6 Bittersweets: May 2011

If you're like me and scroll through a post's photos first, I know what you're thinking: "WOW -- this looks straight out of a magazine!" That's the same reaction I have to every one of my friend Vera's photos. We met through Flickr only about a year ago but I was instantly taken with her sweet personality and talent; we became fast friends. Together with other women including Aisha, Asri, Laksmi, and Sylvie, we formed a supportive community of photographers sharing honest feedback with each other. I've quickly come to love and rely on these friends.

Meanwhile, Vera's talent for styling and shooting food grew by leaps and bounds, becoming so outstanding that I was not at all surprised (though quite delighted) when she turned it into her profession. You can check out more of her incredible work on her blog, professional site, and Flickr photostream. But first, please give your warmest welcome to Vera and the refreshing treats she brought us today! It's truly an honor to have her as my latest guest.

I would have never thought that one day I would call strangers, whom I've never actually met, friends. Yes, Xiaolu is my friend although we have never met personally; a friend who shares the same passion for photography and food. And what photography! And what food! Have you seen her latest photos and delicious sweet treats? Aren’t they gorgeous? Oh my, you can understand my excitement when she asked me to guest post on her site. Man, what do you bring to someone when she bakes so fantastically? Cookies, cakes and cupcakes were out of question. My little sweets would look just ridiculous against her miraculous treats.

So about a month after I had been asked, I decided to go for popsicles. I have never met anyone who wouldn’t like popsicles, so here they are. This is so international that it really doesn’t matter whether you are Hungarian (like me), American or Asian -- people like ice cream the same way everywhere in the world. It reminds me of my childhood. I always preferred the fruity popsicles and the yellow fruits. I love the color red in everything but in my ice cream. Now, how crazy is that? Yellow fruits are so sunny and remind me of the hot, summer days at my grandmother's. Of the way the sweet, sticky, fruity juice ran down on my arm and of course dripped on my clean, white dress...but I was the happiest girl on Earth at that time. I hope these popsicles will bring back some of your childhood memories, too. Enjoy!

Mango Orange Yogurt Popsicles [Printable Recipe]

2 mangoes, peeled and diced
Freshly squeezed juice from 1 large orange
200 ml water [3/4 cup PLUS 2 Tbsp]
150 g sugar [rounded 3/4 cup]
Yogurt

Fill the bottom of your popsicle mold with the yogurt, then freeze it until the mango puree is ready, but for at least 30 minutes.

Stir sugar and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Process mango and orange juice in a food processor until smooth, add syrup and process to combine. Let it cool in the refrigerator.

Fill popsicle molds and freeze until firm. Insert wooden popsicle sticks and return to freezer until frozen. Dip molds in hot water to unmold before consuming.

Photo of Cake Close-up by John Manansala

For those in the DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland areas, I am now offering my home-baked goods for sale. Please find flavor and pricing information below, plus photos of some of my work. In addition to the flavors listed, I am very open to working with you directly to develop custom flavors and/or decorations. Please also note that flavors requiring large amounts of fresh fruit or other expensive ingredients may be slightly more expensive than the general prices given.

Contact me via email to place an order or if you have inquiries beyond the information given below. Please let me know if anyone expected to be consuming the order has any food allergies, regardless of what flavor is ordered. I ask this because unrelated products are often processed using the same machines as common allergens such as milk and nuts. Thanks for stopping by!

[V] = vegan version available

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CUPCAKE FLAVORS

Vanilla Loves Vanilla [V]
Vanilla yellow cake with vanilla buttercream frosting

Chocolate Loves Chocolate [V]
Rich, moist chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting

Vanilla Loves Chocolate [V]
Vanilla yellow cake with chocolate buttercream frosting

Chocolate Loves Vanilla [V]
Rich chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream frosting

Chocolate Salted Caramel
Rich, dark chocolate cake filled with homemade salted caramel and topped with rich chocolate buttercream

Chocolate Almond Dulce De Leche
Rich, dark chocolate cake filled with homemade dulce de leche milk caramel and toasted almonds and topped with rich chocolate buttercream and more almonds

German Chocolate ($35)
Rich, dark chocolate cake filled with chocolate ganache and topped with a decadent coconut pecan frosting.

