Favorite Things Cupcakes


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This box of Favorite Things cupcakes was inspired by my friend, Holly – vanilla cake flavored with almond, topped with a light, fluffy homemade butter cream frosting and white nonpareil candies. Each cupcake was topped with one of her favorite things and backed with gold glitter (…very Holly). I even decorated the bakery box with a poodle-loving pin-up girl that reminded me of her!

Holly’s Favorite Things:

:: Buffy Summers :: Buffy, her Black Toy Poodle :: Wes Anderson :: Coca Cola :: Red Ray Bans :: John Hughes :: Battlestar Galactica :: The National :: Her Impressive Record Collection :: Tiffany’s :: Polka-dots (..and she wore them before they became trendy) ::

I’m in Chicago if you’d like to order a box of my ‘Favorite Things’ Cupcakes for your friend – these are perfect for a birthday party, a girls’ night, a bachelorette party, etc. I would be happy to use your favorite Instagram or personal photos too.

Details: $40 for 16 delicious, homemade cupcakes (completely tailored for your favorite person) in a decorative bakery box. 48 hours notice required.

Can You Dig It? | Construction Cupcake Toppers


Construction Cupcake ToppersLook at that face on Charlie. Seriously. I dare you to look at that cupcake joy and not smile…you’re smiling now, right?! YES!

Keep smiling because these looked even cuter in person! For my cupcake toppers, I just use a circular paper punch, some smooth card stock, a bit of double-sided tape and bamboo food picks (from Target!). I like to keep them simple but personalized.

If you don’t want to make the toppers yourself, simply place an order. I accept PayPal if you’re not local. Just Email or Chat with me about it all: PasticheEvents@gmail.com.

$12 for 24 Cupcake Toppers (+$2 for First-Class USPS Shipping)

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Salted Caramel Buttercream Recipe


Made these cuties for a dear friend’s Bachelorette Party this weekend! Most of the process was quick and easy, so I’ll start with the easiest task first: the embellishments.

This is what I do when I don’t have a lot of time – I buy my cute details instead of constructing them myself. The metallic flag picks are by Spritz and the Cupcakes stickers are by Jolee’s Boutique and I even found both scrapbooking items at Target while I was purchasing my cupcake ingredients.

Ok, brace yourself for the not-so-easy part: the frosting is a bit time-consuming, but the girls at the bachelorette party really, really LOVED the outcome which made it all worth it. Also, since it was to be the highlight of the cupcake, I suggest you save some time and just buy a box of Duncan Hines Chocolate Fudge cake mix like I did. No one will care nor will they ask – they’ll be way too into the frosting.

This buttercream recipe has been scaled to make more than enough for 24 medium cupcakes:

Salted Buttercream Frosting Recipe from addapinch.com

First Stage

4 cups sugar
2 cup buttermilk
1 cup Crisco vegetable shortening
1 cup butter
2 teaspoon baking soda

Second Stage

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (plus a bit extra for sprinkling on top)
4 cups confectioner’s sugar

  1. Add all ingredients from the first stage of the frosting recipe in a 3-4 quart pot. Stir ingredients with a wooden spoon as cooking over medium-low heat.
  2. Cook to softball stage (235-245 degrees on a candy thermometer as well as using the cold water test).
  3. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a whip attachment, whip the caramel until it has cooled enough to touch lightly.
  4. Add the butter and salt from the second stage of the frosting recipe to the mixing bowl and whip.
  5. Add confectioner’s sugar in ½ cup increments, stopping after each to scrape sides of mixing bowl. Turn mixer on high for about 10 seconds after each addition to merge air into the frosting.
  6. Adjust the amount of confectioner’s sugar to result in a frosting that will hold it’s shape.
  7. Frost cake and store on a cake plate covered with a dome or an airtight container.
  8. Best served within 1-3 days.

Emergency Cupcakes | Inspired by Sweet Mandy B’s


My friend, Holly, wanted to do something nice for her co-workers on their last day so she asked me to make her some cupcakes in the style of her favorite Chicago bake shop – Sweet Mandy B’s in Lincoln Park. Her last day was today. She called me from work this morning and needed them tonight – hence, the title “Emergency.”

