Simply Rita Cupcakes

Taking the cupcake to another level!

2011-10-28T16:08:00.000-07:00

Every time I visit a bakery/cupcakery it seems as though the cupcakes are so standard. Although the standard cupcakes (like the red velvet or the carrot cake) are definitely crowd pleasers, after a while they become uninspiring. Therefore, I decided to think outside the box and present my customers with a one of a kind cupcake! Here are some of my latest creations:

Spiked Mint Chocolate Bailys

Macadamia Nut Craisin with White Chocolate Sauce

Pomegranate Orange

Pistachio with Rose Petal Preserves

The Caraglio Wedding

2011-09-07T17:22:00.000-07:00

I absolutely loved doing this wedding! The couple was laid back, carefree and truly a delight to work with! The theme colors were different shades of blue and the flowers of choice were hydrangeas. The wedding invitation was simple with a teal paisley border. These were all elements I wanted to incorporate into the wedding cupcake pyramid.

When it came time to create the pyramid I had to take into consideration that the wedding was at BAR in New Haven making it somewhat of a casual event.

Therefore, I kept the pyramid simple but was still able to bring all the components of the wedding together! I used different shades of satin blue ribbon, chandelier trim, a hydrangea flower, and paisley trim to obtain my goal. Here is the final result!

Cheshire Patch

2011-09-06T14:19:00.001-07:00

Kicking off the new cupcake season with an interview with Tom Smith from The Cheshire Patch!

http://cheshire.patch.com/articles/cupcakes-borrow-flavor-from-classic-desserts#c

This year cupcakes will be made available on Fridays and Saturdays on a first come first serve basis. Looking foward to seeing everyone again!

Gone to the Beach!

2011-07-24T19:18:00.001-07:00

To our valued customers:

We will be closing from July 25th-August 27th. We are currently taking orders for events being hosted after the the 27th. Thank you all for such a wonderful and successful year!

1 year old becomes one with his birthday cupcake!

2011-07-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

This family celebrated their son's first birthday with a giant cupcake! Seems like the cutie patootie enjoyed his cupcake a little too much!

The Nelson Wedding

2011-06-18T08:28:00.000-07:00

A Gerber Daisy Theme

This couple has been coming into the restaurant for years. So when it was time to plan their wedding they came in for a cupcake consultation and chose my cupcakes for their special day. The bride came in with a picture of the Gerber Daisies and a swatch of the bridesmaids' dresses.

We both agreed that the cupcake pyramid would look beautiful if each tier was draped with chandelier trim.

For the cupcake decorations the bride chose yellow cupcake liners and coral/yellow miniature daisies adorned with silver dragees.

When the time came to decorate the pyramid, I used a glue gun to glue the trim around each tier. After I was done the pyramid did not look "complete", and was not formal enough for a wedding. Therefore, I purchased Gerber Daisies that matched the brides color scheme and ran them around each tier.

The cupcakes were dark chocolate chocolate chip with vanilla buttercream. The mini cake on the highest tier was a two layered mini cake with dark chocolate cake a vanilla buttercream. I really think the pyramid brought all of the wedding components together! Once again congratulations to the Nelsons!

The happy bride's testimonial:

Rita - You did an amazing job! I can't thank you enough for how everything came out. So beautiful. Everyone commented on what a great job you did and how awesome the cupcakes were! I have extras and can't wait to eat them. haha Hope to see you soon. Thank you xoxox..

Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Kokona Street?

2011-06-17T18:14:00.000-07:00

My Kokona's 2nd Birthday!

When trying to decide what theme to pick for Kokona's 2nd birthday party it was pretty evident that it would be Sesame Street. I didn't have a specific idea in mind but the party elements evolved after I created the invite.Front Back
Creating the invitation was rather complex, it took hours on PowerPoint! My inspiration came from an Abby Cadaby headband I stumbled upon at the dollar store. So I dressed Kokona up as Abby Cadaby and incorporated her into the invite as that character. After I created the invitation, I was able to use that as a guide to make decorations, the cake, cupcakes, favors and goody bags.

For the main focus of the cake, I wanted to make the Sesame Street Sign/Logo but have it read Kokona Street instead. I envisioned a three tiered cake decorated with the primary colors, edible crayons and an ELMO cake topper of course. The cake turned just as I had hoped!The flavor of the cake was vanilla cake with berry filling and lemon buttercream. The cupcakes were vanilla cake with lemon and berry buttercream.

