Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
Posted on March 29, 2016
Moist cupcakes bursting with lemon flavor and bursts of poppy seeds are topped with a creamy vanilla bean frosting. Before I tell you all about these pretty spring cupcakes, we have to talk about a special cookbook that is officially launching TODAY. My friend Andie (author of this book that I love), just published her…
Fluffernutter Cookies
Posted on February 26, 2016
Soft and chewy peanut butter cookies sandwiched together with marshmallow buttercream. It’s been a long time since I've had a fluffernutter sandwich, but the memories of soft white Wonder Bread slathered with creamy Skippy (most definitely not all natural) and sweet marshmallow fluff are still vivid in my mind. Everything just melded together in one…
S’mores Layer Cake
Posted on February 15, 2016
Graham cracker cake layered with toasted marshmallow and milk chocolate buttercreams. This cake embodies the flavors you love in a s’more! It's cake birthday season here! We kicked things off with a bang last weekend celebrating Matt's Mom's and my sister-in-law's overlapping birthdays. And since it was a double birthday, I knew that the dessert…
S’mores Layer Cake
Posted on February 15, 2016
Graham cracker cake layered with toasted marshmallow and milk chocolate buttercreams. This cake embodies the flavors you love in a s’more! It's cake birthday season here! We kicked things off with a bang last weekend celebrating Matt's Mom's and my sister-in-law's overlapping birthdays. And since it was a double birthday, I knew that the dessert…
Fudgy Brownies with Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream
Posted on February 3, 2016
Super thick and fudgy brownies covered in bakery-style vanilla frosting. A great alternative to cake for a celebration. I’ve talked in the past about how, as a kid, I never wanted traditional birthday cake. For years my first choice dessert was a Baskin-Robbins’ ice cream pie followed by brownies as a close second. Cookie cake…
Cinnamon Cake with Chile Chocolate Buttercream
Posted on December 2, 2015
A light and airy cinnamon cake frosted with the fluffiest, creamiest chile chocolate buttercream. Here’s the thing. This post is all about the buttercream. The buttercream, it is so stinking good. Can you see the little flecks of cayenne pepper hiding in there? Can you see how light, creamy and just spoonable it is?…
How to Make a Monkey Smash Cake
Posted on November 2, 2015
A chocolate smash cake that looks like a monkey! This first birthday cake is made from scratch and delicious. Most people were pretty shocked to find out that L’s first taste of something “sweet” was at his first birthday party. It took a lot of restraint, but it definitely made his first experience with sugar…
Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Buttercream
Posted on October 28, 2015
Rich chocolate cupcakes topped with a light and super creamy peanut butter frosting. L’s birthday party might not have been the picture perfect event I had planned (have I learned nothing after a year of being a mom?), but the desserts, they were pretty on point if I do say so myself. We had the…
Oreo Pound Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing
Posted on October 5, 2015
Rich and ultra delicious oreo pound cake layered with luscious chocolate cream cheese icing. When you are a dessert blogger AND have run your own bakery, the expectations for birthday desserts are exponential. Not only that, but I always want to top the previous year’s birthday dessert with something new and better. Combine that with…
Brown Butter Banana Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Icing
Posted on April 27, 2015
Three layers of brown butter banana cake slathered with amazing brown butter cream cheese icing. If there ever was a cake worthy of remaking for better photos it would be this one. I don’t typically like to make a huge cake (ahem, three layers) without an occasion, but this one was too good to hold…
Mini Lemon Layer Cake for Two
Posted on April 14, 2015
Light and fluffy lemon layer cake slathered with delicious cream cheese frosting. This cake is sized perfectly for two people! Today we are celebrating a virtual baby shower for one of my very favorite bloggers. Christina and I became friends a few years ago by commenting on each other’s blogs (you must read Dessert for…
Thin Mint Cookie Cake
Posted on February 16, 2015
Thick and fudgy cookie cake loaded with Thin Mints and topped with Thin Mint Buttercream! I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, one of the reasons I’ve loved blogging so much (and probably why I’ve stuck with it for almost five years) is that I’ve made some great friends. Not only have I…
Butternut-Pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake with Bourbon-Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting {Guest Post}
Posted on October 30, 2014
