Key Lime Pie Cupcakes with Graham Cracker Frosting

Mini cupcakes for taste testing. Always a must!

I can be a sneaky person. You see, I organized a little Q1 bake-off at work and marketed it as a way to bring all of us closer together. While that was part of the reason, the main thing was getting people to bring in food which I then eat.

It had so-so results but remember I'm sneaky. So what did I do? Created a "finals" round of course!

The finals start this week and will have three competitors, myself included. I was originally going to make homemade oatmeal cream pies, but in lieu of a coworker transferring at the end of the week I decided to go with something she would enjoy.

Given key lime pie is her favorite dessert and I'm pretty awesome at making cupcakes (not that it shows on here) I created key lime pie cupcakes with graham cracker frosting. I will win based on this frosting alone.

Humble, I am not..... When it comes to cupcakes or frosting.

Restaurant Review: Cocoa & Fig

Updated 8.19.12:
Just tried a banana nut cupcake, s'mores cupcake, and an almond caramel cake pop. The banana nut cupcake tasted like banana bread and had a delicious cream cheese frosting; the s'mores cupcake had a homemade graham cracker base with a chocolate chunk filled chocolate cupcake and a homemade torched marshmallow on top. As for the cake pop, it was a gooey caramel almond cake dipped in milk chocolate. Each of them were impressive delicious treats. Seriously give this place a try sometime.

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I am obsessed with cupcakes. I love everything about them. The process, the possibilities, the liners,  and of course eating them. I just think they are perfectly packaged desserts or snacks. Sometimes I even make us head over to Byerly's so I can get a cupcake from their bakery.

Mark fully supports this addiction and will happily get me my fix. And sometimes (usually when I've had a bad day) he comes home with sweet treats from my favorite boutique bake shop Cocoa & Fig. Its a small retail store (part of a catering company) nestled between Neiman Marcus & Saks 5th Ave in Gaviidae Commons.

Not only do they have beautiful cupcakes on display, but they also have flourless cakes, cake pops,  sandwich cookies, and french macarons.

This delightful little buggers were nonexistent
in our lives before Cocoa & Fig. We are forever
in their debt.

Their cake pops and oatmeal peanut butter
sandwich cookie

Vegan Caramel Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting (Twix Cupcakes)

"Twix Cupcakes"

Last week one of our best friends, Daren, and his little brother, Jeff celebrated their birthdays. We got Daren a two year subscription to Motor Trend magazine and we got Jeff a Chicago Bears candy dispenser (I know.....a Bears fan).

Chicago Bears Candy Dispenser

To celebrate we tagged along on their birthday dinner to Daren's favorite restaurant, Buca Di Beppo, where we had fettucine alfredo, pepperoni pizza, chicken parmigana, etc. The next night, we went out to Benihana, which is ALWAYS a good time. But more about that in another post...