Barbie Pink

It seems like my friends and I have been celebrating my best friend Roberta's birthday all month long! Earlier in the month, we stayed the night in AC. We had such an amazing time getting all dolled up and dancing the night away.  She wore this fabulous pink dress which was the inspiration for her cake. 

Since we didn't have any cake for her birthday, I wanted to bake one for her.  She wanted a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting which is always one of my favorites to make.  I dyed the frosting to what I like to call Barbie pink.  To add a little sparkle, I sprinkled some pink sanding sugar.  It was simple, girly and really delicious! Check out the pic below!

Roberta, I hope you had the best birthday month ever! :D

xo,

Daniella :)

Coconut Macaroon Tartlets

I made these adorable little tartlets for Passover for my coworkers.  It's basically a shaped chocolate dipped macaroon except this version is filled with a rich bitter chocolate ganache. You can totally make these in any shape or size as long as there is tons of chocolate.

My boss Susie made her famous chocolate dipped macaroons and I have to say, you can't beat a family recipe.  While mine were good, hers definitely were the best.  Either way, I'm sure everyone was glad to have dessert! Check out the pic below!

xo,

Daniella :)

Red Velvet Brownies

I wanted to try something a little different for a brownie and I came across a red velvet recipe.  I was totally excited to try it out since red velvet is always delicious. 

I have to say, to my surprise, I wasn't that big of a fan.  I guess it comes down to preference and I definitely prefer my brownies to be a lot more fudgy as opposed to cakey.  The cream cheese layer was phenomenal and a perfect idea but it felt like I was biting into a cake.  Again, not my favorite but it's always good to try something new. Check out the pic below!

xo,

Daniella :)

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 :)