Cupcake GENIUS- Cupcake Construction Co.

Believe it or not, the Google ads I placed on my own blog just directed me towards CUPCAKE GENIUS!!!

I don’t even know how to describe this cupcakery!  Though it certainly doesn’t do the idea justice, I’m going to call this the Burger King version of cupcakes (i.e. Have it Your Way).

The Cupcake Construction Company meshes together the idea of building your own cupcake with the convenience of delivery and the excitement of a cupcake party!

You can either call ahead and have the cupcakes pre-assembled with your choice of Foundation (cake flavor), Interior (filling), Roof (frosting), and Luxury Amenity (toppings) OR you can have the Cupcake Construction Co come to your location and host a cupcake PARTY!!!  That’s right…CUPCAKE PARTY!!!!  All of your guests can assemble their OWN cupcakes the way THEY want them!  GENIUS!!!

I love it!  I love it all!  I love the concept.  I love the branding.  I LOVE that pop rocks is a topping!  HELL YES!!!

You can guarantee that I will be placing an order for these cupcakes shortly.  The main question is- what will i order?  Strawberry cupcake with Bavarian Cream filling, cream cheese frosting and pop rocks?  Sounds like a winner to me!!!

You can find Cupcake Construction Company on Twitter, Facebook, or call them at 913-957-1718.

Bakery Review: Cupcake a La Mode

I just tried Cupcake a La Mode in Leawood, KS for the first time, and I hate to be a hater, but these cupcakes just didn’t do it for me.

Let’s look at the positive first- these cupcakes are gorgeous!  This adorable little bakery really makes you want to order one of every single cupcake.  They all have a signature look and certainly give you more of a “gourmet cupcake” feel than “birthday cupcake.”  The bakery itself couldn’t be more inviting.  They sell cupcake shirts, jewelry and other cute gifts in the front of the store, and I had to restrain myself from buying the cupcake necklace!

Now, on to the taste test…
Despite the appealing appearance and creative names, they basically have 2 cupcakes.  Every cupcake is either chocolate or vanilla and the only thing that changes is the frosting.  Since I’m not a frosting girl, that is pretty disappointing.  That being said, my soon-to-be nephew happened to LOVE all of the cupcakes.  When he was chowing on the Peanut Butter cupcake, I asked him what it tasted like and he said “Good.”  There you have it- 3-year-old approved!  If you dig frosting, then you would love this bakery.

I will also say this- the PB&J cupcake seriously tasted like PB&J- they have that flavor spot on.  The Stuffed French Toast tasted more like a cinnamon streussel, and the Raspberry Lemonade just tasted jaw-lockingly sweet.

Unsatisfied, I’m still on the hunt for the BEST CUPCAKE EVER….

Cupcake FAIL- Frosting WIN

I was so excited to make White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes from my 500 Cupcakes recipe book.  Unfortunately, they did not come out as delicious as I had imagined.  They were very dry and had a cornbread consistency.  Why are all of my cupcakes turning out so dry recently?  My new goal is to find a good basic cupcake and start adapting recipes to that base.  This recipe will NOT be my base.

However, I did find success in the frosting.  When I lived in St. Louis, my boyfriend and I frequently opted out of making dinner, and instead loaded up on goodies from our favorite grocery store- Dierbergs.  Dierbergs has an amazing deli and when I think of this one particular item they made, I really consider hopping in the car for a little foodie road trip.

They called it cheesecake dip, but it was so much more.  It was sweeter, and thicker than a traditional cheesecake dip.  Ladies and gentlemen, I HAVE DISCOVERED THE SECRET RECIPE!!!  Well, technically the 500 Cupcakes book found the recipe, but I’m revealing it to you…so I win!

To make the World’s Best Cheesecake Dip, just mix together:

1 cup cream cheese (8oz package)

1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar (sifted)

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp sweet butter

ALL-STAR TIP– drizzle caramel and chocolate across the top of the dip and get a box of Chocolate Teddy Grahams to dip in it.

