Over Indulgence

As a figure competitor, I am strictly limited to sugar intake during competition season...meaning, I don't get to eat any of my favorite sweets for months at a time.  I recently competed in what I will call my final show - until I am at the age I will compete in the masters division.  Typically, the day before a competition, you are allowed something really dense and sweet (carbing up), my trainer prefers cheesecake.  Well, obviously being a baker, I had a ton of left over truffles from a large order I just fulfilled and took them with me to my competition.  These leftovers included Strawberry, Cream Cheese Brownie, Carrot Cake, Peanut Butter & Chocolate and Red Velvet.  Yes - I took 12 of those delicious treats with me on a 2 day trip - with the intention of sharing, of course!!  Ya right!

The morning of my show, I ate 3 cake balls.  Throughout the day, I probably consumed 3 more and 1 more before hitting the stage.  The next day - yep - I ate 2-3 more!  Holy moly - Sugar overload...as much as I love these things, I just don't think I can eat another one for at least another week.  *wink*

For those curious people out there - I did end up winning my class and got 2nd in overall!!  Guess all those cakeballs were well deserved!!

Competitors Happy Place

Some of you may or may not know that I am a fitness fanatic!  I compete in both the NPC and INBF federations in the figure division.  I have several friends that also compete with me and one thing I have learned that we all have in common is our LOVE for peanut butter and chocolate!  I'm not really sure what it is about peanut butter (I didn't even really like it until I started competing) but it's a treat that we all crave and I have yet to meet a competitor that dislikes it.  I'm drooling right now just thinking about it!  Ha!

A girlfriend of mine, Lindsey Meyer, just celebrated her birthday - which by coincidence took place right after a major competition in which she competed in the bikini division.  Let me just say that after 8 weeks of heavy dieting and working out - she was really craving some goodies!  So - here's what I created for her...

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with a Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting topped with Toffee Bits and a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup!

Yummmmmm!!!!

She loved it, I loved it, and I am pretty sure everyone at the birthday celebration loved it as well!  I'm definitely keeping this recipe in my back pocket for future use!!  DELICIOUS!!

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream and Whipped Peanut Butter Filling

This week I had a request to make a chocolate cake for a 30th birthday!  You know what I like with chocolate?  Peanut Butter!!

I made the most decadent 2 layer chocolate cake - extremely moist and dense.  For the filling, I made a whipped peanut butter filling: butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar and a tad of milk.  The frosting is in a league of it's own: Chocolate Buttercream...it was not too sweat and not too chocolately - just perfect for this cake!

Wish it was my 30th birthday all over again and I'd make myself one!

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Cupcakes & Cake Pops

This weekend I will be attending a bridal shower for my dear friend since elementary school.  I volunteered to make the pastries, as I think it's more special when it comes from someone you know.  I took much consideration in creating the perfect desserts for this friend, as I found out her favorite flavors are Strawberry and Chocolate.  I also know that her wedding colors are black and white (with possibly a hint of some other bright color).

Everyone does cupcakes for these types of events, so I thought outside the box a little bit on this particular occasion.  What if I created 2 kinds of cupcakes: Strawberry with a Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing and a Chocolate Cupcake with Chocolate Buttercream Icing?  Not only that, but what if I created Cake Ball Pops with the left over cake and put the opposite flavor of Cake Ball Pop into the other Cupcake?  OMG, what a fantastic idea!!

For the Strawberry Cake Balls, I dipped them in pink chocolate and donned them with flash frozen strawberry pieces...they look absolutely adorable (like pink flowers).  For the Chocolate Cake Balls, I dipped them in Milk Chocolate and decorated them with a Malt Ball Crunch for texture.

Here are the results:

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Peanut Butter & Toffee Truffle

These Peanut Butter and Toffee truffles were only my second truffle creation I ever attempted.  I am excited to say that these are by far my best selling truffle, followed closely by Red Velvet and Turtle Brownie Cake Balls.  I guess I should call the Turtle Brownie Cake Balls - Turtle Brownie Truffles since they are not in fact an actual "cake" ball.  :)

Everyone loves these Peanut Butter & Toffee Truffles because much love goes into them.  There are flavors of chocolate, peanut butter, hazelnut and toffee...what's not to love!?

With that said, feast your eyes...

Thanks for reading!

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Coconut Cake

Last night I made a Coconut Cake with a Sour Cream and Coconut filling.  On top of the cake are Dark Chocolate Almond Coconut Clusters and Milk Chocolate Straw Cookies.  It wasn't a perfectly level cake but I think it came out really well!  I hope the new college graduate loves it!  She asked for coconut - and that's what I'm giving her...to the Nth degree!

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Zucchini Bread Muffins

I'm late to the party! I've been baking for several years now - starting with breads and cookies. Now I've added cupcakes and cake ball truffles to my mix of sweets and I love every second of it!

Tuesday I created Zucchini Bread Muffins for my co-workers and as a Thank You gesture for a friend and received rave reviews! They are extremely moist and so delicious...great with a dab of butter in the mornings with some coffee...yummmmm!

This weekend I will be making a coconut cake for a college graduation party and soon I'll be making cupcakes with a cake ball pop in the middle for a bridal shower! Stay tuned!

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