To accompany the cake and matching cupcakes I made M&M and cotton candy cones; to further add to the kids' sugar high! The steps I took to make the cones are as follows:

1. I cut and taped parchment paper into cones.

2. I made thank you labels out of Kokona's invitation and glued them on.

3. I figured they would look nicer if I could somehow hang them on something due to their shape. Therefore, I poked a hole on top of each one, ran a ribbon through the top and tied them on a silver plate stand that I had.

4. Finally, I filled each one half way with M&Ms and topped them off with cotton candy.

Sticky labels of the invite were also used for the party favors (which were individual cupcakes in peep window boxes). Colorful ribbon was used to tie each one.
I was pretty satisfied with the way everything turned out. Thanks to everyone that was there to help us celebrate our Sesame Street bash!

Working with a theme..

2011-06-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

Recently a customer came in to place an order for her daughter in law's baby shower. The sex of the baby was unknown therefore they chose an animal theme to play it safe.

(The invitation/theme)

The customer brought along the invitation and requested to have the owl incorporated into the final product. Being the perfectionist that I am I also decided to make the raccoon so it would resemble the invite even more!

The gumpaste designs were cut freestyle (no gumpaste cutter was used for either of the animals).

The final product!

Although making the cake and the cupcakes and seeing the final product was rewarding, it wasn't as rewarding as the email I received from the customer post event!

Testimonial:

Rita,

AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME, !!!!!!!! The raccoon/owl cupcake - cake, was a great hit! The cake was fantastic and the detail you did on the "creatures" was unbelievable. Everyone was so impressed that you created these animals to look exactly like the invitation that Lisa had picked out. Lisa was so impressed she took home the "creatures" too! Any suggestions on how she can preserve them? Cupcakes were, as expected after our tasting - perfection - and Lisa's Mom stated how vanilla & lemon was Lisa's favorite combination (which I was unaware of).( Lisa's Mom is also the family go to cake person cake/cupcake baker in her family and she was a great fan) The comments I heard were "cupcakes are so light and fluffy, frosting is soooo good - and "these are made in a pizza restaurant!!!??"

Thank you, Thank you - I am so glad I saw the article in Cheshire Herald about your adventure - - it made a decision easier of helping a small business in Cheshire , I appreciate how easy and accommodating you were to work with - you were so accessible via email / phone - so open to what we wanted and also offering wonderful expertise of what would work / not. Thank you again - if anyone ever asks me about getting cupcakes you are definitely going to be recommended by me.

Sue

Spicing it up!

2011-04-16T14:52:00.000-07:00

Spicing it up with a little Pumpkin Spice.

Vanilla cinnamon cupcake with pumpkin buttercream.

The face says it all!

Cupcakes Take The Cake~Spotlight Simply Rita Cupcakes!

2011-03-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

Nichelle and Rachel cupcake bloggers from The world's most popular cupcake blog, Cupcakes Take The Cake, spotlighted Simply Rita Cupcakes on their blog! Take a look...

http://cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/2011/03/spotlight-on-simply-rita-cupcakes-of.html#comments

My cupcakes equate to lifelong friendships...

2011-03-24T22:20:00.000-07:00

When I first started Simply Rita Cupcakes around 3 years ago I never imagined how many wonderful people I would of met along the way. The people I have met are not only my customers they truly are lifelong friends.

Diane, a Greek-American residing in Greece was in search for the perfect cupcake for her daughter's baptism. Who would of ever thought that a simple cupcake consultation would of ended up with us sipping coffee on my balcony and discussing everything from marriage to our children. Three years later Diane and I still keep in contact, and she's been so supportive of my business and I'm so thankful for that.

Ralph and Denise, were amongst my first customers here in Cheshire, CT. They stumbled upon my cupcakes when reading the weekly issue of The Cheshire Herald. When I first met Denise it really did seem like I had known her for years. She has been great at helping me promote my business by referring me and by networking on her facebook profile. It is devoted customers like this that makes my business successful.

And how can I forget Ms. Cupcake Couture, the winner of February's Drag Wars. Although I've only known Cupcake Couture for a short period of time, I know it's going to be the beginning of a great friendship. I'm confident that when we join forces we will be successful at using our love for cupcakes to raise money for great causes!

This is only the beginning of many more friendships to come...Thanks to all!

Why I decided to decline The Food Network's offer to audition for Cupcake Wars..

