Sugar Swings! Serve Some: August 2014

Monday, August 25, 2014

Fall Flower Box Cupcakes


I've kinda given up on Summer.  It's already chilly out, the town pool water is plain cold, and all the fall/autumn stuff is out in stores.  So instead of complaining about how fast the summer went by (and believe me I've already done plenty of that), I made cupcakes.  


Fall flower box cupcakes! I found these neat mini loaf pan liners at a local Homegoods a few weeks ago and thought they'd make neat little flower boxes.  AND I also found York Peppermint Patty Minis - I know mini peppermint patties!  Pretty much impossible not to eat a handful at a time.


The flowers (they are supposed to be Fall Mums!) are made with chocolate covered sunflower seeds.  Attach them to the mini peppermint patty with some green candy melt.  The colors of the sunflower seeds definitely remind me of fall colors.


Bake your favorite cake in the mini loaf pan (I used chocolate of course, you know dirt like) then pipe some buttercream leaves and add your candy flowers on top.


And if you can't find these little loaf pans, you can use mini cupcake liners.  Just pipe some buttercream leaves and add a flower on top for simple mini cupcakes.


See pretty too!


Or do both!


Heading up to Canada soon for a last summer vacay and a little detoxing from electronics but I hope you like the cupcakes.  Do they look like mums to you?? Leave a comment and let me know! 

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Back to School Graham Cracker Snacks - and Other Lego Themed Ideas PLUS Giveaway


Hey Everyone! So it's that time of year again when I constantly ask "Where the heck did the summer go!" I woke up today and it's even a little chilly outside.  Did you ever think you'd be longing for the hot and humid days of summer? It feels like we hardly had any and I most def am wishing for more summer.

And it's amazing that in my FB feed, there are so many 1st day of school pics already.  My 3 kiddos don't start until September after Labor Day, but that's really only a couple weeks away.  Please time, please SLOW DOWN! 


OK time won't slow down, I get it, that's fine - so in protest I'm celebrating every single day with treats.  Well maybe not every single day, because I have a day job and all, but how about something to get the kiddos excited for school? And if Lego won't get them excited (at least if they are like my kids), then I don't know what will.  Make some edible Lego inspired back to school snacks - all you need is some chocolate candy wafers and graham crackers.  

Directions for assembly are easy:
  1. Make your candy minifigs (see tutorial here)
  2. Open a pack of graham crackers and break into squares
  3. Using more melted chocolate, attach minifig to graham cracker
  4. Using more candy melt, write phrase on squares (put candy melt into zip lock bag, microwave until melted well, snip an end of the zip lock bag and pipe)
  5. Add a contrasting color candy melt around the border of the graham cracker (just to neaten them up, not needed of course!)
  6. Add heart sprinkle onto lego minifig

All you really need are some fun molds.  Like this one:


Or this one:


Or maybe this one:


Or how about a pack of all 3?


I know, you totally want these right? Well guess what? You can enter to win a pack of all 3 of these molds in my "Summer's Not Over Yet" Giveaway.  Enter to win a box of these fun mold/ice cube trays thanks to a new friend over at Amazon.  Actually we're giving away 1 box to 3 readers!!! WOO!!! You can see the molds/ice cube trays over at this Amazon listing. 

To Enter the Giveaway: 


There will be 3 winners of the giveaway picked via Rafflecopter.  Open to US residents only.  Giveaway ends August 23rd 12 AM EST.

GOOD LUCK!

Here are some other fun treat ideas to use the molds for.  Use your imagination!

A tutorial on making the candy mini figures using a silicone mold:


Chocolate Covered Lego Minifig Cake Bites (using the larger minifig mold)















Or just use them to make some fun chocolates to snack on! Use your favorite chocolate or add some sprinkles to leftover melted chocolate/candy melt to the molds and you've got some really easy and super fun snacks.


And of course the Back to School Graham Cracker Treats

"Nice try mom!"

Friday, August 8, 2014

Watermelon Gelatin Squares with Mini Watermelon Peeps



Ok since I just did a Healthy Fruit Rainbow Cake, I had to go next with something totally opposite and off the charts sugary.  Plus I couldn't go all summer without a couple watermelon treats.  It just wouldn't be summer without watermelon.  AND I also found some Peeps minis at a store the other day.  Peeps that are mini chicks! You know my love of all things miniature as well as all things Peeps, so this was a total win-win for me.  
 

Every time I see watermelon flavored gelatin in the store, I scoop some up because it's sometimes hard to find.  This particular brand was by Jolly Rancher which makes a bunch of unique flavs - like green apple and blue raspberry.


To make the gelatin pink peptobismol colored, I added some condensed milk.  Follow the directions on the gelatin box adding the gelatin powder to 1 cup of hot water.  Then add 1/2 cup of the sweetened condensed milk and 1/2 cup of cold water.  Mix well.  Pour the mixture into a dish and let set in the refrigerator for a couple hours (preferably over night).  To remove the gelatin, set the pan in a hot water bath for 1-2 minutes.  Turn pan with gelatin over onto a cutting board and tap until it falls out.  Then cut into squares.


Add your favorite sprinkles.  Sprinkles make everything better.


Then top with a Peeps mini! These just happen to be sour watermelon flavored.  


Then eat and wait for the sugary watermelon overload to hit you.  Now you're totally jacked up and ready for your cross fit workout.  You are very welcome.  


Have you tried Peeps minis?? What's your favorite flavor? These sour watermelon ones definitely live up to their name.

Thanks for swinging by and have a totally awesome weekend.  Enjoy the few left this summer.

Check out these other watermelon flavored treats too!






Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Fresh Fruit Rainbow Cake


Is there anything prettier than a rainbow? OK - maybe there are prettier things, but I really love rainbows in all shapes and sizes.  (As if you haven't guessed that by now!) And I especially love all those rainbow treats and cakes all over the place these days - they always make me smile.   That said, I also like to experiment with getting pretty colors au natural.  Fruit works great for that in so many ways - and bonus it's way healthier than cake!   


So I made a rainbow layered "cake" from fresh fruit.  An all natural rainbow, that's pretty and tasty too.  Try it as an alternative to cake, or in addition to cake!


Check out the tutorial over at SheKnows!


PS. You can also make fruit "cupcakes"!