DKNY New Cupcake Fragrances

DKNY is launching three limited edition cupcake inspired fragrances.  Three fragrances in flavors of Pink Macaroon, Creamy Meringue, and Tark Key Lime comes packaged in pastel pink, yellow, and green apple-shaped covers.

The Pink Macaroon is a soft, feminine fragrance that is concocted in notes of almonds, rose marzipan, nectarine, kumquat, pomegranate, and fruity flavors.

The Creamy Meringue on the other hand, is a cupcake-inspired scent blending notes of soft lemon cream, bergamot, freesia, frangipani, and passionflower. 

Last but not the least; the Tark Key Lime is a refreshing fragrance that blends notes of orange zest, bergamot, lime, mandarin, citrus flavor, and neroli.

Inhalable Cupcakes and Desserts

Do you remember those electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) thingy?  E-cigarette, is an electrical device that simulates the act of tobacco smoking by producing an inhaled vapor bearing the physical sensation, appearance, and often the flavor and nicotine content of inhaled tobacco smoke, without its odor or, ostensibly, its health risks.  It was the talk of the town few years ago. 

My husband got an e-cigarette few years ago.  He played with it for a week, and now it has been peacefully sitting alone somewhere at our house (they were very pricey [about $100.00] when they first came out; therefore, I did give my hubby a hard time when he stopped playing with it).  I am not sure how useful it is to help those, who are trying to quit smoking.  But it surely got a lot of attention when this new invention first came out in the public. 

Diet company, Vaportrim took this new invention to the limit.  Vaportrim  now proudly presents a new diet product, inhalable desserts, including cupcake, strawberry shortcake, cinnamon bun, peach cobbler, milk chocolate, and even pina colada to assist people to lose weight!  WHAT?!  You hear me RIGHT!  INHALABLE DESSERTS!  

Here they explain how it works:

As you inhale flavor, you taste receptors send message to your brain.  Hormones are releasing and telling your body it's full.  Our sense of smell actually triggers feelings of fullness before our stomach does.  By enhancing smell and taste, you feel full faster causing you to eat less to lose weight.  (Note:  Video below is not from their official website)

I have not tried this new product yet, so I can't tell you if it works or it's just a gimmick.  If I come across one at a store (it seems that they only have it for sale on their official website now for about $10.00 each), I would definitely pick one up and tell you how it is.  One thing I can tell you though; I don't think it could fulfill the same satisfaction we got from biting a freshly baked cupcake (in my opinion at least).  So you want a "muffin top"or a inhalable muffin?  Your choice. 

Note:  I guess, in future, they will probably come up with more crazy products, such as inhalable oven baked turkey, buttery mashed potato, Chinese orange chicken, etc...LOL!

I want to hold you hand...

I still remember the first time I was holding hand with my husband.  It's been years ago, but the memory is still fresh like it just happened yesterday.  I always think that holding hand is more inmitate than kissing and perhaps other PDAs.  And I am not the only one said that, Dalton Conley, a professor and chairman of the department of sociology at New York University has agreed with me, “Hand-holding is the one aspect that’s not been affected by the sexual revolution,” said  “It’s less about sex than about a public demonstration about coupledom.”

Hand-holding is a very speical and innocent moment between couples -

To hold someone’s hand is to offer them affection, protection or comfort. It is a way to communicate that you are off the market. Practically speaking, it is an efficient way to squeeze through a crowd without losing your partner. People do it during vigils, marches, weddings and funerals.
(source from the New York Times, Oct 5, 2006 issue)

And different ways of holding your parterner has special meaning too, if you are interested to de-code the meaning, click here.

There are so many ways to show your partner your love and care, of course, holding hand is one of them.  Writing them a letter/card, flying her a paper airplane to tell that person you miss him/her, or stuffing a special note in a fortune cookie to suprise her/him...

Here is a little fun project inpsired by LOVE:

Signed, sealed, delivered, I am yours...

Trying to get as detail as possible, this is the back of the envelope.

Show her your love on a "sweet" candy way (these heart shaped candies are made with fondant)

Or surprise her when she crack the fortune cookie=)

 Or drop her a love note in the classroom

And for those, who could not be with your love this year -
Do you wish the paper airplane could go straight to the one you love and show her how much you miss her?!

