Thursday, September 16, 2010

Slacking in September? Nope, just on vacation on "One Happy Island"

No, I haven't been slacking... I'm in Aruba with my hubby for a much needed vacation! But I have to say that I'm definitely having cupcake withdrawals! I had thought about bringing my Babycakes machine, but I had a feeling Erik was looking forward to a "frosting-free" week. Going through the grocery store here in Aruba, it was difficult to stare at the baking aisle and not buy something. I could have picked up a cake mix and ingredients, but the thought of having to use canned frosting, coupled with the sadness that I didn't sneak a pastry bag and 1M tip in my suitcase just made baking in Aruba a passing thought. Well, not passing... I'm still obsessing over it because I could have posted cupcake pics at the pool bar, with the freaking HUGE iguanas, and under a hut on the beach. Next vacation, I promise!

So we met these nice fellow NY'ers yesterday at the pool. And I shared my blog address with Courtney. Courtney, if you have a chance to stop by and are reading this, leave me a comment and I will send you some cupcakes!

Now, we saw a building that said "take time to be nice", so in honor of this amazingly relaxing vacation, I'm going to do just that... take time to be nice... and have my first blog give-away.

My very first give-away is going to be for a cupcake essentials basket, complete with a 1m tip, pastry bags, greaseproof cupcake papers, AND (drumroll please.......) a container of your choice of buttercream frostings (which will be chilled if the winner isn't local). How can you enter this give-away? Simply leave a comment about your favorite cupcake, about your cupcake obsession, or just a "nice" comment. I will be randomly selecting a winner when we get back to the states and get settled (yeah, updating my blog from my iPad is a pain in the ass). So entries will be accepted through midnight on Wednesday september 22nd and a winner selected on Thursday the 23rd.

Thanks for stopping by, hope you enter the give-away, and be on the lookout for a few new cupcakes next week!

59 comments:

  1. Hi Lisa!
    I love your blog and I'm literally at the moment making cupcakes for my son's dedication this weekend. I plan on using your buttercreme tips. On my chocolate cupcakes I used a tip I recently found in Real Simple. Place a marshmallow on top of the cupcake the last 3 minutes of the baking time. Pull out and "smoosh". Instant frosting......... I'll let you know how they turn out!

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  2. What's not to love about cupcakes. :) My favorite is the classic yellow cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. Yum. Drooling just thinking about it.

    And regarding you... I admire your patience and how you balance these cupcakes with the rest of your life!

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  3. Love your blog! I tried making the peanut butter ones a few weeks back. They came out very tasty just not very "pretty." No one seemed to care but me though. I have been loving trying out new cupcake recipes, just need to work on the pretty factor. hehe.

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  4. Cupcakes make the world go round! This summer my favorite cupcake was definitely lemon, but now that fall is almost here I've been craving carrot cupcakes!

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  5. Hi Lisa! Glad to hear your vacation is going well! I'm so jealous. I honestly don't think I've ever had a cupcake that wasn't just plain vanilla or plain chocolate. I need to correct that, asap! :)

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  6. Oh my too many cupcakes to choose from. I love chocolate cupcakes with brown sugar Swiss buttercream frosting. Your cupcakes are too cute, and I love your tips and recipes, keep them coming. And what a great give away!

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  7. oh Lisa you know about my cupcake obsession, it overflows in the form of so many cupcake flags and designs hehe! ENjoy your vacation!

    Laurel

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  8. I love all kinds of cupcakes. My new favorite is chocolate with sea salt- the combo of sweet and salty is heavenly!

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  9. I am a cupcake lover of all kinds! Cookies and cream and red velvet have been favorites recently!

    Enjoy the rest of your vacation!

    ljyoung85@gmail.com

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  10. Hi Lisa! I love, love, love your blog. I've always been a baker too, but I've been nervous about cupcakes for some reason. You've given me a little extra courage to attempt them! Peanut butter is my fave.

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  11. I love your blog! I am not the best baker but I can manage to not mess up cupcakes too much. My favorites are Margarita Cupcakes, I love to decorate them with a slice of lime and a bendy-straw.

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  12. I love your creations. You are amazingly talented! You inspire me to be creative in the kitchen also.

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  13. Love love love cupcakes! They are a recent obsession of mine! I recently tried to make the "fauxstess" cupcakes, while they turned out super tasty and cute the filling was totally absorbed by the cupcake, at least they were moist! The best part is I made them at my sisters, so no mess at my house! Hope your having fun on your vacation!

