Camping and treats...

When we think of camping a few things come to mind...
Tents, Fire and S'mores.

Some More, or more commonly called S'mores, are credited to Loretta Scott Crew who reportedly first made them by the fire for the Girl Scouts in the 1920's. Brilliant. I doubt that most any American doesn't know of or hasn't heard of a S'more and more commonly considers them to be the ultimate camping treat.

I really was never a fan of S'mores growing up. My most recent camping excursion changed that. I knew I needed to make S'mores to my liking. I toasted the graham, melted "dark" chocolate on the graham then applied toasted marshmallow and brought it all together. I believe the trick is making sure each component is complete and made to your liking.

In thinking of a new flavor, these came to mind, S'more Cupcakes. Dark Chocolate Cake, Torched Marshmallow Frosting, Graham Sprinkle and Chocolate Ganache Drizzle.

Really, how do you say no to that?

Cake Walk...: A Cookie that surprises us all...

Cake Walk...: A Cookie that surprises us all...: I have to admit, these really are those cookies that make you go mmmmmmm......... How do you say no to a tri-fecta of flavor? well, y...

A Cookie that surprises us all...

I have to admit, these really are those cookies that make you go mmmmmmm.........

How do you say no to a tri-fecta of flavor? well, you don't!

Triple Chocolate, Pistachio and Cranberry Cookies.

As I ate my first bite, I noticed I didn't have to chew! This cookie literally melted in my mouth!

The unique flavor profile of this cookie will give you a new and exciting taste experience that you will be hard pressed to find elsewhere! Thanks to yours truly! :)

I'm not one to ever boast or brag, however, I am pretty darn proud of these tasty concoctions.

A divine treat to replace your chocolate cake craving, with the ease of eating.

ENJOY!!!

http://www.divinitybaking.com/

Thrifty's for Ice Cream?

One word, one thought, one place...... Thrifty's!

When I hear Rocky Road I immediately imagine myself hoping into my parents Plymouth aqua marine mini van as my dad drove us kids to Thrifty's for ice cream. I know at least some of you out there know exactly what Thrifty's is (or was). Sherbert, Chocolate Malted Crunch and Rocky Road were among my favorite.

So today I send my tribute to Thrifty's for creating childhood memories, scooping out this flavor and today, I'm bringing it back!

I cherish this. Dark Chocolate, Marshmallows, Candied Walnuts, White Sprinkle.

Rocky Road Bark. Great to say, Great to remember, Great to Eat!

The Morning After Love, brunch?

Cake in the morning? Maybe for lunch? brunch?

Most people would be hard pressed to eat anything with the word "cake" in it for breakfast. Heck, I myself don't like eating sweets in the morning. I do love, however, Old Fashioned Cinnamon Crumb and Almond Cake (Crumbcake).  A hot cup of Joe and a slice of this and mmmmmm....
The morning starts off right!

I love these babies. Really, this is good anytime of day. It is that pastry that you serve or bring to brunch or to someones house. Going out Friday night? Wake up Saturday, make coffee and eat crumbcake! Make up for the calories at lunch:)

It's really that simple.





For those of you following this blog I am building MY WEBSITE.... Moving forward.
It is not up yet but will be soon.
http://www.divinitybaking.com/

Vegetable in a cupcake?!

Now this one was creative! Why put vegetables in a cake? Cake is commonly sweet and so why use something other than sugary fruits or flavors?

It just so happens that I am a vegetarian. Not by choice, that is, but that is another story we will get to one day. Being a vegetarian allows me to see the good and usefulness in many naturally grown fruits and vegetables but I don't know that I would think of carrots as a base to a cake, So why and when would someone think of carrots as an additive to cake?

Turns out, it all started in the medieval period when sucrose was expensive and hard to come by, so some smart old cook (or old woman sitting in by her cooking kettle, so I like to see it) decided to use carrots in place sugar. Turns out carrots have the second highest sugar content in vegetables. And so, Carrot Cake (or Passion cake as it is sometimes referred to) was born!

Carrot Cake takes my senses to the fall, although made year-round. This little moist cake topped with Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Walnuts takes me where the wind blows and the leaves fall.

Happy Fall Everyone!

Summer's Over! The taste is not, key lime love!

As requested, the winner of the key lime dessert poll is..... KEY LIME TART.  Honestly, I was personally rooting for the key lime tart myself. So smooth, tangy yet sweet, crunchy and flaky exterior. Really - what's not to love?

What's fun with cooking and baking for me? The ability to create a menu and taste that reaches majority. Now, I don't know about you guys but over the years I have noticed and watched my taste for food change. Our pallets change, our bodies change and our minds. Then there are those select few out there that just kind of cruise through life, do the same old thing, see the same old thing, think the same old way. To each, his own! But what fun would life be without a little change, chance, new experience or new taste?

So I say, experience life and food, and love it!

KEY LIME TART.

Experience it.

for the love of CHOCOLATE.