Black Forest
Rich, dark chocolate cake filled with brandied cherries and topped with Kirsch whipped cream frosting

Red Velvet [V]
Tangy, moist red velvet cake with my signature cream cheese “miracle” frosting

**SPACIOUS Special**
Tangy, moist red velvet cake filled with tart pomegranate jelly and topped with silky smooth vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream frosting

Strawberries and Cream ($35)
Vanilla buttermilk cupcake filled with Kirsch-soaked strawberries and topped with a tangy whipped cream frosting

Lemon Drop ($35)
Lemon cupcake filled with homemade lemon curd and finished with tart lemon buttercream frosting

Rum and Raspberry Custard [V] ($35)
Vanilla cake brushed with rum syrup, filled with raspberry custard, and frosted cream cheese buttercream

Coconut Dulce De Leche Caramel
Moist coconut cake filled with dulce de leche caramel, frosted with cream cheese buttercream, and topped with more dulce de leche

Coffee Lover [V]
Vanilla cake brushed with coffee rum (alcohol optional) syrup, filled and frosted with cream cheese buttercream, and topped with chocolate shavings on top

Banana Peanut Butter
Banana cake with rich peanut butter mousse frosting

Peanut Butter and Jelly
Peanut butter cake filled with grape jelly or strawberry jam, frosted with rich peanut butter mousse or Swiss meringue buttercream frosting, and topped with more jelly or jam

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel
Rich chocolate cake filled with chocolate ganache, frosted with peanut butter Swiss meringue buttercream frosting, and topped with crushed pretzels

Cookies and Cream [V]
Chocolate cake with cookies and cream buttercream filling and frosting

Boston Cream Pie [V]
Vanilla cake filled with pastry cream and dipped in chocolate ganache

S’Mores ($35)
Rich chocolate cake lined with graham cracker crust, filled with dark chocolate chunks, and frosted with toasted marshmallow frosting

Chocolate Mint [V]
Rich chocolate cake filled with mint buttercream and dipped in dark chocolate ganache

Chocolate Hazelnut ($35)
Rich chocolate cake filled with crunchy wafer cookie and chocolate hazelnut ganache and topped with more chocolate hazelnut ganache

Caramelized Banana Crème Brulee ($38)
Brown sugar cupcake filled with caramelized banana slices, frosted with bruleed brown sugar Swiss meringue buttercream frosting, and topped with more caramelized banana slices

Cinnamon Swirl
Airy cinnamon swirl cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting

Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake
Mini cheesecakes with blueberry swirl and traditional graham cracker crust

Carrot Cake
Moist spiced carrot cake with cream cheese frosting (walnuts optional)

Spiced Apple with Brie
Spiced apple walnut cake with brie cream cheese frosting

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip [V]
Ridiculously moist pumpkin chocolate chip cake with cream cheese frosting

Gingerbread
Gingerbread cupcake with spiced cream cheese “miracle” frosting

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CAKE FLAVORS

Vanilla Loves Vanilla [V] ($40)
Vanilla yellow cake filled and frosted with vanilla cream cheese, American buttercream, or Swiss meringue buttercream frosting

Chocolate Loves Chocolate [V] ($50)Rich, moist chocolate cake filled and frosted with rich classic chocolate, tangy chocolate sour cream, or Swiss meringue buttercream frosting

Vanilla Loves Chocolate [V] ($45)Vanilla yellow cake filled and frosted with rich classic chocolate, tangy chocolate sour cream, or Swiss meringue buttercream frosting

Chocolate Loves Vanilla [V] ($45)Rich chocolate cake filled and frosted with vanilla cream cheese, American buttercream, or Swiss meringue buttercream frosting

Red Velvet [V] ($45)
Tangy, moist red velvet cake filled and frosted with my signature cream cheese “miracle” frosting

Cookies and Cream [V]($55)
Chocolate cake with chopped cookies mixed into the batter, filled cookies and cream buttercream, frosted with vanilla cream cheese or Swiss meringue buttercream frosting, and topped with cookie halves

Chocolate Salted Caramel ($50)
Rich, dark chocolate cake filled with homemade salted caramel and frosted with rich chocolate buttercream

Chocolate Almond Dulce De Leche ($55)
Rich, dark chocolate cake filled with homemade dulce de leche milk caramel and toasted almonds and frosted with rich chocolate buttercream

Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch ($60)
Rich, dark chocolate cake filled with crushed Ferrero Rocher truffles and milk chocolate hazelnut ganache and frosted with milk chocolate hazelnut buttercream

German Chocolate ($55)
Rich, dark chocolate cake filled and topped with a decadent coconut pecan frosting. Ganache frosting can be added at additional cost.

