Honey Bee Sweeterie

Happy Fourth of July!

2011-07-04T12:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Fourth of July! Amy Atlas appropriately featured Warren Brown's "United Cakes of America"on her blog today, which I thought was so perfect.

"Loving cake is a natural part of Warren Brown’s constitution. Now, in order to form a more perfect union of flour, eggs, butter, and sugar, he’s offering his unique take on classic dessert recipes from all fifty states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.

Starting out with Baked Alaska (what else?), Brown tours the whole country, updating regional confections like King Cake (Louisiana), Lady Baltimore Cake (South Carolina), Mud Cake (Mississippi), and Key Lime Pie (Florida). There are official state desserts (Maryland’s Smith Island Cake; Massachusetts’ Boston Cream Pie) and unofficial favorites (New York–style Cheesecake; St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake), as well as an ovenful of brand-new baked treats that Brown has created to honor specific states’ agricultural bounty (Avocado Cupcakes for California; Huckleberry Cake for Idaho)"

Doesn't it sound like a great cookbook? I have to keep an eye out for it next time I'm at B&N.

Are you a fan of Warren Brown's other cookbook Cake Love? What's your favorite recipe?

Graduation Dessert Table

2011-07-01T19:09:00.000-07:00

We celebrated my sister's graduation from high school a few weeks ago and of course, there was a dessert table!! We had the usual favorites: brownies, blondies, chocolate covered pretzels, cakepops, cupcakes, and rice krispie treats, and added a few new additions: strawberry shortcake parfaits, biscotti, and homemade oreo cookies!

Sprinkle Heaven

2011-06-06T05:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday! How amazing is this shelf of SPRINKLES? Doesn't it make you just want to dig your hand in and decorate some cupcakes?

[Image via You Are My Fave]

Bunting Banner Cake Topper Tutorial

2011-06-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

I saw this tutorial for a bunting banner cake topper on The Sweetest Occasion. It is super simple, easy and a fun little way to dress up your cakes. You can also make the bunting banner out of paper or fabric - there are lots of possibilities!

[Image via The Sweetest Occasion]

Candy Favors

2011-04-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of talk about candy buffets here at the Sweeterie - we just love them! Although some people might think this trend is no longer "in" or, well, trendy, it's always a hit! Buying bulk candy for an entire candy buffet can be expensive, so today I have an alternative favor to share with you. I found this super cute idea on You Are My Fave's blog and loved everything about it - the bottles, the decals and the mix of candy/colors. You can either use them as escort cards or place them at each place setting. You can view the entire post/her tips here.

[Images via You Are My Fave]

Cake Stand Wonderland: Bountiful - Venice, CA

2011-04-06T05:49:00.000-07:00

I took a trip to Bountiful in Venice yesterday after seeing it on 100 Layer Cake last week. I had been there before about a year or so ago and had been wanting to go back ever since...I mean, just look at all those cake stands! I shudder to think of what will happen during an earthquake - yikes! Anyways, the store is obviously amazing in terms of its cake stand collection -- there are SO many cake stands in quite a few colors. However, it's kind of uncomfortable to walk around because you're afraid that you'll bump into something and knock everything down! I'm afraid of knocking them down just by looking at the photos I took ;)

S'mores Cupcakes

2011-04-05T17:29:00.000-07:00

Today I have another new cupcake to share with you - a S'mores cupcake! Chocolate cake with marshmallow frosting, graham cracker crumbs and a little piece of hershey's candy. I have to say, this frosting is pretty amazing...I could just eat it by itself ;) What a perfect treat for summer, no?

Almond Joy Cupcakes

2011-04-04T20:14:00.000-07:00

I was in Las Vegas last weekend and happened upon The Cupcakery at the Monte Carlo. I wanted to try something new so I went for their Almond Joy cupcake - it was delicious so I decided to recreate it as soon as I got home!

My version turned out great! The Almond Joy cupcake has a coconut cake dipped in ganache and sprinkled with coconut and chopped almonds (next time I might use almond slivers) This was my first successful foray into the world of ganache - I've made it before but didn't quite like how my cupcakes looked dipped in it - this time around I got the hang of it and can't wait to use ganache again - maybe for a filling?

