Archive for 'Cakes + Cupcakes'
We were excited when Amber Shader Photography and Dougherty Photo Designs teamed up to create Flirt XoXo! We were even more excited when they asked if LG would participate by providing a dessert bar and dessert bar styling for the event. With one days prep time, we don’t think it turned out half bad!
As much as we loved instagramming our dessert bar that day, we had the Ultimate Girls Day Out by teaming up with Gloss Salon, Nicole J Boutique, and Kelly Hockenberry of Stella & Dot. We learned a sock bun demo from Bethany at Gloss, shopped the racks of Nicole J, and tried and purchased fabulous pieces from Kelly of Stella & Dot. It was so much watching the girls style the guests for facebook profile pictures… who doesnt love trying on clothes and donning stunning pieces of jewelry? I did a lot of mingling and chatting amongst guests, but my favorite guest of all was Lauren Ashley Golt of the Social Stylate (and contributor to LovelyGirls Events blog posts from time-to-time!). When things started winding down we were able to sit around and enjoy glasses of champagne and bask in chatter… all in all, a succesful event for the participants of Flirt XoXo!
Enjoy the photos of the dessert bar from LovelyGirls Events as seen through the lens of Amber Shader Photography!
Nicole of LG, Kelly of Stella&Dot, Nicole from Nicole J Boutique, and Bethany from Gloss Salon
You can find out more about Flirt XoXo http://flirtxoxo.com/about/!
There seems to be a consensus among many event planners that the color mint will be a huge trend in weddings next year (im not quite sure if you have seen us start using it in our branding!). With the increase of vintage touches to weddings, mint would be a natural fit. It’s a cool color that works well various types of weddings from country to modern. Mint green colors mix well with several other trendy wedding colors such as poppy, lemon yellow, and blush. For a glamorous look, pair with gold or for a more casual look, pair it with beige.
Have fun searching out vintage mint colored photo props, accent dishes and cake plates. Feeling crafty? Make your own mint inspired wedding décor. In regards to flowers, expect to see succulents and dusty millers added to bouquets, boutonnieres and table arrangements.
Mint also is a refreshing color to work into desserts and signature drinks. Can you picture beautiful mint color macaroons and iced cakes? We can and we love it!
With dessert and weddings on the brain, and their always on the brain, we were intrigued by the latest wedding trend: bars – dessert bars, popcorn bars, doughnut bars, cookie bars, sundae bars, smores bars, waffle bars, and cigar bars (had to throw one in there for the boys!). These options are endless and the list goes on. What makes this concept so perfect? More is always better when it comes to treats. Check out some of our favorite “bar” ideas.For a spring or summer wedding, consider a sundae and ice cream bar. Make your own sundae bars are perfect for these warmer months shindigs. Think about the amazing (and affordable) selection you could provide – sprinkles, cherries, whipped cream, ooey goeey marshmallow sauce, cookies (think ice cream sandwiches!), and any thing you could imagine on an ice cream sundae. For a refreshing and lighter choice, offer a few flavored sorbets as well. If you’re big day is during a spring month, integrate some of the seasons best fruits. Read the rest of this entry …
Ever since I caught wind that Pike Creek Coffee was going to be serving up macaroon deliciousness from the MacarOn Cafe in NYC, I could not get there fast enough! Well, it took me about a month, but I figured what better gift to one of my besties (who has a hobby for desserts and pastries, especially of the Parisian sorts) for her 30th birthday than these delectables. Of course I dabbled in the “one for you, one for me”, but hey, I needed some material to back up my blog post. Wow, were they amazing or what? So amazing! And yummy, and everything I wished for them to be. I decided to choose six different flavors (for each of us) - salted caramel, pistachio, honey lavender, raspberry, pumpkin cinnamon, and lemon. The barista at Pike Creek Coffee wrapped them up so daintily in their box, and I felt like I was staring at a rainbow of deliciousness. Read the rest of this entry …
Disclaimer: There is a soft spot in my heart for Sweet and Saucy cakes. Please be prepared for inspiration overload!
For a refreshingly unique (and often less expensive) way to end yourreception’s dinner, couples are moving away from the traditional tiered weddingcake. Instead, they opt for a more distinctive style: several smaller cakes, anassortment of homemade pies, and cupcakes to create a bite-size dessert buffet. While a larger cake has its appeal (grand design, picturesque, verytall, more to eat), this contemporary approach certainly has its advantages. 