Today’s guest post is from a fellow new mom (how adorable is Avery?!) and talented baker. Steph from Girl Versus Dough makes some terrific baked goods and even had an e-book published earlier this year! Be sure to visit her blog and check out some of her other amazing recipes like Peaches and Cream Streusel…
3-Layer Cookies ‘n Cream Cake
Posted on October 20, 2014
Chocolate and vanilla bean cake layers slathered in cookies ‘n cream frosting Year after year there seems to be more pressure when it comes to birthday cakes. I always want to outdo the previous year’s dessert but at the same time, I need to bake something true to what the birthday girl or boy loves. …
Pretzel Cookie Sandwiches
Posted on October 6, 2014
Chewy pretzel infused cookies sandwiched together with buttercream. I got the crazy idea that I needed to make a cookie that was flavored like a pretzel. It happened sometime after these Oreo cookies disappeared. However the crazy idea popped into my head, I’m so glad it did. These chewy cookies were pretty addicting. Frankly they…
Cinnamon Roll Blondie Bites
Posted on September 25, 2014
Mini cinnamon chip blondies are topped with the perfect cinnamon roll cream cheese frosting! So I realize I’ve been posting a ton of cinnamon-seasoned desserts lately, but can you blame me? Cinnamon enhances all things pumpkin and apple, but it really shines on its own as well. As a result, I gave these blondies the…
Peanut Butter and Jelly Cupcakes
Posted on July 31, 2014
Perfect fluffy vanilla cupcakes stuffed with a homemade blackberry jam filling and topped with creamy peanut butter frosting. These peanut butter and jelly cupcakes would be perfect for a summer potluck! Lately it feels like the productive hours in my day are decreasing on a regular basis. I'm not knocked out tired like I was…
Margarita Birthday Cake
Posted on July 7, 2014
This citrusy layer cake is flavored with lime zest and the frosting is made with tequila, cheers! A few weeks ago, my friend’s husband threw her a fabulous 30th birthday party. There were chefs cooking Mexican food, plenty of drinks to go around, do-it-yourself ice cream sandwiches and finally this margarita cake. For my friend…
Oreo Overload Cookie Sandwiches
Posted on May 18, 2014
Chewy cookies infused with Oreo Crumbs and slathered with a Cookies n Cream filling! I made these cookies on Friday with the full intention of bringing them over to a friend’s yesterday. Apparently I made the mistake of sharing a sample cookie with Matt because he almost lost it when I told him I was…
BLUEberry Buttercream Cups
Posted on May 12, 2014
These Blueberry Buttercream Cups are the perfect no-bake chocolate treats. They are so easy to make. I think I might be a little obsessed with buttercream candy cups now. First there were the Mint Cookies and Cream Buttercream Cups and then I made these Pretty in Pink Buttercream Cups. The thing is, this is such…
Vanilla Bean Layer Cake with Whipped Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Posted on April 28, 2014
Light but satisfying vanilla bean cake layered with vanilla buttercream and covered in a wonderful strawberry cream cheese whipped frosting! I may not have any real quality photos of this cake, but it was such a hit and so delicious that I wanted to post the recipe anyway. Plus, if I made it again just…
Pretty in Pink Buttercream Cups
Posted on April 9, 2014
These dark chocolate candy cups are filled with a delicious creamy buttercream. They are a gluten-free, no-bake treat for any occasion. Today's post is exciting because I'm part of a huge group of blogging ladies celebrating Steph's virtual baby shower! This sweet and talented blogger is due to have a baby girl in just a…
Fudgy Black and White Devil’s Food Cake
Posted on March 31, 2014
Four layers of rich chocolate cake filled with vanilla buttercream and covered in a luscious whipped chocolate buttercream. Not only is my mom an incredible baker, but she also happens to love cake. Actually, love is probably an understatement and I’m not sure that “cake” accurately describes it. Birthday cake is her favorite food group…
Extra Dark Chocolate Cake with Cookie Butter Buttercream
Posted on February 25, 2014
This light and moist dark chocolate cake is the perfect pairing for the creamy cookie butter frosting. This is the perfect birthday cake or just because cake. Confession time: I have all sorts of stuff going on that I can’t talk about here and it is driving me insane. I should just be super excited…
Mini Chip Brownie Bites with Pink Marshmallow Buttercream
Posted on February 10, 2014
Fudgy brownie bites full of mini chocolate chips and topped with a pretty in pink marshmallow buttercream, perfect for Valentine’s Day! This weekend completely flew by! I've had a lot going on lately (work-wise and personally) so I feel like my weekend relaxing and me-time is extra precious. I know myself, and I really need…
Salted Caramel Sheet Cake
Posted on January 20, 2014
