Candy Dish Blog

Today is Gummi Worm Day.  I know; it’s awfully specific.  Trust me, there are more candy holidays than you could imagine.

So, how does one celebrate this auspicious occasion?  The easiest way, of course, is to get yourself down to your favorite store and buy a bag to savor.  BUT, readers of the Candy Dish Blog are way more creative than that, right?

My suggestion?  Gummi worm cupcakes.  You know I love a cupcake (from this post, or this one), so this probably comes as no surprise.

Here are the easy steps necessary to make the cupcakes:

• Make a batch of your favorite flavor of cupcake. 
• While they bake, pulverize some chocolate cookies (a food processor will work, so will a plastic bag and a rubber mallet).  
• Frost the cupcakes with chocolate icing (save yourself some time and buy it already made). 
• Sprinkle the cookie “dirt” on top of the frosting. 
• Poke a worm into the top of cupcake (you can use a straw to make a hole for him if necessary). 
• Admire your handiwork and dig in! 

Guess I’ll Go Eat Worms by Bright Star

Georgetown Cupcake recently won the Washington Post's contest to find the best cupcakes in the city.

Back in November, I blogged about my interest in a chocolate wedding cake and our readers had lots of great comments  – including a couple of suggestions encouraging me to to think about cupcakes.  About a month later, I celebrated my birthday which happens to be the same day as International Cupcake Day.  About a week after that, Susan S., Tori and I were lucky enough to sample some cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcakes in Washington, DC. (and, yes, we brought one home for Carl).

I felt like the stars were aligned and telling me to go for cupcakes.  Luckily, the fiance agreed.

I knew I wanted to include a chocolate shell on the top of each cupcake, and the folks over at Georgetown Cupcake readily agreed to place them for us.  We’re using these beautiful chocolate praline shells from Guylian chocolate.  I loved the white and milk chocolate marbled effect.  Our shells will be used in place of the decor the cupcakery normally puts on the top of the shells (like that cute heart on this red velvet cupcake here).

Next we had to pick flavors.  Originally, I wanted a chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting, a vanilla cupcake with chocolate frosting and one other signature flavor.  We were leaning toward lemon, but then I realized that it didn’t look as good with the marbled chocolate shells, so I think we’re back to the basics with chocolate / vanilla and vanilla / chocolate.

Our wedding venue has a tower for cupcakes that will (hopefully) hold enough for all our guests.  Our friends Martha and Libby will pick up the cupcakes for us the morning of the wedding (we’re getting married three hours away so reliable friends who can deliver the cupcakes were critical to the success of our plan). Libby is lucky enough to live around the corner from Georgetown Cupcake.

I’ll post pictures of the final product.  In the meantime, if you live in the Washington, DC area or are planning a visit, be sure to drop in on the folks over at Georgetown Cupcake and see what the fuss is all about.

Georgetown Cupcake
1209 Potomac Street NW (at the corner of M Street and Potomac Street)
Washington, DC

red velvet by aliciagriffin

*sigh*

Here in the Washington, DC area we have yet to have any snowfall of importance.  Sure, it flurried one day about a month ago, but nothing stayed on the ground.  To the north, our friends in New York and Boston have been hit hard and I’m sure they’d happily pass some of the wintery white stuff our way … but sadly that’s not possible.

Instead, I’m thinking it might be time to make some snowball cupcakes.  If you’ve been missing snow this year, you can make some, too.  Remember, when it comes to baking I am lazy so you know these will be easy.

First purchase your favorite brand of chocolate cake and follow the instructions for making cupcakes.  I usually add some chopped up chocolate or chocolate chips to the batter.  After they have cooled, frost with pre-made vanilla cake frosting and then dust with a very healthy dose of shaved coconut.  To finish the cakes, apply just a few blue sugar crystals (found in the cake decorating section of the baking aisle).  Be sure not to overdo that last step – a little goes a long way and we’re looking for just a touch of glitter – not Hollywood on Oscar night.

Finally, make a fire – or sit really close to your radiator / vent – and enjoy (with a mug of hot cocoa, of course).

coconut vanilla cupcake detail by Chris B in SEA