Reese's Chocolate Peanut Butter ($50)
Moist chocolate cake filled with peanut butter mousse and chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and frosted with rich chocolate buttercream

Caramel ($50)
Moist, fluffy yellow cake frosted with soft, creamy caramel frosting

White Chocolate Mousse Strawberry($55)
Fluffy, light white cake filled with Kirsh-soaked strawberries and white chocolate mousse and frosted with more mousse, white chocolate shavings, and decorative strawberries (other berries can be substituted for strawberries)

Tart Lemon ($55)
Zesty lemon cake brushed with lemon syrup, filled with homemade lemon curd or blueberry Swiss meringue buttercream, and frosted with lemon cream cheese or Swiss meringue buttercream frosting

Carrot ($45)
Moist spiced carrot cake frosted with cream cheese frosting (walnuts, pineapple, and coconut optional)

Boston Cream Pie [V] ($45)
Moist vanilla cake filled with pastry cream and topped with chocolate glaze

S’Mores ($55)
Rich chocolate cake sprinkled with graham cracker streusel, filled with a mix of dark and milk chocolate ganache and marshmallow frosting, and smothered in marshmallow frosting finished with an all-over toasting.

Monkey Banana Chocolate ($55)
Moist all-natural banana cake filled with dark or milk chocolate ganache and freshly sliced bananas and frosted with cream cheese, vanilla Swiss meringue, or rich chocolate buttercream frosting

Coconut with Lime Curd ($55)
White coconut cake filled with homemade lime curd (lemon, passionfruit, or mango can be substituted), covered in pillowy marshmallow frosting, and sprinkled with lightly toasted coconut flakes

Cinnamon Roll ($55)
Vanilla butter cake swirled with cinnamon and brown sugar streusel and filled as well as frosted with cream cheese buttercream and chopped pecans or walnuts (nuts optional)

Mango Mascarpone Trifle ($65)
Layered mousse cake consisting of alternating layers of orange-flavored Savoiardi sponge biscuits, lightly sweetened whipped mascarpone cream, and fresh mango slices. All topped off with even more fresh mango arranged in elegant swirls (dependent on availability of fresh mangoes)

New York Cheesecake ($45)
Classic dense, rich NY-style cheesecake with a traditional tangy sour cream topping. Substitutions or additions to topping (at additional cost) easily made -- simply contact me via email.

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CAKE POP FLAVORS

Vanilla Loves Vanilla
Yellow cake and cream cheese filling with vanilla coating

Vanilla Loves Chocolate
Yellow cake and cream cheese filling with chocolate coating

Chocolate Loves Chocolate
Rich chocolate cake and cream cheese filling with chocolate coating

Red Velvet
Red velvet cake and cream cheese filling with vanilla OR chocolate coating

Cookies and Cream
Rich chocolate cake and cookie filling with vanilla coating

S'mores
Rich chocolate cake, graham cracker crumbs, and real toasted marshmallows with chocolate coating sprinkled with more graham cracker crumbs

Chocolate Almond Dulce De Leche
Rich chocolate cake, toasted almond, and homemade dulce de leche milk caramel filling with chocolate coating sprinkled with more chopped almonds

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel
Rich chocolate cake, peanut butter mousse, and crushed pretzels with chocolate coating sprinkled with more crushed pretzels

Monkey Banana Chocolate
Moist all-natural banana cake and cream cheese filling (pecans optional) with chocolate coating

Lemon Drop
Lemon and zesty lemon cream cheese filling with vanilla coating (lemon shaping available at additional cost)

Carrot Cake
Spiced carrot cake and cream cheese filling (walnuts optional) with vanilla coating (carrot shaping available at additional cost)

Spiced Apple with Brie
Spiced apple cake and brie cream cheese filling with vanilla coating (apple shaping available at additional cost)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip
Pumpkin chocolate chip cake and cream cheese filling with vanilla coating (pumpkin shaping available at additional cost)

Gingerbread
Gingerbread cake and cream cheese filling with vanilla coating (snowman shaping available at additional cost)

Many of the other cupcake flavors above can also be made into cake pops. Please email me for specific requests.

