Welcome back to Cupcake Boot Camp! This is it…Week 6! We have covered the basics of baking cupcakes, how to add filling to cupcakes, how to make Candy Clay, How to Decorate Cupcakes with Candy, How to Frost Cupcakes, and today we are taking 1 cupcake and showing you how to display it 3 ways.

Part of the fun of cupcakes is being creative with how you display them. There are lots of different ways to serve or display your cupcakes, I’ve chosen 3 of my favorites to share with you.

The most popular are the Treat Pops, they are fun for all ages and the flavor combinations are endless. Next up are Cupcakes in a Jar and then last, displaying and serving them in dessert jars.

I love serving cupcakes all 3 ways. In the photo, there are the Irish Cream Push Pops, Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes in Jar, Superman Cupcakes and last Firecracker Push Pops with Pop Rocks.

Join me as I take these Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream and show you how to display them 3 ways…

In case you are having trouble seeing the video, you can view it on You Tube as well.

I have had so much fun sharing Cupcake Boot Camp with you! I hope you have enjoyed it too! If you have any questions about cupcakes, or would like to make a suggestion of what you would like me to share with you. Please fill out this short 3 question survey!

If you love cupcakes, then you will want to subscribe to Cupcake Chronicles Newsletter. We share exclusive recipes and decorating ideas with you, as well as a monthly printable. It’s FREE…what are you waiting for? Sign up now!

Stay tuned for the HUGE Cupcake Giveaway tomorrow with Wilton products worth over $200, Duncan Hines mixes and frostings, candy from Temptation Candy and Cupcakes, Cookies and Pies. oh My! Book.

Week #1: Cupcake Basics

Week #2: How to add filling to a cupcake

Week #3: How to make Candy Clay

Week #4: How to Decorate Cupcakes with Candy

Week #5: How to Frost Cupcakes

Each of these weeks has a video showing you details, if you are an email subscriber, you may have missed the video, so please pop on over to the blog and check them out!

Disclosure: I was sent Wilton products  for my review. It did not by any means sway my opinion. I love Wilton products and use them every day. There are affiliate links in the post.

I’m excited to be joined today by amazing cupcake bakers for the Cupcake Couture Blog Party, sharing their recipes along with a Cupcake Giveaway!

If you have been following Cupcake Boot Camp, you have been learning a little more about cupcakes and how simple they can be. You can dress up an ordinary box mix cupcake by adding a delicious frosting and a cupcake wrapper, like the Damask Cupcake Wrapper I have around the Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes.

Add a little wine and a basket with lotions and finger nail polish and you have a fun and super easy Girl’s Night Out.

Now it’s time to party! Check out these amazing cupcake bakers for more recipes…

• An American Cupcake in London

• Bella Cupcake Couture

• Chronicles of a Foodie

• Crazy for Crust

• Creative Food

• Cupcakes Take the Cake

• Diary of a Mad Hausfrau

• Eat Your Heart Out

• Haniela’s

• Hoosier Homemade

• In Katrina’s Kitchen

• Inside BruCrew Life

•  Java Cupcake

• Love From the Oven

• Make Bake Celebrate

• Not Just a Mommy

• Sugar Daze

• Sugar Swings! Serve Some

• The Baked Equation

• The Baking Cup

• The Decorated Cookie

Thanks to our amazing Prize Pack sponsors for their generous donations! Please, visit their websites to see more of their fabulous products!

• Bella Cupcake Couture

• Cupcake Stand

• Java Cupcake

• Lil’ Punkin Creations

• Sweets & Treats Boutique

To enter to WIN this Prize Pack, simply fill out the entry form below.

Contest opens May 21, 2013 at 0700 PST and closes May 27, 2013 at 2359 PST. One winner will be chosen and announced within 24 hours of the contest ending. Winner will be contacted via email to claim their prize.

This contest is open to residents of the USA and Europe only.

These Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes in a Jar are not only delicious, they are easy to make! With Spring Desserts and Memorial Day on everyone’s mind, these cupcakes are a must have!

Stay tuned for a delicious giveaway brought to you by Pillsbury Baking, but first let’s get baking!

Let me show you how to create this beautiful and delicious treat…

Starting with the new Pillsbury seasonal flavor Orangesicle Cake Mix, I added my usual ingredients to make it taste more like homemade.

Then the zest of 1 large orange to give it a little more flavor.

The frosting is also from the new Pillsbury seasonal flavors, Orangesicle and it’s mixed with a little whipped topping.

Any glass jar will work, I like the half pint size, they hold 1 cupcake perfectly. After the cupcakes are cooled, use a serrated knife and cut into thirds. Fit a decorator bag with a large round tip and fill with Orangesicle frosting. Layer the cupcake and frosting, finishing with the frosting and topping it off with a candy orange slice.

