Some of you might remember that I teamed up with Craftsy back in December to offer Craftsy Tuesdays, bringing you some new recipes and tutorials to help make the holiday gift-giving and baking season bright for all of you. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity become a Craftsy affiliate, which allows me to find out first hand some of the newest promotions that are coming out, along with new classes. I decided to join the Craftsy affiliate program because I really enjoy their model: classes include indepth video tutorials, notes on materials, recipes, an online forum to discuss with fellow classmates, and in some cases, access to the instructors. I’m a big fan of Joshua John Russell’s  Modern Buttercream class, which is actually the class that got me hooked.

So now I have some great news!

Craftsy is hosting Free Class Day to benefit DonorsChoose. For one day only (May 18), new members can choose one free course from a selection of Craftsy classes, up to a $39.99 value!

If Craftsy meets its goal of giving away 10,000 classes, it will donate $5,000 to DonorsChoose to fund arts education in public schools across the US. Existing members are not eligible for the free course offer.

Some interesting classes in the cakes and baking categories that are free to new users include:

• Classic Croissants at Home with Colette Christian
• Intro to Modeling Chocolate with Lauren Kitchen
• Handcrafted Sugar Flowers with Jacqueline Butler
• Cake-osaurus Rex with Catherine Ruehle
• Fashion-Inspired Fondant with Joshua John Russell

If your’re interested, click through this link so you can sign up as a new member (super easy!) and then pick out a class. If you do, let me know what you selected and how you like it, once you’ve had time to sit down with the class.

Like the other years, the competition is broken into amateurs and pros, but this year saw a few excellent changes:

• Bakers were required to bake at least 300 mini cupcakes.
• Judges (1 set for pro, 1 set for amateur) would visit every table, trying each cupcake and scoring.
• Prizes would be awarded for 1st-3rd place, as well as people’s choice for each group.

I was excited to know that I was going to be able to present my work before the judges, so I stepped up my game with my table decor, creating a colorful Cupcake Friday bunting hung above, and of course, had Ray design another cupcake character and sign for me.

From the beginning of the Smash back in 2011, I have always selected an inspiration item off of the burger and sandwich side of PYT’s menu. Why? Because I feel like the adult shakes aren’t a real challenge. Turning a Butterfinger milkshake into a cupcake is a snap … and I actually already HAVE a Butterfinger cupcake recipe that is slamming. What’s important to me is to push my limits and to be as creative as possible. Hence, the Piggy Mary cupcakes.

The Piggy Mary is a Bloody Mary cake, made with my own Bloody Mary mix and a horseradish-infused vodka that I infused myself, frosted with a sweet horseradish buttercream, and topped with brown sugar candied bacon crumbles and a sweet onion caramel.

I was blown away by how well these cupcakes worked … they were moist and balanced sweet and savory very well. And while I may not have won (I tied for 7th place), it was a cupcake I was proud to put out. I even made some without the bacon for vegetarian attendees (or those who don’t care for bacon) and I received so many thank yous for my thoughtfulness. I also had a lot of people at my table utterly shocked that, yes, I made a Bloody Mary into a cupcake. I think approximately 95% of the people who were brave enough to try my cupcake were totally wowed. Many dropped their “people’s choice” votes into my vote bag, and even more came back for seconds. It was very validating.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get out from behind my table much, though Ray did bring me a selection of cupcakes to try from the amateur division. We were between 2 very talented bakers, with a ?uestlove Milkshake cupcake to my right and a wild chocolate cupcake topped with a cheddar and jalapeno frosting and tater tot to my left (trust me, it worked). Next year, I’ve REALLY got to get out from behind my table and socialize. And make a winning cupcake.

Now, you might be wondering why I made Piggy Mary a queen, and well, it’s because I’m a huge nerd for the history and literature surrounding the War of the Roses, the Tudors and the like. See, I married 2 concepts: “Bloody Mary” (actually known as Mary, Queen of the Scots, the only daughter to King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon) and a Bloody Mary cocktail (the 2 actually aren’t related). See, Queen Mary was called “Bloody Mary” because of all the Protestants killed under her (short) reign as Queen (she was a DEVOUT Catholic who thought she was saving souls). So, there you have it: the inspiration for my much more chill Queen of the Barnyard and lover of morning cocktails.

Check back for my recipe, including my Bloody Mary mix recipe and instructions on how to infuse your own vodka!

If you love cupcakes, competitions, and complimentary goodies, then I highly suggest that you mark April 27 on your calendar as “busy.” Busy for cupcakes.

