A Very Hungry Caterpillar & A Very Happy Birthday Boy

I feel like it's been forever since I've posted something for a cake order that I've had! My little brother's birthday was in December (poor bug was born right before Christmas) and we postponed his birthday party until recently just so that the Christmas hullabaloo would be over and done with.

When chatting with a 6 year old about what they'd like their birthday cake to look like, your conversation can truly go in soooo many directions. Jordan loves Pokemon, Iron Man, Spiderman and all sorts of other things that I'm a little clueless on when it comes to cakes. However, I remembered coming across a post from the My Cake School Blog about making a Very Hungry Caterpillar cake out of cupcakes. It looked pretty straightforward and Jordan and I used to LOVE reading the book together. So truly this was a no brainer that this was the cake for him!

Start by arranging your cupcakes (including a larger one for the head) and frost random blobs across the gaps of the cupackes

Smooth the icing as best as possible and let it crust for 10 minutes before smoothing it with waxed paper.

Go a little crazy with the designs you include on each section and don't forget to add the chocolate chip feet!

Et Voila! Very Hungry Caterpillar Cupcake-Cake

The boy child truly enjoyed his cake! I mean look how excited he was with his buddies!!!

Finally, a Facebook page for the blog!

After a lovely suggestion from Leanna at Raptor Toe,  I've finally created a Facebook page for the blog. I'm still in the process of figuring out how it all works so if any of you guys have suggestions, I welcome them all!

But for now, check it out: facebook.com/NoviceGoddessKitchen

I'm off to hit up the grocery store as I've got apple cider glazed pot roast on the brain as well as some cinnamon sugar pretzel bites with icing!!!! I'll keep you posted on how it all goes :)

Happy Family Day Long Weekend!!!

t

Foodie Find - Cultures Unite!!!

I've always wanted to find a food that truly captures both parts of my background in one bit. Allow me to explain... Dad's side of the family is Jamaican and Mum's side is Ukrainian.... Thus, what would be the happy medium? Well, after thinking about it for ages, our family decided that jerk chicken perogies would naturally be the perfect mix of the two cultures. I've joked for years that I will one day make them EXCEPT someone has beaten me to it!!!! *shakes fist at the sky* I've been foiled!

However, Leanna at Raptor Toe appears to have figured out all of the kinks of this delicious dish and I can't wait to try them out! Go check out her post here and salivate with me!!!

Photo Credit: Raptor Toe

One day this will happen :)

Happy cooking!

t

The Return... yet again & vanilla cupcakes galore!

Can we still be friends? I come bearing cupcakes!!!!

This is my peace offering.... I know... I know... This happens EVERY year right around Christmas. I get so overwhelmed with everything else going on for the holidays that I (pathetically) neglect my blog and my blog loves! I'm so so sorry but I have to admit that amidst all of the Christmas hullabulloo, I almost lost feel like I lost the love for documenting my culinary adventures. I still love cooking and baking and I still love my blog but my feelings towards the two together were lack-luster. So I took a little break.... and got to focus on a few other things like spending time with family & friends, actually taking the time to make Christmas gifts for 7 of my closest loves, spending time with a very special boy who has reminded me how to smile more, and working incessantly!

However, this past weekend I was really thinking about the blog and how much I missed it. And then I picked up my camera (for the first time in a while) and remembered how much I missed playing around with it. So I had some cupcakes to bake for my step-grandmother's birthday party and picked up my camera and it was like I'd never left.

And on that note, I figured that my reintroduction to the blog should be simple and sweet... an easy progression back into the wacky world of food blogging. What better way to return than with cupcakes. Now, these are not necessarily your typical basic cupcakes but they were simple in design and delicious on taste. A few months ago, I found a recipe on Sweetapolita for Magnolia Bakery's Bakery-Style Vanilla Cupcakes. I was intrigued as a) I've never been to the Magnolia Bakery and b) I'm always on the hunt for an amazing vanilla cupcake recipe. I've made them twice now and they're great! Beautiful in presentation, great texture, not too dry and pretty much perfect!

How could anyone say no to these beauties? Notice, the little black flecks in both the batter and the frosting?

Yes, my friends... REAL vanilla bean seeds from my favourite vanilla bean paste. I'm telling you, bake with it once, and you'll understand why I am such a convert! it makes a HUGE difference from the stuff you can get at the grocery store! Try it! It's a beautiful thing and you will totally disregard the price tag that comes with it! It's worth every penny!

I am in love with these cupcakes. Simple, sweet and perfect for about 50000 different occasions. I've got a few events coming up that could be the appropriate time and place for these cupcakes: a baby shower, a few birthdays, Jessica aka The Wedding Girl's engagement party and any other occasion I can come up with!!!!

All I can say is LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!

I hope we can still be friends despite my hiatus!!!! The second batch of cupcakes made for Nana's party will be posted soon!

Take care and hugs for 2012 to all of you!!!

Happy baking!

Tamara