Tag Archives: cupcake

Coconut Mango Cake

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Okay.  I don’t want this post to be clouded by your self-loathing for never having thought of this yourself.  After a few days of major soul searching, I have come to terms with it myself, and suggest you do the same.  So let’s begin with a little self-affirmation.  Repeat after me:

“I can’t think of everything.  I am human, and humans are erred by nature.  Everyone has different talents, thinking of the most genius thing EVER is not one of mine, and that, is okay.  I forgive myself.”

Do not move on to the following sentence without having a full sense of peace.  Take a deep breath, and read the following GENIUS two words.

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Our Easter Shinanigans

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I’ll sum up my feelings on this Easter in two words.  It’s over.  (Well, “it’s” is actually two words in one, but who’s counting?  Oh you are.  Thanks.  Thanks for all the support.  ANYway, if you’re done criticizing me now, then maybe I’ll get on with my post?  Yeah, thanks.)

Really, it’s all just a big, sugary blur.  My in-laws came for a visit, so of course I felt obliged to break out the big culinary chops.  Not that anyone expected anything of me at all.  I just like to place unrealistic expectations on myself.  It makes me feel like a kid again.  Haha…I’m kidding, mom.

Anyway, I decided that for the second time in my life, I would make cinnamon buns.  The first and last time I made these delectable, devil-buns was a few Easter’s ago, and I guess the torment of it all has faded with time.   You make the dough, it rises, you punch the air out, it rises again, you punch the air out, it rises again, you roll it out, roll it up and cut it into buns, they rise AGAIN, then you bake them.  I can see now why they remind me of Easter so much, what with all this “rising again” business.

This time however, I made a small change to the recipe.  I added a pinch of BREAD MACHINE!  Let’s just say it was a little easier this time around.

So get this:  You line a 9X13″ pan with caramel and walnuts, then put the buns in and bake them.  They come out of the oven like this.

They already look delicious right?  But then, you dump them out of the pan and you get this.

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Vancouver Peeps: Check This Shop Out!

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I will full on admit it.  I’m totally biased.  But I don’t care.  I don’t care if the journalist police hunt me down and throw me in prison for it.  Because it’s worth it.

My friend Andrea opened up a new bakery/coffee shop in Burnaby and it is, without a doubt, the best place you haven’t been.  I’ve had Andrea’s baking before and I will tell you this: I’d go so far as to say it’s “to die for,” except that I HATE that phrase, and really, you wouldn’t want to risk dying because you’d never be able to try any of her delectable deliciousness again.  So instead I’ll say it’s to LIVE for.

Also, handling the cafe end of things is my sister Christa.  Say hi when you go in!  You’ll know it’s her because she’ll probably be the one making a fart sound.

Here’s a picture of the gals so you know what you’re getting into before you go.

Andrea’s is the one cutting the BRAIN CAKE she MADE, and Christa is the one laughing her head off.  (Note: Andrea is not actually a cow girl – although should probably consider becoming one because she wears it so well.)

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AMAZING Espresso Buttercream

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Okay.

So, I was charged with making cupcakes for my cousin’s baby shower.  Intimidating?  A little.  But to add to it, my cousin and our friend who was also in attendance, are my weight-loss buddies.  If you’re going to ask someone who you’re supposed to be supporting, to vacate their diet for ANY reason, it better be a damn delicious reason.  So I had to come up with something really good.

I did.

Alright…busted.  These are not the ACTUAL cupcakes I made for the shower…but there was a rush, I tell ya, yeah, a real rush, and I was late, and in the kerfuffle I forgot to take a picture.  Have you ever taken a picture in a kerfuffle?  It’s not easy, so lay off man.   I made chocolate cupcakes for the shower, so use your brain and imagine your own damn picture.  Hmpf. Continue reading →

Want to measure how much you love me?

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My birthday is coming up, and since I know you are DYING to know what I’d like for a gift…here it is.

It’s a measuring cup/syringe…for sucking up and measuring peanut butter, butter, whatever!  If you buy me this, I will make you the best peanut butter cookies you’ve ever had.

It’s only $9.50 so I guess I could just buy it myself.  But to be honest, I’m really a bad gift receiver.  I’m totally ungrateful and often mock the gift and giver, so after last year’s birthday fiasco, I vowed I’d never get myself another gift again.  Bitch.

You should get me one though!  You can order it here.

Thanks!

Lora

Bad Idea Banana Bread

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If there is one thing I know, it’s banana bread.  I have been tweaking this recipe for the past four or so years, and it can be improved no more.  It is perfection.  With the plethora of monkeys running around this circus we call home, there is also no shortage of bananas to experiment with.

This particular banana bread earned its name from the most common comment I get from anyone who tries it.  “Oh, now that’s a bad idea [having that hanging around.]“  And I have to agree, it is.

The base for this banana bread rarely makes it into “bread” form – it disappears too quickly when Chris is allowed to slice his own portions – so it usually ends up as muffins.

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Okay, okay…

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So despite my last post where I said that this was a faux-holiday, we had a pretty awesome Valentine’s Day at the Banks’ house.  Due to a series of great events, I had possibly the best Valentine’s Day this cynical, old crabby-pants has ever had. Continue reading →

Happy Alienate Single People’s Day!

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There was a time when I thought that Valentine’s Day was just a day made up by card and themed-gift manufacturers to make husbands and boyfriends feel like they should buy stuff for their wives or girlfriends, who would have otherwise been just fine.

I have to say though, that as a parent, I have come to realize the true meaning behind the holiday.  It’s to guilt parents into buying stupid toss-away valentines for their kids to give (with a healthy dose of uneasiness) to the other kids in their lives.  (Which reminds me of a hilarious little blog post I saw here.  Check it out.)

So, in quiet protest, I decided to make some valentine-themed treats myself instead of participating in the corporate love-buying-agenda.  That way, we can all enjoy a little cupid’s arrow without the sting of having to wonder if “be mine” is a little too presumptuous a message to send to that runny-nosed boy in class who can never seem to keep his socks pulled up.

We’re heading out to a little valentine party for the kiddles and I’m in charge of dessert.  So I made these little treats to bring along. Continue reading →

Cherry Bomb Cupcakes

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Okay.  These cupcakes are aptly named because they will BLOW YOUR MIND!  They delicious, they’re fun, they’re basically awesomeness cupcakeified.

From the onset, they look like an average cupcake.  But those sprinkles on top?

POP ROCKS!

And what that buried underneath that dollop of deeelishis swiss meringue buttercream?

CHERRY PIE FILLING!

Yeah, so you bite into it and get the cherry filling surprise, but then it leaves this tingly feeling in your mouth on top of that.  It’s awesome. Continue reading →