2011-03-24T14:37:00.000-07:00

When I was contacted by The Food Network to audition for Cupcake Wars I was excited, nervous, flattered and willing to go on the show and bake my pants off for cupcake pioneer Candace Nelson and Frenchy Pastry Chef Florian Bellanger: The master of macaroons.

But the more I thought about it the more anxious I would get. The anxiety wasn't because I would potentially have to design a 1,000 cupcake display and bake the cupcakes within a 90 minute time frame, it was the stem of something else....

Regardless of the outcome of the competition it is likely that my business would pick up after the show aired, and I wasn't quite sure if I wanted that. Currently, my mother and I are able to bake small batches of cupcakes 3 times a day Thursday-Sunday. If it ever got to the point where my mother and I couldn't handle it, it would mean more staff members, bigger batches, and an inability to micro manage, to be precise, and to pay attention to detail. There would be no more cherry on the Key Lime Pie Cupcake, no more dollop of strawberry preserves on the Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcake, and no more homemade meringue cookie on the Lemon Meringue Cupcake (kudos to those cupcake shops that are still able to do all this while mass producing). Although business would probably be better, I personally wouldn't feel satisfied with the cupcakes being produced, which is why I have decided not to go on Cupcake Wars!

Wow, Simply Rita.....not so simple after all!

Going Green!

2011-03-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

When I was asked to make cupcakes for an event in Middletown, I wasn't too sure what the event was all about until I got there. The developers of Centerpoint were celebrating the launch of the first "Green Complex" in Connecticut. The event had a great turnout and the attendees included the Mayor of Middletown, and of course the media and press. Good luck Lennie and the rest of the team at Centerpoint, I was honored to host your event!

Mayor Giuliano of Middletown enjoying a Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcake.

Bon Voyage Ziggy!

2011-03-15T19:41:00.000-07:00

The Cheshire Men's Basketball League threw a going away party for Ziggy! What better way to say goodbye but with pizza, beer and cupcakes?

Although Ziggy is clearly "TRAVELING", the team believed my cupcakes were a "SLAM DUNK".

Cheshire Pizza: Where it's okay to be a kid again!!

2 Ovens, 222 Cupcakes and 2 Generations: All For the Love of Cupcakes...

2011-03-05T19:59:00.000-08:00

Today I managed to bake 222 cupcakes for 3 separate events!

A Sweet 16, a Baby Shower and a Bridal Shower.

Thank heavens for my parents who were sweet enough to wake up at the crack of dawn to start baking with me (the clock was set on bar time it was actually 4:30 a.m. when I got there).

Sometimes I feel like the guy from the Dunkin Donuts commercials whose catch phrase was "Time to make the donuts". What was that guy's name anyway?

Yes it was still dark out!

One of the most beautiful humble families I have ever met!

Happy Sweet 16 Shani!

The giant cupcake!

The giant cupcake along with my father's giant mustache!

Road Trip!

2011-03-05T19:41:00.000-08:00

This couple was on the prowl for a place in Connecticut that bakes cupcakes just like their grandmothers used to. After researching the net they stumbled across Simply Rita and drove all the way from Stratford to get their hands on the freshly baked cupcakes. After trying the Butterscotched Smore Cupcake they were elated that their search was finally over!

What is so unique about Simply Rita is that the cupcakes are made on a first come first serve basis. This allows me to make smaller batches and focus on quality not quantity, ensuring that my customers always receive a cupcake that does indeed taste like it came out of grandma's kitchen!

Home Run!

2011-02-27T18:32:00.000-08:00

Mr. and Mrs. Ausmus, the proud parents of Brad Ausmus (the former major league baseball player of the Los Angeles Dodgers), believed I hit a home run with this

Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcake!

Orange you cute!

2011-02-26T15:41:00.000-08:00

Two brothers from The Cheshire Academy treat themeselves to Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes!

Sweet Brotherly Love!

2 Peas in a Pod!

2011-02-26T15:01:00.000-08:00

My dearest friend Lila and I discovered we were pregnant at the same exact time 20 months ago. Although I was residing in Greece at the time, I felt closer than ever to her because we both got to experience such a beautiful moment in our lives together.

Who would of ever thought that only a year and a half later our 2 peas in a pod would be indulging cupcakes together!

Coco for Baby K!

2011-02-26T14:47:00.000-08:00

Lynn who is 1 week past her due date is hoping that the 3 cupcakes she ate will stimulate a sugar induced labor!