Multiple dessert options allow you to satisfy many sweet-tooth levels.Believe it or not, some guests do not actually like dessert (gasp!), but forthose who do, what’s better than multiple options? If you choose a cake or pie buffet, it will encourage your guests to mingle as they fill theirplates (and mouths) with a bit of deliciousness. Check out inspiration from Sweet and Saucy Shop (by far one of my favorite cake designers for inspiration) and of course a few more from around the world wide web. These cakes are lathered with cream cheese or buttercream and adorned with over sized beautiful blooms such as peonies and dahlias. These cakes could easily be made at home (transportation is on your own!) with the floral picked up at either your local floral shop, grocer, or wholesale shop. Include blooms from your bouquet to keep things cohesive.
In broadening your dessert horizon, you can also incorporate yourwedding colors or theme into your dessert. Are you looking to create a gardenexperience? Adorn your cakes with an array of flowers and garden creatures(think butterflies or over sized peonies!). Think your cupcakes are missing something? Add yourinitials in icing. The options are endless and there is so much room forcreativity. Want to involve your family and help keep costs down? Ask close family members to bake theirfavorite pie for the wedding. Incorporate the rustic atmosphere of the season with multiple flavored pies (likeseasonally appropriate favorites such as pumpkin and apple in the fall, and cherry and strawberry rhubarb in the summer). 
Like what you see? Then head on over to Pinterest and check out our Cake board… and of course there are about twenty-seven others. Trust me, we spent hours being inspired and clogging up our followers feeds!
Also, we would like to introduce one our newest bloggers Lauren to the mix… and how appropriate that her initials just happen to be “LG”. Coincidental, or was it?
Disclaimer: There is a soft spot in my heart for Sweet and Saucy cakes. Please be prepared for inspiration overload!
For a refreshingly unique (and often less expensive) way to end your reception’s dinner, couples are moving away from the traditional tiered wedding cake. Instead, they opt for a more distinctive style: several smaller cakes, an assortment of homemade pies, and cupcakes to create a bite-size dessert buffet. While a larger cake has its appeal (grand design, picturesque, very tall, more to eat), this contemporary approach certainly has its advantages.
Multiple dessert options allow you to satisfy many sweet-tooth levels. Believe it or not, some guests do not actually like dessert (gasp!), but for those who do, what’s better than multiple options? If you choose a cake or pie buffet, it will encourage your guests to mingle as they fill their plates (and mouths) with a bit of deliciousness. Check out inspiration from Sweet and Saucy Shop (by far one of my favorite cake designers for inspiration) and of course a few more from around the world wide web. These cakes are lathered with cream cheese or buttercream and adorned with over sized beautiful blooms such as peonies and dahlias. These cakes could easily be made at home (transportation is on your own!) with the floral picked up at either your local floral shop, grocer, or wholesale shop. Include blooms from your bouquet to keep things cohesive.
In broadening your dessert horizon, you can also incorporate your wedding colors or theme into your dessert. Are you looking to create a garden experience? Adorn your cakes with an array of flowers and garden creatures (think butterflies or over sized peonies!). Think your cupcakes are missing something? Add your initials in icing. The options are endless and there is so much room for creativity. Want to involve your family and help keep costs down? Ask close family members to bake their favorite pie for the wedding. Incorporate the rustic atmosphere of the season with multiple flavored pies (like seasonally appropriate favorites such as pumpkin and apple in the fall, and cherry and strawberry rhubarb in the summer). Like what you see? Then head on over to Pinterest and check out our Cake board… and of course there are about twenty-seven others. Trust me, we spent hours being inspired and clogging up our followers feeds!
Also, we would like to introduce one our newest bloggers Lauren to the mix… and how appropriate that her initials just happen to be “LG”. Coincidental, or was it?
This weekend LovelyGirls was wedding-free, so we had the opportunity to set up a client meeting for a bride and groom from Columbia, MD down in the first states’, first town – Lewes Beach! Even though Delawares beach traffic is something to be reckoned with on the weekends, let alone a Saturday, I decided to make a day out of it and have my family join me and take in what the small beach town of Lewes had to offer. I am so glad we did. As they say, if there is no risk, there is no reward!After I dropped off my family off to the nearest beach, lathered them up in sunscreen, and helped them unload all of their beach neccessities, I headed on my way to do a little sightseeing on my own before the meeting began at one of the towns newest bakeries (and bistro), CakeBAR! First of all… what a great little town full of amazing antique shops, boutique hotels, and eateries such as Agave, Buttery, and Kindle.
