This past week I started my fabulous new job at the Mountain, say hello to the new Visual Merchandiser! I am so excited to be working with some amazing people and for such an awesome company through the winter. I will be responsible for glamming up (13) retail locations! It really is quite the workload, but plays on every basic instinct (aka ocd) and creative passion inherent in my bones.

I also just secured a very sweet condo with a kitchen any baker would die for. It’s such an upgrade from my former Hollywood abode; I’m wondering now how I managed to do all that baking! Anyhow, today I’m whipping up a very special first batch of cupcakes to break in my gorgeous new oven and celebrate these beautiful changes in my life.

Now that I am a bit more settled in, I’ll be back on the blog, thanks for catching up with me :)

There’s still a good amount of green grass and sunshine in Steamboat so I’ve decided to take advantage of the morning by hanging out with Darby, sipping espresso and tasting these amazing Spiced Rum & Sweet Potato Cupcakes I made last night.

We threw a “Hurry Over for Curry” dinner party and of course I was in charge of the dessert. When I did my research on Indian desserts, some delicious recipes came up – but I wanted to translate that into cupcake form.

Cardamom, cloves, cinnamon & nutmeg are all important spices within a traditional Indian palate, so I drew these in from the spiced rum. Sweet potatoes are also a luxury staple, and surprisingly easy to bake with.

With a little help from Martha, I’ve come up with this delicious little cake.

I can’t imagine the total amount of money I’ve saved by making my coffee at home, and now that  I've discovered homemade lattes, I may never have to visit another coffee shop. One of my favorite things about the holiday season used to be picking up a pumpkin latte before work and sipping it slowly at my desk.

This holiday, homemade seasonal lattes are my specialty and my baking skills have translated well into barista skills. Of course I have this fancy little coffee maker to assist in my outstanding espresso quality, but you can also prepare this delightful drink with a strong brewed coffee.

In a small saucepan on low heat, gently whisk together:

• 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk, or your preference in milk 
• 1 tbsp pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp unsweetend cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• Tad of pumpkin pie spice
• Dash of cinnamon

For its third annual run, the Steamboat Springs Holiday Bake Off turned out more bakers than ever. There were a total of (44) entries ranging from cakes, pies, cookies and miscellaneous desserts.

Actually my newest friend in town, Chelsea won Best Presentation for her “Hot Chocolate & Bailey’s Cupcakes”. I was proud to see that at least cupcakes took home a win in this town. I’ve been trying to squeeze the recipe out of her so please check back and I’ll post it here asap. 

My first bake off in my new town and I have nothing to show for it! Well I guess I’ll have to make a splash with my baking in other ways. Tomorrow I am baking Indian inspired cupcakes for a “Hurry over for Curry” dinner party. 

This year, we’ve decided to get a head start on the party planning, tree trimming and the holiday baking with a series of festivities that include (3) very important groups of people in our lives:

• Close friends & family
• Bigger circle of friends in town
• Business partners, clients & contractors

These are the people that deserve some special recognition for all of the fun we’ve had over the year, to all of the hard work we’ve put in together and all of the mountains we’ve climbed and conquered (sounds very literal in a ski-town but figuratively also applies).

The party I’m most excited about planning is for our bigger circle of friends, a “Cocktail Party & Cookie Swap”. Last year’s turned out a great amount of friends as well as a great amount of chaos - so this year, some organization will be key. I’ve already prepared the evites at Cocodot, my new favorite online invitation site.

We will prepare a signature cocktail for our guests accompanied by savory finger foods to offset the sweet selection of homemade cookies.

Have you ever planned a Holiday cookie swap? What are some ways you have found that will liven up the event? We’re thinking about making this year’s participation a little more competitive with a take home trophy, engraved – “Cookie Swap Baker of the Year” – something along those lines that include bragging rights until next year’s swap.

I'm planning on making cupcake shaped cookies.. go figure!

The holiday season is here and with that comes the snow, so I'm told. Well I’m finally living in a place where the seasons mean something and have witnessed this amazing transformation for myself!

This morning we woke up to a light snowfall that just barely covered the tree branches and the rooftops. I can’t wait for more!

To celebrate the cozy occasion, my sister and I retreated to our favorite Sunday comfort – Cream of Wheat.

It’s such a simple breakfast really, but with a variety of toppings, you can enjoy your Cream of Wheat however you like.

The selection above is for the health nut with a sweet tooth. We love stirring in brown sugar and honey to sweeten, but then sprinkling on the good stuff like golden California raisins, fresh sliced bananas and sliced almonds for a bit of texture and crunch.

We make buttered toast and indulge in the sweet creamy bowl of goodness.

I’d also love to try chocolate chips + hazelnuts, or fresh sliced apple + cinnamon.

Until next Sunday!

Now that I’m in Colorado for the winter and a whole (6,900) feet above sea level, I’m going to have to consider the impact of baking in high altitude.

Today I am baking for the Steamboat Springs Holiday Bake-Off. As a new resident, I feel it will be a great way to participate in the community and get to know other bakers in the area.

I’m going to bake my Pumpkin Pie Cupcake Pops as they were such a hit the first time around.

I found these high-altitude baking tips from allrecipes.com. If you have any other tips or tricks, please share them with me!

Wish me luck!

Adjustment for 3000 feet:

• Reduce baking powder: for each teaspoon decrease 1/8 teaspoon.
• Reduce sugar: for each cup, decrease 0 to 1 tablespoon.
• Increase liquid: for each cup, add 1 to 2 tablespoons.
• Increase oven temperature by 25 degrees F.

Adjustment for 5000 feet:

• Reduce baking powder: for each teaspoon, decrease 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon.
• Reduce sugar: for each cup, decrease 0 to 2 tablespoons. 
  Increase liquid: for each cup, add 2 to 4 tablespoons.
• Increase oven temperature by 25 degrees F.

Adjustment for 7000+ feet:

• Reduce baking powder: for each teaspoon, decrease 1/4 teaspoon.
• Reduce sugar: for each cup, decrease 1 to 3 tablespoons.
• Increase liquid: for each cup, add 3 to 4 tablespoons.
• Increase oven temperature by 25 degrees F. 

I love this time of year when Fall treats and Holiday sweets are around every corner. I couldn't help to take the leftover juicy green apples and caramel squares from my Caramel Apple Liquid Cupcakes to create some gourmet caramel apples at home. 

Of course I had to glam up my pop sticks with a little bling. These self-adhesive Fall colored jewels are the perfect touch.

Twist off the apple stem and secure your pop stick about midway into the apple.

Melting the caramel was a breeze, individually unwrapping these caramel squares, well that took some time. 

All you need is one package of caramel squares, melted with (2) tbsp water to cover about (5) large apples.

Prepare a tray covered in wax paper and greased with butter so that your apples can be easily removed after they set in the fridge.

{I used tin foil in absence of wax paper at home, bad move!}

After you dip your apples in caramel, there are no rules!

Sprinkle on anything you like. I melted chocolate & butterscotch chips, drizzled each around the caramel apple in zig-zags, and sprinkled the whole thing with sliced almonds. 

You could try crushed peanuts, pecans, oreo cookies, graham crackers, sprinkles, the possibilities are endlesss.

I loved the touch of chocolate drizzle, I highly reccomend this topping!

Happy November!