Cupcake Tasting

2011-02-21T08:57:00.000-08:00

This beautiful couple opted for cupcakes rather than a traditional wedding cake for their special day. Here they are tasting the cupcakes with their adorable nephew/ring bearer!

The Best Things In Life; Family, Friends and Cupcakes!

2011-02-18T21:50:00.000-08:00

The Best Things in Life:

Family

Friends
and Cupcakes!

Baby Fever!

2011-02-10T16:56:00.001-08:00

Interactive Baby Shower Cupcakes. Guess the sex of the baby and receive free cupcakes!

It's a Girl!

Bean & Beam

2011-01-30T14:45:00.000-08:00

Bean & Beam

We only use the finest ingredients when baking our cupcakes. Fresh vanilla bean is mixed in every batter and whipped in every frosting. The fresh vanilla adds an intense flavor that can not be replicated using vanilla extract. The pods of the vanilla can also be jarred to make homemade vanilla extract or added to granulated sugar to make vanilla sugar.

Fruit Du Jour

2011-01-12T16:29:00.000-08:00

For those that have toddlers that are picky eaters will definitely appreciate this post!

When it's time for Kokona to eat her fruit I cut it up in tiny little bite size pieces, put her in her high chair, do a little song and dance and pray she'll eat at least a few bites. Usually she just ends up smooshing the fruit du jour and using it as hand lotion. She then proceeds to smear what hasn't fallen on the floor all over the table only to leave me with a nice sticky mess to clean up. Therefore, if most parents can get their picky eaters to eat their fruit they'll do whatever it takes. Today Kokona decided to eat her fruit on my new Kitchen Aid, and to my surprise she ate the whole orange. I almost don't want to take the mixer out of the box! Not only did my Kitchen Aid get Kokona to eat her fruit, it also inspired me to create a new flavor for this Friday... Orange Cranberry!

Fashion Police!

2011-01-09T21:34:00.001-08:00

When I was watching Fashion Police on the E channel I heard something that literally made me stop in my own tracks. I heard Joan River's raspy voice stating that "cupcakes were so last season"! I believe that the cupcake is like a little black dress--it never goes out of style. And besides is this not a picture of Joan herself posing with a dozen cupcakes?

Cupcake Nazi...Not Me!

2011-01-08T21:37:00.000-08:00

These three children come in almost every Friday to get their sugar fix! They are definitely avid Simply Rita fans. Two of the three always ask for red velvet, which is why I always whip up a few batches. How could I possibly say "no red velvet for you" to these cutie patooties?

Brewskis and Cupcakes?

2011-01-08T21:23:00.000-08:00

Brewskis and cupcakes?

Although I'm not quite sure how well these two all time favorites mesh, one thing that is for sure is that cupcakes would definately make a great hangover treat!

No Words!

2011-01-08T18:27:00.000-08:00

No Words!

Sweet Memories!

2010-12-18T20:38:00.000-08:00

My college girlfriends and I finally arranged to all meet up for a Christmas Lunch. We enjoyed a beautiful festive meal at our friend Lynn's house. We reminisced about college and how the only concern we had was which bar we would hit up. This was being discussed while two of my pregnant friends sipped on non-alcoholic champagne. Not to mention that my other friend was lactating and I was chasing after Kokona trying to prevent her from knocking over the Christmas tree. Although our lives have changed since college, one thing that has remained constant is our love for cupcakes...

Sweet Victory!

2010-12-18T20:28:00.000-08:00

What better way to celebrate a sweet victory than with cupcakes! That's what The Cheshire Academy basketball team did. The players all indulged in cookies and cream cupcakes and pizza of course! Thanks to Mr. Torey for being such a loyal customer!

The Cheshire Herald

2010-12-14T13:18:00.000-08:00

Josh Morgan, a writer from The Cheshire Herald, contacted me a few weeks ago to interview me for their feature story. He came in last Friday where we talked and gobbled down a few freshly baked cupcakes. I must say that the business has really bloomed after this article was published. I am so grateful that the people of Cheshire have been so supportive! I made over 400 cupcakes this weekend and sold out in a matter of hours! Watch out everyone CUPCAKE CRAZE has officially hit the small town of Cheshire!
To read full article go to: http://www.cheshireherald.com/node/3330

Cheshire Academy!