DIET TIP– If you add fruit to anything then it counteracts all calories in that recipe (this is a variation of the  the Big Project Rule- if you’re working on a stressful project you burn more calories than you consume no matter what you eat). So, chop up some strawberries and use the Chocolate Chip Teddy Grahams to dip in it.

Note- I dig Teddy Grahams.  I think all graham crackers should come in the shape of a teddy bear.

Undercover Boss- 7 Eleven Episode

I can’t say I had warm and fuzzies after this episode, but I felt like Undercover Boss is back on track after the disturbing episode with Hooters.  Read HR Bartender or Great Leadership for some excellent responses to the Hooters fail.  However, there is just as much to learn in an episode without a disaster employee like Jimbo, and places where I feel Joe DePinto both shined and missed the boat.

My favorite moment in this episode is when Joe travels to the one store that outsells all other stores in coffee sales.  He wanted to know what made that store different and how he can duplicate that success at the other stores.  It didn’t take him long to learn that there wasn’t a special brewing technique or coffee station setup that brought in customers.  The answer was simple- it’s all about Delores.  The customers at Delores’ store felt like it was home.  She knew her customers by name and they greeted her with hugs.  I was thrilled that Joe recognized how Delores was the key to that store’s success.

The next positive moment was when he met with Igor from Kazakhstan (yes, the Borat Kasakhstan).  Igor is the kind of person with a positive outlook on life no matter what challenges are laid before him.  He makes deliveries fun.  He treats his job like it’s the highest priority.  He even finds the silver lining in the schedule challenges that only allow him to see his wife two days a week.

We should all be so lucky to have employees like Delores and Igor.

Of course, the episode would be too fluffy if we didn’t see some missed opportunities.  Joe was able to see the challenge of franchise support first-hand when he ordered new light bulbs for one store and realized it could take 30 days to solve the safety issue.  Then, he met with a promising young man who has worked at 7 Eleven for 4 years while working on his bachelor’s degree.  He tells Joe that he does not see a future for himself after he graduates.  Joe realizes he needs to do more to help sales associates work towards a future at 7 Eleven.

He also sees how 7 Eleven’s charity efforts have not been adopted at the franchise level.  Who knows what the real breakdown in this process is, but this is the kind of thing you can’t discover without communicating with front-line employees.

Joe’s solutions included creating a foundation in Delores’ name for organ donation awareness, giving Igor a vacation with his wife, and making an aspiring artist a freelance addition to the marketing team.  I wasn’t overly impressed by any of those solutions.  I thought it was very nice that he gave a franchise to Igor, though.  Something tells me his customers will love him.

For all of those great lessons, I still think Joe missed some opportunities.  Granted, the show is only 1 hour long so Joe may have addressed these issues behind the scenes already.  If one single employee can create such an environment that her store is able to outsell all of the others in coffee, then you must try to replicate that across all stores.  Help franchise owners learn how to select individuals who are outgoing, caring, and friendly.  Train them to engage with customers on a personal level.  Stress the importance of making every transaction friendly.  It’s about the people, Joe.  Now how do you find more Delores’?

Joe said that 7 Eleven has trouble finding people who want to work the night shift.  You just heard a great place to recruit night shift employees!  Go to college campus recruiting events and find more eager students who are paying their way through school.  Next, you need to sell them on a future with 7 Eleven.  Don’t expect your employees to be satisfied with one role for the rest of their lives, and don’t expect them to know what the next step is or how to get there.  

Joe also missed the opportunity to streamline his stores.  He mentioned how much easier it would be to take care of the coffee if there were a sink on the counter.  Well then do that!  The less time it takes for the employees to stock the shelves, change the coffee filters, and wash the windows, the more time they have to make the customers feel appreciated.