This salted caramel cake is light and fluffy with a rich salted caramel buttercream and salted caramel sauce infused into the cake. I made this cake on Christmas Eve. Matt and I had no plans so it was definitely a dangerous move, one large cake, two people. We probably did more damage than I care…
Espresso Salted Caramel Buttercream Brownie Bites for Audra’s Virtual Shower
Posted on December 4, 2013
Fudgy chocolaty brownie bites topped with an extra special buttercream are a fun mini dessert for any occasion. Today we are celebrating one of my favorite people! My friend Audra (The Baker Chick) is having a baby so a few of us got together to throw a virtual party. I’ve actually been thinking about this…
Graham Cracker Cookies with Toasted Pumpkin Marshmallow Filling
Posted on October 14, 2013
Chewy Graham Cracker flavored cookies filled with a toasted pumpkin marshmallow buttercream are the best cookie for fall! Dip them in chocolate and decorate with colored sprinkles for a festive treat. These cookies. Where do I even begin? First of all, the graham cracker cookie is chewy, slightly crispy on the outside, and flavored like…
Caramelized White Chocolate Truffle Pumpkin Cupcakes
Posted on September 30, 2013
As if moist pumpkin cupcakes weren’t enough, I filled them with a luscious caramelized white chocolate ganache and topped them with caramelized white chocolate buttercream. These cupcakes are easily one of my favorite recipe creations in the entire life of the blog. I’m not the biggest cupcake lover (I’d rather have layer cake), so when…
Cookie Butter & Salted Caramel Cookie Sandwiches
Posted on August 5, 2013
These speculoos cookies are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. They are delicious on their own, but the salted caramel buttercream puts them over the top. I made these cookies a few weeks ago, and while I froze some extras, I may or may not have eaten them straight from the freezer. …
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Blueberry Cream Cheese Icing
Posted on June 23, 2013
I blame this on the cupcake wrappers. I’m actually not kidding. It has been way too long since I shared a recipe on the blog and I thought that since 4th of July is right around the corner, it was about time I used the cute little American Flag cupcake wrappers that have been in…
Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Whipped Chocolate Ganache
Posted on May 20, 2013
Rich pound cake layers with delicious fluffy frosting and a rich whipped chocolate ganache. I don’t know what it is, but when I travel for a weekend, I always have a million different bags. Maybe I just should take 1 big bag and call it a day? I just try so hard to be an…
Peanut Butter Banana Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Icing
Posted on May 7, 2013
I’m so glad that you seemed to enjoy my new weekly blog series! It makes me so happy to have a way of staying connected just a little more regularly. Definitely let me know if there are any other topics you would like me to include! So these cake bars are another item I made…
Lemon Cookies with White Chocolate Chips & Strawberry Buttercream
Posted on April 13, 2013
This recipe came about while I was testing out ideas for an upcoming Cookie of the Month, and wondering how I could brighten up the resulting flat and not so exciting lemon cookies. Don't let me fool you, the lemon cookies actually taste quite good on their own- they are chewy and delightfully lemon flavored (not…
(Real) Pistachio Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream
Posted on March 10, 2013
Flavorful pistachio cupcakes made from scratch and topped with the best brown sugar buttercream. My dad isn’t a dessert person. I know, cover your mouth in horror! Him and my sister both… my mom and I, we are just made differently. Actually, I relate to my dad in a lot of other ways. His math…
Mini Cookies ‘n Cream Cupcakes
Posted on February 19, 2013
Well, I’m pretty much at that point before vacation where I’m in a little bit of denial about how much I need to do beforehand. Lots and lots and lots of cookies need to be made and my head is already in a world where the sun is shining and I have a tequila infused…
Fluffernutter Chocolate Cake
Posted on February 4, 2013
You favorite chocolate cake covered with peanut butter and marshmallow swirled icings. Sometimes cakes don’t work out like you want them to. But sometimes, they turn out better. This cake actually started out as a recipe for “salted caramel fudge cake” but frankly all I got was chocolate cake. Certainly not enough to stand on…
Mini Halloween Confetti Cookie Sandwiches
Posted on October 3, 2012
These cookies are so much fun for Halloween, not to mention, delicious! Cater them to your holiday of choice with different colors. As much as I prepared before launching Keep It Sweet Desserts, there is so much learning that I’ve done on the job over the last few months. Countless lessons learned, mistakes made, products…
Baby Blue Cake Pops & A Virtual Baby Shower!