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MARSHMALLOW POP FLAVORS AND DESIGNS

Basic Dipped ($15)
Marshmallows with one half dipped in dark chocolate or vanilla candy coating. One customized candy coating color can be given to all pops per batch with no additional charge

S'mores ($25)
Marshmallows with one half dipped in dark chocolate and then sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs. Finished with a light toasting of the undipped marshmallow end

Rocky Road ($20)
Marshmallows with one half dipped in dark chocolate and then sprinkled with lightly toasted and finely chopped peanuts, pecans, or almonds

Cookie Monster ($20)
Marshmallows with one half dipped in dark chocolate or vanilla candy coating and sprinkled with Oreo, vanilla wafer, speculoos, or graham cracker cookie crumbs. One customized candy coating color can be given to all pops per batch with no additional charge

Cupcake Lover ($25)
Marshmallows with bottoms dipped in dark chocolate or candy coating, dusted with sprinkles, and topped with an M&M candy. The effect is to give the pops the look of tiny cupcakes. One customized candy coating color can be given to all pops per batch with no additional charge

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LAYERED DESSERT SHOOTERS (MINI CUPS)

Strawberry Shortcake with White Chocolate Mousse
Moist vanilla cake layered with Kirsh-soaked strawberries and white chocolate mousse, then topped with white chocolate shavings

Red Velvet
Tangy, moist red velvet cake layered with my signature cream cheese “miracle” frosting

Dark Chocolate Raspberry
Rich and moist dark chocolate cake layered with from-scratch chocolate pudding and fresh raspberries, then topped with fresh whipped cream

Blueberry Cheesecake
Cheesecake mousse layered with from-scratch blueberry sauce and crumbled graham crackers, topped with fresh whipped cream and blueberries

Carrot Cake
Moist spiced carrot cake layered with cream cheese frosting (walnuts, pineapple, and coconut optional)

Banana Pudding
Rich, from-scratch vanilla custard layered with fresh banana slices and crumbled Nilla Wafer cookies, then topped with fresh whipped cream

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FRENCH MACARON FLAVORS

Almond Vanilla
Almond cookie shells filled with vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream frosting

Chocolate Loves Chocolate
Chocolate almond cookie shells filled with chocolate ganache

Snickers
Chocolate almond peanut cookie shells filled with milk chocolate ganache, dulce de leche caramel, peanut butter nougat, and whole peanuts

Black Sesame Mochi
Black sesame almond cookie shells filled with black sesame chocolate ganache and mochi

Raspberry Curd
Almond cookie shells filled with raspberry curd

Matcha (Green Tea) White Chocolate
Green tea almond cookie shells filled with white chocolate ganache

Irish Coffee
Painted coffee almond cookie shells filled with Irish whiskey Swiss meringue buttercream

Lemon Curd
Lemon almond cookie shells filled with luscious lemon curd

Pistachio
Pistachio almond shells filled with egg yolk buttercream

Milk Chocolate Passionfruit
Almond cookie shells filled with milk chocolate passionfruit ganache

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OTHER TREATS

Cookies and Cream Brownies
Rich and fudgy brownie bars studded with chopped Oreo cookies

Champagne Brownies
Extra fudgy dark chocolate brownies accented with the distinctive taste of champagne in the batter as well as in a glaze on top

Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
A delightful makeover of a childhood flavor with the rich, nutty flavor only browned butter provides

Lemon Passionfruit Bars
An exotic twist on the traditional lemon bar -- delightfully tangy with a wonderfully buttery crust

Chocolate-Dipped Browned Butter Rice Krispies Treat Bars
This classic childhood treat takes on a new level of sophistication with the addition of rich, nutty flavor of browned butter and a quick dip in hot chocolate. The original version without browned butter or chocolate is also available.

