If you’re in the  mood to show off your baking skills this Easter – or just feel the urge to be extra creative – here are 7 seriously ingenious & inspiring Easter treat ideas from Martha that are sure to do the trick!

Starting from the top… how adorable are these Spring Chick Cupcakes?! Loving this idea for a barnyard-themed birthday party or “About to Hatch” baby shower too!

Pictured above: These Flower Pot Cupcakes – baked in small terracotta pots & sprinkled with crushed cookie “dirt” – take “creative presentation” to a whole new level!

And another cute idea for the kiddos… adorable Butterfly Cupcakes. (also cute for baby showers & birthday parties!)

Next up – brilliant Easter Egg Cakes made from poundcake & custard (for yolks) look beautiful displayed on a colorful fruit plate:

P.S. For the Easter Egg Cakes, you’ll need an Egg Mold/Cake Pan. Here are a couple examples from Amazon: Egg Cake Pan & Egg Mini Treats Cake Pan (both by Wilton®).

Pictured above: Bird’s Nest Cookies are always appropriate for Easter – and this version looks especially chic!

And last but not least, if you’re feeling especially gourmet and have a decent amount of extra time on your hands, these stunning cakes are guaranteed show-stoppers!

Above: Rich Chocolate Cake with Truffle-Egg Nests / Below: Chocolate Cake with Crepe Paper Flowers and a Phyllo Nest

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In case you’re on the lookout for a new way to impress in the kitchen this Valentine’s Day – or aiming to wow a whole group of guests for any special occasion really – here’s one of my favorite “sweet tips” from Simple Stunning Parties, a fabulous book by entertaining expert Karen Bussen.

These cool “Chocolate Abstracts” will instantly dress up any sort of dessert – from ice cream to fancy cakes & custards… and despite their artistic, gourmet look, they’re actually surprisingly easy to make! All you need is chocolate chips (4 oz or more), a squeeze bottle, wax paper, and a microwave.

Here’s the detailed info:

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CHOCOLATE ABSTRACTS

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Make sure to use a baking sheet that will fit in your freezer.

2. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe container for 20 seconds. Stir and microwave again for 10 seconds. Chocolate burns easily, so check and stir at 10-second intervals until fully melted.

3. Pour melted chocolate into a squeeze bottle. Tip – a plastic funnel will help you pour the chocolate into the squeeze bottle without making a mess.

4. Squeeze chocolate over the parchment paper, making abstract shapes. Leave a bit of space between each shape, for easy removal.

5. Place the tray in the freezer for about 2 hours. Once the chocolate is set, use a spatula to remove it from the parchment.

Chocolate abstracts may be stored for several days in the freezer between sheets of parchment paper.

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In Simple Stunning Parties, Bussen recommends pairing the Chocolate Abstracts with vanilla ice cream served in martini glasses and topped with a splash of amaretto. The end result is a very alurring, grown-up treat that’s perfect for Valentine’s day!

{Photos by William Geddes}

In continuing with Part 1 of the gorgeous Gossip Girl Inspired Bridal Shower posted yesterday, here is Part 2: Menu & Activities.

Scroll down for details on the yummy food & drinks that the ladies were treated to, as well as the (non-cheesy!) bridal shower activities they participated in, as told by event designer Carolyn Chen…

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ON THE MENU
• Caprese Skewers with Marinated Mozzarella, Basil and Tomatoes
• Traditional Waldorf Salad (a la Blaire Waldorf)
• Turkey Salad on Baby Brioche with Bacon and Roasted Roma Tomatoes
• Mini Crabcake Sliders
• Roast Beef, Blue Cheese and Pear Tea Sandwiches
• Egg Salad with Dill and Cucumber
• Blueberry and Cheddar-Chive Scones
• Preserves, Butter, Lemon Curd & Honey

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DESSERTS:
• Coconut Cream Pies
• Espresso Macarons with Chocolate Ganache
• Petit Fours with Preserves and Swiss Buttercream
• Individual Strawberry Cheesecakes

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DRINKS:
• Melon-Mint Water, Cucumber Water and Raspberry Lemonade served in glass apothecary beverage jar dispensers
• Hot Tea & Coffee
• Mix-ins: Cream, Sugar, Honey, & Lemon Wedges

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Activities:
“Fun activities for the shower included “Spice of Life” game in which the ladies were put into teams and had to determine the names of all of the spices – sort of a spin to “smell the baby food” like you would play at baby showers.