Oh do I love chocolate. And so does desserts. When I really get that urge for something sweet and I have to satisfy, well I go straight for the sweet satisfy, chocolate! This week I've given semi-sweet and dark chocolate their shot in two delectable recipes. First, my new "it" item - Mini Pie! Here I took an old version of Mississippi Mudd Pie (and no we are not talking about Ice cream cake here, only the real version) and sprinkled some Sum love into it. DELISH!

And to the ever-so-satisfying, easy to eat, easy to dunk (in milk!) cookie! Brownie Cookies with note of cinnamon.

And so we have our dedication to our Chocolate week-o-love!

Ultimate Vanilla Bean Cupcake takes the queen crown...

Vanilla has never been a choice flavor of mine in any dessert or cupcake. This is most likely due to the lack of quality ingredients that most bakeries carry. The classic vanilla had not met my pallet with explosion, that is, until I met creamy vanilla bean ice cream and everything changed. Real vanilla derived from fresh vanilla bean is much different in taste from actual vanilla. Furthermore, the more pure vanilla bean and vanilla bean paste lend a true flavor experience unmatched by the classic imitation extract that most recipes are used with. Pure, Quality, Fresh ingredients bring us back to the flavors that this earth has been made with. On we go with this moist and light cake made with Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla and Vanilla Beans, Vanilla Bean Buttercream.

Love Chocolate Banana Shakes? You'll love this...

I am not much of a shake drinking kind of gal but then there is that occasional time where I get an itch for the ONLY kind of shake that I like, Chocolate Banana. And it, of course, has to be topped with whipped cream. I love the flavor of the two combined. I'd like to name the first baker who thought of putting these into a cupcake, Genius! This would, no doubt, be on my list of available cupcakes as it is one of my personal favorite's. I have been hard pressed to find this cake around in any bakery as it is a little more uncommon and maybe a tad bit less popular than your average flavors. Either way, it's available with me. This cake is moist, fluffy, full of air bubbles, chocolaty with a banana note. Creamy frosting tops this cake with dark chocolate shavings and a banana chip. I'm in love. A little slice here and there. Dangerous!

For those of you having trouble finding Divinity Baking Co.'s Facebook page, click on the following link:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Divinity-Baking-Co/163260307093392

Fabulous Beginnings for a fabulous Cupcake.

I am adorned with the response from those of you who have been supporting by new venture and believe in my work. My Pumpkin and Dark Chocolate Swirl Cupcakes are flying high in the sky with overwhelming positive response. I'd say when people are splitting cupcakes into 6th's, we have a winner!!! PS. It's my favorite too :)

Gourmet, a term I don't use lightly. Gourmet is my cupcake. I believe in a sweet that brightens your pallet. I really love high quality fresh ingredient use in all cooking and baking. And so we are on to our next flavor. For those of you White Chocolate lovers that don't like a heavy cake with heavy notes, this cupcake may be for you.
Pink Champagne Cupcakes, White Chocolate Frosting, White Chocolate Shavings, Pink Salt Sprinkle.

I'll only say this, this one time: We have not been founded on the premise of copying any other Company doing this very similar thing, ie. Cupcakes! We (Divinity Baking Co.), whom by the way makes more than just cupcakes, are providing a high quality Gourmet treat. We do not want to be compared to Sprinkles or those alike. Here is why:

Anyone guess which company this Cupcake belongs to? If you have been around the cupcake world, you have heard of them! I am not out to say anything negative about their work. I walked into their store yesterday and asked the sweet faced gal which flavor was her favorite. I went with her suggestion (Strawberry). I truly wanted to understand what the hype was all about and was even excited about trying this. Simple, straight forward and a well made cupcake. And so I was able to see this: their cupcakes are here to reach the masses. Nothing wrong with reaching a large mass. It's good business. What have a drawn from this taste and texture test? I'm satisfied and happy to be creating Gourmet.

Fall Comfort in a little cake.

Pumpkin is a wonderful ingredient to bake with on its own, however, I'm just never satisfied with my creations until they have reached the gourmet playing field. This always involves added love and spice into my baking. Then there is always that secret ingredient that sets me apart from most, but I wont give up easily :). I've created the perfect fall indulgence: Pumpkin and Dark Chocolate Swirl Cupcakes, Light Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting with Dark Chocolate Shavings. I'm so excited to call this cupcake truly my own. It is delectable! I may even make these into Cake Pops (more for adults, of course). These are a great Cupcake to have for a dinner party, Birthday party, Holiday gathering or just for yourself on that day you crave yourself some pumpkin and chocolate goodness :)

These are available NOW. Contact me if you are interested. Love and Pastries: from my home to yours!

Cake Pops, the new craze?!

