the finished product

What did I learn from this?  Using white sugar turned out a much yummier cookie. :-)

So either tomorrow or Wednesday, I will be baking up the cookie I plan on using for the non traditional shortbread cookie.  Will see how that goes.

Easter Cupcakes

Hey everyone!  With Easter approaching, I wanted to post the cupcake I am making for the special Holiday.  

Picture Credit: http://iambaker.net/cross-cupcakes

You can choose vanilla or chocolate cupcake with a thin spread of frosting, peanut butter chips placed on top with three chocolate crosses.  A dozen of either flavor is $25.  Place you orders by April 16th.
635breadoflife@gmail.com
 

They're Always After Me Lucky Charms!

Valentine's day is over and no I am focusing on two holidays that are coming up!

First....St Patrick's Day.  I love my Irish heritage!  Though I'm not to fond of the tradition of pinching someone who doesn't wear green!  Ouch.
So in honor of St Patty's Day I have some yummy cupcakes to make.  
Lucky Charms Cupcake: A vanilla cupcake with green sprinkles inside with marshmallow buttercream and Lucky Charms Cereal marshmallows.

Four Leaf Clover: Your choice of cupcake (vanilla and yellow cakes can be colored green) with green buttercream and a green chocolate four leaf clover on top.

Contact me for more information and pricing.

The next celebration is truly a day of celebration: Easter.  The day Jesus rose from the grave and defeated death!  Hallelujah!  In honor of this amazing gift we have been given, I'm making special Easter cupcakes.

Your choice of cupcake flavor with a thin layer of frosting on top (can be colored brown) with either peanut butter chips or Heath chips on top, with three crosses, the middle one being bigger.

Pics of these cupcakes will come later this week so you can get an idea of what they look like.

Remember, fro now until July, 15% of your purchase will go to the Vine Foundation in Uganda.  www.thevine5k.myevent.com 

Valentine's Menu

Special Valentine's Day Menu
Cupcake Menu
Southern Comfort
A traditional red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting
12 for $20 24 for $38
Southern Charm
A traditional red velvet cupcake with white chocolate cream cheese frosting
12 for $22 24 for $40
Awake My Soul
A coffee flavored cupcake with chocolate fudge in the middle and coffee frosting on top
12 for $24 24 for $46
The Ruffian
A pistachio cupcake with chocolate frosting and crushed pistachios sprinkled on top
12 for $25 24 for $48
Midnight Love
Dark chocolate cupcake with dark chocolate blackberry ganache and blackberry frosting. Topped with a chocolate dipped blackberry
12 for $28 24 for $52
P.N.O. (Parents’ Night Out)
Champagne cupcake with chocolate ganache frosting and a chocolate dipped strawberry
12 for $30 24 for $58
New Love
Chocolate cupcake with chocolate strawberry ganache and strawberry champagne frosting
12 for $28 24 for $52
Breakfast in Bed (His and Hers)
Pancake cupcake with maple frosting. Topped with candied bacon on His and sliced strawberries on Hers
12 for $28 (6 his 6 hers) 24 for $54 (12 his 12 hers)
Chocolate Lovers
Chocolate cupcake with chocolate ganache and chocolate frosting
12 for $22 24 for $42

Mix and Match your favorite. Single cupcakes and orders of four and six cupcakes available. Contact Bread of Life for pricing.

Frozen Cupcakes

I got to make some fun cupcakes for my sweet friend's daughter's birthday.  She turned four and wanted a Frozen theme party.  So I searched for ideas for some cute cupcakes and found Olaf the Snowman from the movie.  So I made a yummy chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting.  I used melted chocolate, gel icing, edible eyes, and marshmallows for the decorations.

 My girls and I had so much fun celebrating Reese's birthday.  Happy Birthday Reese!

Two exciting events are coming up!  The Superbowl and Valentine's Day!  Cupcakes can always add some excitement to a football party, especially when the cupcakes look like footballs!

For Valentine's Day, what goes better together than chocolate and strawberries!  You can choose from a chocolate cupcake or dark chocolate cupcake with strawberry buttercream frosting topped with a chocolate strawberry.  Pricing is 4 for $10, 6 for $15, and 12 for $30.

Pumpkin Season

I have the pleasure to make some yummy treats for some sweet teachers at HisKids.... Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread and my first ever Pumpkin pie!

Happy Birthday Roman!

My friend's sweet little boy celebrated his first birthday a couple of weeks ago.  I was so honored that she asked me to make his cupcakes and smash cake!  His theme was Mickey Mouse, and I was so excited because I had so many ideas for his smash cake.  
But a couple of weeks before his party, we found out that he was allergic to a lot of the many ingredients that go into a cake (wheat, soy, dairy, eggs and nuts).  I was determined to make sure this sweet boy still got to enjoy a delicious cake, even is designer wise I wasn't able to do what I wanted to try.  I was so nervous when began making it, especially with the icing.  I learned vegan butter is not a fan of food coloring, so the color's weren't exactly what I wanted, but it worked.  And I had to keep putting the icing in the fridge every couple of minutes so it didn't get to soft.
  I was taking the pictures when he took his first bite and I can't begin to tell you how excited I was that he enjoyed it! (His momma even said it was good!  Score!)
So here is sweet Roman's birthday cake! (sorry the pic is off centered)

 Then for the cupcakes for the other guests, I made an oreo cupcake.  There was a oreo in the bottom, with the cookie mixed in the batter as well.  Then using a regular oreo and two mini oreos...I made Mickey himself!!!

I love being able to add something special to birthdays!

Also...fall has officially started!  So place your order for some yummy fall cupcakes, ranging from pumpkin, banana nut, snickerdoodle, pecan, and for all you Harry Potter fans...butterbeer cupcakes!!!