Posted on September 24, 2012
Baby Blue vanilla cake pops made from scratch! SURPRISE! Today’s post is a special part of Krissy’s surprise virtual baby shower! A special thanks to sweet and talented Audra for organizing the shower. I met Krissy last year at the Foodbuzz Festival and she was absolutely as sweet as can be. We’ve been friends…
Mini Lemon Cupcakes with Perfect Silky Buttercream
Posted on September 12, 2012
Mini lemon cupcakes with the silkiest lemon buttercream. First off, for those of you who don’t already know, I’m a finalist for a Martha Stewart American Made Award! Not only is this an honor, but it is also an amazing opportunity. The winner will be selected based on VOTES and will be honored at the…
Brown Sugar Cupcakes with Cinnamon Ginger Buttercream and Ginger Cookie Pecan Brittle
Posted on August 26, 2012
Moist brown sugar cupcakes topped with a flavorful buttercream and surprise brittle topping. Sometimes it is easy to get in a rut. A cookie rut. An exercise rut. A wearing the same $12 gap t-shirt every day rut. We get a little comfortable with the usual. Cookies are easy and I’ve gotten great at them.…
Fudgy Double Crème de Menthe Brownies
Posted on April 22, 2012
Saturday was a case of “I have a few hours in the kitchen to make non-KISD desserts, how much can I bake for the blog and how fast?” Of course I had another reason to bake, other than for Matt to have three cupcakes as an afternoon snack. And the reason wasn’t to give me…
Chocolate Stout Celebration Cake
Posted on March 5, 2012
Rich chocolate stout cake with coffee swiss meringue buttercream on the inside and mocha buttercream on the outside! A special cake for life's special occassions and celebrations. Ever since Thursday’s announcements, I’ve felt a huge sense of relief. Now that you know about Keep It Sweet Desserts, I can be a lot more open about what is going on in my…
Oreo Crusted Brownie Pie with Cream Cheese Icing
Posted on March 2, 2012
First of all, thank you for the amazing notes of support regarding my news! I am still overwhelmed by the feedback. Now onto deliciousness:-) I dreamt up this dessert a few weeks before I finally had the chance to make it. Really I just thought about a few things I really like: Oreo crust- always…
Heath Bar Blondies with Brown Butter Frosting
Posted on February 20, 2012
Did you know that brown butter smells like heaven? Yup, it pretty much does. But then again, so do fresh baked cookies, the combination of melted butter and chocolate, and homemade caramel. Matt referred to our apartment as a fudgery recently, and although I don’t actually make fudge, the meaning behind his comment was true. …
Reese’s Pieces Cake Bars
Posted on January 31, 2012
Sometimes you get busy. There is week-old laundry to put away, streaked kitchen counters that need to be scrubbed and recipes to test. There are websites to be designed, photos to be edited, and post-dessert workouts to get done. But there is also a blog to attend to and readers getting impatient. Those readers who…
Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
Posted on December 19, 2011
Please don’t be mad at me. It’s just that I’ve had this recipe for weeks and have been holding it in the backlog so that I didn’t completely overload you with cookies. Meanwhile, almost every person who has eaten one of these has asked me for the recipe.* Biting into one of the gingersnap sandwich…
Lighter Carrot Snack Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
Posted on December 8, 2011
Ok, I'm going to be honest. I'm posting a recipe for carrot cake and I don't even like carrot cake. You see, I really thought I did. Moist cake slathered in cream cheese icing, how could it be bad? Well, of course my version that I thought I would like is void of raisins, walnuts…
The Cake
Posted on May 19, 2011
Not only was Saturday Sara’s bridal shower, but it was also just a couple of days after a big birthday for her mom. So, in addition to fun pick-up desserts, I wanted to make a birthday cake. Usually I’d stay safe with a vanilla or chocolate cake for a crowd, but I wanted to make…
Chocolate Chip Toffee Oatmeal Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting
Posted on April 14, 2011
Yes, I’m still making cookies. I just can’t help myself, though! And believe me, you should be happy about this. A few months ago I made some oatmeal cookies with toffee and chocolate that were delicious. The cookie wasn’t exciting enough, though so I stepped them up. This time I made Chocolate Chip Toffee Oatmeal…
Salted Caramel Buttercream
Posted on February 13, 2011
I’m kind of obsessed with caramel lately, especially when there is salt involved. Ever since I made these bars a few months ago, caramel has been on the top of my list for delicious dessert ingredients. There is something about the rich flavor and silkiness that keeps you going back for more. After seeing this…
Delicious End to 2010
Posted on January 4, 2011
As I take a look at some of the last month’s activities I guess it shouldn’t be surprising that my pants don’t fit… We had our 5th annual Thanksgiving with Friends (the infamous dinner with 8 desserts) Had and fulfilled intense cookie cravings Tried to make the perfect cookie Baked the Brown Eyed Baker’s Peanut…
Extra is Better
Posted on December 12, 2010
This recipe was a complete accident. I was making Cookie Dough Topped Brownies and feeling over-confident in my memory of the brownie ingredients. When I got past the step of stirring in sugar, I realized something was wrong. The batter was much thicker than it should be. Fortunately, I realized that my mistake was adding…
Red Velvet Cookies with White Chocolate Filling
Posted on November 1, 2010
Chewy and flavorful red velvet cookies with creamy white chocolate frosting. This post was originally published November 2010. The photos were updated November 2015. After I saw Jessica’s post of red velvet chocolate chip cookies, I knew I had to make them. As I’ve mentioned before, red velvet is currently my favorite kind of cake, so how…