Children love fun. Everything relating to that term puts a smile on a child's face. Bright colors, upbeat melody, sweet sugar, exploration. Possibilities are endless. My daughters Madison and Abigail love everything related to "sugar" and really love lollipops. They love to help mommy in the kitchen and can hardly keep their little hands away from the sprinkles. While working on a project today I realized that I was no longer hearing Madi's participation in our activity. I quickly discovered a little girl hiding out in my closet with a mouth full of sprinkles. At some point she managed to sneak the bottle of rainbow sprinkles into my closet where, somehow, she thinks she is invisible and was hiding them there to sneak when she wanted a little dose of rainbow fun :) I believe, at some point, she even had her twin sister Abigail in on the scheme. Those little sweeties, just looking for a little brightness.

I always love new adventurous ways of sharing desserts at a party that I may be throwing. And so we are on to Cake Pops. There is nothing bad about these. A two to three bite size cake balled onto a stick with hard shell and decor. As I began my three flavors of pops today I quickly discovered that my girls could not keep their paws away from them. Everything about these are appealing to them and I am beginning to realize the same for me. My inner child wants part in the simplicity of eating cake without the hassle of a fork and plate. Of course, there are those times that are needed. A good piece of chocolate cake entering my mouth with a cold silver fork. Taste and temperature place crucial roles to each other for some food perfections.

I find Cake Pops to be the best new craze that are easy cleanup and great showstoppers for party goers, especially (and most importantly) all the kids who enjoy everything about eating from sticks. They are fun to make and can be made into a variety of objects and animals. Today, I made these lemonade and chocolate cake pops for a little girls' Ariel themed birthday party (red and blue being the main color).

These fun ones on the right are more grown up, so to speak, but we will let the kids be the judges of that. Cookies and Cream, lemonade and Apple Pie with crumb topping.

Next, HELLO KITTY Cake Pops, as requested by none other than the sprinkle bandits!



Happy Cake Popping!

A true showstopper and mouth watering cupcake.

I am quickly realizing that this cupcake is unique. Not because no one person has attempted this or even sells a similar cake out there but because this cupcake truly captures the pure sour citrus, extreme lemon flavor that I find lacking in every other citrus or lemon cupcake I have consumed.

My soon-to-be mother in law asked me to bring cupcakes to a family gathering one weekend. It was hot and what better to bring then refreshing flavors packed in a little cake. I attempted and even brought my "first batch" of triple citrus cupcakes. I knew they needed work. To my surprise, my fiances family raved about the mini cake. I figure, perfect this cupcake, get the flavor profile right and maybe I will have a truly remarkable cake.

And, as many have requested, I have conquered! The extreme lemon stands out on top with notes of lime and lemon. This is a cake for those who don't want the depthness and complexity of a dark chocolate cupcake and their taste buds are calling for refreshment while satisfying a sweet tooth.

And so we have Triple Citrus Cupcake, Lemon Curd filling and Citrus Buttercream with candied lemon peel and lime wedge.

I LOVE this cupcake and I'm pretty sure you will too!

Day 2. Apple Pie Cupcake, Cinnamon Cream and Crumb

Day two began and...

I have a love of Apple Pie during the fall and winter. Heck, doesn't most middle America too?! Ran across this recipe (done multiple times) for Apple Pie Cupcakes. I tweaked it a little :), What don't I tweak? a little nutmeg, Cinnamon Whip with homemade crumb sprinkle. YUMMO!!!!

Had my first official review for my Violet Velvets today. I brought four neatly packaged velvets to Madi and Abi's Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Newell. I asked her to share with the others. As I arrived to greet the girls and pick up from school I was greeted with, "those cupcakes were to die for." She said she had to cut them all in fours to pass around to other teachers. Uplifted my spirits immediately! Just maybe I have a real shot at this. Love for baking, making others feel good, taste buds pop and faces are adorned with smiles. Makes my heart warm.

And here they are...

I may do a Cinnamon buttercream instead of the cinnamon whip (which I did to mimic the look of ice cream topped cake).None-the-less, these are on my roster!

First Blog, ever!...

This moment, as I am writing in my first blog EVER (yay!), I decide to put some music on to pep the moment up and get the mood going. As I decide on Pandora radio I quickly jump back to my blog and in that moment "Smile" begins to play....
This is THE song that I sing to my girls to put them to sleep, listen to when I am down and pretty much just think the world of. Heck, I'd want to be set off in the sunset on my way to heaven to this. SO God is winking at me or some high tech genius has figured a way into my brain. I'll lean toward the higher power ;) Perfect way to start this...

Purpose of this blog...
I'm on a journey to conquer, not conquer, create, make great and make bad recipes, ideas and creations in order to learn more about me (Summer :)) and test the waters as I attempt to make others happy with warm comfort and divine pastries and desserts. What the heck, any food or recipe I think may be amazing.

Today, I made the old classic red velvet, as I have done many times before, but I cannot seem to understand why everyone stands by the Red?! And so therefore I've twisted this recipe with a litlle extra cocoa powder, changed the color to a rich violet, topped with the Almighty Whipped cream cheese frosting and dusted with chocolate powder. The result:

VIOLET VELVET Cupcakes.