However, where 7 Eleven really impressed me is their use of Twitter immediately after the show.  They are doing a great job of promoting the brand after the episode and talking about the changes they’ve made.  Follow them at @7elevencareers.

This show continues to prove that there needs to be better communication between front-line employees and top level management.  As HR Bartender said, Management By Walking Around (MBWA) still works and is crucial.  I don’t believe that it needs to be done “undercover” like on this show, but this show makes the rewards clear.

I also believe this show makes it clear that HR needs a seat at the executive table.  A good HR person would have already managed succession plans for sales associates and decided that Jimbo from Hooters needed to go.  I’d love to hear more about what HR has to say after each episode.

(Image source #1)
(Image source #2)

 

Nerd Cupcakes (Video Games, Twitter, Twilight, iPhone, Lady GaGa and more)

Some cupcakes are just so fun that I have to share.  I’ve been bookmarking my favorites for the past few weeks, and without further ado, here you go- NERD CUPCAKES!!!:

1)  Video Game Cupcakes

Rock Band- Image source

Pac man- Image source

Mario Bros- Image source

Space Invaders- Image source

Wii cupcakes- Image source

Wii- Image source

Sonic the Hedgehog- Image source

Tetris- Image Source

Bejeweled- Image source

Mario Bros- Image source

The Sims- Image source

Mortal Kombat- Image source

2)  Lady Gaga Cupcakes

Lady Gaga- Image Source

3)  Twilight Cupcakes

Twilight- Image source

Bite- Image source

Image source

Image source

Fangs- Image source

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4)  Social Media Cupcakes

Twitter Cupcakes

Twitter- Image source

Twitter- Image source

Digg- Image source

5)  Tech Cupcakes

iPhone Cupcake- Image source

Apple- Image Source

Google- image source

6)  Academic Cupcakes

Math- Image source

Periodic Table- Image source

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes and Lessons Learned

I love cheesecake, so the idea of combining a cheesecake with a cupcake makes me drool.  When I saw this recipe for Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes, I was on it.  However, I learned some lessons along the way:

• From now on, if a recipe requires more than 1 bowl, I’m going to pass.
• I think directions such as mix, fold, blend, and stir are too vague.  Mix with what?  Blend how?
• Try not to over-hype a recipe in your mind and just experience the cupcake as it is.
• Just because it’s not YOUR favorite recipe, doesn’t mean others won’t like it.

As you can see, I felt the recipe took too many steps.  Anytime I have to pre-mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl, the coolness of the recipe goes down in my mind. When the cupcakes were done, they just didn’t do it for me.  They weren’t bad by any stretch of the imagination.  The best way I know how to express it is that the cupcake tasted more like a muffin than a cupcake.  Do you know what I mean?  It had a dryer consistency- almost cornbread-like- than a cupcake and it wasn’t nearly as sweet.

However, when I woke up the next morning, over half of the batch had disappeared!  Eric LOVED them!  He thought they were the perfect breakfast.  Just a hint of sweetness, plus fruit, and the bite-size made this a win!

Image source

I really do love the idea of taking some elements of this recipe and adapting them for a new cupcake. I will definitely try finely chopped strawberries again (and maybe add some banana- yum!).  I also love the “crust” idea.  In this recipe, you crushed graham crackers to make a pseudo-crust.  I want to use crushed up Fruity Pebbles next time I make my Wicked Awesome Tye-Dyed Cupcakes.

Up next…Strawberry Banana Cupcakes….

Wicked Awesome Guava Tye-Dyed Mardi Gras Cupcakes!

Yeah, that’s right!  I’m crazy like that!  So crazy I can merge 3 levels of awesomeness into one tiny bite of heaven!

