CakeSpy's Recent Craftsy Posts

How to make vegan buttercream using coconut oil. I am really proud of this one. 

How to mix skin tones in acrylic. Easy and accessible for all levels!

Guess what? I made a stuffed crust pizza.

How to make congo bars. They are so delicious, you need them in your life! (Pictured top of post)

DIY Bouillon cubes. Worth your time.

Adding dimension to your illustrations. It's easy!

Homemade cookie butter spread!

Keeping it light but flavorful: swaps for healthier baking.

A free buttercream e-guide. Yummm.

How to revive dried-out cake. You're welcome.

My recipes are part of this really fun and thorough breadmaking e-guide.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Homemade cookie butter! Too much joy!! (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

And a perfect use for that DIY cookie butter: white chocolate cookie butter truffles. (The Little Kitchen)

Not-so-basic buttercream decorating e-guide. Awesome resource! (Craftsy)

DIY conversation hearts. It's easy! Really! (CS Archives)

It's savory, but this cheesy, potato-filled flatbread called Bing Bread has me very intrigued. (Bon Appetit)

A super helpful guide to substituting olive oil for butter in baking recipes. (Colavita)

How to make congo bars. YUM. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Perfect marble cake. I want this right now. (I Am Baker)

Cheese straws! Vanilla beans! More! The top 5 food trends, according to the Fancy Food Show. (PR Newswire)

Butterscotch toffee cookies. YUM. (Shugary Sweets)

DIY bouillon cubes. Yumsies. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

What's better than Goo Goo Clusters? Ummm, Goo Goo Cluster S'mores. (Love and Olive Oil)

It looks like salad...but it is CANDY. (Archives) 

Book of the week: Wolf in Chef's Clothing. This book is hilarious, and written for the single male on the prowl. The recipes are adorable. You'll be charmed by this book, from the era of Mad Men.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Unicorn shaped doughnuts. Necessary. (CakeSpy)

Baking a little lighter, but not less delicious. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Totally featured on the James Beard Foundation Blog (ME! ME! ME!)

"The foods you should never eat in 2015". More like TO DO LIST. (Fiscal Times)

Let's toast...the new year plus a week! This pomegranate orange champagne cocktail sounds like the tops. (Grandbaby Cakes)

How to revive dried-out cake. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

In case you missed it: the sweetest moments of CakeSpy in 2014. (CakeSpy)

I usually stop thinking about sweet potato pie after fall. But this version, with a salty pecan crust, has me dreaming of it anew. (Ambitious Kitchen)

Chocolate chip cheesecake bars. Because resolutions are boring. (Cookie Madness)

Because yes, it's already on my mind: the 21 best chocolates to give your valentine. (BuzzFeed)

A people's history of cinnamon imperials. (Candy Blog)

Don't have buttermilk? Don't worry. Easy DIY fixes. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Banana pudding ice cream recipe. Heaventown. (Texan New Yorker)

How to get hated: deadly sins of blogging. (The Perfect Brownie)

Most popular ice cream flavors by state. Awesome! (Community Table)

Book of the week: The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars. Maybe you think I'm crazy (probably not if you love sweets)...but this one was a real page turner detailing the historic rivalry between Mars and Hershey. It's a fascinating read.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Photo: flickr member joyosity

These sweet links represent 12 baked goods I resolve to bake in 2015. Some I just haven't tried yet; others kind of scare me. What baked good do you resolve to tackle this year?

A surprise-inside cake. To some they're old news, but to me they delight me anew each and every time. I want to make a really good one, along the lines of my friend Amanda (AKA I Am Baker)

Perfect canelés de Bordeaux. Crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside. I want to make them at home and I want them to taste just as good as at a bakery.

Baumkuchen. Because, well, just look at it!

Buckeyes. I don't think they are tough to make, but I've never made them, and recently driving through Ohio gave me a chance to eat my fill, and they've been on my mind ever since.

Fancy ice cream. I have made ice cream successfully without an ice cream maker, but I want to expand my repertoire. What flavor should I try? 

Marjolaine. It's frequently listed on "most difficult to make" recipe lists, but I want to make it my own. 

Crack pie. I've never had it. I've never made it. I want to, on both counts. 

Cat head biscuits. Once again, they don't sound crazy difficult to make, but I love saying the name, so why not make 'em?

7-Up Biscuits. Speaking of biscuits, I also want to make 7-up biscuits. Because, well, just look at the name. I'm intrigued!

Homemade toaster strudel. Homemade pop-tarts are forever in my heart, but I'd like to at least say I made homemade toaster strudel once.

Cornmeal layer cake. Sort of like this cornmeal buttermilk cake, but with more layers (and therefore, more frosting). It sounds amazing to me--I adore cornmeal. 

Shaped homemade sprinkles. I love homemade sprinkles, but I want to experiment with creative shapes!

