My products currently include some of the best cupcakes you’ll ever have, as well as some cookies and bars that I’ve developed throughout the years. Please do check it out »

The springtime colors are adorable, and I would love to set out a bowl much like the one above at our Easter Sunday table. You see, because these doughnuts are Krispy Kreme, you know that they’re not just pretty- they probably taste awesome as well.

Visit Krispy Kreme Philippines’ website or one of their shops at Bonifacio High Street, TriNoma, SM Megamall, Mall of Asia, or Greenhills Shopping Center.

outside: tons of fondant to make the tokidoki figure (and a lot of toothpicks), and to create the bag. the hearts and crossbones were hand-piped by her assistant, claire, onto wax paper, then dried and applied to the cake with more royal icing. inside: eight layers of vanilla macadamia nut cake with buttercream and a generous lashing of grand marnier.
(via the scent of green bananas)

We had to bring the husband’s iMac in for repairs at the lovely Apple Store yesterday, and thought we’d drop by Cupcakes by Sonja on our way home. The cupcakes, all eight that we bought, went quickly- so quickly that all I could photograph was the box they came in. But it’s a pretty box.

This was the second time we’ve had Sonja’s cupcakes, and have already chosen our favorites, which are:

Red Velvet Vixen. Traditional Southern Cake made with Belgian Cocoa and Cream cheese icing. My personal favorite. I will not share this, not even with my dear sweet husband.

Bunny Huggers Carrot Cake.  Very moist cake made with fresh carrots topped with cream cheese frosting. Okay, so I’m a sucker for cream cheese frosting- and for carrot cake, for that matter. This is nicely done, not too spicy.

Lemon Drop. Delicious vanilla cake smoothered in our signature lemon buttercream frosting. Tangy lemon, mmmm!

Read more about Cupcakes by Sonja at these blogs (external links):

• Ramblings from a Gypsy Soul
• Market Manila
• The Scent of Green Bananas
• Filipino Food Photoblog

If that isn’t super sarap, I don’t know what is.

It’s December first, and oh what a glorious day! The first thing I did upon getting to my desk was fire up iTunes, play A Charlie Brown Christmas, and discover Gourmet’s Favorite Cookies.

Shown here are the apricot scented Seven-Layer Cookies. With a name like that, you just know it’s the holidays.

When I was in high school, my mom gave me a copy of Rose’s Christmas Cookies- definitely one of my favorite presents of all time, because it’s what really got me baking. I’ve known many cookbooks, and tried many cookie recipes, since then- but I won’t hesitate to say that this one is the best.

Rose is Rose Levy Beranbaum of The Cake Bible fame. Oh, and she blogs!

I’m grateful for so many things this year- including you, dear reader.

As it is, I’ve been obsessed with figuring out which side dishes go well with a smoked turkey. A good candied yams dish is a given, and I’m considering trying out Meg’s Brown Buttered Brussel Sprouts as well. For dessert, a classic pumpkin pie- which I’ve never made before. Any more ideas, anyone?

This weekend, in practice for the coming Christmas baking rush, I’ll be tackling the following recipes:

1. David Lebovitz’ Chocolate-Almond Buttercrunch Toffee. Just look at the photos.

2. The Amateur Gourmet’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookie. I mean, how can I not?

3. My own recipes for: Butterscotch Brownies and Chocolate Brownies, and

4. Graham Cracker Brownies. Smores, anyone?

Tonight, it was two scoops of cold, creamy, sinfully rich Cherry Garcia, the most delicious tribute to Grateful Dead ever. Its official description is:

Cherry Ice Cream with Cherries & Fudge Flakes

But it just tastes like so much more.

Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is available at all Rustan’s Supermarkets in Manila- we got ours at the tiny Alabang “express” supermarket.