2010-11-10T11:24:00.000-08:00

A 265 cupcake order was placed from Cheshire Academy this week. Mr. Kallas, the residence hall director, decided to think outside the box and give the students a non-traditional treat. It took three staff members from the Academy just to load the car! I'm sure all the students are loving Mr.Kallas for his generosity.

I look foward to working with Cheshire Academy in the future to cater to all their sweet tooth cravings!

Cupcake flavors included: Rocky Road Chocolate Chip, Marshmallow, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Stawberry Daquiri (alcohol free that is)!

To learn more about Cheshire Academy visit:

https://www.cheshireacademy.org/default.asp?bhcp=1

The Sweetest Cupcake Of Them All!

2010-11-02T20:24:00.000-07:00

When trying to decide what we were going to dress Kokona up as for Halloween the first thing that came to mind was obviously a cupcake. I was going to make her costume until I walked into Marshalls one day and found the perfect little cupcake costume! Therefore, I saved myself a headache and decided to purchase it. We think she is definitely the sweetest cupcake of them all!

Sugar and Spice!

2010-10-24T20:31:00.000-07:00

These cupcakes were made for Cheshire Pizza Bar and Grille. They were celebrating their Grand Opening/30th year anniversary. A celebration is never complete without the cupcakes! Very Vanilla Cake with Pumpkin Spice Frosting.

Cheshire Pizza Bar and Grille will now be serving Simply Rita Cupcakes every Friday after 5 PM. First come first serve.

Cupcake Camp~New Haven

2010-10-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

Cupcake Camp~New Haven! Simply Rita was a sponsor of the event. My family and I had such a great time mingling with all the other cupcake fanatics, and even more fun trying their creations!

Athens News Interview!

2010-09-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

Athens New Interview!

We were recently contacted by Athens News to do an interview. The writer did such an amazing job at capuring my life and the story of Simply Rita in her article. We are truly thankful that the writer took the time to get to know the crew at Simply Rita at a more personal level. It is people like this that make our business a success!

Cupcake Camp~New Haven!

2010-07-15T06:18:00.001-07:00

~Cupcake Camp~

Simply Rita has become an official sponsor of Cupcake Camp~New Haven!

Come join us:

September 18, 2010

BAR

254 Crown Street

New Haven from 11:00 am -1:00 p.m.

To register visit:

http://www.cupcakecampnh.blogspot.com/

Tutti-Frutti

2010-07-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

Tutti-Frutti

These are some refreshing new flavors for the summer. The cupcakes were vanilla bean with lemon zest frosting, and deep dark chocolate with raspberry buttercream. The lemon cupcakes were a hit because of their light and invigorating flavor. They are an excellent choice for those hot summer days and nights!

Seashell project complete!

2010-06-12T13:18:00.000-07:00

Seashell Cupcakes

Here is a picture of the seashell project we completed. All the edible designs (all 3oo of them) were made by hand. The flavor of the cu
pcakes were dark chocolate with very vanilla meringue frosting. The box the cupcakes were in also had matching starfish, seahorses, and seashells on the outside. We believe the cupcakes fit perfectly with the baptism's decor and theme.

Na sas zisei h Savvina!

Multi-tasking at its finest!

2010-06-12T13:05:00.000-07:00

Multi-tasking at its finest!

*Painting lustre on an edible seashell design.

Plastic is not Fantastic!

2010-06-09T16:11:00.000-07:00

Plastic is not Fantastic!

Some may wonder how plastic relates to a cupcake blog. Well this is the term I use when I refer to fondant. Fondant has been extremely popular in the past few years, and has been used to cover cakes, make rolled figurines, and pretty much destroy the taste, texture and freshness of a cake. In addition, not only are you eating something that tastes like the sole of your flip flop, you are also paying some serious cash for it. Although it was a trend that I never bought into, I'm elated that others are finally starting to realize that plastic is not fantastic!

Check out this link to read about cake trends for 2010:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Wedding-Cake-Trends-2010&id=3528310

Seashells, Shimmer and Sunshine!

2010-06-09T15:54:00.001-07:00

Seashells, Shimmer, and Sunshine!

If that's not a tongue twister I don't know what is! This will be the theme of a 300 cupcake order we received for a baptism. The cupcakes will be a collaboration between Sonia (the new co-owner of Simply Rita, Athens) and myself. We envision crumbled graham crackers sprinkled on each cupcake to represent the sand, topped by edible bronze shimmered seashells and starfish. The theme colors will be coral and turquoise. We believe these cupcakes will look beautiful and fit perfectly with the party theme. Here are some of the edible designs we made. We are anxious to see the end result. More pictures will be posted when the cupcakes are complete!

