New Year’s Eve Cupcakes

I really think 2009 was the year that the cupcake really came into its own – they are little, cute, fun to customize, easy to serve and hard to resist. Kick off 2010 with some fun cupcakes of your own. I found a few for you to use for inspiration.

Photo credits from left to right:

• Flickr (Chica and Jo)
• Flickr (Happiness in a Bite)
• Flickr (Ccyhan)

Happy New Year!!

Sweet Sleepover Themed Cupcakes

I adore my friends – especially when they send me photos of cute cupcakes! My friend’s daughter went to a sleepover themed party and the hostess, Melinda, made the sweetest cupcakes – each one had a girl made of fondant wrapped in a blanket or sleeping bag. The inspiration and instructions for the sleepover cupcakes were in the book, Hello, Cupcake!: Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson.

All the little cupcake girls on the cupcake display stand.

A little closer view of all the “girls” ready for their slumber party.

One of the pajama party cupcakes close up.

Look closely – she even has a “pillow” – too cute!!

Another one of the adorable cupcakes for this sleepover themed birthday party.

Thanks again to Heather and Melinda for sharing these with me!

 

Cupcake Inspiration

Cupcakes are the darling of the baking world these days. Not only are they perfect single serving treats that kids and grown ups alike just can’t resist, each cupcake is the perfect canvas for decorations from the simple to the extreme.

With a little imagination cupcakes can be crafted to be the perfect party table accessory, no matter what the theme. At a recent visit to Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Beach, CA, the cupcakes (above) were simple, elegant and oh, so delicious. My favorite, the carrot cake cupcakes, were topped with a cream cheese frosting and an orange swirled chocolate shaving.

My favorite online resources for Cupcake Inspiration are:

• Bakerella
• The Cupcake search on Flickr
• Cupcakes Take the Cake
• Martha Stewart Cupcake Recipes

And then my daughters and I could look at Cupcake Cookbooks all day long! Click on image for ordering information.