Mmm ... Cupcakes

Who doesn't love cupcakes? They're like scrumptious, fun-for-your-mouth tiny bundles of goodness (well, not healthy goodness, but, you know ...). At an average of $2.65/cupcake in Calgary, they're easy to sneak into a wedding budget, too. And oh how trendy they are right now!

Calgary brides' fascination with cupcakes can assuredly be attributed to the fabulous ladies at Crave Cookies & Cupcakes, who opened their first store in Kensington in 2004. Because of them, cupcakes have rapidly moved from standard-issue birthday party fare to mod wedding dessert. I've personally attended three weddings in the past year that had Crave cupcakes in place of the ubiquitous wedding cake -- its become a source of pride for a bride to be able to tell her fellow trend-setting guests that her cupcakes "are from Crave". No other explanation needed. With flavours ranging from Crave-O-Licious (pictured above) to Peppy Patti to Dirty Blonde, Crave's cupcakes are a fun twist on tradition.

You Calgary ladies might be surprised to find out, however, that cupcakes do not begin and end solely at Crave. There are a number of other fab bakers in & around the city that certainly deserve a look:

Cakeworks, located just off 30th Ave in the NE, does some marvelous work with their cupcakes. Though I haven't tried them personally, I've heard from a close foodie girlfriend that their cupcakes are yummy-yummy. And if their cupcake decorating is anything to compare to their wedding cakes , then my dear, you are in for an artistic treat!

The Buttercream Bake Shoppe not only has it's main store on 17th Ave , but also opens shoppe at the Calgary Farmer's Market at the Currie Barracks on Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays. I like to think of them as having ye 'ole ice cream shoppe mentality -- they always have certain popular flavours in stock (such as Drama Queen and Lemon Souffle), but also have a rotating smorgasbourg of flavours throughout the month! Try out Creme Caramel, Cherry Sundae, Koo Koo Coconut, or Elvis Lives.

And last ...

Cake Creations is an extraordinary shop located in Canmore. A quick search on their site yeilds too-cute-for-words cupcakes with delicate icing flowers and funky cool patterns. I love the ones pictured at right ... aren't they just divine? So perfect for a spring or summer wedding!

Of course, if you're a DIY kindof gal, why not try making your own for your wedding? The great thing about cupcakes is that they can be made a few weeks in advance of the Big Day and kept in the freezer until necessary (*note* if using buttercream icing, it is better to freeze the cupcakes before they are iced, and then ice them the day or two before. Otherwise, the cold of the freezer begins to break down the butter, and make it less-tasty).

I (well, my mom, actually) did DIY cupcakes for my wedding, and they turned out gorgeous. With a delectable, homemade buttercream icing, they were talked about by guests for weeks after.

So why not give it a go? Because the icing is the key element of any cupcake, below is the buttercream recipie my mom used. Oh, and a few pics of how mine turned out (for inspiration, of course!):

Mom's Buttercream Icing Recipie

makes enough for 18 - 24 cupcakes (depending on how thick you ice them)

1 c. butter, softened
3 ½ c. icing sugar
1 tbsp. boiled hot water
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat butter until light & fluffy. Add the rest of the ingredients (plus any food coloring), and beat until mixed. Done.

Lovely.