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  14. I have learned soooo much from your blog. My 9 yr old DD and I recently made cupcakes for my son's first birthday (using tips I found on your site) and they were a huge hit! I wish I could post a picture. It is so nice to be able to create something for (and with) your kids. I'm not just making cupcakes, I'm making memories! Thanks for all you do!
    BTW - PICK ME! :D
    fauxshelley at hotmail.com

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  15. I've been a lurker on The Nest and have been reading your blog. Hope you are having a relaxing vacation and I can't wait to see what you'll bake up when you get home!

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  16. I love to make my favorite cake recipe into cupcakes, complete with whipped cream frosting! Yummy!

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  17. Have a great vacation! My fav cupcake is a strawberry cupcake from annie's eats. Awesome frosting and such a moist cupcake!

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  18. First of all I loved Aruba! Enjoy! Oh, and I love red velvet, strawberry, and oreo cupcakes. Or anything else you can throw my way. I haven't met a cupcake I didn't like.

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  19. I am definitely a cupcake lover, my favorite ones to make (and eat) are red velvet...most because of the cream cheese icing!

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  20. Happy Vacation!

    I love cupcakes, too & can't wait to try the rainbow cupcakes that have been going around the web.

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  21. I love all the cupcakes you make. It's inspiring!

    smilee1079 at aol

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  22. I'm jealous about your vacation. Have a great time!

    I love your blog, but haven't made any of the recipes yet because I know mine won't look like yours. Ha! There is a local place that makes a lot of different cupcakes and my favorite is the Dirty Cup one. So good!

    ~Angela

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  23. I am pretty new to your blog and haven't had a chance to try out any of your recipes, but your work looks amazing! I just made some Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Swirl Cupcakes for my sister's birthday last week and remembered how much fun cupcakes are! So, I definitely plan to stick around. :)

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  24. I made and loved your peanut butter and chocolate cupcakes...as did my entire family! Keep up the good work!

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  25. Since I've found your blog a week ago, I have made your peanut butter and chocolate cupcakes twice. everyone LOVED them! they were a great hit, thank you!

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  26. Well I didn't have a cupcake obsession until I kept seeing pictures of your amazing cupcakes! Now I've been going on Cupcake hunts but have yet to find anything that looks even half as good as yours!!!

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  27. You always make the best cupcakes. I aspire to be like you one day. I need to break free from the box mix and jar of frosting, really.

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  28. I just love all the creations you come up with for your cupcakes!! You make me want to eat a cupcake everytime I read this.

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  29. You make me drool, Lisa!!!

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  30. Mmmmmm Lisa! Me likey your giveaway! I would attempt to start baking my own cupcakes vs relying on Publix. I wish you lived closer!

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  31. I love cupcakes, especially the ones you make! I just saw georgetown cupcakes on TV and so want to try to recreate their "swirl", but do not have the right materials!

    i ditto ash, I wish i lived closer and could eat all your lovely creations!!!

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  32. Lucky girl, Aruba must be amazing right now!

    I love, love, love cupcakes. They are like individual, mini masterpieces! Each one can be as different from the other as you like and they are ALL delicious! I'm scoping out the cupcake scene for some kind of pumpkin-y concoction now that it's feeling like fall.

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  33. I'm a plain Jane kind of gal and love a good white cupcake with buttercream frosting. That doesn't mean I don't like to fancy it up now and then, but that's always my go-to cupcake.

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  34. I love your blog! I tried out your peanut butter receipe 2 weeks ago and everyone loved it! I also used the tips about modifying a box mix and it works great, cupcakes come out perfect every time. Thank you!

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  35. Hope Aruba is treating you well, have a great trip.
    Yumm cupcakes!!

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  36. so you know Tracey and you got me hooked on babycakes. I bought 2 for gifts and will order 2 more before the holidays. My sister and I made chocolate cupcakes...came out just delicious. I haven't tried your peanut butter recipes yet, but definitely will. Your creations are amazing. Your house must smell just delicious. You ROCK!

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  37. I hope you and Erik are having an amazing time in Aruba. I give you so much credit on making all those crazy cupcakes. I really don't think I would have the patience to do it!! I think my favorite cupcake HAS to be red velvet with cream cheese frosting!!!!

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  38. Yay, Aruba! So fun! Enjoy yourself and have a blast.

    I heart cupcakes!! There is this cupcake store by me that has the most amazing German Chocolate cupcake...YUM!!!

