Easter cookies and cupcakes

 I'm not the best at cookies. Sometimes, I just don't have the patience. I don't know how those crazy cookie decorating people do it all of the time! Y'all are crazy! But I made these for Jason's co-worker.

Strawberry cupcakes/strawberry frosting

Lemon cupcakes/raspberry frosting

Lemon cupcakes/lemon frosting

Bake Sale!!

We are walking in Race for a Cure on May 7th, 2011...
And...
If you live in Richmond, VA...
Come by April 30th...
All proceeds to benefit a local breast health organization...

Passover White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake

Any holiday is a good holiday to bake. No cupcakes this time. Didn't really think Passover was the appropriate holiday for cupcakes. And every once in awhile, you need a change. So I made this cheesecake. And it was delicious! And it was so easy. And I forgot to take a picture of it whole, so you just get the leftovers! I apologize.

White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake

Bon Appétit, February 1994 

For the crust (from Gourmet, April 2008)

3/4 cup sliced blanched almonds, toasted and cooled  
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup matzo cake meal
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Filling
4 ounces imported white chocolate (such as Lindt), chopped
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 large eggs
3/4 cup fresh raspberries (I used strawberries) or frozen unsweetened, thawed, drained

Topping
1 8-ounce container sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2-pint baskets raspberries or one 1-pint basket strawberries
1/2 cup seedless raspberry (I used strawberry) jam

For the Crust
Preheat oven to 350F with rack in middle.
Pulse almonds, sugar, matzo cake meal, and salt in a food processor until finely ground.
Transfer to a bowl and stir in butter until combined well. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of springform pan. Bake until crust is firm and a shade darker, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan on a rack.

For Filling:
Melt white chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until smooth, stirring often. Remove from over water. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and peel in large bowl until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined. Beat in white chocolate.

Spoon half of batter into crust. Top with 3/4 cup berries. Spoon remaining batter over. Bake until edges of cake are set but center 3 inches still moves when cake is shaken, about 45 minutes. Cool 20 minutes. Maintain oven temperature. Using fingertips, press down gently on edges of cheesecake to flatten slightly.

For topping:
Whisk sour cream, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Spoon over cake, spreading to edge of pan. Bake 5 minutes. Transfer cake in pan to rack. Run small knife around sides of cake. Cool completely. Chill cake overnight.

Fold down foil along sides of pan. Lift cake pan off cheesecake. Transfer cheesecake to platter, discarding foil. Cover cake with berries. Bring jam to simmer in small saucepan, stirring often. Gently brush jam over berries. (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead; chill.)

WE ARE GOING TO THE FINAL FOUR!!!

So we have to play Kansas to get into the Final Four.

I love my team, but come on, it's Kansas. Half of the nation has Kansas to win the whole tournament.

I wasn't as nervous for this game. I really didn't think we stood a chance. I'll admit it.

But holy cow. We freaking CREAMED Kansas!

And we made them cry.

photo courtesy of redreporter.com

But he deserved it. This is what a call karma. He should have played nice instead of saying "The run ends here" to our point guard, Joey Rodriguez. I loved seeing Kansas cry.

So of course I made cupcakes to celebrate. Not too elaborate ones because I was busy getting ready for our road trip to Houston!

Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting and sprinkled with black and yellow sugar.

NOW WE ARE OFF TO HOUSTON!!

VCU heads to the Elite 8

So my alma mater, Virginia Commonwealth University, was not even supposed to make it into the NCAA Tournament but by luck, the selection committee selected them in for the play in spot.

Most people doubted us.

vs. USC 59-46
vs. Georgetown 74-56
vs. Purdue 94-76

So of course I made cupcakes to celebrate us making it into the Elite 8.

The cupcake was half chocolate (black), half vanilla (yellow) and the icing was half chocolate (black) and half vanilla (yellow).

I also made cookies. I bought these Martha Stewart alphabet cookie cutters awhile ago and I haven't really been able to use them!

AND WE WON!!! WE ARE GOING TO THE ELITE 8!!

vs. Florida State 72-71

Happy Birthday

It was my bosses' birthday so I made her pretty cupcakes for her birthday! They were vanilla and chocolate cupcakes with tinted vanilla frosting. Delish!