Dark and white chocolate wings with chocolate-covered almond centers make cute little butterflies

There’s nothing I enjoy more than making cupcakes!  I look for any special (or not) occasion to make and eat them. I think it is the pretty little package that they come in that is so appealing to all of my senses-they are just too cute and delicious! I have been baking cupcakes since I was a little girl, getting more adventurous with my flavors and decorations.  I have tried many recipes and styles and have come to this conclusion: When making cupcakes, it is essential to keep things simple!  What this means is having a clear flavor profile.  There’s nothing worse than biting into one of those cupcakes that have 7 ingredients in the title (like a spiced chocolate bourbon and brown butter cake with pecan fudge filling), only to find that while they sound absolutely delicious, they are lacking in a cohesion and most of the flavors end up getting lost.My philosophy is that if you use fresh ingredients and think about how a couple flavors pair together, you can create something magical!

Chocolate truffles rolled in cookies and cream sprinkles make the perfect spiders!

Decorations, on the other hand do not need to be simple!   As an artist and a baker, the cupcake is the perfect medium for me to work in because not only do I get to bake them, but I also get to make them look beautiful. The only requirement I have of how to decorate a cupcake is that it be something that looks beautiful and indicates what kind of flavors you are ready to enjoy.  Let your imagination go wild with the decorating and your recipes remain fresh and simple!

Double chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting and milk chocolate flower

DECORATIG TOOLS I ALWAYS HAVE IN MY CABINETS: *Cupcake liners, usually white in all sizes-Jumbo, regular, mini *Sprinkles-all types and colors *White non-parials *Decorating tips and piping bags *Milk and dark chocolate and white chocolate melting disks (You can get these at any craft store and they melt better than chocolate chips because they do not have the stabilizers in them that chips often have) *Gel food coloring