Step 1:  Guava.  About a year ago I went to a bridal expo and literally had my cupcake world turned upside down.  I tasted a guava cupcake from Iced Art in Kansas City that was so delicious that it makes my mouth water just thinking about it.  I had dreams about that cupcakes for weeks.  I can’t even begin to describe the taste…like little angels dancing on my tongue.  I have yet to taste another cupcake that could challenge that single bite of guava cupcake as the BEST CUPCAKE EVER.  I have no idea how Iced Art makes them, but I found a cheat recipe that I’ve been using for a while.  However, it tastes nothing (NOTHING) like the heaven of that first guava cupcake.  To make my wannabe guava cupcakes you take any box recipe and just replace the water with guava juice.  Simple, right?  Watch out Sandra Lee!!!

Step 2:  Tye-Dye.  I used a simple white cake recipe and then divided it into 6 bowls (disposable, yes…I don’t do dishes) and added different food coloring to each one.  Pro tip- the lighter the color, the more dye you’ll need to use.  For darker colors, add a little and then build your way up to the right color.

Here are a few pics of my during the building process.  Please excuse the poor quality of my iPhone camera.  The pictures don’t do the colors justice.

Once you have all of the colors in the cupcake liners, just shake the pan to get rid of the air bubbles and then drag a toothpick through the batter to mix the colors.

FYI- food coloring is a pain to get off of your fingers!

Be sure you have a watch dog to guard the over while these beauties are baking.

How fun are these tye-dyed cupcakes when you tear them apart?

Step 3:  Mardi Gras.  I simply used white fluffy frosting and added green, yellow, and purple food coloring until the colors looked about right.

Happy Fat Tuesday!!!

Undercover Boss- Hooters Edition

I told myself I wouldn’t blog about this episode of Undercover Boss even before it aired, and it only took me 30 minutes to change my mind.  After I watched the Waste Management episode, I had goose bumps of inspiration and hope.  After this episode, I just want to take a shower.

No, that’s not because I have a problem with Hooters as either a restaurant or it’s implications for women’s rights.  Actually, I dig their wings and fries.  I have frequented the local Hooters more times than I can count and personally, I could care less what the waitress wears as long as she gets the order right and delivers it quickly.

I just felt “icky” after watching that episode for 2 reasons:  1) JIMBO and 2) the messages all fell on deaf ears.

Let’s begin with the main messages.  Coby Brooks uncovered several issues, but he doesn’t GET it.  He saw a single mom struggling with the stress of restaurant management, so his solution was to send her family on a company-paid vacation.  That’s a really great gesture, but 1) you didn’t change what made her job stressful, 2) you still don’t get work/life balance, and 3) I’ll bet there are tons of other single parents doing stressful jobs in the company- where’s their trip to Disney Land?

Then, Coby sees a former Marine who runs the back of his restaurant like clock-work.  He’s clearly efficient and has high expectations.  Why didn’t Mr. Brooks take that success and find ways to replicate it across the other restaurants?  He mentions how important the people who run the back of the business are, but in his reflection moment he says NOTHING about how he can highlight their importance in the organization.

And then there was the man-on-the-street moment.  I find it SHOCKING that the CEO of Hooters has never heard the negative comments about the brand.  I find it UNBELIEVABLE that he has never heard someone say that the brand is demeaning to women.  If that is true, then he needs to spend less time on the corporate jet and talk to a few more mothers out there.  More importantly, though, once he hears this information (apparently for the first time EVER) his solution is to tell people about the community service they Hooters does.  Again, I have no problem with Hooters, but if you speak with a woman who does, it will boil down to one thing- the uniform.  Here’s a solution Mr. Brooks- buy the ladies some jeans!

Let’s be honest, the uniform has deserved an update for a few decades.  They still wear high-top white sneakers, super puffy slouch socks, and shimmery tights!  Really?!?!  Why not let the ladies wear the cute jersey’s that the promo girls were wearing and a pair of jeans?  The message is simple, Mr. Brooks, many women are uncomfortable taking their impressionable children into a restaurant where the message is “you can only work here if you’re a size 0 and show off 75% of your “assets.”  If you want people to try your food, then change the message you promote.  Something about the phrase “Delightfully tacky, yet tastefully unrefined” just doesn’t scream family dining to me.  Even your boardroom has the infamous “Bumps ahead” sign on the wall, and you’re shocked that women aren’t talking about the wings?  Really?!?!

