Cupcakes!

I was asked to make cupcakes for my friend Lindsay's cupcake catering business, the Burlesque Bakery. The bakery specializes in "naughty" cupcakes--think cupcakes named after old-time pin-ups, Bacardi buttercream frosting, black lace cupcake boxes, and red napkins that declare, "Wipe your filthy mouth." The cupcakes were for the Big Blonde Bash being hosted by the fabulous Honey Salon, so they were, of course, all blondes--named after famous blonde bombshells, with lots of decadent flavors, from vanilla to coconut rum to cream soda buttercream. Laura and I spent many hours in my kitchen creating ten dozen delectable mini cupcakes, and the results were delish, if I may say so myself.

Brigette Bardot: Filled with lemon pudding; topped with citrus vodka buttercream and Belgian pearl sugar

Jayne Mansfield: Cuba Libre buttercream; garnished with candied lime peel

Black lace boxes add to the pin-up appeal

Ginger Rogers: Filled with vanilla pudding; topped with ginger buttercream and a gingersnap

Cream soda buttercream and a shortbread cookie on top? YUM.