rose cake and salted caramel cupcakes...kinda. and stuff

First attempt at a rose cake. Next time I'll make a heavier frosting so the  roses will hold better. 

Hello! Anybody still here?

So I got into a blog reading mood this morning and signed onto my blog for the first time in a while--I hadn't updated in A YEAR according to the last post date I saw.

That's crazy.

This time last year I had a lot going on (traveling, moving, holidays) so I stopped posting with all intentions to resume blogging in the new year.

Well, the new year came and it didn't happen. Up until February 2012 I kept telling  myself that I would do it the next week...and then the next week. But, it didn't happen. I essentially just stopped baking for the year.

Yea.

Wish I could tell you that I was off doing fabulous things with my time, but I wasn't. Things have been normal and uneventful for me. Working, hanging out, taking little trips here and there and just trying to enjoy my life is all I've been up to. Like this trip with some of my girlfriends to Cape May, NJ in April 2012.
                     

Cape May Getaway <3 br="">

The only big thing this year is that I, of course, got a year older. I turned 26 on September 26, 2012 so it was my Golden Birthday!

My BFFs came to visit me in DC for the weekend and it was a blast. I was celebrated pretty well. :)

 

What else?

Umm, I was Miss Cleo for Halloween! LOL. My Sammie was a Smurf. :O)

                                           

That's pretty much all the updates. I have nothing else to add. :/

That rose cake pictured above is the only major thing I baked this year besides these salted caramel cupcakes that I baked for my birthday.

                         

Yummmm! Salted Caramel Cupcakes

The rose cake was for Sammie's birthday party last night. I baked her a chocolate peanut butter cake and it was pretty tasty.
                               

     

Well, this is the end of my quick update and hello. I'm going to commit to updating my beloved Sinful Sundays on a more frequent basis. I've missed chatting and talking to you all as well, so I'm excited to start "hanging out" again!

 'Til next time. Ciao! :))

Halloweenie Cupcakes

I grew up in a very Catholic and Haitian household, so Halloween was never celebrated much.

We didn't go trick or treating, never bobbed for apples, didn't carve pumpkins, and only got costumes because Halloween coincided with our Christian schools Harvest Festival where you had to dress up as a character from a storybook.

Other than that? Nothing.

The batter is incredibly moist and rich.

I didn't really start celebrating Halloween and dressing up until I got to college.

It took me a while to get  into the swing of things, but I'm fully engaged now.

I've been wanting to try out a chocolate cupcake recipe that I've seen going around. It's heralded as "The BEST Chocolate Cake" and I got the recipe off of Kevin and Amanda's Blog .

I made the cakes for my friend's Halloween party, and while I thought the cakes were good but "regular", everyone else thought they were delicious. People kept commenting, so perhaps I was too hard on them?

I made them X-Large... =D

I dunno.

I suppose I expected some crazy deliciousness that made made feel as if a miracle just happened, but I didn't.

That's a lot to ask for out of a cupcake, right?

I really liked the frosting!

I'm crazy.

Anyways, the icing I used was this one. I actually liked it a lot. It was like a whipped cream consistency, but thicker.

It was uber good.

I did a sucky job decorating them. I know. I was too tired to think, so I smeared frosting on them and then threw on random sprinkles.

It was actually kind of fun.

Yea.

So, Happy Halloween!

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe--CLICK HERE!
Frosting Recipe--CLICK HERE!

Chinese and Cupcakes

Sundays are my favorite day of the week. There's always something about that day which leaves me feeling happy and safe, and lets me know that all is right in the world. Whether the sun is shining brightly outside, or the heavens are pouring down rain, I am always happy on Sundays.

When I was younger, while other children were wishing and hoping for Saturday to come so they could watch the morning cartoons, I was secretly waiting for Sunday to approach so I could revel in its serenity.

I love Sundays.

I also love food.

A lot.

So, on most days Sundays, I eat really good food. Always.

It doesn’t have to be at a restaurant or anything because I love to cook as well. I cook more than I eat out (now) which is huge for me.

I recently moved to Washington, DC which means on this particular Sunday I couldn’t cook since I was missing a kitchen few things. I move into my new place next week, so until then I eat what I find out in the city.

My eatery of the day (not by choice) was PF Changs. I am NOT a fan of overpriced Chinese food. I believe that Chinese should be cheap, preferably in the $4-8.50 range, and come in white cartons with aluminum handles to carry them in.

PF Changs does not believe in the same ideal as me.

It’s cool.

My older brother on the other hand? He is all over that place. That is why I happened to have dinner there this Sunday. I was annoyed and convinced myself that there wasn’t anything on the menu that I remotely wanted, so I didn’t order anything. Bad idea.

As the Lemon Pepper Shrimp and Lettuce Wraps that my brother ordered were coming out, even I couldn’t deny how good the food looked and smelled. As my mouth watered, my brother graciously shared his entire meal with me and I have to say…it was pretty freaking good.

The lettuce wraps were okay, but the Lemon Pepper Shrimp was delicious! It was seasoned just right and all of the flavors went well together. I actually enjoyed it and silently yelled at myself for being such a brat.

HOWEVER, although I liked it I can pretty much guarantee that I won’t ever go to PF Changs voluntarily. Someone would probably have to take me there and urge me to try something. Until then I’ll get my Chinese food fix from the local Yum-Yum Chow's that litter urban cities. :)

I also went to the Fresh Bakery to get some cupcakes. They were aight. Mine are better. yea.
I DID NOT EAT ALL OF THESE MYSELF. I LET MY BROTHER TAKE A BITE OUT OF EACH ONE. ;)