Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes {Recipe}

Yesterday was my friend's birthday. Happy Birthday Andrew!

So, I made these yummy cupcakes to celebrate. They're perfect for Autumn, so I thought I would share them with y'all so you can make them too!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes

cupcakes:

2 cups flour (all purpose)

3 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

4 eggs, beaten

1 (16 oz) can of pumpkin pie mix

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

frosting:

1 (16 oz) package of cream cheese (room temperature)

2 tsp vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, and sugar. Stir in the eggs, oil and pumpkin pie mix. Pour into prepared paper cupcake cups and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

With a mixer, blend together the ingredients for the frosting until smooth. Frost when cool. I sprinkled mine with a little bit of pumpkin pie spice. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Cheeseburger Cupcakes!

Cheeseburger cupcakes anyone!?

My friend Jeff posted a random picture of cheeseburger cupcakes on my Facebook wall last week and said "make it happen". Well this weekend I did, and it was so much fun!

These cupcakes are completely edible and made only with cake and icing.

Rich took these to work and everyone was fooled! They were a hit.

I'll post a little tutorial for this if anybody wants to know how I made them! 

Just say the word, and I'll share my cheeseburger cupcake success!

xo's

Cat

Cupcakes and Sushi

Yesterday was a good day. 

Rich had the day off.

Ariana and I went to storytime/craft time at the library.

She got 5 new books, I got 1.

We got stocked up on groceries for the next week or so.

We got a big box of Spring clothes.

I got a small box of craft stuff for a fun project I have in mind.

We made cupcakes

AND we got to go on a date! :)

See, what did I tell ya? Great day or what?!?

Either that, or little things make me happy!

Ariana and I tried out this yummy Lemon Cupcake Recipe that Erin posted over on her blog Sunshine and Carousels. She's have a fun Spring Fling over on her blog with recipes and fun projects and pretty things for Spring. You should definitely check it out!

We dropped Ariana off at our wonderful babysitter and went to the newly opened Sushi restaurant, Sushi Hana. Isn't this place just the cutest! I was so happy it opened because there wasn't anywhere to eat Sushi around here.

I've been wanting Sushi for the past 6 months! I'm seriously excited about it!

YUMMMMM!!!!

And of course we had Saki. We love warm Saki with our sushi.

I hope you all are having good days. Or at least planning to have a good day tomorrow!!

I've been watching the news all day about Japan and Hawaii. My thoughts are with everyone going through this devastating disaster. Much love to them all!

Boson Creme Pie Cupcakes {Recipe}

I love cupcakes, and these are so good!!!

I got this recipe out of a magazine a few years ago. (I think Kraft magazine, I used to love that thing!) I made them for my friend for her birthday. Recently, I dug out the recipe and made 4 dozen of these little cuties! Some for us, and some for my husband to take to work. They didn't last long at either place! Today, I thought I would share the recipe with y'all!

Boston Creme Pie Cupcakes

1 box butter yellow cake mix

eggs (as needed on cake mix box)

butter (as needed on cake mix box)

1 package (small) instant vanilla pudding

1 cup milk

1.5 cup cool whip

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Bake cupcakes as directed on box.

2. When cupcakes are cool, wisk together the milk and vanilla pudding for 3 minutes. Fold in 1/2 cup of the Cool Whip and set it aside.

3. Melt the remaining 1 cup of Cool Whip and the chocolate chips together in the microwave until just melted. Stir well. Set aside to cool, about 15 minutes.

4. With a bread knife cut the tops of the cupcakes off. Spoon a layer of the pudding mixture onto the bottom half and top with the cupcake top.

5. Once all the cupcakes are "filled" spread the cooled chocolate on top.

6. Store in the refrigerator.

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. I've got a fun crafty DIY I could share with everyone if I can get it together enough to take pictures of it. I'm also thinking I'm going to have to bake some extra special sweet treats. Hmmm, I may have to go searching through my cookbooks this week!

xo's

Cat

Holy Moley...

It's mid October already?! Wait, what??!!

We've been exploring the base and surrounding towns. There are a lot of little villages here! It's always fun to explore your new environment and see what there is around. We've already met 3 people who moved here within the past 6 months from Offutt! Driving around Germany gets really confusing really fast. Thank God for our GPS!

Being on base (especially overseas) can mean you don't get a great selection or variety of items. There are a few things that can't be found on base here. This means either trying to find it off base and paying the exchange rate, or ordering it offline, which can sometimes take weeks AND (the worst part) a LOT of things can't/won't be shipped to APO boxes. Bummer.

We went to check out the base craft store last week and I was stunned to see that they were SERIOUSLY lacking in that department. It doesn't help that I had become completely spoiled to the local Hobby Lobby which was probably bigger than our Wal-mart. Ok, I might be exaggerating  a little bit, but the craft store on base is worse than the craft section at a dollar store...maybe. So, I was completely happy when I found some yummy fall colored yarn for only 1 Euro each at a German store!

I'm not completely sure what I want to use them for yet, but I love them! They remind me of pumpkin pie!

