HOW can he make so much sense in such a tight shirt?!

I just love Chris Crocker. He's a Bubble Gum Buddha.
Kittle Warning: Language!

Preach!

I've been worried about this for years!

People always gave me a hard time when I said that Shamu is a smart shark and that he could jump up and get somebody anytime. This is just tragic.

Chocolate Fudge Hi-Hat Cupcakes Video Tutorial

XOXO Penny

Chocoate Fudge Hi-Hat Cupcakes

Chocolate Fudge Cupcake with chocolate butter cream icing dipped head first in melted-semi sweet chocolate.

Cupcake Autopsy!
Video tutorial coming soon!

Mini Mardi Gras Cupcakes Video Tutorial

by Penny :)

Laissez Le Bon Temps Rouler!

Translation: Let the good times roll!!
I made some Mardi Gras Mini Cupcakes today!

They're a Vanilla Cake with Buttercream Icing, and a white chocolate Fleur De Lis with edible glitter.(I know the pics aren't so great-I think it's the lighting at night, so I'll take more in the morning -hopefully they'll be better!)Mardi Gras is this Tuesday! Here are some Mardi Gras facts:
Mardi Gras(Fat Tuesday) refers to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and ending on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday" (in ethnic English tradition, Shrove Tuesday), referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season, which started on Ash Wednesday.
The chocolates I made for the top of the cupcakes are Fleur De Lis.
The fleur-de-lis (or fleur-de-lys; plural: fleurs-de-lis; French pronunciation: [flœʁ də lis]) is a stylized lily (in French, fleur means flower, and lis means lily) or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol.
Here's some footage of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. My mom grew up there, and has some crazy stories!
I did a video tutorial of these cupcakes, and I hope to have it up here by Monday night, so check back for it! :)

Wish I was there, Wish YOU were there, Wish we AND my cupcakes were there!

"You should never ever doubt what nobody knows for sure."-Willy Wonka

Dear Tim Burton,

I've been looking forward the new edition of 'Alice in Wonderland' coming out March 4 that you directed. But-I must say that I'm concerned. I've seen the trailer, and I don't like the excess amount of computer generated imagery.
I think there was WAY too much of that in your version of 'Willy Wonka'. It looked fake, and that made me feel less attached to it. When I saw the original 'Willy Wonka'(angels sing).
I felt that maybe...by some stretch of the imagination...it could really happen. It was incredible. And- the candy factory shots during the opening credits-GENIUS!-but-you made yours SO unrealistic that it felt beyond out of reach. The newer trailers make me feel a little better, but not much. I dunno if I can trust you with this after what you did to Gene Wilder's masterpiece! I was also freaked out by Johnny Depp as Wonka.
I mean...WTH?!!!
It's was wrong!
The other actors were sucky as well. They were shadows of the originals!
The script was bad in 'Willy Wonka' too...You couldn't afford to hire a REAL writer?! There's no excuse for that one!

So- PLEASE don't make me leave that theater saying that it wasn't as good as the original. Let's not have a repeat of this!I'm trusting you. Do the right thing!

“We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams”-Willy Wonka

Go do something bold today! It's FRIDAY, and outside your home is a world of frolicking squirrels, grocery stores filled with cupcake supplies, and lots of drivers you can cut off just for the heck of it . :)

This is a very exciting day for me...

The gorgeous and musically radiant, Debbie Schubert met with her new(and as fabulous as I imagine New York agents to be!Bernadette Baker-Baughman of Baker's Mark Literary Agency!
Is it the bagels that make New York Agents look so professional? ...I think yes. -CORRECTION!!-Bernadette is in Portland-not New York! OOPS! ...her fabness could still be caused by bagels tho! never underestimate a bagel!)
Anywho-She answered a complicated and INCREDIBLY important question I had regarding the publishing industry and how it relates to writers who DESERVE book parties!
Check this! I'm the first question answered! WINNER! :)

Penny Goals in Order of Priority:
1) Become famous to ensure book party
2) Find out Jimmy Kimmel's home address(Note to self: Pretend to be on HIS side instead of Sarah Silverman's!)
3) Order Cupcake tower
4) Send Queries

Brownie Cupcakes Tutorial Video by Penny

Here's the video of me making 'Sugar Krack' Frosting for my brownie cupcakes, and then decorating them! (If you want the recipes, double click on the video-you'll be on my youtube channel then-where you can see the recipes and info in the sidebar.)