A cupcake tower full of love and flavor -
Horchata cupcakes with horchata cinnamon frosting and topped with churro

"Oh, if it be to choose and call thee mine,
love, thou art every day my Valentine!"
-Thomas Hood









Random Found - Cupcake Pebbles

Found this sor-of "new" (it might not be new anymore, since I saw some of the sources are from last year) product from American favorite breakfast cereal's brand, Post, Cupcake Pebbles it is!  I have not tried this so call new product yet and don't think I will have chance to try it (read below and you will find out why).  I found a review on this product.  If you are interested in what they taste like, click here.

Unfortunately, according to some sources I read online, this product has been discontinued because consumers were complaing about having too many pebbles in the cupcakes. This unfortunately caused many liability claims related to dental health.  <---Interesting!

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Finally, I had time to upload some pictures I took over the weekend last night.  Last weekend, Mr. G's parents were having an early birthday party for his dad.  They didn't ask for any gift from us, I decided making some cupcakes as a birthday present for my father-in-law.  These cupcakes were inspired by my Fall/Winter favorite drink - hot apple cider with whipped cream and caramel on top. 

My mother-in-law knew that I was busy, so she just asked me to create one special cupcake topper for her husband.  She asked me to make Ginger, their dog and also my father-in-law's best friend as a topper for him.  So I made a 2-D/3-D Ginger holding a piece of birthday cake.  Ginger came out so cute and the family was so happy to see her on the cupcake.

The cupcakes were a big hit!  Mr. G even asked me just to make a dozen for him.  He said this is the best cupcakes I ever made; it reminded him of caramel apple but on a cupcake.  I am sure I am going to make these cupcakes real soon.

PS.  My sister's baby decided to come out earlier.  Baby MacRay was born this morning at 8.  He weights about 7 pounds and 2 oz.  Both my sister and the baby are doing great.  My parents are so excited to welcome their first grandson.  I could not wait to greet my little nephew this weekend.

Frosting and Cupcake (Part I)

Last time we talked about our Top 10 cupcakes in America.  This time I am going to share some tips with you of how we choose the right frosting to go with your favorite cupcakes. 

• Vanilla cupcake is a very classic flavor.  And this flavor can almost pair up with any flavors of frosting.  If you like very light frosting, I suggest you to pair with our classic white chocolate frosting or home-made whipped cream.  If you like fresh fruit, our classic strawberry buttercream will be a great choice.  If you like chocolate (who doesn't?!), pair it with our classic chocolate buttercream or hazelnut buttercream. 

• Pumpin cupcake is a seasonal cupcake for Fall and Winter.  It's great pair with classic cream cheese frosting.

• Banana cupcake pair with banana frosting is always a great choice.  Banana flavor also goes well with fresh fruit icing, such as strawberry, raspberry or any other berry-flavored icing. Also, any type of chocolate frosting will be a great match with this cupcake also, but if you're in the mood for something really different and light, try adding a dollop of whipped cream. It's simple and delicious!

• Coffee is featured prominently in desserts because it goes well with just about anything that tastes sweet. Therefore, there are a myriad of possible frosting options for coffee cupcakes. Chocolate, vanilla, butterscotch, almond, raspberry -- really, any flavor that might go with a cup of joe is a possible contender for the cake or icing part of your cupcake.

• Chocolate is another popular and classic flavor at our Cupcakery!  If you are choco-holic, top with a heavy dark chocolate frosting.  If you like chocolate, but would like something lighter on top, go with our classic white chocolate.  If you like fresh fruit, rasberry or strawberry frostings will be another great choice. 

• Lemon cupcakes typically pair up with sweet but slightly tangy yellow frosting. Last time I made a lemon flavored frosting with a candied orange on top and it was a great hit!  If the combination of lemon cake and lemon frosting is too tart for your taste, ask for an unfrosted cupcake with just a light dusting of powdered sugar for a subtle dose of extra sweetness.

"The Top 10 Most Popular Cupcakes"

When I first came up with our classic flavor for my cupcakery, I was just casually thinking of some flavors I or my family like.  After I got my classic flavor set, I was curious to find out if those are the flavors most Americans like as well?! So I went on the internet and did a little bits of research, and saw a list of "10 Most Popular Cupcake Flavors - and Why?" on TLC website, and...BINGO!  I got most of them right!!!


(Note:  If you don't see your favorite flavors on our Classic Flavors List, please don't stress or worry.  Contact us and tell us what's your favorites are; we will make the flavors just for you.)

