Mermaid Cupcakes & PEEPS Cookbook Giveaway

Do you guys love mermaids as much as I do? They rate very high up there like unicorns and rainbows for me. There's just something about those pretty and colorful tails.  

And since it's PEEPS season, how about making some mermaid bunny PEEPS??

PEEPS come in so many flavors these days so when I saw these orange creme flavored bunnies this year I didn't know what I would make with them BUT I knew they would come in handy. 

Green apple fruit strips worked out great for the tails.

Add some cute flowers detail and a little heart shaped sprinkle for the mouth.  The scales are made with light green candy wafers.

Or just make a bunch of mermaid tails and use them as cupcake toppers.  

OR make both!

My love of Marshmallow PEEPS is pretty obvious right? Well I was lucky enough to be asked to contribute to a new Peeps-a-licious Cookbook! 3 of my recipes are featured in the new cookbook for PEEPS lovers.  I'm so excited to be included in this fun recipe book!  The mermaids are not in the book (how to listed below) but there are some other really fun PEEPS treats.   Here's a sneak peak of the Harry Potter PEEPS Pops that are in the book!

And the super fun PEEPS AND COMPANY and Quarto Books are letting me give a couple of the cookbook out to some of my readers.  YAY!  

Enter to win below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to PEEPS Bunny Mermaids

Makes 10 mermaids

Total time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 package of PEEPS bunnies (this used orange creme flavored)
• Green apple fruit strips
• 1/2 cup light green, blue melting, and dark green candy wafers
• 1/8 cup of green and pink melting candy wafers
• 10 mini pretzels (as base)
• Assorted sprinkles (mini red hearts for mouth, round for center of flowers)

Directions:

1. Cut out piece of fruit strip to wrap around bunny body and long enough to make tail.  Wrap strip to get the right mermaid tail look.
2. If making the tails (without bunny), 
3. Melt dark green candy in quart size freezer bag in 10 second intervals until just melted.  Snip an end of the corner and pipe tail shape onto parchment paper.  Let harden 15 minutes (or in refrigerator for 5 minutes).
4. Melt light green candy in quart size freezer bag in 10 second intervals until just melted.  Snip an end of the corner and pipe scales onto body and tails.
5. Melt yellow and pink candy in separate quart size freezer bag in 10 second intervals until just melted.  Snip an end of the corner and pipe flower shape.  While still wet add a sprinkle to center.  Let harden 15 minutes.  
6. Use some of the melted candy and attach flower to bunny as hair decoration and attach sprinkle heart as the mouth.
7. Melt blue candy in quart size freezer bag in 10 second intervals until just melted.  Snip an end of the corner and pipe small mound onto pretzel.  Attach a bunny to each (allows bunny to stand up). Let harden 15 minutes.
8. Add as cupcake toppers and/or insert tails into cupcakes.

Spring Hyacinth Flower Cupcakes

Yay, it's spring, it's spring, its SPRING! 

I haven't made cupcakes in so long that now I think I'm on a cupcake binge.  Last week I posted some mini Easter basket cupcakes and for this week here are more spring cupcakes with these super cute hyacinth flower cupcakes.  

Hyacinths are another of my favorite bulb flowers that show up at the beginning of spring.  I love all the pastel colors they come in and those bunches of fragrant tiny flowers look so pretty!

So of course I had to try to make some.  These cupcakes are are a bit more like grape hyacinths but still pretty and very spring-y!

See more details on how to make these little hyacinth toppers here over at sheknows!

I'm always happy for the warm weather to return and see the trees come back to life and flowers blooming.  Now if I can just stop the deer from eating all the blossoms in the yard!

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Easter to all that celebrate!

Mini Easter Basket Spring Cupcakes

Hey All! Did you know Easter is this month? I just realized that a couple days ago.  It's March 27th so earlier this year instead of in April.  So it's a good thing I started thinking about Easter treats earlier than normal this year.  

Tiny things are my favorite.  I love anything tiny or mini - you know stuff that's usually normal size.  

And tiny Easter baskets with mini decorated eggs?! Heck yes!

One of my favorite candies that comes out in the Spring is Cadbury Mini Eggs.  Yummy chocolate covered with a sugar shell.  Totally delish.  This year I found them in all white eggs.  

I knew they would be perfect to decorate like little Easter eggs using edible food writers.

I have yet to dye actual hard boiled eggs with my kids.  Is that terrible or what?? In my defense, when they were little I just couldn't deal with the mess that it made.  My kids are only 2 years apart and with a set of twins it was just too much chaos for here for awhile! We did decorate eggs with stickers, markers or we did egg hunts with filled plastic eggs in the backyard.  We just never did the dunk and dye them part.  Plus they don't like hard boiled eggs so no one would ever eat them! Now since they are 11 and almost 9, I kinda think its too late to start that tradition. 

But I usually do find an activity for them to do so I got them to help decorate these little mini eggs this year and they loved it.  They got creative decorating and it was pretty quick - not to mention no mess ;)

The baskets are made using a plastic mold that was a frozen food tray.  It was the perfect size and shape for the basket part of an Easter basket.  The handles are made from pieces of licorice.