To see more cupcake tutorials by me, click HERE.
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
Hugs all around! :)
XOXO Penny

The First Rule of Cupcakes is: You ALWAYS talk about Cupcakes!

Here are my finished Brownie Cupcakes with Sugar Crunch Frosting and a chocolate heart topper for a work party!
This one is Francois. He's European, so he can wear pink!
I put them on a white covered rectangular tray because I felt the color saturation changes were very modern looking, so I wanted to continue the minimalism of that.
I didn't have them perfectly lined up for this photo, but it was rushed...they kind of look like a little cupcake army. "Once again into the breech, soldiers!"
Two of the red ones got wounded..."Man down!!"
Here is the right side. I used 8 shades of white-up thru pink and into red.
I think the hot pinks were my favorite, but the red was pretty eye catching.
You can get the recipe for the brownies on THIS post.
I DID record how I made the Sugar Crunch Frosting, and my decorating-I'll get that edited and up hopefully tonight, so check back for that. It will have the Sugar Crunch Frosting Recipe there.
Check out my last cupcake video tutorial HERE if you haven't seen it.
I just wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate reading your blogs, and having you come by to read my posts. I'm not anyone super special- just a Texas cupcake who loves to write, but you brighten my day and I really enjoy sharing my baking and random thoughts with you and YOUR thoughts!

Much Love, my international Sweets!
XOXO Penny

They DO exist!

Today- I made Brownie Cupcakes . Yes-It is still considered a "cupcake" if it's a brownie batter. They'll have icing put on in the morning.

Here's the recipe!

Fudgy Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes

Yield: 16 brownies
Ingredients
* 8 ounce(s) 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar
* 6 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
* 3/4 cup(s) granulated white sugar
* 1/8 teaspoon(s) (pinch) of salt
* 2 large eggs
* 1/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put cupcake cups in tray.
Melt the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from the heat. Using a large spoon, beat the sugar and salt into the chocolate mixture. Then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour and mix until the batter pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Fill each cupcake cup half way with batter.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center of each brownie cupcakes comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool for at least 10 minutes. It's normal for them to be sunk some in the middle-Just put a dab of frosting in the middle before frosting like regular to make a more even surface.
Remove the brownie cupcakes from the trays and let them cool for 30 minutes before frosting if you're going to eat them on the same day as making them..
DO NOT put Brownie Cupcakes in the fridge!! The brownies need to stay moist, so put them in an air tight container overnight UN-FROSTED!
I'm going to frost these in the morning since the icing needs to be in the fridge once it's put on, and-like I said above- you DO NOT put Brownie Cupcakes in the fridge! They will get hard and dry!!
I'm doing the same design of icing for these as I did in my Valentine's Day Cupcakes, but I'm going to do a succession of color with the icing from red to a lighter red-then into the pinks all the way to a pale pastel pink-then finally white. I'm going to do 3 in each color and line them up in order of their shade. I'm going to record me making the icing recipe and decorating the Brownie Cupcakes in the morning, so that will be up tomorrow hopefully.
Here's a mashed pic of the brownie cupcakes with the design I'm going to do tomorrow. :)
I can't wait to bring these to a party tomorrow-They're going to be Valentine's Day themed since it's Sunday.

What are you doing for Valentine's Day?

Valentine's Day Cupcakes Video Tutorial by Penny

HERE IT IS! My Valentine's Day Cupcake Video Tutorial! I did chocolate cupcakes with pink vanilla icing and a chocolate heart topper.
The recipes are in the sidebar!(Double click video to make larger!)
Yaaaaay! :)

Happy Valentine's Day! ...almost! :)

GREAT NEWS!

My Valentine's Day Cupcake Tutorial is uploading to YouTube as I type! Usually takes btwn 5-12 hours for that to go thru and be approved-I'll post it on my blog here as soon as it's up! :)
Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting! Can't wait to have you see the tutorial! :)
Oh! and I have a random question. I've been wondering about this-maybe I could Google it, but I wanna know what YOU think.

"WHERE do hamsters come from?"

Please tell me what you thought before AND after googling this!