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Yes, that is me taking the pictures in the reflection! – I can be adorbs  |
I finally stumbled upon CakeBAR after parking a few blocks away in a public parking lot, and I definitely was in LIKE at first sight! What a cute little place, that doubles as a bistro around the lunch crowd hits. As you walk in you are first met with cases filled with all sorts of confections… cakes, cookies, macaroons, pastries, and cupcakes. There are pink walls, black chandeliers, and cakes displayed on the walls; All tactfully done… not too girly where a gentleman would not feel comfortable upon arrival. But wait there is more, once you walk past the cases and the lovely staff, there is whole another room with a bar for cocktails and table for lunch and dinner with a full menu! There is even a window into the bakery so you can watch the staff hard at work bringing you fresh pastries and treats.
“Come for dessert, and stay for dinner” is definitely a motto that they have adopted and has held true with the guests. A little behind the scene info for Cake Bar is that it is owned by the same husband and wife duo behind award-winning SugarBakers Cakes (another 2011 Knot Best-of) out of Catonsville, MD.
Honestly, the employees must have thought I was a little crazy when I just started snapping shots of the cute little shop with my iPhone (sorry about that!), but I just could not get enough and I definitely had to share with our readers. Once my meeting was complete (good one at that!) I definitely stopped by the cases and picked a treat bag of raspberry macaroons. Now, I have never had a macaroon. I have always enjoyed the sight of macaroon cakes on blogs and the displays of macaroons on dessert bars, but I have never actually seen one, touched one, or tasted one, so I was super excited to finally get my teeny fingers on one of these delectable treats. I am so happy I did…. how amazing are they???? AMAZING! I really cannot wait until my next trip down to the Delaware beaches so that I can make it a regular on my things-to-do while at th beach!So, I am on a need-to-know basis, and I need to know… do any of the northern bakeries in Delaware carry these fancy, dandy macaroon treats? I think I want some for my 30th Birthday! I have never come across any, but I haven’t looked very far either.
nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington
I see these cute cake pops all over great blogs such as Amy Atlas, Bakerella, and a personal favorite, Couture Parties by Stephanie Grimm, and trust me many, many more… but when Stephanie shared her cake pop recipe and then asked her readers to share their attempts, I decided “why not?”. I had a little extra time on my hands this past weekend (who are we kidding?) and a fondue pot in the attic that was getting a little dusty. I thought that this would make for a great day activity with the kids, and by day, yes we mean all day! It was great because the kids are able to participate in little spurts, so when they get bored they run off to play, and then join in the for the next step when called upon. Alright ladies, and gents… pull up you your sleeves because you are about to get dirty! I decided to keep it simple and not attempt any characters or cute themes. I am a firm believer at getting the basics down… and now, I’m ready to make these little “suckers” for a baby shower or bridal shower! I did however, do things a little differently than the instructions that Stephanie had given, but I will advise you of what I did differently as we go through the instructions.
I went to my local Target to make most of my purchases because the prices there are lower than my local grocer. Then I went around the shopping center to Michaels Craft Store and purchased the remaining items on my list. These items were as follows:
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1 Box of Cake Mix (any flavor) -
3/4 of a tub of frosting
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13 x 9 baking pan
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Parchment Paper
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Lollipop Sticks
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Cake Melts
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Mini Ice Cream Scoop
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2 Bowls
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Cookie Sheet
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Spoon
Instructions:
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Bake cake according to box instructions. Cool completely. Crumble completely into a bowl.Not going to fib, we stuck our cake outside to cool completely because it was 40 degrees outside and it kept me from having to rearrage my refrigerator. I also think it sped up the process a little bit! We also suggest doing the cake crumbling over the sink, but that also might be because we had the kids participate in this step.
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Mix in 3/4 of a tub of frosting thoroughly. Yes, this means wash your hands, pull up your sleeves, and get your hands dirty
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Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using small ice creap scoop, scoop cake mixture. Use hands to form balls. Place onto sheet. Continue to roll balls until mixture is gone. About 45 balls from one box. Who are we kidding… ice cream scoop? Just put your hands in there. We suggest rolling them no bigger than the size of a blow pop.