For individual games, we played “Famous TV Couples” which of course included Chuck & Blaire from Gossip Girl, as well as “How Well Do You Know the Bride” questionnaire.”

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Thanks again to Carolyn for the all of the wonderful inspiration! If you haven’t already seen it, be sure to check out Part 1 – which covers the fabulous tabletop design & decor from this party!

Credits & Resources:
Event Design & Planning: The Special Day, Carolyn Chen
Photography: Jan Garcia Photography
Catering & Desserts: The Dotted Apron
Florals: Mille Fiori
Linens: Wildflower Linen

You know those cute bags of  Valentines Day M&M’s that are popping up all over the stores lately? Here are some fun & creative ways to enjoy them (other than straight from the bag!)…

Pictured above: Adorable LadyBug Cupcakes – which also utilize malted milk balls & black licorice “antennas”!

Pictured below: Raspberry Almond Chocolate Crepes – This delicious-looking treat actually features Raspberry Almond M&M’S Premium Chocolate Candies, which look very elegant, but you could easily swap those out for the traditional Almond M&M’S (Valentines version) too.

Pictured below: X’s and O’s Cookies, Edible Chocolate Cups, and Simply Sweet Cannolis.

When Natasha from That’s So Yummy offered up this guest post on Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookie Cups, how could I possible resist?!

Especially when accompanied by this description “…a chocolate chip cookie layered with creamy cheesecake mixture, then topped with fresh whipped cream and sprinkled with mini chocolate chips.” Yum!

Read on for the full recipe & step-by-step details from Natasha!

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INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE CHIP BOTTOM LAYER
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
2.5 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

INGREDIENTS FOR CHEESECAKE TOP LAYER
2 8-oz packages of cream cheese (16 oz total)
1  can of sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
mini chocolate chips

INGREDIENTS FOR WHIPPED CREAM
2 cups of heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners sugar

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:
mini chocolate chips
optional: mint leaves for garnish

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DIRECTIONS:

“First make the chocolate chip cookie dough. Beat butter, sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy, then beat in vanilla and eggs. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl, then slowly stir into the butter mixture.  Add chocolate chips and chill for 30 minutes or freeze until ready to use.

Preheat Oven to 325 degrees F. Paper-line 24 muffin cups. Fill the bottom of each muffin cup with layer of cookie dough (approximately 1 tablespoon or more, depending on how thick you want the cookie crust).

Bake for 10-12 minutes until cookie crust has spread to the edge of the muffin cup.

In a medium-sized bowl beat cream cheese.

Add sweetened condensed milk.

Then add eggs & vanilla.

Beat all of the combined ingredients until smooth.

Now this is what I call smooooooooottttthhhhhhhhhhh.

Spoon 3 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture over each cookie in cup.

Bake for additional 15 minutes or until cream cheese sets.  Cool completely on wired rack and then place in the fridge to cool for at least an hour.

Now try not to attack these babies yet… I know pure and utter torture!

While the cheesecake cups cool, make the whipped cream. Whisk heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add confectioners sugar and whisk until combined. Cover tightly and refrigerate.

Once the cheesecake cups are cooled, place a dollop of whipped cream on top and sprinkle mini chocolate chips.

Enjoy!”

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For more yummy treats & tutorials from Natasha, check out her website – www.ThatsSoYummy.com!

Even if your one of your new year’s resolutions is to eat healthier after indulging in too many rich holiday treats, that doesn’t mean you still can’t enjoy something sweet once in a while… especially when it comes from a book like Cook Yourself Thin Faster, which features “lightened up” versions of favorites like Tiramisú and Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes!

Read on for Cook Yourself Thin Faster’s yummy Strawberry Shortcake recipe… less than 200 calories per serving and the perfect sweet treat for Valentine’s Day or bridal/baby showers!

