A mouthful of happy!

Have I told you how obsessed I am with cupcakes? They are quite possibly the perfect dessert. You can dress them up or dress them down. You can accessorize them and make them shiny and sparkly or they can be understated. They can have a rich gooey center, a swirly butter-cream topping, serious gnache, or beautifully simple fondant.

(photo by Bliss Cupcake Cafe')

(photo by Bliss Cupcake Cafe')

I make cupcakes every year for the boys birthdays, for my husbands birthday, for my birthday (yes I make them for MY birthday), and I will probably make them this weekend for Mother’s Day. They are the perfect serving size, and can really make a statement!

There is a cupcake shop called Bliss Cupcake Café in my old college town that I have been dying to try. But since I live over an hour away in Small Town now, who knows when I will get the chance to sample their heavenly delights! Their catch phrase is: a mouthful of happy (I couldn't have said it better myself!)

I made the cupcakes pictured below from a recipe in a fun little cookbook called Vegan Cupcakes take over the World! (go to amazon.com and get the KINDLE edition sent directly to your iphone). And here is their blog...so fun!!

(red velvet cake)

I'm not sure how they would feel about me sharing one of their recipes with you even though I would totally give them credit for it (the truth is I have turned the kitchen upside down and can't find the cookbook anywhere arrhh!!)

But I will share the yummy fluffy cream cheese frosting (I hate canned frosting, it should always be homemade)!

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

I always get compliments on this frosting:)

I'm sharing this recipe that is not quite a recipe over at Designs by Gollum, and at Jessica's Favorite Things Friday and since Laura was so nice to invite me last weekend to her Saturday is Crafty Day even though I had a recipe instead of a craft, I thought I would go party with her again this weekend.

**A bloggy friend of mine Lindy over at Who am I? is starting a Book Group. We are reading the book Having a Mary heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver. Go check it out!**

Amelia