Tie the jars with a pretty ribbon and you have a delicious treat for a special occasion or to simply make any day special!

Celebrate Every Day with these tips…

1. Dress up an ordinary store bought cookie or cake with fresh fruit, it goes together in minutes.
2. Pack up lunch or dinner and take it to the park. Enjoy the fresh Spring air.
3. Slice oranges, lemons and limes into a pitcher of water for a fresh drink.

For more Springtime Recipes, visit PillsburyBaking.com or their Pinterest Boards

GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES: PLEASE read the Official Guidelines 

One lucky Hoosier Homemade winner will receive a Prize Pack from Pillsbury including…

• One box each Summer Seasonal Cake & Cookie Mixes
• Frostings (1 each of Creamy Supreme Key Lime and Creamy Supreme Orangesicle)
• $50 dollar Visa or American Express gift card

Entries only accepted on this page. Facebook, Twitter or email entries do not count. Open to US Residents only.

Giveaway will remain open until  Monday, May 27, 2013 at 10 p.m. CST. Winner will be chosen at random, notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond.

Please note that if you are enjoying this post via email subscription or in a reader, you will need to visit the blog to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Products for review were provided by Pillsbury. I received a sample of the products for the purpose of this review and to facilitate a giveaway.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Pillsbury.

I started out this project with little practical knowledge when it comes to working with dye. I’ve done a few t-shirts for the boys when they we’re in grade school. So I was very grateful that there were some instructional videos available to view that helped along the way.

Rit Dye has a product that has been typically available online but is now sold exclusively in store at Walmart for $2.87 per bottle.

Let’s get started…

Easy Brush Dyed Pillow Supplies

• Rit Liquid Dye (any color you like)
• Pillow cover – we found this one at Walmart, it came stuffed, so I just opened the seam with small scissors, removed the stuffing, then replaced it after the pillow cover was dry
• Hot Water (1 cup)
• Plastic drop cloth
• Paint brushes (foam or bristle)
• Protective vinyl gloves
• Plastic Wrap

Measure out the amount of dye needed. I started with 1 tablespoon per cup of hot water for the lightest shade. Then added 4 tablespoons more for the medium shade and added an additional 4 tablespoons for the darkest shade.

Make sure the water is hot. The hotter the better, if you can I would recommend you use boiling water.

Brush on the different shades in whatever pattern you like.

I tried to do mine in wide stripes darker to lighter.

Once you have painted on the Rit Dye to the pillow cover fold it together in a size that will fit into your microwave and wrap it in plastic wrap. Place into your microwave and heat on high for 2 minutes. This helps to set the dye into the cloth. Let it set for a few minutes until it has cooled to the touch.

Rinse out under cold water in your sink until the water runs clear. Wring it out and throw it in a dryer on low heat to dry.

I’ll admit, I had my concerns with how this was going to turn out before I placed it in the dryer. And no it didn’t turn out in a true Ombre fashion that I was going for but I really like how it ended up. I added a few silk flowers to add a little more punch and now I’m looking for my next project.

A succulent is defined as any plant that stores water in it’s leaves, stems or roots to survive dry spells. You can see more Succulent Gardens on my Pinterest Board.

Let’s chat about how we created this cool Succulent Garden…

Succulent Garden Supply List

• Succulent Plants
• 4 inch PVC Pipe
• Spray Paint - Rust-Oleum American Accents Stone Textured Finish
• Primer – spray paint
• Sand Paper
• Miracle-Gro Cactus, Palm and Citrus Soil
• Pea Gravel or stones to cover the soil
• Hacksaw for cutting the pipe

Here are some more detailed instructions…

First you will need to cut the PVC Pipe into varying lengths using a hacksaw, I cut 1 – 14″, 2 – 12″ and 2 – 10″ in length. Cut the top edge at an angle for more visual interest.

Then sand the cut edges with sand paper, and give them a good coat of Primer. After the primer is dry, then apply the Rust-Oleum American Accents Stone Textured Finish. After the pipes have dried 24 hours apply a clear matte top coat to protest the finish from moisture.

Now it’s time to prepare the area you are going to plant them. Loosen the soil and remove the soil from an area large enough to accommodate the pipes to a depth of 4 inches.

Next lay some pea gravel in the hole about 2 inches thick.

After the pipes have completely dried, set them into the pea gravel about 1 inch deep.

And then cover the pea gravel with soil.

Add some pea gravel to each pipe for drainage. Put enough in each pipe to come to about 6 inches from the top.

Then fill with Miracle-Gro Cactus, Palm and Citrus Soil. This soil has spagnum moss and vermiculite for exceptional drainage.

Then it’s time to plant the Succulents. You can see exactly how I planted them on the video, just be sure to water them in well to get the soil to settle in around the roots. And then finish by dressing the top of the soil with a layer of pea gravel.