The 3rd annual Cupcake Smash ultimate baking competition will be held in the middle of The Piazza with Wendy Rollins, Radio Host on Radio 104.5 emceeing. Celebrity judges include Nima Etemadi and Lily Fischer, co-owners of A Cupcake Wonderland and winners of the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars, Zoë Lukas, owner of Whipped Bake Shop, Caroline Russock, food editor of Philadelphia’s City Paper, Tommy Up of PYT, Chef Nathan Volz of 10 Arts Bistro & Lounge, Wendy Rollins and Tony Luke Jr., of Tony Luke’s. Judges will vote on the best cupcake for the amateur and professional categories, while attendees will vote for the “People’s Choice.”

DJ Jay Yo will be spinning some tunes, while complimentary beverages and snacks will be provided by Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, KIND Healthy Snacks, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Philadelphia Distilling, and White Mule Farms Spodee. Uber, “everyone’s favorite driver,” is offering Cupcake Smash attendees a free ride from the Piazza up to $20 with a special promo code.

If you pick up your tickets online, you save $5, while at-the-door tickets (if they don’t sell out in advance) will be $30.

And of course, most importantly, you’ll be helping Philabundance, which is a great Philadelphia organization making sure that people get they healthy food they need. And you’ll see me, with yet another wild and craaaaaaazy cupcake creation. Trust me, this year’s cupcake is not for the faint of heart.

I made 4 miniature (3.5″ diameter) layer cakes for the swap. The cake was lime, chock full of lime zest, it was filled with a mango curd and frosted with a coconut rum buttercream. I was so happy with how they turned out: the cake was light and moist, the frosting was fragrant, and the overall flavor was like a wonderful tropical cocktail. I even had enough cake left over to make miniature samples to try.

Ray made 5 beautiful challah loaves, each one at least a foot long! Iwas so impressed with all the work he put into them, make each dough (which yields 2 loaves), and timing the process so that he could move seamlessly from making, fermenting, shaping, proofing and baking.

This swap was by far the largest, with close to 60 swappers. We snagged a table together next to the lovely Sara May of The Cozy Herbivore and chatted with fellow swappers that we hadn’t seen in awhile.

The variety at the swap was outstanding, ranging from homemade bread to infused liqueurs,  anything and everything spreadable, macarons, dog treats, sauerkraut and more.

Because Ray and I opted to bring fewer items this time (last time we hauled away 20 things between the 2 of us, and I think there still might be a jar of jelly in the pantry from that swap!), it meant that we were a bit choosier in what we selected. But in the end, we came home with 9 homemade food products that we were stoked to have, and in some cases, we’ve already devoured them!

Our bounty consisted of:

Items to Nibble

• Pork and Cabbage Gyoza: Julie
• Whole Wheat Bread: Marisa
• Smoked Beef Snack Sticks: Ashley

Items to Dip and Spread

• Sriracha Garlic Hummus: Georgia
• Raspberry juniper jam: Alex from Fair Food Farmstand
• Chive blosson pesto: Samantha H.

Items to Sip

• Cucumber lemon gin: unknown swapper
• Creme de limoncello: Lauren
• Earl Grey Vodka: Rachel

We had a great time, made some new friends (Julie brought me labneh!) and are already thinking about what we might bring to the next Philly Food Swap.

Do you love great food? Do you love supporting a great cause? If yes, then what’s your calendar looking like on Saturday, March 23?

If your evening is wide open and you can get to Philadelphia, then ACHIVEability’s Food for Thought 2013 fundraiser  is the place you need to be.

ACHIEVEability is an agency that permanently breaks the cycle of poverty for low-income, single-parent and homeless families. ACHIEVEability provides housing and supportive services so parents can pursue higher education and become self-sufficient. Everything the organization does promotes accountability for families. This year, ACHIEVEability is celebrating 31 years of helping families achieve self-sufficiency.

The event is a dream for those who love the great food of Philadelphia. Attendees will be able to sample food, using sustainable VerTerra plates and flatware, from more than 25 of the top chefs and restaurants in the city:

Jonathan Adams / Rival Bros 
Joseph Baldino / Zeppoli
Scott Dalesandro / Pyramid Club
Michael Deganis / Alla Spina
Anthony DiPascale / Harvest Seasonal Grill
Phoebe Esmon / Emmanuelle
Dana Herbert / Desserts by Dana
Karl Isaiah / Cake Boulangerie
Le Bec-Fin / Le Bec-Fin
Steve Linneman / Shop 543
Meridith McLoughlin / Binni & Flynn’s 
Chris Painter / Il Pittore 
Mitch Prensky / Supper 
Ben Puchowitz / Matyson and Cheu Noodle Bar 
Chip Roman / Blackfish, Ela and Mica 
Keith Rudolf / Terrain 
Kevin Sbraga / Sbraga
Charles Schmidt / Philadelphia O.I.C.
Sylva Senat / Tashan 
Shake Shack / Shake Shack 
Bryan Sikora / a.kitchen
Lance Silverman / Sabrina’s Cafe
Daniel Stern / R2L
Ryan Sulikowski / Lotus Farm and Table
Marcie Turney / Barbuzzo, Jamonera and Lolita
Karen Weinstein / Doc Magrogan’s Oyster House
Peter Woolsey / Bistrot La Minette

Capital Wines & Spirits is the wine and spirits sponsor for the event, and  Yards Brewing Company is the beer sponsor.