Homemade puff pastry. This is one of those things that I think of as being bought, not made, but I would like to change that!

A crêpe cake. If one crêpe is great, I'm sure that many, stacked with icing, is even better. In fact, I'm sure of it.

50 Sweetest Moments of 2014

It's been a delicious year.

Full of life, love, and alotalotalotalotofdessert. You know what? I'd like to look back at the year to re-visit some of my sweetest moments: things I ate, places I went, art I made. Why don't you join me for a loving look back? I've arranged 50 of my finest moments from the year, in no particular order, for our mutual enjoyment. Cue the memory montage music:

1. I tackled the controversial subject of things that are not dessert. 

2. I went to the Pillsbury Bake-Off and got to hug the doughboy, and taste the million-dollar winning recipe.

3. I went to Bali, where they served mini cookies with lattes.

4. In the case of Seniman Coffee in Bali, they served the latte with a mini coconut pancake.

5. I made millet cookies.

6. I made magic cookie bars.

7. I delved into the art of guilty pleasure desserts.

8. Two words: funfetti marshmallows.

9. Two more words: Magnum Gold.



10. I made a comprehensive post about the delicious sweets of  New Mexico.

11. I made ice cream...with butter.

12. I made what I consider the only flourless chocolate cake.
Flourless chocolate cake.

13. Along with King Arthur Flour, I learned how to make the perfect pie crust.

14. I invented Cadbury creme egg in hole toast.

15. I learned how to make d.i.y. sweetened condensed milk.

16. I discovered Dessert Mash-Ups by Dorothy of Crazy For Crust.

17. I made cornmeal pecan cookies.

18. I made the most marvellous marble swirl cake.

19. I made an absolutely perfect pie with King Arthur Flour.

20. I discovered that you can make Millionaire's shortbread with store bought sugar cookie dough.

21. I made amazing bread with blue corn and pinon.

22. I fell in love with caramels by Liddabit Sweets.

23. I made homemade rock candy. oooooh.

24. I went on the road trip of the century.

25. I taught the world about "The Cake".

26. I discovered how to make black rice pudding, a Balinese specialty, at home.

27. Three words: Breakfast. Nanaimo. Bars.

28. I shared a delectable Irish Soda Bread recipe.

29. I taught you how to make tres leches cake.

30. Not joking: I made peanut butter banana croissant doughnuts.

31. I made chocolate babka with olive oil!

32. I made NYC-style rainbow cookies.

33. I made Vanilla Kreme doughnuts inspired by Dunkin'!

35. How brilliant was this: cookie cups filled with milk.

36. I made chocolate filled cookies. Bliss.

37. I made a tutorial for how to make "honeycomb" out of chocolate.

38. I created "Pop-Hearts".

39. And then I outdid myself by making unicorn Pop-tarts.

40. I figured out how to make doughnuts using cookie dough mix.

41. I made my own nutella!

42. I went healthy for a few minutes and made this hippie drink inspired by one I enjoyed in Bali.

43. Then I went back to the sweets and made a white chocolate cranberry pie that I still dream about.

44. I learned how to make ice cream without an ice cream maker!

45. I educated you on what pumpkin pie spice is, exactly.

46. I figured out a way to make any and every cookie better.

47. I invented a fictional yoga cafe.

48. I really did some terrible things to cereal.

49. I created some possible new Pop-Tart flavors.

50. We discussed eating disorders and food blogs.

This was a very meaningful moment for me in 2014. I wrote a blog post entitled "Of Eating Disorders and Food Blogs" detailing my eating disorder recovery. The response was incredible, and I feel so lucky to have such terrific and inspiring readers. I consider you all my friends.

What was your sweetest moment of 2014?

CakeSpy's Recent Craftsy Posts

Chocolate filled cookies. The best!

This post is from a while back, but worth a look: a beginner's guide to veganizing your baked goods.

Also from a bit back but worth a look: how to make stabilized whipped cream.

Fine, Christmas is over, but a cookie table will serve you all year long.

Getting started with pencil drawing. An informative and cute post!

How to paint a snowy scene in watercolor. Adorable!

Learn some cool sketching techniques to improve your art.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Guess whose work was featured in the James Beard Foundation's newsletter? (MINE! MINE!)

