So, about last night...

It happened! You may have seen my assistant T on TV last night competing on Cupcake Wars (and if you didn't, the episode will re-air on Sunday and next Wednesday on the Food Network, so read no further, as spoilers follow). And you're probably wondering: What was she thinking?

Well, a couple of things:

• This is our chance to make something epic that the world has never seen before
• We've made bacon cupcakes before with great results - hot dogs can't be that far off! (wrong)
  
• Go big or go home!

Annnd, she went home. But that's okay! I'm so proud of her and Karen for making it on to the show - a huge win for amateur bakers and aspiring bakery owners. And while I would have loved to compete myself (have I ever told you how hard it is to get onto reality TV when you're imaginary?), it was so exciting to see the girls on TV baking their hearts out.

The most disappointing part of it all was that T didn't have a chance to show what we can really do here at Carrie Cakeaway. So take a look around. No frills, no frankfurters (we promise) -- just delicious cupcakes with super tasty frostings, a sense of adventure, and a splash of bourbon here and there.

Please continue to support us by liking us on Facebook and stay tuned for our latest creations! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the episode.

Be frank. And let the hot dog puns begin.

A very Sunny occasion

If I weren't imaginary (I am), I think I'd go all hormonal every time I saw a toddler or a baby -- the nice kind of hormonal that makes you want to hug and laugh and bake many, many cupcakes. And then eat them. (The cupcakes, not the children).

I apologize for sounding a little crazy right now, but I'm just so excited for Sunny and her baby-to-be. Annie, Jen, and Sarah planned a surprise Southern Belle-themed baby shower for her in a conference room under the guise of a "very important meeting." Well, it was a very important meeting, complete with balloons, beignets, pecan pie, sweet tea, and cupcakes. What, you mean to tell me that you don't have all of those things at your very important meetings?

For this very special occasion, T and I whipped up some Peanut Butter Chocolate cupcakes for Sunny and some Bourbon Strawberry cupcakes for everyone else. Rich chocolate cupcakes topped with silky peanut butter buttercream, a sprinkle of course sea salt, and freshly crushed peanuts - one bite, and you'll think you've just sunk your teeth into a fluffier, even tastier Reese's peanut butter cup. And as for the Bourbon Strawberry, we're talking melt-in-your-mouth bourbon-spiked vanilla cupcakes topped with vanilla-bourbon cream cheese frosting and a fresh strawberry half.

Congratulations, Sunny! Warmest wishes to you and your bundle of joy.

Bringing wine country to you

What do you look for in a wine? Do you like bold, spicy zinfandels that pack a tannic punch? Or do you prefer crisp, buttery chardonnays that glide across your tongue? Perhaps you like moscatos, so sweet and dessert-like that you'd think you were drinking juice. Or maybe, just maybe, you like it all - wine in all shades of red, white, and everything in between, with notes of everything from oak to cherry, leather to lampshade...you get my drift.

If that sounds like you, then you're probably a oenophile, and I'd like to bake for you! The sky's the limit when it comes to working with wine, so T and I were very excited when preparing cupcakes for wine-loving Anna's birthday. Here's what we came up with:

Chardonay Peach (pictured at the top) - Chardonnay-infused vanilla cupcakes filled with peach chunks, topped with cream frosting splashed with chardonnay and peach juice and a fresh yellow peach slice.

Strawberries and Champagne - Champagne-infused vanilla cupcakes filled with champagne-soaked strawberries, frosted with strawberry-champagne buttercream, and topped with a fresh strawberry half

Dark Chocolate Cabernet - Cabernet-infused dark chocolate cupcakes topped with silky cabernet cream cheese frosting

Happy birthday, Anna! Hope you enjoyed these. All that's missing now is a trip to beautiful wine country for a day of cupcake and wine pairings.