Orange Passionfruit Curd Poppyseed Bite-size Tartlets
As delicious as they are cute, these mini tarts will make your taste buds dance

Decorated Cut-out Cookies
Buttery sugar cookies with a refreshing hint of lemon zest topped with royal icing decorations of your choice (particularly time-consuming details may increase the cost).

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PRICELIST

$25 per 1 dozen unfilled cupcakes
$32 and above per 1 dozen filled cupcakes
$30 and above per 24 mini cupcakes
+$6 per dozen plain cupcake toppers/custom decorative piping
+$8 per dozen custom-designed cupcake wrappers
+$16 per dozen pom-pom/crepe rosette cupcake toppers
+$24 and above per dozen handcrafted decorations (such as gumpaste flowers)

$40 and above for 1 large cake
+FREE custom writing
+$6 and above for other custom decoration

$35 and above per 18 cake pops
+$6 for custom writing
+$12 and above for custom shapes and other decoration
+$0.65 per pop for individual bagging, ribbon bows, and labels

$15 and above per 15 marshmallow pops
+$5 for sprinkles
+$3 per additional candy coating color per batch
+$0.65 per pop for individual bagging, ribbon bows, and labels

$36 and above per 25 small OR 12 large dessert shooters (1.75 or 3-oz. cups with spoons provided)

$25 and above per 15 French macarons or macaron pops on lollipop sticks
+$0.65 per macaron for individual bagging, ribbon bows, and labels

$25 and above per 20 drop cookies/bars/brownies
+$0.65 per treat for individual bagging, ribbon bows, and labels

$2.75 and above per decorated cut-out cookie (minimum of 15 cookies per order)
+$0.25 per cookie to make into cookie pops on lollipop sticks
+$0.65 per cookie for individual bagging, ribbon bows, and labels

$25 and above per 20 bite-size tartlets (tassies)

$3.50 per large tissue paper pom-pom, $2.50 per medium pom-pom, $2.00 per small pom-pom
+$1.00 for each pom-pom to be pre-fluffed

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EXAMPLES OF MY WORK

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Custom Toppers for Birthday Party

Rum and Raspberry Custard Cupcakes with Custom Flag and Pom-pom Toppers for Birthday Party

Chocolate, Vanilla, and Red Velvet Cupcakes with Marzipan Baby Footprints and Custom Flag Toppers for Baby Shower

Strawberries N' Cream Cupcake

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot Cupcakes with Marzipan Carrots

S'Mores Cupcake

Chocolate Toasted Marshmallow Cupcakes

Monet's Water Lilies Cupcakes with White Chocolate Flowers

S'Mores Cupcakes with Sea Creatures Fondant Toppers for Little Mermaid-themed Birthday Party

Little Mermaid Dessert Table:
Strawberry White Chocolate Mousse Cake, Red Velvet Cupcakes, S'mores Cupcakes, and Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with Sprinkles, and Custom Fondant Sea Creatures, Paper Toppers, and Cupcake Wrappers

Vanilla Wedding Cake and Cupcakes with Ruffled Gumpaste Flowers
Photography by Janice Cui Photography

White Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting for Breast Cancer Awareness

Mini Cupcakes with Ruffled Chevron Frosting for Shoshanna Trunk Show

Photography by MoxieSox; Styling by Petite Social

Strawberry Vanilla Cake with Handmade Hello Kitty Topper for Kara's 7th Birthday

Caramel Cake with Flag Bunting and Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Irish Cream Shots for Birthday Party

Tissue Pom-Pom Party Decorations

Raspberry Rose Lychee Cupcakes with Handmade Crepe Paper Fans, Red Velvet Cupcakes, and Cookies and Cream Cake Pops for Bridal Shower

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Bow Decoration for Bridal Shower

Vanilla Cake Squares Decorated with Washi Tape Patterns for Holiday Photo Shoot

Styling by Pure Joy Events

Raspberry Macarons and Cake Pops Decorated as Spools of Thread for Vintage Sewing-Themed Party
Photography by Rebecca Watkins Photography; Styling by Pure Joy Events