Want more? Check out the VIP Lounge for Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse , the featured restaurant of the lounge. If you need a caffeinated pick-me-up, La Colombe Torrefaction will be serving unique creations of blended farm direct specialty coffees. Oh, and do you love ice cream? Then you’re in for a treat … Little Baby’s Ice Cream will be scooping up some of their specialty ice cream.

Now, on top of ALL OF THAT (seriously, there’s more), there will be music and dancing, and an auction containing fantastic prizes, such as a romantic week for 2 in Belize.

The event is hosted at Urban Outfitters’ headquarters at the Naval Yard in Philadelphia (check the site for driving directions).

Purchase your tickets here and be prepared for a wonderful evening benefiting a great cause and a full belly!

Photos from the 2012 Food for Thought courtesy of ACHIEVEability.

Cupcake photo by Becca Craig of Eat Me Desserts; cupcake bar photo by Miranda Watson of Sundry Mornings

On Feb. 23, Melissa Templeton and I set out to throw a classy and interactive cupcake bar fundraising event to benefit The Food Trust in Philadelphia.

The Food Trust, a nonprofit founded in 1992, started out by conducting nutrition education classes for inner-city children at Reading Terminal Market, the century-old farmers’ market located in the center of Philadelphia. After the Trust opened its first farmers’ market at Tasker Homes, a public housing development in the Grays Ferry neighborhood of Philadelphia, the organization began working with communities to develop lasting and stable sources of affordable foods. The Food Trust strives to make healthy food available to all. Working with neighborhoods, schools, grocers, farmers and policymakers, they’ve developed a comprehensive approach that combines nutrition education and greater availability of affordable, healthy food.

Annie Leary from The Food Trust was on hand at the event to talk with attendees about the Trust, and let us know that the event raised $500.

Aside from all the planning work and Eventbrite registration management, I contributed the coconut rum frosting, miso caramel drizzle, toasted almonds and a bunch of sprinkles. I also spent the evening helping attendees with their frosting selection and application, since that is one of my strengths (Chatting with strangers, not so much. It’s weird how my absolute shyness can crop up).

Aside from the cupcake bar, attendees helped themselves to beverages from Yards and Spodee and could donate more money to purchase raffle tickets (from Ray, who kindly got folks to open their wallets for a good cause). All in all, it seemed as if attendees truly enjoyed themselves and chatting with each other.

The Menu:

Cupcake Flavors
Banana
Chocolate
Ginger Spice
Pumpkin
Red Velvet
Vanilla

Filling Flavors
Apple Compote
Blueberry Lemon Jam
Caramel Rum Sauce
Chocolate Ganache
Grapefruit Champagne Curd
Nutella-Spiced Rum Ganache
Peanut Butter Mousse Filling

Frosting Flavors
Brown Butter Frosting
Chocolate Cayenne Cream Cheese
Coconut Rum Buttercream
Coffee Buttercream
Honey Goat Cheese Icing (for drizzling)
Praline Buttercream
Vanilla Buttercream
Vegan Cardamom Cream Cheese

Garnishes
Chocolate drizzle
Miso caramel drizzle
Toasted coconut
Toasted almond slices
Fondant shapes and flowers
Chocolate curls
Sprinkles

And of course, we’d like to thank everyone who came out, donated goodies, and contributed to making a fantastic cupcake bar! Our thanks goes out to:

Yards Brewing Company: for donating beer for attendees to enjoy.

Spodee: for donating Spodee for attendees to enjoy.

Cookie Confidential: for donating cupcake pushpops for the raffle.

Batter Up: for donating handpainted cake pops as a parting gift for all attendees.

Sweet Box Truck: for donating a gift certificate for the raffle.

Cupcake Carnivale: for donating a gift certificate for the raffle.

Crumbs Bake Shop Philly: for donating a gift certificate for the raffle.

Philadelphia Chocolate Tours: for donating a gift certificate for the raffle.

The Sweet Life Bakery: for donating tickets to one of their SLICE classes for the raffle and for baking cupcakes for the cupcake bar.

Ms. Goody Cupcake: for donating a gift certificate and cupcakes for the raffle.

Brown Betty Dessert Boutique: for donating a copy of their cookbook for the raffle.

The Cupcake Tower: for donating a mini cupcake tour for the raffle

Ray Merkler: for the wonderful logo design

And a big thank you to all the bakers who contributed cupcakes, fillings, frostings and garnishes:

Watts for Dessert

AMR Catering

Sundry Mornings

Eat Me Dessert

Sara May

Ray Molnar

Michelle Cryder

Stephanie Gill

Zynnie Bakes

Andrea Fortunato

All right Philly and Philly-metro folks, you all know I bake a fierce cupcake, and you know you all want to EAT said cupcakes, right? Well, how about getting to do that, eat some OTHER cupcakes, drink some booze AND support Philabundance?