Have you tried any new cupcake flavors lately?

St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes

2011-03-16T13:30:00.000-07:00

Here are a few fun St. Patrick's Day cupcakes I made this morning.

Coconut cupcakes - my favorite!

My take on a 'pot 'o gold'!

St. Patrick's Day Chocolate Caramel Pretzels

2011-03-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's already mid-March? I know I can't! Here are a few St. Patrick's Day chocolate caramel pretzels that we made this morning.

Spring Cupcakes

2011-03-08T09:03:00.000-08:00

I made these cute spring cupcakes for a photoshoot yesterday. It was my first time working with fondant and I am hooked! How adorable do the flowers look?! I would have never been able to do that with frosting =D

Sugar Baby Cookbook

2011-03-03T16:53:00.000-08:00

How fun does this cookbook look?

Sugar Baby: Confections, Candies, Cakes, and Other Delicious Recipes for Cooking with Sugar is a cookbook that offers unintimidating step-by-step instructions for making over 100 recipes including lollipops, caramel, rock candy, chocolate mousse, macarons, marshmallows, pudding pops, cakes, and much more.

I can't wait to buy this book -- it will open up a whole new world for our dessert table offerings!

Macarons Limited Edition Prints

2011-02-22T11:02:00.000-08:00

Next month my mom and I are taking two different macarons classes - we are super excited! Since macarons are on the brain, these prints by Lucille's Kitchen totally caught my eye. I bet the iridescent silver print looks pretty cool in person!

[Photos: Lucille's Kitchen via The Neo Traditionalist]

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cupcakes

2011-02-15T20:10:00.000-08:00

It has been a tough couple of weeks here at the sweeterie. Several of the new recipes I tried just didn't work. I was frustrated. I wanted to throw in the apron. But today I am happy to report that I have finally found a recipe that works and it is oh so good!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cupcakes. These. Are. Amazing. The cake is a white chocolate cake with finely chopped macadamia nuts. I topped it off with a white chocolate frosting and toasted coconut. I love these cupcakes. I have probably eaten about 20 of them today haha

Valentine's Day Cupcakes

2011-02-10T15:01:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy day of baking here at the sweeterie. We baked up some delicious Valentine's Day cupcakes - I love how they turned out!

Valentine's Day Bakeware

2011-01-27T09:51:00.000-08:00

Urban Outfitters has some really cute bakeware for Valentine's day. I've also seen some of these items at Williams Sonoma, Paper Source and Sur La Table. Click on the photo to go directly to the site.

heart measuring cups

heart shaped cutting board

heart shaped spatula

[Images via Urban Outfitters]

Valentine's Day Chocolate Covered Pretzels

2011-01-26T09:18:00.000-08:00

We've been baking some Valentine's Day confections here at the sweeterie and I am excited to reveal one of our Valentine's Day offers - a package of 8 chocolate and caramel covered pretzels for $15. They come individually wrapped in a kraft box with a tag and notecard (the notecard is optional). They're a nice alternative to the regular 'ol box of chocolates and super delicious - they're always a big hit at our dessert tables! You can choose to get 2 of each option here or you can mix and match. To place an order, contact me at: honeybeesweeterie@gmail.com

Free 2011 Printable Calendar by JeannieJeannie

2011-01-13T06:52:00.000-08:00

I love blogs because I get to follow so many interesting and talented people. I especially love when bloggers do giveaways or offer free printables on their website that are accessible to everyone. Case in point: JeannieJeannie has a free 2011 printable calendar on her website and it is too cute! She has created a minimalist calendar that you can download, print, cut, and hang. Wouldn't it look nice on your fridge or in your office? Visit her blog to download your own!

[Images via JeannieJeannie]

Mini Valentine's Day Cupcakes

2011-01-11T23:19:00.000-08:00

Michelle of The Suitcase Studio took this photo of the mini Valentine's Day cupcakes I made for an event tonight. I love how the red sprinkles are extra small - the perfect size for these mini treats :)

[Image via The Suitcase Studio]

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T01:07:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! Here is a card that I made for my mom to send out to our family and friends for New Years since we slacked on our Christmas cards :) Here's to an exciting 2011!