Vanilla cupcake by C for Cupcake Cupcakery

10. Vanilla - Chances are you've had a vanilla cupcake at one time or another. As you probably already know, vanilla is one of the most common flavors found in candies, pastries and various sweet treats. In fact, like chocolate, the taste of vanilla typifies sweet desserts and confections for many of us, so it's not surprising that these cupcakes are so popular and easy to find.

Seasonal Pumpkin Cupcake by C for Cupcake Cupcakery

9. Pumpkin - Pumpkin-flavored foods are extremely popular during the fall and winter months. The pleasant taste of these large orange fruits appears in everything from pie to beer, so it should come as no surprise that pumpkin cupcakes are all the rage leading up to Halloween and throughout the holidays. Although they're typically available for just a few months out of the year, pumpkin cupcakes are extremely popular. It's not unusual to find them at parties, grocery stores, bakeries or even on restaurant dessert menus.

Roasted Banana Cupcake by C for Cupcake Cupcakery

8. Banana - There's something comforting and nostalgic about a steaming loaf of banana bread. Banana cupcakes taste a lot like banana bread -- only you probably won't be eating one for breakfast. These surprisingly popular desserts are more common than you might think, and like their pumpkin-flavored cousins, they go well with a variety of toppings and icings.


7. Coffee - Coffee-flavored cupcakes may sound bizarre to some people, but they make perfect sense when you think about it. After all, there's coffee cake (though typically sans icing), ice cream, candy -- even tiramisu contains a distinctive coffee taste. Coffee made the jump from a pick-me-up drink in the morning to a popular dessert staple a long time ago, so don't be surprised if you see coffee cupcakes sharing shelf space with their chocolate and vanilla counterparts at your local supermarket or bakery.

Devil Chocolate Cupcake (Vegetarian Cake) by C for Cupcake Cupcakery

6. Chocolate - Let's face it, just about everyone loves chocolate. And no wonder -- many of the compounds contained in chocolate cause receptors in the brain to chemically induce feelings of pleasure (Read more about this in Can chocolate give me a happy high?). Chocolate is eaten by people all over the world, and for many of us, dessert and sweet treats are synonymous with the flavor.

Lemon Zest Cupcake by C for Cupcake Cupcakery 

5. Lemon - Biting into a lemon cupcake isn't anything like sinking your teeth into an actual lemon. Although there will be a definite bit of tartness with the cupcake -- the amount of which is determined by the recipe -- the overriding sensation should be sweet. In fact, that's what makes this variety so popular. People who like a little sour with their sweet have found an answer to their dessert dilemma after years of passing upchocolate and red velvet cupcakes. Lemon cupcakes have really gained popularity in recent years, and you'd be hard-pressed to walk into a specialty cupcake store and not find one.


4. Peanut Butter - When you think of peanut butter, cupcakes probably aren't the first thing that comes to your mind. However, peanut butter cupcakes have become quite popular in recent years, and, like many of the other cakes featured in this article, they aren't too sweet, which makes them extremely versatile and likeable.


3. Carrot Cake - Carrots have been a principal ingredient in European sweet cakes since the Middle Ages. The reason for this is simple: Carrots have more sugar than just about any other vegetable [source: Davidson]. Even if you have an aversion to carrots, you'll probably still like carrot cake cupcakes. 

Red Velvet Cupcake by C for Cupcake Cupcakery

2. Red Velvet - Like carrot cake cupcakes, red velvet cupcakes are big treats in miniature form. Instead of ordering an entire red velvet cake, why not choose a portion-controlled red velvet cupcake, which you can eat in about five or six big bites? This variety is moderately decadent and easier on both the wallet and the waistline than a full-sized cake, a fact that has helped red velvet cupcakes become virtually synonymous with the modern cupcake movement. It's a trendy, grown-up flavor in a kid-sized form that appeals to sweet-lovers of all ages. In fact, red velvet cupcakes often outsell all other flavors, including such traditional favorites as chocolate and vanilla, in some specialty cupcake stores [source: cupcake].

Marble Cupcake by C for Cupcake Cupcakery

1. Chocolate and Vanilla - Forget the fads -- chocolate and vanilla cupcakes are timeless. These scrumptious desserts combine the two most essential sweet tastes into an unbeatable concoction that's always in style. You can find chocolate and vanilla cupcakes everywhere from the trendiest cupcake shops to elementary school cafeterias.

We are going to find out what icings or frostings should pair with our Top 10 Cupcakes!  

Stay tuned for more "sweet" information!