Super cute little Easter baskets.  Add them to cupcakes or your favorite sweet treat!

Thanks for stopping by! Can't wait for the Spring weather to come back and hang around for long long while!

How to Make Mini Easter Basket Cupcakes

Makes 12-15 Cupcakes

Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 box of cake mix
• 1 can of frosting tinted green
• 1/2 cup of melting candy wafers in various colors (for the basket)
• Licorice in rainbow colors
• Edible grass
• Cadbury mini eggs in white
• Edible food writers in various colors

Directions:

1. For baskets: melt each color in microwave safe bowl in 25 second intervals.  Stir until melted.  Spread candy along sides and bottom of mold (as in picture).  Refrigerate for 5 minutes.  Once candy is hardened pop candy out of mold. 
2. Cut lengths of licorice long enough to make a handle and reach each side of basket.  Use some leftover melted candy to attach as basket handle.  Hold in place until candy hardens. 
3. Add some edible grass to basket.
4. For eggs: decorate mini eggs with edible food writers in various designs (dots, stripes, hearts, etc)
5. Prepare cupcakes as per the box directions.
6. Pipe icing on with grass decorating tip onto cupcakes.
7. Add basket on top of each cupcake.

Bunny Ear Star Wars Cookies for Easter

After posting the #12DaysOfStarWars last year as a countdown for the new Star Wars - The Force Awakens movie, I said I'd be taking a Star Wars treat break.  Twelve days of all Star Wars treats was fun but a bit exhausting!  Well, a couple months break was all I could make it before thinking about another fun treat.  

With spring and Easter coming very soon I thought Darth Vader could use some bunny ears.  He and his Stormtroopers both could use some bunny ears.  Maybe that would lighten their moods.  

In fact I think everyone right now needs bunny years to lighten things up a little.  Wouldn't the next republican or democratic debate be much nicer if the candidates and moderators wore bunny years? I mean if Donald Trump wore bunny ears you definitely would know you shouldn't take him seriously, right??  I'll tweet that suggestion out and see who bites!  

But back to the cookies, they are homemade sugar cookies that would make super cute additions to your biggest Star Wars fan's Easter baskets!

I shared how to make them over at sheknows.

Here are some other Star Wars treats you may like too:

Day 1 Princess Leia Marshmallows

Day 2 Chewbacca (or Ewok!) and Wampa Coconut Macaroons

Day 3 Star Wars Bundt cake (with Yoda inside!)

Day 4 Star Wars Roll Cake

Day 5 Star Wars Character Christmas Cookies

Day 6 Star Wars Oatmeal Creme Pie Galaxy Cookies

Day 7 Star Wars Creature Candies and Cupcakes

Day 8 Star Wars Christmas Wreath Treats

Day 9 Star Wars - Mickey Mash-up Cookie Pops

Day 10 Star Wars Trooper Gingerbread Men

Day 11 Star Wars Bunny Peeps Pops

Day 12 Star Wars Droid Macarons

Minnie & Mickey Whoopie Pies

I needed a break from all the holiday posts lately and also had a craving for some whoopie pies.  But instead of plain old boring ones I thought Minnie and Mickey ears would be fun.  I saw these whoopie pies awhile back that are Mickey and Minnie shaped but thought it would be neat to make 2 tone cakes for Mickey and to also use the batter to make little Minnie bows.  

Ever since going to Disney a couple of years back I got into all that is Minnie and Mickey - especially the ears.  They are so iconic for Disney!  

Sadly, my kiddos (11 year old tween and 9 year old twins) feel they are too "old" for Mickey and Minnie Mouse.  First this month they dropped the bomb that Dr. Seuss is too babyish for them and now they are also too old for Mickey.  

WHAT???!!!! 

I can't take it anymore.  Stop growing up so dang fast.  

As another example, I always make their birthday cakes every year.  The request from the 11 year old this year is for me to make a large single Cheeto puff cake.  No more "mom can you make me a fire truck" or "mom can you make me volcano or R2D2 or Iron Man or an Earth cake or even a Minecraft Creeper cake".  A CHEETO.  Come on!  So I refused and told him to come back in a week with a new proposal or to at least put a business case together for the Cheeto cake.  You know you have to teach them life lessons and all, and if you want a Cheeto cake - you need to sell the idea to everyone involved and get them on board.  If he comes back with a powerpoint slide deck with talking points you may see me posting a How To for a Cheeto cake!  

Whatever, I'm still going to make them cute Disney treats.  They can't stop me.  But if you also see more Minecraft, Terraria, Plants Vs Zombies, or You Tube inspired treats, you'll know why.  

So apparently these Mickey and Minnie whoopie pies are more for me than anyone else in this house- but that's fine too.  BUT if you are an AFOD (adult fan of Disney) or if your kiddos are still into Disney - make some today!

I shared the how to make these Mickey and Minnie whoopie pies here on sheknows!

Thanks for stopping by and have a sweet week!