Succulent plants come in a wide range of colors and textures. We found all of these at The Home Depot. You can get gardening and join other real life green thumbs and those that aspire to have a green thumb at The Home Depot Garden Club.

We created this Indoor Succulent Garden for The Apron Blog. I love using unusual containers and Succulents are perfect plants to use because they don’t require a lot of soil.

I’ve had a pretty exciting week! On Monday, I was on the Chicago Fox News in the morning, check out the this very nervous lady…

Chicago News and Weather | FOX 32 News

More and more women are taking on do-it-yourself project these days. Join in on the fun with participants and The Home Depot associates the the DIH Workshops Inspired by Pinterest.

I will be at The Home Depot store in Lincoln Park, Illinois tonight for the DIH Workshop at 6:30, won’t you join me?

Disclaimer: The Home Depot partnered with bloggers such as me for their Twitter Party and DIH Workshop program. As part of this program, I received compensation for my time. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about any product mentioned in these posts. The Home Depot believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. The Home Depot’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

One of our favorite light dinners is Deli Style Pasta Salad made with Kraft Zesty Italian Anything Dressing! So when I was asked to share a recipe or two with you featuring Kraft Zesty Italian, I couldn’t resist!

Kraft and the Get Zesty Guy are steaming up the kitchen with fun and flavorful ways to dine at home, by adding a little zest to your everyday meals with its Zesty Italian Anything Dressing.

You can now get cheeky in the kitchen, with your friends and family by sending a personalized ZestyGram to add a little zest to everyday moments and special occasions.

The Zesty Guy is looking to zest up a spring recipe with Kraft Zesty Italian Anything Dressing. Perhaps you would like to try the Zesty Italian Chicken Salad, a simple, yet playful dish that will surprise even the biggest mainstream foodie. Or maybe the Primavera Pasta Toss with a little added zest to fettuccine and veggies Zesty Italian Dressing turns the most basic meal into a steamy, palette-able adventure.

For more Zesty Guy-approved visit Kraft recipes, follow them on Facebook or follow Zesty Guy on Twitter

GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES: PLEASE read the Official Guidelines 

Entries only accepted on this page. Facebook, Twitter or email entries do not count. Open to US Residents only.

One lucky winner will receive a bottle of a zesty Italian perfume, such as Versace.

Please note that if you are enjoying this post via email subscription or in a reader, you will need to visit the blog to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: : I am part of the Mom It Forward blogger network. Mom It Forward and Kraft partnered in support of this campaign. Kraft compensated me for participation in this campaign. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Our lives now are quite a bit busier with children, their activities and work, but it’s never too busy for a fun dessert like these Neapolitan Cake Push Pops.

Neapolitan, a combination of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry is one my favorites. When baked in a cake and paired with JELL-O pudding and COOL WHIP whipped topping these treats are out of this world!

Let’s get baking…

When I spotted the Jet-Puffed Mallow Bites that are shaped like ice cream cones with chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, I thought they would be perfect for a fun cool dessert or they even make great potluck desserts!

I also decided to cut down on time in kitchen, and bake the cupcakes instead of a cake.

To assemble the Cake Push Pops, first you will need to bake your cupcakes or cake. I used 1 chocolate cake mix and 1 vanilla cake mix. After baking the chocolate cupcakes, mix the vanilla cake mix according to the directions on the box and divide in half, flavor one half of the batter with a small box of Strawberry JELL-O.

If you are making a lot of these treats, you can certainly use a Strawberry Cake Mix, but by using the vanilla divided it also cuts down on time and cost.

While the cupcakes are baking, mix the pudding according to the directions on the box and place in the refrigerator to set. After the cupcakes have cooled and the pudding is set it’s time to assemble the push pops. You can find the push pop containers most anywhere Wilton products are sold, but if you can’t find them, a small clear jar or glass works fine too.

Now, mix the pudding and the COOL WHIP until smooth and spoon into a bag, you can use either a decorator bag or resealable bag.

And then the fun part, start layering, first cut the chocolate cupcakes into squares and add a couple pieces to the push pop container, pipe in a small amount of the pudding mixture. Continue layering with the vanilla and then strawberry cake, adding pudding in between the layers.

Top with COOL WHIP, and then add a few chocolate and pink sprinkles.  Add a Jet-Puffed Mallow Bite in the Ice Cream Cone shape.

Serve these Neapolitan Cake Push Pops at your next party, take them to a potluck or enjoy a fun weeknight treat with the kids!

For more recipes visit KraftRecipes.com

Disclaimer: I have partnered with Kraft Foods as part of the Kraft Tastemakers Program. Compensation was provided by Kraft. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Kraft.