White Wedding.

This blog has been in hibernation mode for a while (read: a year), but I've decided that it's time for a revival. My dear friend and soulmate, nikkiehippie, is currently planning the raddest wedding in the history of weddings. Nikkiehippie is one of the raddest people that I know, and she will be marrying her rad fiance with a rad ceremony in the rad month of May, 2009. Rad-I know. Not only do I get to play the role of rad bridesmaid, but I've also signed on to [potentially] make 200 cupcakes and some sort of mini-cake/giant cupcake for the bride & groom.

No small task, but one that I am super stoked about, if it ends up happening. Those of you that know me know that I don't really need an excuse to break out the mixing bowl, but what better excuse is there than "research and development" for your best friend's wedding?

Well, in the name of science, I will be spending the next eight months testing recipes and design ideas for cupcakes, mini cakes, tiered cakes, and more. Some will be wedding related, while others will be to answer some age old questions like:

Can fondant be punk rock?

What is the best edible medium to recreate a devilock with?

Can a cake look badass and still taste good?

How many cupcakes can one person make in a 24 hour period?

Are there limits of the power of cupcakes? They can mend friendships and heal broken hearts, but can they fight terrorism? Capitalism?

I will try to get you the answers to these and more, while testing recipes and flavor combos on anyone in my path. Expect to hear some reviews from my wonderful roommate, my life hostage/partner in crime - daenra, and anyone else who'd like to sample my 'goods.

Get into it. Stay tuned. And while you're at it, check out my "get inspired" links for some rad folks with rad skillz.

xo
ms.s.

Turning Japanese.

My dear friend Emillama and I share a birthday week and a love for delicious baked goods. To honor the day she was expelled from a uterus, I decided to try my hand at an ambitions cake decorating project. Emily loves green tea and all things Japanese, so I wanted to go with a Japanese/sushi theme for her cake. The cake is a vegan green tea mini cake (recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World). The cherry blossoms are made of marzipan and the "sushi" is made from halved marshmallows which I frosted and rolled in green sugar. They're topped with white buttercream and coconut "rice", and the center of the sushi rolls is just some organic dried papaya pieces. I initially intended to make the entire cake vegan, but the marshmallows worked too well to pass up. The cake and frosting are 100% vegan.

Inspired by emillama, The Vapors, and the Wilton mini-cake pan that I've been dying to use.

Goat Cheese Salad

Goat cheese salad with cranberries, roasted walnuts, and rasberry vinaigrette for big Pete's birthday.

Gratuitous Chickpeep Show

I'm pretty sure I could survive solely on chickpeas and chickpea based products. I mean seriously, chickpeas are by far the most kickass off all legumes. Here we have some chickpea walnut salad with lemon vinaigrette and hummus in a baby spinach bowl. Throw in some falafel and I'm sold.

Inspired by chickpeas, The Lunachicks, and mon pere.

The Great Pumpkin

Pumpkin seed encrusted tofu. Sauteed spinach with garlic. Whole grain couscous with cranberries and roasted almonds.

One cannot survive on Morningstar patties alone.

Here we have my first attempt at a home made veggie burger - topped with mashed avocado and sauteed mushrooms.