The Cutest Baby Shower Cupcakes

So this week, I made cupcakes for a co-worker's baby shower. Well, I love baking so I was ready to go! I'll warn you now, I'm going to get off track a few times with this story.

I started out making white cupcakes and white frosting. My stand mixer broke during Christmas cookie season, so I made the cake using my hand mixer. I've become super dependent on my stand mixer, so this was like going back to the dark ages for me. But, I survived. Now onto the frosting. I love homemade buttercream frosting. There really is no substitute, well except for "better"cream. That's a story for another day. Anyway, time to make the frosting. I heard a tip a while back that frosting should be made in a food processor. I hadn't tried it out yet, so I figured this would be the perfect time. I tossed the butter in the food processor and let it do its thing while I pulled out the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. While there should be pictures here, I decided to let you guys use your imagination. (translation: my camera was missing for a day) So the butter is now smooth and creamy. I added in the other ingredients and processed away! OMG! I am never mixing frosting again! It's going in the food processor every time now! Then I get ready to add the coloring. Uh-oh. I'm completely out of the good coloring. All I have is the squeeze bottle junk. Erg. But wait! What's that in the cabinet? My food coloring spray! I heart this stuff. I haven't quite justified buying an airbrush doohicky yet, so this is the next best thing. So I go to town piping the frosting on the cupcakes and spraying them blue. Wanna hear something crazy? Ott,A and I were making cupcakes for the same baby shower. Without talking to each other, WE BOTH SPRAYED THE CUPCAKES BLUE! Crazy, right?

Cupcakes-baked and cooled
Frosting-fully processed and piped onto cupcakes
Decorations....ah, the best part. I made these the night before, so they were all dry and set up.

But what are these awesome little things? I found the recipe at Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom. Her post is about making your own conversation hearts. I used the same recipe and directions, but instead of cutting out small hearts, I cut out letters spelling "It's a Boy", hearts, stars, circles, and other geometric designs. I stuck toothpicks in some of them so I could stand them in the cupcakes rather than laying them all on top of the frosting.

Here's how they turned out:

And I can vouch for Suzy's recipe. They taste just like conversation hearts! Next time I make these, I'm going to try adding different extracts like orange, cherry and maybe even root beer!

Are you ready for the most exciting news ever?? After using the archaic hand mixer, I had enough. I convinced the husband to let me go ahead and get the mixer I've been drooling over for the last couple of years. I went to the website and ordered my KitchenAid Pro 600 Series Stand Mixer. It arrived Wednesday! As he opened the box and pulled it out, I swear the skies opened up and a choir of angels burst out in heavenly song. I'm pretty sure there was an aura around the mixer too :)
Yes, my friends, I finally got my mixer. I'm sure you'll all be seeing shots of it in posts to come.