My coworker Heather is expecting her second baby and she finally found out the gender last night! Instead of just telling all of our coworkers, we decided to do a cupcake reveal, similar to what I did the last time she was pregnant.

Instead of making a cream filling, I decided just to dye half of the batter in red or blue and cover the top with white batter. They would be baked in my silicone liners so you couldn’t tell the color until you peel off the liner.

Yellow “gender neutral” frosting on top

This recipe was slightly altered by replacing the butter with chia gel and coconut oil for healthy/less fat. The frosting is basic vanilla buttercream.

I sadly realized that I had forgotten to take any photos of these cupcakes just as the last one was eaten! But that also serves testimony to how good they were and how quickly they got gobbled up!

I’ve never made carrot cake before, but considering yesterday was Easter, I thought the flavor to be appropriate. These gluten-free cupcakes were the least gluten-free-tasting cupcakes I have made to date, and were enjoyed by all! They also happen to be lower in fat, with half of the oil replaced by chia gel. Here are my altered nut-free recipes:

Ever wonder how to make a vegan pie? Make the crust with coconut oil! It is surprisingly simple and works much the same as butter or shortening. Here is the recipe I used:

Now that the Girl Scout cookie contest is done and over, I’m left still with a few boxes of cookies. What to do? Make more treats! I decided to try lemon bars with the Savannah Smiles cookies but didn’t have any lemons and lazily didn’t want to go to the store. So I thawed some frozen strawberries instead and created my own recipe!

While this post has nothing to do with cupcakes and baking, I recently found this juice/cleanse which are very new. There’s not a whole lot of information out there so I thought I’d publish my experience for anyone who is interested.

I originally heard about Suja on Facebook; just a post in passing on my wall, but I decided to Google it. What intrigued me to actually try it is that it’s packed with super healthy fruits and veggies, and you’re consuming plenty of [different] juices throughout the day. It’s packed with nutrients to keep you going, unlike the Master Cleanse which has never interested me. Anyway, I’m not an expert on the matter but there is plenty of information on their website and I just wanted to share my overall experience!

Day 1: I woke up feeling a little leery about th...

Last night, I baked my delightful strawberry cupcakes to give to my coworkers. I figured that flavor was appropriate since it naturally dyes the cakes and frosting pink. It’s been so long since I’ve made cupcakes, but I’m proud to say… I still got it.

Heart-shaped boxes for my coworkers. What’s in the box?

Cupcakes of course!

When fishing for ideas for my Girl Scout cookies, someone suggested making grasshopper pie. What a great way to incorporate Thin Mint cookies, and super easy. I had to do it!

I created the crust recipe on my own and decided to add instant pudding for the middle. Unfortunately, and I’m not sure if it’s because I used almond milk, the pudding is quite runny when chilled or at room temperature, so I stuck it in the freezer. It turns out, I’ve created an ice cream sandwich-esque minty treat!

This weekend, I took on an old recipe that I had created last year and tweaked it a bit to make it even better. These minty snacks are a play on the classic Chex® Muddy Buddies but with a minty flare. This recipe is a potential entry into the Girl Scout cookie recipe contest.

This website is still baking in the oven, check back soon!

I can’t remember how this brilliant idea came to me, but when I put two and two together (coconut shrimp + there are coconut shreds in Samoa cookies) I knew it would be perfect! This recipe is for the 2013 Girl Scout cookie recipe contest!

This sweet and salty snack makes a great appetizer and is a slight twist on the classic coconut shrimp. You get a little extra sweetness with the caramel and a hint of chocolate in the flavor.

I started out with just a sample size of 7 shrimp, but it’s plenty for two people! This recipe can certainly be doubled or tripled as desired.