Pink Holiday Cupcakes

2010-12-20T05:02:00.000-08:00

I am in NYC this week (yay!) and I hope to share lots of goodies with you as I come across them. For those of you who don't know, I went to college in NYC and haven't been back in over a year! It will be so nice to see my friends - many of whom are scattered across the world but will be coming back for the holidays!

In the meantime, I have some holiday cupcakes to share with you. I think they're holiday perfection: pink, glittery and chocolatey. You can't tell very well from the photos, but I sprinkled edible glitter on top along with the snowflake sprinkles.

My Favorite Things: Meri Meri Cupcake Kits

2010-12-16T10:45:00.000-08:00

I LOVE Meri Meri's products - they're cute, playful, and fun. I especially love their cupcake kits; they're the perfect way to dress up your cupcakes in an easy and inexpensive way. They have cupcake kits for the holidays, kids birthdays, and bridal/baby showers - each kit comes with two types of wrappers and four different cupcake toppers. Here are a few of their holiday kits:

and here are some of their other party kits:

[Images via Meri Meri]

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-12-15T05:15:00.000-08:00

All tied up and ready to go...

Papery and Cakery

2010-12-14T05:43:00.000-08:00

I have been a fan of Papery and Cakery for a while now and thought their holiday cookie/brownie package was such a cute idea. They are currently offering a half dozen or dozen Cakery Confections (cookies and brownies or flourless cake) for the holidays. When I found out I would be in NYC on one of their pickup days I just had to order one! I can't wait to try their goodies. If you're not in the NYC area you can still order one - they ship throughout the continental US.

Holiday Baking Gift Wrap

2010-12-10T06:45:00.000-08:00

I love packaging my baked goods. I mostly use baker's twine, but I just love the ideas Anthropologie is rolling out in the gift wrap department! Check out their tinsel ribbon and chalkboard tags.

Available at Anthropologie here & here

Review: Williams-Sonoma Holiday Piecrust Cutters

2010-12-09T05:15:00.000-08:00

I noticed these Holiday Piecrust Cutters at Williams-Sonoma, originally their Thanksgiving set, a few weeks back - they had a station with pie dough and a set of cookie cutters out, so of course I tried them out! They were so easy to use, but Thanksgiving was already a few days away and I knew I wouldn't be baking a pie any time soon. As I was testing them out one of the employees came by, said there was a holiday set, and offered to bring it out. As soon as I saw it I just had to have it. I thought of all of the cute little cookies I could make and thought they'd be perfect for setting atop a cupcake.

I finally got a chance to use them last week when I tested my first gingerbread recipe. Even though the recipe didn't work, these were a total hit! The face/button indentations on the gingerbread came out perfectly -- they were so so cute and I wished the cookie recipe had turned out okay. I plan on testing another one, so hopefully I'll have real pictures to share next time!

If you see these at Williams-Sonoma, definitely pick them up!

[Photos via Williams-Sonoma]

Review: The Perfect Brownie Pan

2010-12-08T04:54:00.000-08:00

Or, how to turn your perfectly good brownies into rocks. Just after making the. best. batch. of. brownies. ever. we pulled out The Perfect Brownie Pan so that we too could get all of our brownies the same size. After whipping up our brownie batter we poured it in the pan and inserted the divider thingy. When they were done baking we removed the brownies from the pan (it's sort of like a tarte pan where you can lift the sides) and lifted the divider. It was perfection. All of our brownies were the same perfect size! We thought, "this is the perfect brownie pan!"

I couldn't help myself, so of course I ate a brownie right away. It was good -- kind of hard to tell for sure since it was still hot. I had a meeting that day so I packaged up a couple to take to the party. Everyone ate a brownie but I didn't get the rave reviews I was expecting...I mean, these were the greatest brownies ever! When I got home I ate a brownie to see how it was. I take a bite and ...ew! "OMG!" I thought, "I can't believe I SERVED these to people!" They were rocks. They were so compact! The divider didn't give my brownies any room to breathe and expand! This is what foot binding must be like - uncomfortable, painful, and an ugly end result.