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STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Serves: 4
Calories 181, Fat 7g, Sodium 201mg, Sugars 10g

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup low-fat milk
1/4 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered

Directions:
1. PREHEAT THE OVEN  to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. COMBINE THE FLOUR, baking powder, salt and 1 teaspoon sugar in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces remaining. Add milk and stir just until the mixture forms a shaggy dough.

3. DIVIDE THE DOUGH into 4 pieces in the bowl and drop onto the prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

4. MEANWHILE, combine the yogurt, lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon sugar. In another bowl, combine the strawberries and remaining teaspoon of sugar.

5. LET THE SHORTCAKES cool 5 minutes on a wire rack. Split each and sandwich with yogurt and strawberries.

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Cook Yourself Thin Faster with Lauren Deen is available at Amazon.com for $11.99.

Pictured above… a few more treats from the Dessert chapter: Dessert Pizza, White Chocolate Delight, Mocha Mousse, and Chocolate Volcano Cakes (YUM!).

{Photography by Evan Sung}

Buttery chocolate cookie crust + gooey hot fudge + wonderfully refreshing peppermint ice cream + creamy whipped topping = HEAVEN! Honestly, this chocolate-meets-peppermint dessert is so good you won’t know what hit you!

Added bonus: it’s easy too, and the steps are pretty quick… but it does require quite few hours of freezer time between the steps, so it’s best made the day before your party (or you can be an early riser and start it super-early the day-of). Either way… the end result is worth the wait!

Read on for the full recipe & step-by-step tutorial…

Ingredients:
• 1/2 gallon Peppermint Ice Cream, softened
• 2 cups Frozen Whipped Topping, thawed (+ extra for serving)
• 2 lbs Creme-filled Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, crushed
• 1/2 cup Butter, melted
• 2 cups Hot Fudge (+ extra for serving)
• Peppermint Candies or Candy Canes, crushed

Directions:
Mix melted butter and crushed cookies, then press the mixture firmly into the bottom of an ungreased cake pan (9″ springform round or 13×9″ rectangular pan).

In a separate bowl, combine the softened ice cream and whipped topping. Mix well.

Add the ice cream mixture to the pan and spread evenly across the cookie crust.

Freeze for 3 hours or until firm.

Next, pour 2 cups of hot fudge sauce on top of the frozen ice cream. Warm the hot fudge slightly to make spreading easier, and completely cover the top of the ice cream.

Sprinkle crushed candy canes over the top of the fudge, then return the cake to the freezer. Freeze at least 8 hours.

Remove the cake from the freezer when ready to serve. If you’re using a round springform pan, remove the cake from the pan and transfer to a plate or cake stand. You should end up with something like this:

The ice cream cake is good on its own and can easily be served as-is, BUT…

…it’s even BETTER with: a generous drizzle of gooey hot fudge sauce, a dollop of whipped topping, and a few more crushed candy sprinkles. YUM!

Serve immediately and prepare for loads of compliments. We’re not kidding… it’s really THAT good! Sonny & I couldn’t resist either… here’s what happened right after we finished shooting the tutorial:

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Additional Tips:

• Feel free to use Light Peppermint Ice Cream and Light Whipped Topping. That’s what we used for this version and it still tasted fantastic!

• Even if they start out white, most peppermint ice creams will turn pink once you mix them with the whipped topping, due to the food coloring “ribbon swirls” that are usually in the ice cream. If you want to avoid pink, look for a version of peppermint ice cream that ONLY has hard candy cane pieces in it and not ribbon swirls. (The pink color really doesn’t bother us though – and it actually makes this a great dessert option for Valentine’s Day too!)

• Not a huge peppermint fan? Try a chocolate-meets-cherry version instead: Swap out the peppermint ice cream for Cherry Garcia, sprinkle the cake with crushed cherry-flavored candies instead of candy canes, and drizzle white dessert plates with cherry dessert sauce for an ambitious presentation. (And don’t forget to add the cherry on top!)

There was a great holiday segment on the TODAY Show this morning featuring a fantastic, EASY chocolate truffle recipe by Sandra Lee that I couldn’t resist sharing… and as soon as I finish posting this I’m seriously out the door to buy some chocolate kisses so I can make these up for a party tonight!

