Gourmet Cupcakes

Okay, I have ranted about these new gourmet cupcake places that are popping up everywhere.  I have never been much of a cake fan to begin with, but 3.50 a cupcake?  Really?  That's highway robbery!  I can make a batch of cupcakes for that price and make a bunch of teenagers at my house very happy.

Last night at the fair, it was so cold, I got coffee.  I decided to try one of the gourmet cupcakes they had, because when I am cold, I love comfort food.  The gourmet cupcakes at the fair were only 1.75.  I got a chocolate cherry and hub got a pineapple right side up cupcake.  They were good, but really, its a cupcake...its not rocket science.

I have always purchased cupcakes for my kids birthday parties, because I know when I have a houseful or patio full of people over, the last thing I want to do is cut a cake (or dish out ice cream for that matter, the good old portable ice creams work with cupcakes just fine, things like dixie cups, ice cream sammiches, popcicles etc)



This morning my book club book came from  The Book of The Month 2 Club .  I ordered the Southern Living Big Book of Cupcakes  because every Southern Living cookbook I ever bought has amazing recipes in it.  No kidding, pretty much every one of them I made, my family or friends requested the recipe. This book has 150 cupcake recipes in it. Tiramisu, Caramel Apple, Pina Colada, Pecan Pie, The Don Vito Italian Cream cupcake ...all cupcakes that look amazing.  My son is taking Culinary Arts in Vocational School this fall, so he will have fun with this book too.  He loves to cook.

There is a merry cherry mushroom cupcake that looks like The Smurf's houses, would be adorable for a Smurf themed Party.  Due to copy right reasons, I won't share their recipes, the book is cheap and you will have all of the recipes in one spot.  My favorite cupcake to date is the ever classic Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcake.  Click the link to go to my post of this recipe.  Nothing fancy, just joyful indulgence.  I can't say I won't have a new favorite after making some of the recipes in this new cookbook I got, but I can guarantee, I will never get tired of this recipe.

While I am on the subject of cakes....there is a cute little cafe near us that I love to eat it called Good Eatz.  They make the best carrot cake I have ever tasted in my life...and its gluten free... I am not on a gluten free diet, but I order this every time I am there.

Anyone have an amazing gluten free carrot cake recipe they wanna share?  I am dying to make this.  I see tons of recipes online but really dislike trial and erroring recipes that don't measure up.  I only have time to make the best so please share your tried and true recipe with me.
  margaritastewart@aol.com

Here is another favorite cookbook The Professional Chef by the Culinary Institute of America. .  I got this for my son whose culinary arts book from his school is just beginner  basic...this is really detailed.  Also the grilling book is neat, lost of rub recipes and sauces too.  Dessert and pizza etc on the grill.