If you're looking for a yummy pumpkiny recipe, you should check out the cupcakes Amy posted in this blog. I used Spice Cake instead of Carrot because that's what I had, but I still loved the way they turned out, and they are super simple to make! All you need is box cake mix and pumpkin.

My girlie was really getting into helping Mommy bake! She's a mini me!

The other day I was happy to find a package in our mailbox. I got my swap gift from Carrie's Fall Swap. Thanks Debbie, I loved everything and can't wait to scrapbook all the Fall fun! Oh and YES those are Halloween band aids!! :)

I've also got a little bit of Halloween goodies to give Ariana. That super cute Halloween bag is from our family friend Nancy. She loves Ariana to pieces! When we left GA, she gave this to us to give Ariana later. I also snagged a witch hat, and felt cat mask for $1 each at Target. (I love bargains!) The book we bought at the bookstore here on base. She's going to love all this. I'm looking forward to giving it to her when she gets up from her nap.

I've been having a hard time keeping up with all that has been going on in well...the past few months actually. This week you might see a few random posts of things that I forgot or was too busy to post about!

 xo's

Cat

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Yes, I have an official cupcake!!

 There is a cupcake named after me! FOR REALS!!!! I inspired a cupcake! I'm proud to introduce to you the "Catherine Cupcake", complete with owls and pumpkins on top! I'm honored!! :)

My dear sweet friend Jen has always loved baking, and so it's no surprise that this past year she opened a little baking business called Jen's Sugar Shack. I'm always admiring her newest cakes and drooling over photos of her yummy cupcakes! Everyone loves her beautiful and delicious work!

This is Jen, isn't she a cutie!? She's an awesome person!

She surprised me the other day and named a cupcake after me! I am VERY honored to be named after one of my favorite kind of cupcakes! Pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese frosting,  now called the "Catherine Cupcake".

 These mini cupcakes are even cuter in person and SO YUMMY!!!

This is what Jen wrote about these cupcakes on her website:

,

"This is the "Catherine Cupcake". I have named it after my favorite red headed friend Catherine Murton! She is quite the Jill of all trades! Last Fall she posted pictures of her and her family at a pumpkin patch which were so vivid and beautiful! She has an eye for art and beauty! So when I was mixing this recipe, she popped into my head! She has a love of owls so I topped these mini pumpkin, cream cheese covered cupcakes with little owls! She has an Etsy shop which is closed at the moment, but when it reopens you will definitely need to check it out and see the imagination she holds! In the meantime you can check out her blog which I will have her post here!"

Show her some love, and check out her other beautiful cupcakes and cakes on her Facebook Fanpage found HERE

xo's

Cat

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Birthday Shenanigans!!

 I love birthdays!!! 

Movies, presents, owls, fondue, cupcakes, loveliness!! 

I finally got around to putting my birthday pics on my computer AND blogging them! 

Fun, fun day!!

I wore my cupcake shoes!

Went to see Inception (AMAZING!!!!!)

My sister Sarah painted cupcakes  and polka dots on my nails! Isn't she talented!?! (I got to keep the new colors as a present! Love them!)

Getting ready to go out for dinner.

At the Melting Pot! I love this restaurant!

Aunt Lavon and Nancy.

We fondued!!

Sandi and Fariborz

My lovely new earrings!

Trying on my new earrings! (note I'm already wearing my new camera ring and bracelet!)

Wowzers, I LOVE my new owl wallet!!

And new purse to match!

Cupcake presents!

Custom cupcakes from Rum Runners to match my nails!!!! How AWESOME!!

Making a wish!

Then, that weekend, my bestie Maggie came to visit and we spent the day downtown to celebrate our birthdays (3 days apart)!! Walking around, looking at art galleries, drinking beer, eating amazing pizza, shopping the craft fair, and dashing in the fountain to cool off!

All in all, a super fun birthday!

I'm STILL waiting on my present from my hubby. He ordered it from Indonesia and there has been some shipping difficulties. They should be straightened out and I should be getting it soon. I can't wait to find out what it is!!

xo's

Cat

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Birthday Cupcakes!!! {NEW Painting Series!}

Today is August 1st!!! 

It's the first day of my birthday month! 

In honor of my birthday (August 5th), I've painted some lovely cupcakes to put in My Shop! It's my Birthday Cupcakes Series! I've been working on these for a while now and I'm excited to finally share them!! Everyone knows I LOVE cupcakes, so naturally this was perfect for me! No birthday is complete without some cupcakes!

I painted 8 since August is the 8th month of the year.

Each cupcake is a combination of different colors, and each of them is topped with fun sprinkles! The backgrounds vary from pink, yellow, purple and aqua. 

Cupcake 1 for sale here

 Cupcake 2 for sale here

 Cupcake 3 for sale here

 Cupcake 4 for sale here

Cupcake 5 for sale here

Cupcake 6 for sale here

Cupcake 7 for sale here

 Cupcake 8 for sale here

Hang them separately or hang them in a set! Either way, they add some cute to your walls!
I've also posted discount listings if you want more than one so be sure to check them out!

They would be perfect in a nursery, kitchen or anywhere for that matter!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONTH TO ME!!!!!

xo's

Cat

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