Another Big Weekend

Cupcakes for Bryn Athyn Bounty & Artists' Gallery on Saturday, beaucoup cupcakes for Sunday's 1st ever New Church Day Fair.  In my element!

Savvy Use of Time, Resources

With a full crunch of baking ahead for today & tomorrow, opted to give my ANC Jr. guys chilled beverages & my gals bread-sliced Cinnamon Crunch bagels from Panera.  


Not lazy!  Making best use of time & resources!  

Blueberry Muffins

Gee, I'm proud of the blueberry muffins I made for my ANC Class of 2013, girls & guys!

Added a heaping teaspoon of Penzey's Baking Spice - what a rich flavor!  But wish I'd thought at the beginning - instead of  after the first batch of batter had baked - to use a spoon to add the blueberries to each muffin ~ ~ my fingernails are still, well over 24 hours later, still stained deep purple.

Got the gals their muffins just after first bell rang, so the room was filled with so many young ladies that I know so well but can't recognize because they're so grown up.  I asked if they knew how long I'd been pampering the class.  One of the dorm gals sang out, "Since FOREVER!"  Wrong (since 3rd grade), but it sure felt great to hear.

Instead of taking the boys' muffins to DeCharms Hall through the connecting "bridge," I went outside, got them out of the car (John was at the wheel, so I didn't have to park in a visitor's spot), and went up to its front door ~ and found it LOCKED.  Called out to the room on the left if someone could come open it for me.  One of the older guys - probably a senior - shouted to an unseen someone to open the door.  As he swung open the big heavy door for me, I asked him if he was a junior.  He hung his head a bit - because EVERYONE knew who the muffins were for - and said, "No, m'am."  His face broke into a HUGE grin as I opened the lid of the top box & told him to take one.  He picked out the biggest, then bounced up the stairs, shouting, "I got one of the cupcakes!"  How splendid.

Up early to take John to work tomorrow (5 a.m. - 10 a.m.), so will bake vanilla cupcakes with fudge ganache frosting for my guys, Morning Glory muffins for my gals.  Last I'll see of them this year.  Graduation is on Saturday, and I've got to miss it (Bounty has priority this year; NOTHING will keep me away in 2013), so the kids will scatter to the winds for the summer come Saturday afternoon.

Glad I've taken this time to pamper them a bit during Exam Week!

Learning Curve

Amazing how things work out.  Having Bryn Athyn Bounty for a scant six weeks last year was just right - gave us a taste for the fun behind baking up a storm while supporting the college garden project.  This year, it's just right to extend the season to a whopping six months!  

The first four weeks have been a learning curve...  

• Get there at 8 to help Suzie set up.
• Have all signage & tags DONE by Friday afternoon.
• Pack the car with non-perishables the night before.
• Cherry Crisps in a Jar may not be big sellers - much to John's delight, as he gets to savor whatever isn't sold - but look too nifty not to do.  
• Maple Pancake Cupcakes need just a scant amount of Maple Frosting - just enough to serve as anchor for bacon crumbles (much tastier than a single bacon shard, which might look more dramatic but has nowhere near the taste bud power as crumbles of freshly frizzled bacon).
• Works to include a mini Blueberry Spice muffin to the mini mix - bodacious helping of blueberries just right early on a Saturday morning.  And great to stock up on for Sunday morning breakfasts!
• Speaking of stocking up - learned that people LOVE the 5-pack, so don't even bother having larger boxes. 
• Am going to have to use a shortening-based icing when it peaks beyond 85 degrees (real deal buttercream starts to melt).
• Use two ice-filled storage boxes to keep the cooler chilled.  
• Keep most of the cupcakes in the cooler;  bring them out as needed to fill orders.
• Friends can be founts of great ideas - Suzie S. suggested using a sliver of lemon slice jelly candies for the top of the Triple Lemon instead of a mini dollop of curd;  Ann B. sent me a recipe for Shortbread with l;avendar which I'll debut this weekend; use a friend's kitchen to bake the Cathedral Pound Cake (feels like I'm wearing out my welcome at CV).  
• Keep it simple - Whoopies, mini cupcakes, Cherry Crisps, shortbread are easy to make.  The only time-consumer is the Cathedral Pound Cake, and that looks too stunning to skip.  
• Take the Cathedral Bundt Cake pan WITH me for display, along with the biz card for Lahaska's kitchen store (from whence it came).
• Have a bowl of water at the corner for parched pups.
• Make sure I have brochures of my summer creativity workshops for all ages/cross generations on display (includes baking sessions).
• ALWAYS remember that the most important thing is to make & have FUN!

What happened?

No posts since MARCH?

CRISPS, CRUMBLES & COBBLERS

Excited to introduce my new line of baked yums - crumbles, crisps & cobblers in a jar!

Pies in a jar may be the current rage, but I overwhelmingly prefer the delectable topping-to-filling ratio of a fruit crisp, crumble or cobbler. Envisioning the joy of opening the jar to find a happy helping of delicious dessert awaiting the first dip of your spoon!

Valentine Flavor Mix n Match!!

So - mini cupcakes are $15 for 18 (all one combo; extra $5 for two combos) or $5 for 5 (one combo). Orders must be received by 02/12 for 02/14 delivery; contact AuntDeev@aol.com or 215.357.6892 ~ ~ to avoid miscommunication, Deev will confirm receipt of each order.

Cupcake flavors include Not-So-Plain Plain, Triple Chocolate (includes milk & dark chocolate chips), Zesty Lemon, Carrot Cake, Mocha (dark chocolate & coffee)

Frosting options include Classic Buttercream, Lemon Buttercream, Cream Cheese with Toasted Coconut, Dark Chocolate, Twisted Chocolate (Dark Choc & Classic Buttercream), Cafe Au Lait Buttercream

Embellishments (optional, 1 per cupcake, can mix n match) include small red confetti candy heart, ground chocolate-covered coffee beans, lemon curd, slashes of raspberry jam or melted chocolate, hazelnut "cigarette" cookie

Cupcakes will arrive in a round aluminum cake pan with a clear lid, festively tied up with a froth of elegant ribbon.