And then there’s Jimbo….oh Jimbo.  I would love to see a follow-up on his career.  There are many people you can train, mentor, and coach, but when someone has such a phenomenal lack of respect for another gender, he is a liability my friends.  He is an HR nightmare.  The line-up made me sick to my stomach.  Ladies, where is your self-respect?  Call an employment lawyer and get out of that hostile work environment!

The man actually told Coby that the most important part of being a manager is the ability to spin a tray.  He flings rubber bands, and organizes “reindeer games” to determine who will go home early.  I don’t know how someone like this even gets into management.  Who is steering this ship?  What part does the franchise manager play here?

I can’t wait to hear what my HR blogging colleagues have to say about this episode.  I am especially interested in hearing what you would do about Jimbo?  Would you put him on a performance plan/probation period or fire him on the spot?  How would you coach and develop him?  Is he coach-able?

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Pomegranate Funfetti Cupcakes

When your fiance surprised you with the mixer you’ve been wanting forever then you have no choice but to try a cupcake flavor that he suggests.  Hence- Pomegranate Cupcakes.

I’ve seen several real recipes for Pomegranate cupcakes but none of them appealed to me, and I remembered a trick I learned when making Guava Cupcakes.  If you have any fruit juice that is sour or bitter, just use it in place of water in a box recipe.  So, I took Funfetti Cupcakes (Eric’s favorite) and instead of water, I used Pomegranate juice for the recipe.

It turned out great!  The sweetness of the Funfetti plus the unique flavor of the pomegranate made a light but different twist on the traditional cupcake.  I added some red food coloring because when I think pomegranate, I think RED…not off-white.

Then, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day I used my heart-shaped silicone molds for some of the cupcakes.  I always forget how disappointing that mold is until I look at the finished product.  They only look like hearts from the bottom.  Oh well…they were de-lish…but not the Best Cupcake Ever….on to the next…

Big Dreams, Small Bites

You know what’s tough about being passionate about something?  It’s hard not to go all-in.  That’s how I’m feeling today about this cupcake blog.  I have so many ideas, so many recipes to make, so much to share…and not enough time or money to do it all.

In fact, I just added up all of the topics I’ve already tagged for future blog posts and there are 37.  THIRTY SEVEN!  I have FOUR cupcake recipes that I’m dying to make and review THIS WEEKEND!  Too much?  Yes!!!

I want to create a logo.  I want to advertise my blog.  I want to visit every local cupcake bakery and review their sweets.  I want to take a baking class.  I want to scope out all of the cupcakes in towns I travel to while on business (you know…my real job…the one that pays me!).  I want fun cupcake “stuff” like aprons, necklaces, t-shirts, etc.

But more than anything, I want a frickin’ pink Kitchenaid mixer.  I plan to register for the mixer for my wedding, but that’s 9 months away.  Every time I walk past that beautiful piece of machinery it takes every bit of my willpower to keep me from whipping out the credit card right then and there.

In the meantime, I will just make a wish-list and remind myself that everything is good in moderation.  So for now I will stick with my big dreams, but take small bites.

From JennysBakeShop on Etsy

From Everyday is a Holiday on Etsy

Inspiration from Zazzle– but I want to make this in rhinestones…of course!

Cupcake Jewelry– why not?

Punk Rock Cupcakes?  Awesome!

And you know I want this totally unnecessary As Seen on TV cupcake gadget!

Cupcakes + pink + iPhone (Breanne’s head explodes!!!)

Bake and Destroy = Hardcore!

When it comes to cupcake apparel, Johnny’s Cupcakes takes the cake (giggle giggle)