Obviously they're not from Texas...or at least I've never seen one or almost hit one on the road. I wonder about Jasmine too...She's half Siamese-When did her ancestors immigrate? Were they farmers? Beet farmers? Since I got her at the SPCA does that mean the rest of her family could still be out there?! Is there a family inheritance waiting somewhere for her?

I know-I'm getting all deep and philosophical on you! Sorry:)

We Power Football!

Go Saints! Go New Orleans!!

New Orleans Beignets-Cafe Du Monde-Hurricane Katrina- New Orleans Saints Superbowl Champions- Drew Brees on Super Bowl- New Orleans Tour

Cheech and Chong say this political ad is Heavy!

This is a serious-for reals-political ad out of California where there are 2 Republicans, Carly Fiorina and Tom Campbell, running for Senate. It seems that Carly has taken the gloves off and the bongs out. This ad(which is 3:22 minutes long), is one of the freakiest thing I've ever seen...besides 'The Village'...those creature things scared the skittles out of me!!
At the beginning, you'll wonder why there are so many sheep, and then you'll wonder if the sheep are good or bad, and then at exactly 2:25, you'll wonder... what the SHEEP EYES is going on?!
If you want to just see the freaky part, skip ahead to 2:25. :)

Kind of like a Jawa Sheep, right?!
That website at the end is real too - www.fcino.com
I'd just like to come out in support of 'Jawa Sheep' for Senate. He's really gonna have a lot of the grass roots votes. Who would you vote for?!

I've found my Double!

This woman may be a talented and successful artist, but her success does not mean we are not doubles!!
Erika, of Cakespy has some rather "Penny-esque" tendencies...don't you think?! It's a bit freaky really...

Cupcake Eating Candy

Cupcake Surrounded by Macaroons

Cupcake and Pie Gang Violence

Cupcake Screws With Cupcake

I love you Diet Cola! I love you, Cupcake! I love you so hard!

...RIGHT?! If Erika has a hidden camera in my house, she needs to tell me NOW! ...not four months later like that other woman... :)

We Need To Talk...

Dear United States Postal Service,

I hate you.
You're a selfish, lying facade that holds NO CANDLE to Fed Ex!
If I had anthrax, I would send it all to you.
If I had sand bags, I'd barricade your parking lot that never has a place open for me.
If I could make YOU use a line maze, I'd be sure it took you an HOUR to get through, and that it crossed the freeway a few times.

You've contributed nothing to our relationship.
I want my stuff back!!

XslapXslap, Penny

P.S. - Jasmine feels the same way, and she's not as mentally stable as me-so WATCH YOURSELF!!

Well played, Mr. Brand...well played!

Okay, I'm gonna say this only once...He made me laugh. Round Two: The "Grammys Red Carpet Couple Interview" Round goes to Mr. Russell Brand(Round One:The Hair/Looks Round did NOT go to him and his "I just stuck my bejeweled ring finger in a socket" look). I still don't think he's good enough to marry the infallible Katy Perry, but I have standards higher than the Empire State Building, and she's the Queen of my little world...my kitten, Jasmine, and my boyfriend are the only ones with higher stations.

To see more Grammy fashion from last night, click here.

'I want the CUPCAKE!' You can't handle the CUPCAKE!!' - 'A Few Good Sprinkels'

These are Fancy Nancy Cupcakes for a friend's daughter-She's a Princess, and I hope I did her justice!(Sorry the pics are blurry. I was rushed taking them and now I wish I had taken some of them out of their travel boxes to shoot. -It's hard to see detail and dimension. If there are any pics of them from the party, I'm gonna see if I can get copies.)
I did a simple white cake with vanilla frosting dyed pink.
There were 4 groups of decorations-
1) Princess wands with small gum paste flowers and leaves(Pictured at the top of post!)
2) Rings set in gum paste(removable) flowers.
3) Princess Crowns
4) Gum Paste flowers with ladybugs.
I named this one Miguel. He's an exchange student from Guatemala.The birthday girl wanted one right away when I delivered them. I think that's a good sign, and it goes along with the statement I try to live by:

"Cupcake+Multi Vitamin= Super Breakfast!"

Everybody go be fearless today! Dream outside of the normal world. Everyone who ever achieved what they wanted out of life was once normal. Only YOU can hold you back!