It’s been, and supposedly will continue to be, a dreary week weatherwise here on the shoreline of CT. Gray/ rainy/sleety/snowy … yucky. A good week, though, to do some baking. Warms the house and makes it smell yummy. Takes me back to the days when both my great-grandmother and Nana baked – made it feel like “home”. Grandma Laux (my maternal great-grandmother) made donuts (actually not baked, but deep-fried) … great, great donuts with powdered sugar on them. Light as air and simply irresistible. Sadly, these donuts are the only thing I remember about her…ah, but what a sweet memory!
I remember a lot about Nana, my maternal grandmother. She was a real “lady” and we were all very close to her. She made tapioca and rice puddings that could win contests, and she also made a mean NY cheesecake. However, terrific cupcakes are what I remember best. They didn’t always look as pretty as the ones we see today, but they were tasty morsels . Such a treat to come home to from grammar school in Riverdale, NY. I was reminiscing about them the other day with a friend, and hence, the “theme” for this week’s Wednesday What-Nots. Cupcakes, whether plain and simple or ornate, but always tempting, single-serving delights…this one’s for Nana!
I was amazed to find a wealth of great products when I researched “cupcakes” on Etsy this week. In their truest form, you can actually purchase delicious home-baked cupcakes from various sellers on the site, but I’m going to focus on cupcake-related products that I found. And, if you are inclined to bake your own, there’s a great little book on my website that has sold very well and is also a personal favorite of mine, “Cupcakes Year-Round” by Sara Neumeier. (The Black Forest Cherry Cupcakes are positively addictive!)
When you bake your own, you’ll want to check out Cupcake Social, a shop devoted to “making cupcakes too cute to eat”. There is an amazing array of all things related to making cupcakes look as good as they taste. From toppers to sprinkles to cupcake liners, this shop has it covered! The assortment of green liners, shown below, is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or, perhaps, a Springtime garden tea party. 
How cute are these!
Another great source of cupcake and cookie toppers for all occasions is TwoSugarBabies, made from fondant (edible!) and available in a variety of themes and for all the seasons and holidays. Charynn specializes in custom work, creating handcrafted toppers to fit any occasion you may have. With Easter not too far off, these little baby chicks caught my eye!
In the non-edible category, there were two shops that put a clever spin on the “cupcake” theme.
Priscila’s ModDiaperCakes are elegant, artistic creations that are as affordable as they are stylish. Diaper Cakes (in this case, cupcakes!) are hot commodities in the baby gift world, and these are a great find! Priscila crafts baby diapers and washcloths into these sweet concoctions and packages a set of four ”cupcakes” in a gift box that is almost as cute as the product. Check out her full-sized cakes, bouquets, and lollipops, too. You’ll want to keep this shop in mind when you need a special baby shower gift!
Introducing: Pretty in Pink Cupcakes!
Totally different from the above, but certainly worthy of mention as well, from TheBumblingBird - a baker’s necklace. This one has a tiny antique silver pewter KitchenAid mixer and cupcake/muffin pan that dangle from an 18 inch sterling silver chain. For the chef/baker in your life, or a great gift for Mom or yourself (the cupcake baker!), this is a gift that’s sure to please… 
Mini Kitchen Tools – great little replicas.
Thought I’d share a two favorite baking sites to coordinate with all this. Without a doubt, entire days could be consumed – easily – looking at various food-related websites. Unfortunately, I’d never get any work done, as these sites draw me right into the kitchen. Not a bad place to be, but, as I said, I’ve got work to do!
Devoted solely to cupcakes is a blog called “cupcakestakethecake“, with recipes, links, resources and more. The site has more than 3400 followers, so you know it has to be good! Naturally, I can’t resist the urge to spotlight a specific page on the blog which has the cutest little bird cupcakes created by a San Diego baker!
The browneyedbaker, self-dubbed a “virtual kitchen”, is a food and cooking blog loaded with drool-producing photos that is really well-organized and easy to navigate. While the list of ingredients might make you think twice, don’t! … the lemon-limoncello cupcakes are truly citrus delights! A real recipe keeper….
I love getting feedback from my readers, so I look forward to your comments. In addition, please feel free to email me with any questions or suggestions you may have. karen@thewellseasonednest.com