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Chill in refrigerator for a few hours, or you can place them in the freezer for about 20 minutes, but do not forget about them! We definitely went the freezer route and set the timer on the stove. Perfection!
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In a deep bowl, melt candy melts in microwave according to bag instructions. Remove balls from refrigerator. Insert lollipop sticks into melted candy. Insert lollipop sticks into cake ball, making sure not to push all the way through. Okay, so we cannot confirm or deny the candy melts because we decided to bust out the good ‘ole fondue pot and melt white chocolate for this step. Please make sure that if you are melting chocolate to add a teaspoon of vegetable oil and to stir constantly. This is an important step… we know! We burnt a couple batches of chocolate in the process. Oops!
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Once all of the balls have sticks inserted, place them back in refrigerator for 15 minutes, or freezer for 5minutes.
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Re-melt chocolate. Remove cake pops from refrigerator and dip the cake pops in the candy melts/chocolate. Use a spoon to cover the entire pop, gently tapping off excess. Place back onto cookie sheet (if you would like to add sprinkles, this would be the time to do that before the melted chocolate hardens).
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Place back into refrigerator for 15 minutes to harden.
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If you would like to add a second color to your pops, you can place melted chocolate/candy melt in a zip lock bag, cut a very tiny hole, and then pipe onto harden cake pops
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Enjoy your finished product, and of course the images of ours below!
Thanks again Stephanie for the instructions, and we hope we did not dissapoint! The kids surely loved them If you are looking for a little more direction… check out this video by Bakerella!
If you are looking for a little more direction… check out this video by Bakerella!nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington
How cute are these conversation heart style cupcakes by Cupcake Kaboom? The MARRY ME cupcakes are perfect for the non-traditional groom-to-be who is looking to pop the question this Valentines Day, but just is not quite sure how to get down on one knee! You can ask her with 1, 2, or 4 cupcakes and starting at $3 a cupcake or $28/dozen dozen, we feel that is a steal (of course you will be stealing her heart too!).We love the BE MINE cupcakes and the UR TO GOOD 4 HIM are a very tight 3rd! We have a few friends we would love to gift those too (whose men are undeserving of their awesomeness)!
We included a few more mouth watering images just to entice you along with their extensive flavor list! Contact Nikki at 302.293.2728 or at nikki@cupcakekaboom.com! You can also ”Like” Cupcake Kaboom! on Facebook.
We included a few more mouth watering images just to entice you along with their extensive flavor list! Contact Nikki at 302.293.2728 or at nikki@cupcakekaboom.com! You can also ”Like” Cupcake Kaboom! on Facebook.
Cupcake Flavors Vanilla
Oatmeal Raisin
Buttermilk
Boston Crème Pie
Brown Sugar Pound Cake
Lemon
Marble
Snickerdoodle
Oreo
Black Forest
Chocolate Fudge
Strawberry
Chocolate Brownie
Orange Dreamcicle
Devil’s Food
KoolAid (any flavor)
Soda (any flavor)
Chocolate Chip
Carrot
Movie Theater Popcorn
Coconut
Sundae Funday
Red Velvet (also in Green or Blue)
Bubblegum
Tiramisu
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Peanut Butter
Pumpkin (in season)
Banana Split
S’mores
Breakfast Cupcakes
Blueberry
Mocha
Applesauce Spice
Streusel
Banana
Bacon
Cheesecake Cupcakes
(Any) Fruit Cheesecake
Cookies and Cream
Snickers
Pumpkin
Vanilla Bean
Peanut Butter
Filling
Peanut Butter
Jelly
Cookies and Cream
Chocolate Mousse
Mint
Vanilla
Fruit Filling
Pudding
French Crème
Icing
Royal
Fluffy White
French Vanilla
Buttercreme (any flavor)
Cream Cheese
Meringue
Chocolate Fudge
Ganache
Peanut Butter
Wow… could these two be any more identical in style? I am not even sure which came first… the design of this Marchesa Spring ’11 gown that just debut during the NYC bridal market last weekend, or this fabulous large white garden rose Sweet & Saucy cake in which we have kept filed away for inspiration in one of our picture folders for the past few weeks? Either way, they are both to swoon over!
nicole brennan . 302.545.0412 . nicole@lovelygirlsevents.com . wilmington