Butterfly Kisses!

2010-06-07T15:35:00.000-07:00

This was our latest creation. It was inspired by my daugher's butterfly themed birthday party. The pyramid can be custom made to accomodate any party theme. Pyramids are available in both Simply Rita locations.

(Connecticut location will be opening in September).

Crystal Clear

2010-03-15T05:39:00.000-07:00

This is our new cupcake stand that is now available for rent!

It's a boy!

2010-03-15T05:33:00.000-07:00

These cupcakes were created for a baby shower. The flavor was double chocolate with vanilla butternut buttercream frosting!

Tiers of Joy!

2009-11-27T08:03:00.000-08:00

T hese cupcakes were made for a little girl's 8th birthday party. The cupcakes were arranged on a glass pyramid with the birthday cake being on the highest tier. There were candles on each tier which really made the pyramid glow!

Cupcake: Vanilla bean cupcake stuffed with raspberry cream, and topped with vanilla buttercream frosting.

Cake: Dark chocolate and vanilla bean cake (four layers) with raspberry filling and vanilla buttercream frosting.

Double Trouble!

2009-11-27T07:45:00.000-08:00

T hese cupcakes were double chocolate cupcakes with dark chocolate buttercream frosting, and vanilla bean cupcakes with madagascar buttercream frosting.

Wedded Bliss!

2009-10-21T02:25:00.000-07:00

A n event coordinator contacted me and wanted to order a fondant covered wedding cake. She however, opted for a mini buttercream wedding cake along with individual cupcakes. This way the couple had a wedding cake to cut, and individual cupcakes to serve to the guests. I believe this option is more practical and most importantly not as costly. This cake was intended to be placed on a glass cupcake pyramid, with the cupcakes scaffolding down on the other tiers. The flavor of the cake was bourbon vanilla with raspberry buttercream filling, and vanilla buttercream frosting.

In Style Magazine

2009-10-05T12:27:00.001-07:00

I was featured in this month's In Style Magazine Issue. I guess all my hard work has really paid off!

To read full article go to:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43241644@N03/3985079670/

~ (C) is for (C)ookie ~

2009-10-01T04:32:00.000-07:00

T hese cookies were custom made for a five year olds birthday party. The customer requested that her son's name be written on the cookies, therefore instead of using royal icing to pipe the child's name, I decided to use fondant. I believe the fondant gives the cookie a more polished look. Although these cookies aren't part of the four basic food groups, you can convince yourself they are by thinking a balanced diet is a cookie in each hand!

Viva Las Cupcakes!

2009-09-27T15:23:00.000-07:00

T hese cupcakes were created for an Elvis themed birthday party. The party planners and I decided that we definitely wanted the cupcakes to say, "Niki Rocks the Big 30", but when it was time to execute this idea I really had to think it through. The cupcakes were for a mature crowd, therefore I wanted them to look sophisticated but yet spunky at the same time. I decided to use sugarpaste for the lettering and I embellished them with silver dragees (which is what really made them pop). The final project was exactly how I had envisioned it. It was a lot of fun bringing the party's theme to life, and it gave me an opportunity to get my creative juices working. All I have to say is Dimitra and Elisavet... Thank you thank you very much~Elvis~

Cakespy Interview!

2009-09-25T01:27:00.000-07:00

S ince I'm new to blogging, I've been trying to network by introducing myself to my favorite bloggers, Jessie Olsen from Cakespy being one of them. She emailed me back and was nice enough to request an interview. Check it out at

http://www.cakespy.com/2009/09/batter-chatter-interview-with-rita.html

Baby Phat!

2009-09-22T15:41:00.000-07:00

A fter giving birth around 4 months ago, my body has not been so kind to me! Prior to becoming pregnant I ate relatively healthy, therefore, I would treat myself to a cupcake or two a week. After the birth of my daughter however, I found myself struggling to lose the last 12 pounds of baby fat, therefore I put myself on a healthier regimen which meant NO more double chocolate chip cupcakes. Although I have an occasional bite here and there before I send out my cupcake orders (only to ensure they meet cusomter satisfaction that is) I pretty much have been keeping my lips sealed. Although its been rough trying to lose the extra weight and and even harder not being able to indulge in my creations, I can still get my cupcake fix in other ways!

"Damn that's a lotta money!"