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  39. Have fun and enjoy your vacation! I would love to win and think your giveaway sounds amazing! Thank you!

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  40. Enjoy your vacation!!!

    I don't think I've ever met a cupcake I didn't like (although I've made a few "cupcake bloopers" in my life...)Just wanted to share that I got the best b-day card last week, it says "Live Life One Cupcake At A Time." I'm framing it to hang above my KitchenAid for a sweet reminder. Love the blog!

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  41. I had to go to Aruba for work a few years back - isn't it awesome?!

    I lurve buttercream frosting - could eat it right out of the container! And I love all your cupcake creations. I make cupcakes for my daughters' bday parties every year, but nothing like your talent! Maybe winning the giveaway would help! LOL

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  42. Hi Lisa! Just looking at your blog makes me hungry. I think I'm going to try your oreo cupcake...it looks De-lish! Right now my favorite cupcake is lemon with raspberry frosting.

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  43. My favorite cupcake is chocolate filled with carmel, topped with nuts and a fudge frosting. Really rich- which is great so that I dont eat a whole batch myself :)

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  44. Lisa, you are so talented and creative! Only problem is when I read your blog I get hungry ;-) Enjoy the rest of your trip!

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  45. DH has requested the Peanut Butter cupcakes you blogged about for his birthday. They look soooo good!

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  46. Your cupcakes and buttercream are by far the best I've ever had. I plan on making your Oreo Cookies & Cream cupcakes the next time I have family over, so thanks for posting the recipe!

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  47. I adore everything cupcakes! My 5 month old daughter is even going to be a cupcake for halloween! My favorite so far is the peanut butter recipe you posted a little while ago! Thanks for the giveaway.

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  48. Lisa! OMG-I literally bought the babycakes maker after reading your post. We now have cupcake happy hour at the office!

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  49. You really want me to pick a favorite? And you want me to describe my cupcake obsession? You've got to be kidding! I think you already know I am obsessed! My middle name should have been "cupcake"!
    Tracey

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  50. I'm glad you posted a reminder about this! A couple weeks ago I kept seeing a commercial for a cupcake show on TV and I would not shut up about needing a cupcake, so DH went out and got me a chocolate chocolate with extra chocolate cupcake and it was wonderful :)

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  51. Nah, it's OK that BabyCakes stayed home in NY for the week! BabyCakes needed a vacation like you all had in Aruba! Lovin' your pix!

    Favorite of YOUR cupcakes is the lava chocolate filled! OMG; and so now that "she" is going off to college, I'll be looking to send care packages! What a blast sending these to her would be!

    And saw BabyCakes for sale in BJs! Can't you just see me getting into cupcaking as an empty nester! Holler for help lady! :)

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  52. Lisa, your cupcakes look amazing. I am so jealous of your skills. Love the handbag (of course). lOVE ALL YOUR LITTLE TPS TOO.

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  53. CUPCAKES!!! So much to say about there little masterpieces!!! Baking cupcakes is my new obsession.. and I have a passion for doing it! Its wonderful art work that most of the time is too pretty to eat!

    My Favorite cupcake is from Baked & Wired in D.C. It was a carrot cake cupcake that was unbelievable! The cake was so moist it literally melted in my mouth! and the frosting was a cream cheese frosting that was PERFECT!! I was going to George Town Cupcake.. when i saw the line for this place.. had to be about 3 hour wait! A little birdie told me to go to the bakery around the corner.. that their cupcakes were better! So glad i listened to that little birdie!!

    Hopefully one day people will say the same thing about my cupcakes!!

    Cheers to making cupcakes!! WOO HOO!!!! <3

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  54. I am glad you had a great time on vacation but I did miss having cupcakes in the office, glad you are back. When are you going to start baking again?? It has been 2 whole days without your scrumptious cupcakes!!! Anna J at DJA

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  55. PS, any cupcake you make is my favorite!

    Anna J at DJA

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  56. Lisa,
    Glad that you had a great vacation!!!! Just wanted to tell you that I used your cream cheese icing recipe to make carrot cupcakes with an apricot cream cheese infusion, with cream cheese icing ontop.....They were to die for. Thanks for the recipie. Keep on baking!!!!!

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  57. Cupcakes...yum! Need I say more!? My hubby loves it when I make red velvet cupcakes, but I really appreciate all of your wonderful ideas! Hopefully I can get a little more creative.
    staceyrturner@gmail.com

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  58. Frosting withdrawal, lol, thats a new one!

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