Birthday Boy

I feel like I've been celebrating Jeff's birthday all month.  Actually, I think we have.  This year, I wanted to do something a little different since Jeff was turning 25.  We spent time with our families and friends and for each occasion, I baked something a little different. 

Jeff's favorite drink at Starbucks is their chai latte.  I thought, why not make it into a cupcake! The spice blend of cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger made for a delicious cake base and even better frosting.

The next batch of cupcakes were for Jeff's family.  I made vanilla cupcakes with a vanilla bean cream cheese frosting and topped them with these cute little chocolate skulls.  I found this skull ice cube tray and added melted chocolate to create these mini treats.  Once they were set, I sprayed them with black food coloring to give them a tarnished look.  They turned out awesome!

I also made a banana cake for our house party but totally forgot to take a picture! I think this will do for now. 

Hope you had an amazing birthday month Jeff! You are such an old man now! Love you!

xo,

Daniella :)

Baby Shower Cake

I worked with my friend Angela back in my JCrew days and I absolutely loved her! I was even more excited to run into her recently and find out she was pregnant! I was so honored when she asked me to bake her baby shower cake.  She showed me some pictures of ideas she had in mind and I let my creativity take over.

I made a three layer multicolored lemon cake filled with a lemon curd mixed with meringue to cut the tartness. I frosted the cake with the rest of the meringue and torched it!  As the cake toppers, I made sugar cookie pops and added some fondant to create a smooth surface for my decorations.  I was so happy Angela and all of her wonderful friends loved it! Check out the pic below!

Thanks again Angela for the inspiration and congratulations to you and Jason!

xo,

Daniella :)

Coconut Key Lime Pie

I find myself becoming more of a citrus lover now that the warmer months are near.  One of my favorite pies has to be a key lime pie.  Key limes are not easy to come by in NY but luckily, I found them and ordered some off of Fresh Direct. These tiny little limes pack so much tart yet sweet flavor.

For the crust, I used some Goya Maria cookies and unrefined coconut oil to bind the crust together. So delicious! Check out the pic below!

Hope you all have a happy St. Patty's Day!

xo,

Daniella :)

Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes

If you are thinking how can cupcakes be any good without butter or eggs, well I've got a surprise for you.  These chocolate vegan cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World are insanely delicious and are up to par with any non vegan chocolate cupcakes I've made.  They are surprisingly rich, moist, and pack a really chocolaty punch.  I topped them with a vegan chocolate ganche also found in the book and added these tiny gum paste flowers I made. So cute! Check out the pic below!

xo,

Daniella :)

Carrot Orange Ginger Muffins

I absolutely love having my weekly brunches with my family since it really gives me an opportunity to come up with new ideas.  I made these muffins with some leftover carrots and orange that I had on hand.  I absolutely hate wasting food so I thought, why not incorporate the two.

For a little surprise kick, I finely chopped and added some candied ginger. YUM! Check out the pic below!

xo,

Daniella :)

Oreo Brownies

Lately, I've been making a ton of brownies.  They are so easy and the perfect bite of chocolatey goodness.  These brownies so happen to have a birthday cake Oreo's mixed in! So yummy!  Check out the pic below!  

Happy birthday Oreo's! Thanks for making my childhood just a little bit better! :)

xo,

Daniella :)