Sweet Mandy B’s in Lincoln Park

She must have really been desperate, because I am not at all an accomplished baker. While I can manage making something edible out of cake mix and some homemade buttercream, I do not at all get jazzed about the real execution. But friendship is friendship and she needed me. I know they don’t look nearly as impressive as a box from Sweet Mandy B’s, but they taste awesome, I swear! I am just really, really glad I didn’t eff them up.

I have included the links to the recipes as well as a photo of the finished product. Hope you have a great weekend!

Cupcake Recipe from Tastebook (specifically, user: julia.miller.lemon)

Homemade Vanilla Buttercream

Holly’s Emergency Cupcakes – Excuse my sprinkles.

First Communion | Pink Jarcake Favors


Recently, I was asked to make party favors for my niece’s First Communion. Her name is Cassidy. She is sweet, smart, stylish – I adore her. She told me I could be as creative as I wanted but whatever I made had to be “cute and pink.” Easy enough.

To justify my addiction to Pinterest, I scoured the links for something I have never made before. I came across a few different versions of these cupcakes in a jar and couldn’t wait to make my own. While they are easy to make – there are several steps involved which made them a little time-consuming. If you must know, I totally missed the church! But to my defense, I did have to make 48 of them and I do have a job, a child, a dog, etc. Don’t judge me.

Assuming most people won’t have to prepare that many, I have included a recipe to make exactly 24. Plan on at least two hours of your time – more if you have a small child at your knees like I did – and spending around thirty dollars on the supplies.

You will need:

24 Quilted Jelly Jars (Ball) – Only $8.47 for a dozen at Wal Mart

Circular Paper Punches* – I used 1.75″ and 1.25″ for my two layers (Bottom layer can be a color or a pattern)

*Free Printable Template for your 1.25″ Circular Paper Punches: 1.25 Inch Circles

Satin Ribbon, Yarn or Twine - Approximately 40ft, cut into 10″ strips or longer (personal preferences for what kind of knot or bow you want to make)

Extra Large Craft Glue Stick

24 Colored Plastic Spoons

1 Pillsbury Cake Mix** – Makes 24 Cupcakes - Strawberry was used here

For the mix: 1 Cup Water, 1/3 cup Olive Oil (it’s my preference), 3 eggs

**If you want to be fancy, you can also buy an extra box of cake mix and double layer your jars to look like a parfait. Either way, the finished product looks enticing. However, if you decide to do this you must double your frosting recipe.

Homemade Vanilla Buttercream Frosting - Click the link to view the recipe from www.SavorySweetLife.com

Wilton Decorating Bag – 12″

Wilton Extra Large Tip 2A

Sprinkles, Sugar Crystals or Candy – Pink Sugar Crystals were used here

Cupcake Instructions:

  1. Coat your cupcake tins with cooking spray and DO NOT USE CUPCAKE LINERS.
  2. Fill each tin only half-way so you have enough mix to make exactly 24.
  3. Bake at 350° according to the directions on the package.
  4. Cool completely before you try to remove them from the pan. You may need to use a butter knife around the edges to loosen them up.
  5. Once cooled and the little guys are free, squish a cupcake to the bottom of each jelly jar. If you are all fancy and want to layer, you will obviously need to reserve two cupcakes per jar.
  6. Assuming you have already made the frosting, use your Wilton Decorating Bag (buy the biggest one!) to pipe in your frosting. Get your swirl on. Start at the sides and work your way into the middle.
  7. Top the frosting with your Sugar or Sprinkles.

Decorating your Jars:

  1. Print your circles using the above-mentioned template.
  2. Use a glue stick to adhere the smaller circle to the larger circle and the larger circle to the top of the jar.
  3. Tie your pre-cut ribbon anyway you like underneath the rim of the jar – make it tight with barely enough room to tuck in the plastic spoon.
  4. Spoon it!
  5. Take a picture.
  6. Be proud.

The assembly takes a little time, but in the end you will receive nothing but compliments! These make excellent favors for any event and I will definitely be making them again…the possibilities of colors, flavors, themes are endless.