Tiramisu Cupcakes

Oh Tiramisu how I love you!

For those of you who aren't familiar with exactly what all goes into the deliciousness that is this dessert, I'll break it down for you. Tiramisu literally means "pick me up" a popular italian cake. It is layered with typically coffee/liquor soaked sponge cake, mascarpone cheese and sifted cocoa.

In Sweet Elites case I have substituted the sponge cake with a super moist white cake that is soaked with a mixture of Kahlua liquor and espresso. It is layered with a soft buttercream frosting in place of the mascarpone cheese and then topped with sifted cocoa and dark chocolate shavings.

Elizabeth Taylor 1932-2011

I was saddened by the loss of the last of Hollywoods Golden Age actresses. She was an amazing woman her beauty, talent, and humanitarian efforts will continue to live on though she is not.

One of my all time favorite films is hands down Cleopatra. Being obsessed with Ancient Egypt I was introduced to the film when I was 9 years old or so. What can I say Barbies weren't really my thing mummies, exploration and the mysteriousness of ancient past was what I found intriguing. I idolized her even at that age and still do, I thought she was so statuesque and amazingly beautiful in the film. She had a beauty to her that was all her own and that can never be replicated. I feel that had a big impact on my life as weird as that may sound, she was different and I appreciated that.

So in honor of Liz I baked some cupcakes feeling as though I owed it to her.

I made a classic cupcake for a classic woman. A vanilla cupcake with a violet shaded buttercream for Taylors famous violet colored eyes, sprinkled with purple sugar and a few sugar pearls for her love of jewelry.

Vegan Donuts

WOW!

These were fabulous, tremendous in fact, no-no-no stupendous!!!

Yes I specialize in vegan cupcakes but I have been wanting to experiment with vegan donuts as well. And these were a complete success and as far as I know I'm the only baker here in Fresno to be able to offer them at the moment. Which is good for all of us who have to walk in shame when we see an array of beautiful donuts and are unable to have them due to the dairy and eggs that accompany them. But fear not and don't be blue dearies Sweet Elites knows your pain and is here to save the day. Yes I do in fact know how cheesy that line was but eh I love cheesy ridiculous things.

 Soooo for the toppings I used chocolate of course, and a light pink buttercream for the classic Homer Simpson looking donuts-he'd be so proud,  powder sugar, and coconut that was first dipped in coconut oil (oh so yummy) and then topped with coconut flakes. 

The dough was sweet, airy and kick-butt delicious just how donuts should be!