This is a no-bake recipe, but you do need some time to chill the chocolate mixture. The main ingredients are Hershey Kisses and Caramel Hershey Kisses, plus half & half and chopped nuts. (Fun fact: According to SL, Hershey Kisses are the #1 most sold candy during the holiday season.)

You can view the entire video online here, and I’ve also broken down the steps along with screen shots below for quick reference. (The 2 holiday cocktails featured in the segment are pictured below as well.)

For the Chocolate Kiss Truffles, start with a bowl of unwrapped Hershey Kisses, then add a little half & half. (Sandra doesn’t give measurements in the video, but this looks like a recipe you can eyeball and adjust pretty easily, or follow the similar recipe on the Hershey’s website.)

Microwave the mixture at medium power for one minute & stir. Continue microwaving at 15-second intervals to further melt the mixture if necessary, then cover and refrigerate for 4 hours. You should end up with something that looks like this:

Next, unwrap the Caramel Kisses and place them one at a time into the chocolate mixture. Scoop out the Caramel Kiss with a melon baller or spoon, and use your hands to roll and mold the chocolate mixture around the kiss, which will become the center of the truffle.

Helpful Tip: Spray a little non-stick cooking spray on your hands first to keep the chocolate from sticking to you while you roll it into a ball.

Finally, roll the chocolate ball into a dish of chopped nuts such as pecans or almonds, and DONE! You now have pretty homemade chocolate-caramel-nut truffles to serve to your guests. These are a great idea for party favors too!

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Two festive & pretty holiday cocktails were mentioned in the segment as well – I’m especially loving the look of the “Snowy Coconut Cocktail” – which features Malibu Rum, Half & Half, and White Chocolate Godiva Liqueur, served in martini glasses rimmed shredded coconut (and displayed on a tray of shredded coconut as well!).

And for chocolate mint lovers, here’s an easy Chocolate Mint Martini recipe:

2 parts Baileys Mint Chocolate Irish Cream Liqueur
2 parts vanilla vodka
Cocoa & sugar for rimmer

Dip the rim of your martini glasses with water, then into the cocoa and sugar mixture. Stir vodka & liqueur together in an ice filled shaker and strain into the glasses. Enjoy!

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Need some inspiration for your Christmas dessert table or an upcoming holiday cookie exchange? Check out this mouth-watering Showstopping Christmas Cookie Recipes gallery from BHG, which includes 21 creative ideas for treating sugar-loving friends & family!

Pictured above: I’m loving the idea of a Red, White, & Pink dessert buffet for Christmas this year that includes pretty treats like these: Mini Raspberry & White Chocolate Whoopie Pies (YUM!), White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread, Cherry Pistachio Creams, and Cherry Walnut Balls.

Bring on the chocolate! Treat your favorite choco-holics to rich, creamy treats like Chocolate Blooms and Triple Decker Decadence cookies.

Last but not least, a few more eye-catching and oh-so-lovely holiday cookie recipes… {clockwise from top left} Cranberry-Pear Bars with Orange Frosting, Bittersweet Chocolate and Peppermint Sandwiches, Chocolate-Peppermint Meringue Kisses, and Blackberry Strudel Kisses.

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HAPPY HOLIDAY BAKING! =)

P.S. Like the idea of incorporating pink into Christmas? Check out these pink-themed posts too!
• Dreaming of a Pink Christmas
• Pink & Red DIY Candy Buffet Lollipop Display
• Pink Your Drink {Cocktail Glasses}
• DIY: Pink Ribbon Dessert Buffet

Amy Atlas is back with another sweet visual feast! Check out her latest work… a bountiful Thanksgiving Dessert Buffet that’s overflowing with harvest-appropriate treats like mini Mayflower boats with candy pumpkins, sweet potato marshmallow pie, adorable acorn cookies, Indian corn cookie-pops (so clever!),  pilgrim hat cupcakes, and hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks.

These colorful little turkeys are seriously way too cute…

And how gorgeous are these maple leaf candy pops?!  This is a lovely idea for a fall wedding favor too…

LOTS more eye candy & detail shots below!

Here’s a view of the full table… which looks super teensy at this size, so I included a larger version that will open in a new window if you click on it:

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CREDITS:

Table Design: Amy Atlas Events & Amy Atlas Blog
Photography: Allan Zepeda for Mel Barlow Photography