Needless to say, The Perfect Brownie Pan was not perfect at all. Thank god we didn't pay full price...although I kind of wish I had ordered it on TV because I probably could have gotten my money back because I was NOT satisfied!

Have you used this pan before? What did you think?

Holiday Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows

2010-12-07T06:45:00.000-08:00

Chocolate covered marshmallows are SO good. Sometimes we dip them in caramel before we dip them in chocolate and it is heaven! Here are a few holiday marshmallows we made -- I decided to sprinkle some crushed Andes peppermint candies on one and it turned out great! I'm not really a fan of the tiny sprinkles -- they're very crunchy - but they look so pretty! Which one do you like best?

Candy Cane Cakepops

2010-12-06T04:43:00.000-08:00

I love cakepops. After having made them probably about a dozen times I think we've finally worked out all the kinks. Although they're time consuming, they are SO worth it.

Last year around the holidays I wanted to make a "candy cane" type of cakepop -- rather than just dipping it in white chocolate and drizzling in red, I decided to flavor the cake with peppermint oil. They turned out great! I've waited all year to make them and finally got around to it this weekend.

It's hard to package cakepops -- I have yet to find a good way to transport them or a bag/box that they fit into just right, but I like how these turned out. What flavor cakepop do you like best? What flavor would you want to see?

Snowflake Peppermint Bark

2010-12-03T08:28:00.000-08:00

I LOVE peppermint bark but I hate how it tastes with candy canes crushed on top. The candy canes are just so strong and sticky. This year, we decided to make peppermint bark using crushed andes peppermint candies (you could also crush the candy cane Hershey kisses) and they turned out deeelicious! Instead of the usual broken bark we decided to make the bark into snowflake shapes -- they're so christmas-y!

Jewelry Magnets

2010-12-03T05:40:00.000-08:00

How cute are these magnets from Anthropologie? My kitchen drawers don't have drawer pulls, so I can never get any of those, but these? These I can get! They would look so pretty holding a sweet recipe, don't you think?

Available at Anthropologie, $32

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

2010-12-02T08:12:00.000-08:00

I found these cookies yesterday while perusing Food Gawker and Tastespotting (a couple of my favorite websites!). The recipe looked SO easy and I had the ingredients on hand so I made them right away. These tasted GREAT right out of the oven - they were soft, warm, and tasted like Christmas. I had a hard time gauging when they were done, so I experimented with baking different batches at 8, 9, and 10 minutes. Some of my 8 and 10 minute batches came out crunchy and some came out chewy, so I need to make them one more time to figure out the perfect baking time! Either way, I like both outcomes. I used the holiday candy cane Hershey kisses, but you can also use Andes' Candies.

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Ingredients:

1 chocolate cake mix (I used devil's food cake mix)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup chopped Hershey's candy cane kisses

Let's Bake!:

Preheat oven to 375F. Mix together cake mix, oil, eggs, and brown sugar. Stir in chopped kisses. Drop dough balls onto greased/parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool.

Enjoy!

For the Holidays: Caramel Popcorn Drizzled with Chocolate

2010-11-30T21:37:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago The Wedding Pantry held a holiday boutique. I sold handmade cards and sold some of my mom's delicious caramel popcorn drizzled with chocolate. I packaged it in a white bag wrapped with baker's twine and a little hand stamped tag I made.

[Photos: D. Park Photography]

Halloween Dessert Table

2010-10-31T21:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! I created this dessert table for The Wedding Pantry's Halloween party...this was my first official dessert table for people other than my family =D I baked so many delicious treats including cake pops, cupcakes, brownies, chocolate-caramel pretzels, chocolate covered macadamia nuts, rice krispie treats, ladies kisses, caramel popcorn drizzled with chocolate, and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. I found these adorable test tubes at Michaels, filled them with Reese's m&m's, and labeled them as "creepy crawlers," "eyes of newt," "frogs legs," etc. Then, I hand stamped treat bags so that people could take home the extras.

[Photos: D. Park Photography]