valentine's day Half-Baked Co. features frocake (frozen yogurt-filled cupcakes) and cupcakes on a stick!

I've been meaning to write about a lot of the people I met at CupcakeCamp LA, and now, as I get ready to head back to California, I have to accept that I am only human, and simply don't have time to blog about all the amazingness that I encountered at that event. So my apologies, but I will be posting as time allows, but please understand that I cannot possibly blog about all the cupcakes I encounter, much as I'd like to.

One of the cupcake companies I discovered at that event was Half-Baked Co. but I didn't realize until just now that they combine two of my favorite things: frozen yogurt and cupcakes! In the form of frocakes...with these flavor options:

Cookies ‘n Cream

chocolate cupcake filled with

cookies n cream froyo

vanilla buttercream

crushed oreo rim and oreo on top

Mint Chocolate Chip

chocolate cupcake filled with

R.F. mint choc. chip ice cream

mint buttercream

chocolate chips

Root Beer Float

chocolate cupcake

filled with vanilla froyo

root beer buttercream

chocolate sprinkles and cherry on top


I found some others on their Facebook wall, including this amazing candy cane frocake: chocolate cupcake filled with candy cane frozen yogurt, green mint buttercream and crushed candy cane pieces.

There's more! The "Half" in their title comes from this:

Welcome to Half Baked Co. where we bake with half the fat, calories and sugar. We are an online bakery based out of Burbank, CA that uses only the finest ingredients in our deceptively healthy baked goods.

We always use local and organic products and carry a variety of vegan, gluten-free and reduced sugar options.

This allows us to create freshly inspired treats available for pick-up from our commercial kitchen or for delivery within the San Fernando Valley. Shipping is also available across the U.S. for select products.

Cupcakes on a Stick come in pink heart, death by chocolate red velvet or salted caramel. And also seasonal flavors, like the ones below, from their holiday pie collection (pumpkin, apple and pecan):



Other cupcakes:


cotton candy cupcake!


s'mores cupcake


cutie cakes in 8 colors


Mardi Gras king cake cupcake


Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Cupcake

You can also find them on Facebook and @HalfBakedCo on Twitter.

Half Baked. Co.
Los Angeles, CA (LA delivery, nationwide shipping)
halfbakedco at gmail.com
310-880-8380

valentine's day Candy cane, holly and Pancreatic Cancer Action Network charity cupcakes by Albuquerque's Cupcakeology

Albuquerque, New Mexico bakery Cupcakeology, which is on my list of "bakeries I'd someday like to visit," just moved locations, and is now located at 3400 Constitution, just west of Carlisle.

These cupcakes are all from their Facebook page. Visit them at Cupcakeology.com.







They have different flavors every day, but these cupcake pictured above were to support "Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and help us honor LTC Dino Murphy."

valentine's day Cranberry vodka cake filled with Grand Marnier chiffon, topped with champagne buttercream and candied cranberries

How festive! From Sugar Mountain Bake Shoppe in Rochester, New York, via their Facebook page.

258 Alexander St.
Rochester, NY
sugarmountainbakeshoppe at gmail.com


"Poinsettia" cupcake: Cranberry vodka cake filled with Grand Marnier chiffon, topped with champagne buttercream and candied cranberries.


White chocolate cake baked with a hint of peppermint, filled with white chocolate ganache, topped with white chocolate peppermint buttercream and crushed candy canes.

I also love the names of their flavors - deadline is tonight at 9 pm to pre-order these, via their Facebook page:

Drunken Patty Cake, Cookie Dough, S'mores, Peppermint Candycane, Poinsettia, X'mas Cappuccino, Bourbon Eggnog, White Chocolate Raspberry, Nutella Mochaccino, White Russian, Red Velvet, Chocolate Merlot, Very Vanilla, Sinfully Chocolate and Chocolate Peanut Butter.

valentine's day Candy cane Pop Rocks brownie cupcakes and coconut snowball cupcakes

True confession: Just as I've never seen certain classic movies like Star Wars, I've never tried Pop Rocks. I sortof know what they are supposed to do/taste like, but I suspect they are one of those candies that you have to truly experience, not just imagine. Well, if I'd known they came in candy cane flavor, I might have tried them sooner! Find out how to make them at the blog An American Cupcake in London (via Flickr).

I made some vanilla frosting and then split it evenly between two bowls and made one half red and added some peppermint extract. I added vanilla extract to the other half.