Some other Mickey inspired treats you may like too:

Mickey and Friends Pretzel Snacks

Mickey and Minnie Peeps Pops

Mickey Ears Star Wars Cookies

Candy Pots of Gold with Mini Gold Cookies

Hey all!  It's one of my favorite times of year when all the green and gold treats start showing up over the interwebs! 

Green has been a favorite color since I was little and I still fall for green stuff to this day.  And gold, well that's a no brainer because you don't expect treats to be gold - but there are plenty of them these days.  

So for this St. Patrick's Day I made some little pots of gold with gold treasure inside.  Everything is edible and would make a nice little addition to a Saint Patrick's day party (or just as a special treat for your little leprechauns)!

See the easy directions here over at sheknows!

Check out these other St. Patrick's Day Treats too!

Leprechaun Cupcakes

Rainbow Inside Cupcakes

Green Matcha Shortbread

Watermelon Peeps Squares

Lucky Charms Oatmeal Cookies

Naturally Colored Rainbow Cupcakes

Green Beer Bread

Rainbow Striped Cookies

Mint Chocolate Chip Men Cookies

Mini Candy and Marshmallow Cups

Rainbow Blondie Bars

Cat in the Hat Swirled Bundt Cake - Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Hey there everyone! It's that time of year again to celebrate all that is Dr. Seuss! Not that we don't celebrate him all year round but his birthday is March 2nd and all across schools they tip their "hat" to him and celebrate reading and all that is Dr. Seuss.  You can see more here on Read Across America Day and also for tools and tips for schools in your area. 

And what better way to also express our love for his time enduring books than with a super fun and swirled Cat in the Hat cake? 

I love Dr. Seuss and all the books he wrote over his time. There are so many to choose from but The Cat in the Hat has to be our favorite.

There's just something about the fun blue, red, white and black colors of the book that make me smile every time we re-read the book.  Although I must admit that my kids (the twins are almost 9 and my oldest is 11 going on 35) have said Dr. Seuss books are starting to be too "babyish" for them.  Insert me crying profusely inside.  Stop growing up so fast dammit!

That said, they loved this cake - and they are hard to please with treats these days.  

I also recently got a new bundt pan, one that is full of whimsy and swirls! I knew it would be the perfect pan for a Dr. Seuss inspired cake.  This cake is very easy too since it starts with a box mix. Then the batter is tinted with blue, red, and black to match the Cat in the Hat colors.

I also added some homemade sprinkles to resemble the Cat's iconic hat. They were easy to make and added more fun to the cake.

Although the cake looks great, I was a little disappointed that the blue color on the outside wasn't as bright.  That's just me not taking the cake out early enough and it browned slightly.  But the inside was exactly what I wanted - fun swirls of aqua blue, red, black and white!

So bake up a swirly Cat in the Hat cake for your fav fans.  

Do you love all that is Dr. Seuss? How do you celebrate this time of year??

How to Make Dr. Seuss Swirled Bundt Cake

Makes 1 bundt cake (8-10 slices)

Total time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 box of white cake mix
• red, light blue, black food colorant
• 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup of white candy melts (wafers) for icing on top of bundt cake
• For Cat in the Hat sprinkles: 1/2 cup each of red and white candy melts (wafers) and black food writer

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray bundt pan well with non-stick flour spray.
3. Prepare cake mix as per box directions.
4. Separate batter into 4 bowls. Leave one bowl plain. Tint a bowl with blue and red color. Add cocoa powder to 1 bowl. Mix well and add 5 drops of black food color or until deep black is achieved.
5. Add mixtures separately to 4 freezer bags. Snip an end of each bag and pipe the batter into bundt pan. Alternate colors until all batter is used.
6. Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean. Let cool.
7. Turn out cake onto plate.
8. To make Cat in the Hat sprinkles: Add white and red candy wafers separately to 2 freezer bags. Microwave each bag in 20 second intervals until just melted. Snip a small corner end of each bag and pipe small lines of each color to make hat on parchment paper. Alternate colors ending with white brim. Let candy harden for 10 minutes. Peel from parchment and on smooth side add small black line with food writer.
9. Pipe some of the melted white candy melt onto top of bundt cake following the lines. While candy is still melted add hat sprinkles.

Marvel's Deadpool No Bake Cookies

Are you ready for the next Marvel X-Men movie installment?! Deadpool - the story of "anti-hero" Wade Wilson opens this month on February 12th and I can't wait to see it.  

At least the trailer looks pretty cool:

I love Deadpool because not only can he heal himself - but is known as the "merc with a mouth" and has a "twisted sense of humor" - cue the jokes and shenanigans.  He's also not pretty.  Well Ryan Reynolds plays him so that could be a stretch, but he is supposed to be disfigured, hence the mask.

lolz!

He also knows he's a comic book character and often talks to the reader (or in the movie he probably talks directly to the camera) - in the geek world this is called breaking the "fourth wall".  Love it.  

Well as usual my way of welcoming some of my fav pop culture icons, I make treats.  

In this case Deadpool Cookies.  

They are really very easy and no bake so you can make them in no time flat.  I'm sure Deadpool would have some snarky comment about them.  Bring 'it Deadpool, bring it!

Pop over and see more here at sheknows.