I bring you the third annual Cupcake SMASH! And it’s going to be bigger and better than any other Smash. How do I know? Because the Cupcake Coordinator herself, Melissa Templeton, told me so.

I competed last year with my Billy the Kid and in 2011 I whipped up Le Bleu Royale. As for this year, I’m getting my ideas together and planning, planning, planning.

So here’s the deal. Check out the site. If you get your tickets online, you save $5. The ticket gives you access to at least 24-30 different cupcakes, half from amateurs (like me) and half from established bakeries and culinary folks in the Philly area. This is an event you won’t want to miss … especially since I’ll be baking 300+ mini cupcakes to entice your tastebuds!

I have an exciting event to announce! On Feb. 23, I’ll be co-hosting An Evening of Sweets and Treats: A Celebration of 20 Years of The Food Trust in Philadelphia with the fabulous Cupcake Smash Coordinator herself, Melissa Templeton.

The dynamic duo of Melissa² will be hosting one in a series of 20 themed parties during the month of February, in support of The Food Trust’s effort to educate our communities and provide access to nutritious, affordable foods.

You are invited to enjoy homemade sweets from area bakers at our interactive cupcake bar, as well as libations courtesy of Yards Brewing Company, Spodee and more.

To make the evening even more fun there will be a selection of gift certificates, treats, books and baking supplies to be raffled off during the event. The evening will be an opportunity to learn more about the work that The Food Trust is involved in, as well as mingle with fellow food enthusiasts.

We’re suggesting a cash donation of $15 at the door, with all proceeds to benefit The Food Trust. This gets you entry to the event, the ability to make your own custom cupcake at the cupcake bar, some tasty beverages, and a raffle ticket that you can use to win one of the many awesome prizes we have. Want more changes to win? Well we’ll be selling additional tickets throughout the evening before the raffle in order to give you more chances to win and provide The Food Trust with more funding.

Who doesn’t love cupcakes, tasty beverages and raffle prizes?

There’s only one way to get in, and that’s by registering online with our Eventbrite page.

If you cannot make the event, but still want to donate, click here.

Many thanks to the talented Ray Merkler for his logo design for the event.

Hello 2nd  blog birthday. A year ago I kicked off my 52 in 52 project, began an apprenticeship and was ready to bake my butt off. And I did.

Year #2 saw the following accomplishments:

• Created 65 different cupcake recipes, up 71% from 2011;
• Published 53 cupcake recipes on the blog;
• Held a bakery apprenticeship at Sweet T’s Bakeshop;
• Hosted 5 guest bakers
• Delivered 11 special orders 
• Participated in 2012 Cupcake Smash;
• Wrote 128 posts for the blog, down 30% from 2011;
• Was named Cupcake Baker of the Week on Cupcake Takes the Cake
• Was a Geek of the Week on Geekadelphia;
• Presented for Girl Geek Dinner’s Fall Event.

I kicked some butt!

For 2013, I will continue on my baking journey, but plan on branching out and entering some new territories. I’ll be kicking off Breakfast Club this week–I’ll bring in pastries for the morning–and then once a month I want to do something like an “Iron Cupcake,” in which my taste testers give me an ingredient and I create a new cupcake recipe around that. Essentially, I need to be challenged. A lot.

So, to celebrate Cupcake Friday Project’s 2nd birthday, I baked the cupcake that started it all: Lemon limoncello. It seemed only appropriate to go back to the beginning. And even more appropriate was that it’s snowing this morning … just like it was in 2011.

And as always, thank all of you for reading along, sharing your comments, letting me know when you’re baking my recipes. I love sharing my baking with you, I love you sharing your baking with me. So, now, on to 2013!

Via the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, I made a donation to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer as part of the swap guidelines (so easy!) then got entered in to swap 3 dozen cookies with my fellow bakers. I’m still perfecting my recipe, but I think I have a good one and will be sharing with everyone in mid-December.

But better yet, OXO has announced that it will match the donation from the cookie swap dollar for dollar, up to $100,000. Talk about fantastic.

Now I have some suggestions for things you can do to help support Cookies for Kids’ Cancer:

• Donate!
• Send cookies as a gift. 100% of the net proceeds from your purchase will directly fund pediatric cancer research.
• Host a bake sale. This might be a little labor-intensive, but if you have the time and a group who could bake together, you could have the makings of a great sale to support Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.
• Participate in the Glad Mom Made Holiday Virtual Cookie Exchange. It’s cute, easy, and every virtual cookie sent results in a donation from Glad to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.