2009-09-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

I was organizing a party with my maid of honor not too long ago, and the customer requested a fondant covered cake from a well known cake decorator here in Athens. When the cake arrived to the party (650 euros later) it was beautiful! Covered with hand rolled princesses and fairies! I thought to myself if this cake tastes as good as it looks this woman is a goddess! After taking the first bite of the cake, I soon realized that this woman was not a goddess she was just really good at rolling figurines out of fondant. The cake was like a Styrofoam brick with a plastic like flavorless topping! I'll admit I think the fondant covered Louis Vuitton and Manolo Blahnik cakes are pretty impressive, but with that money you can buy your own pair of Manolo Blahniks! So what are other options for a super trendy birthday cake....cupcakes! You can still incorporate your theme with minimal amounts of fondant and sugarpaste, they taste AMAZING, and they won't leave you saying "Damn that's a lotta money!"

Fondant should be used for decorative purposes, not to drape over an entire cake.

Elvis Inspired Cupcakes...

2009-09-19T05:19:00.001-07:00

So I was collaborating with two customers to think of an Elvis themed cupcake and their enthusiasm encouraged me to create some yummy new flavors!

I t's now or never:

Banana cake with peanut butter filling and chocolate buttercream frosting.

A big chunk of love:

Banana cake with chunks of dark chocolate and vanilla buttercream frosting.

A lways on my mind:

Peanut butter cake filled with chocolate ganache and topped with chocolate buttercream frosting...(one bite and this cupcake will always be on your mind!)

A re you lonesome tonight:

What to do on a lonesome night? Gorge yourself with cupcakes of course!

Chocolate cake with cream cheese filling and vanilla buttercream frosting.

T he all shook up cupcake:

This cupcake is a bit confused:

Vanilla/Chocolate Swirl cake with hazelnut buttercream frosting ~Compliments of Elisavet and Dimitra~

In Style

2009-09-17T08:23:00.000-07:00

~In Style Magazine .. by Mina Birakou~

To veiw full size

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cakespy/3951063349/sizes/l/

FYI...No it wasn't one too many cupcakes I was pregnant with my little cupcake!

Inspirations...

2009-09-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

I must say our cupcake menu is truly unique. Mostly because the cupcakes are musically inspired; such as The Holla Back Girl (B-A-N-A-N-A-S), The Smashing Pumpkin and The Sweet Thang. One turn of the radio knob or one spin of the DJ's record may result in a new flavor for that week. It's amazing how the sweet sound of a melody can inspire me to create something that satisfies my palate!

2009-09-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

DEPRIVATION!!

When I first moved to Athens, Greece I figured I would continue to bake cupcakes. I however, never realized what a challenge this would be until I moved here. Simple ingredients that were once so easy to come by were near impossible to find. For example: Pure vanilla extract, gum paste powder, crisco, superfine sugar, chocolate chips were nowhere to be found. Therefore, recipes that were once easy to make were now extremely time consuming. Why? Because chocolate chips were no longer found at the nearest Stop & Shop they were now piped out of a pastry bag. Marshmallows were not bought in the big industrial sized bags, but rather made from scratch. Fondant was not purchased in the Wilton tub that was sold at Joanne Fabrics but rolled out with the homemade marshmallows! Canned pumpkin? Boil a pumpkin! This at times was frustrating because when I wanted a quick solution it was not at hand. I must say this brings a completely different meaning to the word HOMEMADE!

*Picture of fondant flowers made with homemade marshmallow fondant

2009-09-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

The Cupcake 600
I suppose nothing is impossible, considering the fact that I had to make 600 cupcakes within a 48 hour time frame! One might say I procrastinated and should of started baking 3 days in advance, but my anal retentive character will never allow me to compromise the freshness of the ever so beloved cupcake! So what is one to do with only 3 cupcake tins and one oven that only bakes 12 cupcakes at a time? Pull an all-nighter OF COURSE! Although it was arduous and extremely time consuming it was definitely worth it. Nothing beats the feeling of seeing the final project, and the look on my customers face when they take their first bite!

Cupcake Creations:

* Double chocolate chip stuffed with chocolate ganache and topped with chocolate buttercream

*Raspberry filled coconut cupcake with white chocolate buttercream

*Brownie cupcake with nutella filling and hazelnut buttercream frosting

*Madagascar vanilla cupcake with mint buttercream frosting

DIET?? WHAT DIET!!