Football and my version of "Hostess" Cupcakes

Everyone always raves about my chocolate cupcakes filled with vanilla cream and topped with the same yummy cream on top. I've always called them my version of the "Hostess" Cupcake.  When I had to make dessert for the Superbowl party, the consensus was to make my Hostess cupcakes... so I decided to make them a little more "authentic".  The cake was chocolate, they were filled with vanilla cream and then topped with rich chocolate ganache, twice!  I used the vanilla cream to decorate the cupcakes with footballs, Superbowl notes, and the classic Hostess swirls.

But I still had to make them fun for a football party!

I used the vanilla cream inside to decorate the ganache on top as well.

Green Bay and Pittsburg!

The "Hostess" swirls.

Shiny ganache

And the "Hostess" football...

They went over very well... 2 Dozen went pretty fast, especially when guests claimed their seconds or thirds to bring home with them.

I wish I had one of them right now! so yummy!

Maya's Dora and Diego Cake

The niece of my friend Danny was having a birthday, so he asked if I could do a Dora and Diego cake.  I hadn't done a 3D Dora cake yet, so you know I was excited about this one.

The cake was classic... chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream filling and icing.  The cake was covered in purple fondant, and decorated with fondant stars and polka dots. The parameter of the cake was adorned with purple fondant balls and on top, the cake had two hand sculpted figures. Dora and Diego.  They sat atop a green fondant patch that was surrounded by lavender flowers.  Maya's name was blocked out on top as well.

Close-up on Dora and Diego figures.

It was a fun cake to make, and a quick one for me.  The more of these children's cakes that I make where I have artistic freedom on design, the faster I bang them out!  I guess practice makes perfect.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes

You read it right... mmmhmmmm... Another of Johnny's food favorites, and I do live to make him happy!!! :-)

I cant take full credit... I got the recipe from Martha... she is wonderful!!! Stewart of course! Though I did have to adjust a couple things for lack of ingredients... and since it was a "snow day creation", I wasn't running out to the store.

Peanut Butter flavored cake... from scratch... peanut butter buttercream (I do have my own recipe for this, but I can give this one a whirl for variation!)... and grape jelly.

I am trying to behave with my eating, so I made mini cupcakes too that I could try without feeling too guilty... and they were the most perfect morsels... but they didn't have the jelly going into the cake, not enough room... but I will let the pics explain!  Let the drooling begin!

I think i'm getting a good start at what will be on the menu in my cupcake shop... whenever that happens! haha... Happy Cupcake Snow Day!