How to make the perfect cupcake

I love cupcakes!  They are the perfect ratio of cake to icing exploding into yumminess in my mouth.  But let's face it... trying to bake and ice them can get a little messy and frustrating.  That all changed for me when I discovered the wonderful batter dispenser!  It allows you to get the perfect amount of batter in the cupcake liners and not on the pan ;)  So making cupcakes is so much cleaner and easier!

P.S. The batter dispenser is dishwasher safe!

Bunny Cupcakes!

How to make Easter Bunny Cupcakes
 
Buttercream icing in leaf green & white
Pink icing writer
Black icing color
Marshmallows

1.   Pipe leaf green icing on cupcakes using tip 2D
2.   Pipe bunny head using white buttercream icing and tip 12
3.   Pipe grass around bunny using tip 233
4.   Pipe bunny feet using  tip 5
5.   Cut marshmallows into shapes of ears and insert into bunny head
6.   Coat the tip of a toothpick in Black icing color and dot the bunny head to make eyes
7.   Use the Pink icing writer to line the ears and make a nose

Enjoy!

Free St. Patricks Day Printables

Here are some free St. Patrick's Day printables  Just print, cut using a 2 inch scalloped punch, and enjoy!  Some of my favorite ways to use these are for cupcake toppers and gift tags!

To use as cupcake toppers glue to Lollipop sticks and place in cupcake.  Enjoy!

Coupons!

I love Sunday for so many reasons and one of them is because it is coupon day!  Over the past few years I have saved our family so much money by using coupons.  Coupons found in the Sunday paper, coupons found on coupon websites like Retail Me Not and coupons found on retailer's websites.

Groupon recently had a deal for a 1 year subscription to the local news paper and discount card for $38.  If I only used a $.75 coupon on groceries every week I would break even... but I usually save $10 - $15 on groceries every week!  I love coupons!

One of my favorite deals this week is the 50% off any regular priced item at Jo Ann's.  Also in the paper and via email there is over 10 coupons for 40% off per regular priced item at Jo Ann's that you can use in one trip.  That saves you time and money!

Saving Money on Baking & Craft Supplies!

I just wanted to pass on some money saving tips to my fellow bakers and crafters.  Many of the chain craft stores like Hobby Lobby, Jo Ann's, and Michael's have a weekly coupon for 40% off of any regular priced item that are available to print from their websites.  I have saved a ton of money buying craft supplies and baking supplies.  Another way I have saved money (and time too) is taking advantage of Amazon's specials that they run in their home and arts, crafts, and sewing departments.  Currently, they are running a  4 for 3 deal where if you purchase 4 eligible items you only have to pay for 3 of them!  I love deals where you get stuff for free! 

Here are a few of my favorites that qualify for the 4 for 3 deal:

Home Deals
OXO Cookie Scoop
Cupcake/ Pancake Batter Dispenser
Wilton 3 Tier Cooling Rack
5-cup Stainless Steel Flour Sifter

Arts, Crafts, and Sewing Deals
Mod Podge Glue
Martha Stewart Crafts Iridescent Glitter, 12-Pack
Martha Stewart Crafts Glue Gun And Sticks
EK Success Tools Punch, Circle, 2.25-Inch
EK Success 3- Inch Scallop Punch

CraftFail

I was on Pinterest the other day and saw a pin to a website called CraftFail.  This website makes me laugh out loud!  I am so glad that I am not the only one that tries baking/ craft projects and fails miserably at them! 

Here are a few of my favorites:


Cookie Monster Cupcake Fail

Sesame Street Cake Pop Fail

 

"Professional" Cake... Take 2

The friend who I made the cake for before liked it so much that I have been "hired" to make the cakes for all of the employees!  In order to prepare for my 2nd "professional" cake I needed to pick up a few supplies to make my life easier.  In order to make the cake cook evenly so the edges would not get dry and crusty I purchased the Wilton bake even strips, which worked amazingly.  I also got the Wilton cake lifter to help me fill and stack the cake.

Second cake....second fiasco.  I got distracted by my 10 month old and did not remove the cake from the pan quick enough so the cake stuck.  I almost cried when half of cake stayed in the pan and half of it came out.  But after a lot of leveling and filling holes with icing.... this is what the finished cake looked like.

I still need to work on the writing part... but overall I was much happier with this cake!