And since New York City, where I live, is in the middle of a blizzard, posting An American Cupcake in London's snowball cupcakes (devil's food with cream cheese frosting topped with coconut and white chocolate snowflake) also seemed appropriate - click through for recipe.

valentine's day Chocolate candy cane cupcake plus recipe link

This chocolate candy cane cupcake is by blogger All Betz Off, where you can get the recipe too. She writes about some of her frosting woes and then concludes:

If you do attempt to make these cupcakes I would suggest sticking them in the freezer for a bit before you frost them to give the top layer of cake a chance to harden up. I should have done this but didn't have time. Also, you can either make the cupcakes from scratch or you can do the abbreviated version from a box.

valentine's day Santa hat cupcake and recipe link for chocolate mint candy cane cupcake

Check out this cute Santa hat cupcake by blogger Created by Diane (via Flickr). Recipe is here.



Also fun: her chocolate mint candy cane cupcake! "Chocolate mint cupcake with mint buttercream frosting crushed candy edges and a cute little candy cane on top." Get the recipe here.

valentine's day Hot cocoa, gingerbread, eggnog and candy cane chocolate peppermint cupcakes

Oh My Cupcakes! in Sioux Falls, South Dakota is serving up some special holiday cupcakes. Via their Facebook page, where they also let us know:

"A few spots remain for "Christmas Cocoa and Cupcakes," this Friday night at OMC from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Bring your 4-8 yr old for a Christmas craft, cupcakes, and cocoa. Call us TODAY at 310-6742 to sign up."



Holiday flavors:

You Can't Catch Me. . .I'm the Gingerbread Man!
Hot Cocoa
Holiday Spirits (eggnog)
Winter Wonderland (chocolate with peppermint cream cheese and crushed candy cane.)

valentine's day Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

It is about 12 degrees here in Chicago and people are sipping hot beverages left and right to warm up. Well these peppermint hot chocolate cupcakes may not be hot or a beverage but they sure look tasty and cute!  The ladies of Icing Designs simply baked some chocolate cupcakes, swirled on some buttercream, and sprinkled them with some pepperminty and chocolate chips, adding a lovely candy cane "handle" to complete the hot cocoa mug look. Click here for their blog and this tasty and cute holiday feature.

 

valentine's day

valentine's day Strawberry flambé, peppermint chocolate cheesecake, and cranapple cider POP! cupcakes from LA's BlakeyCakes

When I was in LA a few weeks ago, I got to meet Blake of custom and delivery cupcake company BlakeyCakes and try his sinfully delicious banana chocolate drizzle cupcakes, which I will post about...when I can. I still haven't posted about cupcakes I tried on my visit to LA in September, that's how behind I am!

But since these are seasonal, and look amazing, I wanted to share them with you now; photos and descriptions from this Facebook album:


Strawberry Flambé
Making its way into the BlakeyCakes hall of fame, the strawberry flambé! Contained within this complex wonder is a strawberry fruit filling flambéed with Gran Marnier smacked with a dollop of custard! This wonder filling is sandwiched between two moist vanilla cakes topped with a deluge of chocolate ganache and a decadent chocolate dipped strawberry.


Holiday Peppermint Chocolate Cheesecake
This holiday cheesecake is baked with a chocolate graham cracker crust, a creamy cream cheese center with a chocolate ganache swirl, and infused with just a whisper of peppermint. The topping is your standard homemade whipped cream lightly dusted with ground up peppermint candy canes.


Cranapple Cider POP!
POP-ing with apple and cranberry goodness, these holiday cupcakes just pour forth a festivity of glee! Just imagine being able to bite into a fresh, juicy apple with hints of spicy cinnamon and nutmeg; then being welcomed by a gush of homemade cranberry filling and finally unified by a dollop of cream cheese glaze.

BlakeyCakes
b.arias101 at hotmail.com
Los Angeles, CA
818-577-8302

valentine's day Organic candy cane cupcakes by Earth and Sugar, available in a jar for mail order too

earthandsugar a custom cupcake company in Boynton Beach, Florida, is selling this special seasonal cupcake made with organic candy canes! "These cupcakes come in a vanilla or chocolate cake frosted with vanilla peppermint buttercream and topped with crushed organic candy canes." Also: "Don’t forget our Peppermint Cupcakes can also be ordered in our Organic Cupcake In a Jar which is available for shipping nationwide and can be customized with a personal message and your choice of ribbon." Click here to order. They also offer vegan and gluten-free cupcakes.



earthandsugar™
PO Box 243384
Boynton Beach, FL 33426
phone 561.200.5510
fax 561.277.2545
info at earthandsugar.com

valentine's day Candy cane and gingerbread cupcakes by Blue Bird Bake Shop in Orland

These candy cane (vanilla cake w/ crushed candy cane topped with peppermint buttercream & crushed candy cane) and gingerbread (gingerbread cake with cream cheese icing topped with a sliver of candied ginger) cupcakes are by Orland, Florida's Blue Bird Bake Shop - candy cane was yesterday's flavor of the day, gingerbread is today's. Keep up with them on their website, and on @bluebirdbakeshp on Twitter and Facebook.