Saying Goodbye :-(

Well, Friday was Sara and Anna's last day at work. I had worked with Sara since I started 4 years ago and of course, Anna had been with me since Labor Day for her year-long apprenticeship.

I decided I would make them each cupcakes and I kind of gave them a say as to what kinds. Well, I gave Anna a say. She chose my Irish Carbomb cupcakes. You can check out that post here.

I decided for Sara that I would make her some Mickey Mouse Cupcakes. I had made her Mickey & Minnie Mouse Cookies for her birthday (here's that post) so I thought the cupcakes would be cute. Luckily she agreed. :-)



I was up to my elbows in different batters. I ended up making two dozen of EACH cupcake, so having to frost 48 cupcakes wasn't really a thrilling thought at 10pm at night (really midnight when it was all said and done).

Sara's Mickey cupcakes were easier to make, but time consuming to decorate. I made a chocolate cupcake with a simple whipped vanilla frosting that I tinted. Then I added yellow frosting buttons and mini-Oreos for ears.

Anna's was the chocolate-Guinness cupcake, with a chocolate-Jameson ganache and a Bailey's buttercream frosting. I used more Bailey's than powdered sugar in the frosting, so it was thinner than the last time I made it. It still tasted good.

I was happy how they came out and while I wanted happy that they were leaving, I was happy I could do this for them.

I'll miss you both!!!!!

Sara's Birthday Cookies

For my buddy Sara's birthday this year, she joked around about wanting Mickey Mouse cookies. So...I made it happen.

I couldn't find a cookie cutter I liked, so I headed to Michael's to pick-up some different sized cookie cutters and made my own Mickey Mouse shapes. If you want to do this too, here's what you need:

Sugar cookie recipe you like

Double boiler (or a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water)

2 bags of red-colored candy melt (vanilla flavored)

2 bags of dark chocolate candy melt

Yellow icing

White Icing

While the sugar cookies were baking in the oven, I started to melt down the chocolate. Here's what you need:

Once the cookies cooled, I dipped the top half of the cookie (aka the ears) into the melted dark chocolate and laid the cookie out on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Once the tray was filled, I placed it in the freezer. NOTE: You can use the refrigerator as well, just make sure where ever the cookies go, they are flat to avoid the chocolate running.

The cookies only need a few minutes to cool and harden. I then pulled the cookies out and repeated the process for the bottom of the cookie in the red chocolate. Once more I put the cookies on the sheet trays and chilled them.

Lastly, I decorated each of the cookies for the 'mickey' or the 'minnie' look I wanted. Yellow icing makes the buttons on Mickey's pants and the white icing makes the ruffles and dots from Minnie's dress.



Next step: TAKE A BITE!

Just remember to pace yourself when eating these cookies because they are super sweet....but super adorable!! Give them a try!

PS...Sara loved the cookies :-)