DIY cookie sheet chalkboard. SO clever! (The Spiffy Cookie)

Homemade peppermint oreos. (Joanne Eats Well With Others)

The history of conversation hearts. (BHG)

The ONLY flourless chocolate cake recipe. (Right here)

I want these: pistachio creams. (Betty Crocker)

Brown butter coconut shortbread (Clockwork Lemon)

A foolproof way to make perfect lemon curd. (Fine Cooking)

An amazingly comprehensive collection of cutters, knives, and tools for pastry chefs. Yes, you can shop, but it's also suitable for reference. (Pastrychef.com)

A great collection of baking spices with an explanation of history and uses. (The Spice House)

DIY peeps. I'm ready for them already (Baking Bites)

Lemon sour cream pie. (Tastes Better from Scratch)

Brown sugar buttercream...it makes everything better. (Craftsy)

Something I loved this year and every year: the Vanilla Kreme donut from Dunkin Donuts (CakeSpy) 

Book of the week: Baking: From My Home to Yours. By Dorie Greenspan. This. Is. A. Good. Book.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

How to make a Santa cake. Impress everyone! You win Christmas! (Paul Bradford Cakes)

Italian sesame cookies. I loved these growing up and can't wait to make them as a grown-up! (Hunting for the Very Best)

Chocolate cinnamon rolls. Well done. (Heather's French Press)

Chocolate pecan tassies. I want these so bad! (American Heritage Cooking)

Five ingredient chocolate candy. This, I can handle. (Show me the Yummy)

Peanut butter honey shortbread. Some of my favorite flavors all in one cookie. (Savory Nothings)

Peppermint pinwheels. INTO IT. (Bake.Eat.Repeat)

Ever heard of Goan nankhatai? (Flavors of Mumbai)

Mantecaditos con guayaba. Translation: DELICIOUS. (The Noshery)

Salted peanut sandwich cookies. YUM! (Pillsbury)

Ever baked with persimmon? I haven't, and these sweet persimmon bars sound great. (Flavor the Moments)

A sweet discussion of the holiday cookie tradition. (Cape Gazette)

If you have an eating disorder, here are some tips for surviving a stressful food holiday season. (Unicorn Love)

Chocolate filled cookies! (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Did you know I'm on Instagram? Follow me! (Do it here)

Book of the week: Beard On Bread. This book is a classic, and with good reason. This book is like a people's bread bible--accessible, informative, and full of illustrations.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Desserts that are GREEN. (CakeSpy online shop)

Yep. You can transform marshmallows into fluff. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

A people's history of "slutty" brownies. (The Perfect Brownie)

Yogurt minute bread. Intrigued? You should be. (Love, Thyme, and Honey)

Best-ever blondies? You've got my attention. (Hip Foodie Mom)

Chocolate chip pecan pie bars. SO MUCH YUM. (The Little Kitchen)

Brown butter maple cornbread. (Tutti Dolci)

What is figgy pudding, anyway? (Good Housekeeping)

What do Mary Jane candies and Paul Revere have in common? (Necco Candy)

Refreshingly creative gift ideas for foodies. (Burlington Free Press)

Always perfect for the holidays: candy cane cookies. (CakeSpy)

Food trend forecast for 2015. What do you think? (McCormick)

Book of the week: Blue Corn And Chocolate (Knopf Cooks American Series) Every food has a story. When new foods are introduced to a new land, they become part of the old world cuisine, and are gradually absorbed in their new homeland. Sometimes they take off in a big way--like the tomato in Italy! Author Elizabeth Rozin describes how travel and trade have affected the way we eat in a huge way.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Learn how to make a DIY paint by numbers painting! I made one of a cupcake to illustrate the easy and fun technique. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Which recipe won the million dollar prize at the Pillsbury Bake-Off? (Find out here)

Easy acorn doughnut holes. TOO CUTE! (A Taste of Madness)

Paris-Brest. No, I am not catcalling you. (Lavender and Lime)

Homemade brownie mix in a jar. Gift idea alert! (The Perfect Brownie)

What is cornstarch and what does it do in baking? (CakeSpy)

Is pure vanilla worth the price? (The Kitchn)

Gingerbread pancakes. Frosting tree. You've gotta see it! (Brooklyn Farm Girl)

Buttermilk chess pie! (Love and Olive Oil)

What's the best type of chocolate for baking? Here's a guide. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Carb-o-licious: homemade apple cinnamon bagels. (Heather's French Press)

Desserts that are ORANGE. (CakeSpy Shop)

I wish I had thought of this first: speculoos and pumpkin spice oreo "lasagne" (Spiffy Cookie)

IN LOVE: Baking in Miniature. Thanks Pam for the lead! (Baking in Miniature)

Painted holiday cookies. (Jelly Toast Blog)

Ever heard of "Buddha's Hand"? (Food on Fifth)

Book of the week: The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook: Cookies, Cakes, Candies, and More. Because...well, COOKIE DOUGH. Recipes to enjoy it in more ways than you'd ever dreamed!

CakeSpy's Recent Craftsy Posts

Absolutely pie-fect: how to attain pretty pie crust edges.

How to draw cartoon hands! It makes what can be an intimidating part of illustration easier. 

The ultimate gift guide for cake decorators! Plus a chance to win Craftsy courses.

The best comfort food recipes. 

Now that the weather's getting cooler, I'm all about soup. You? Here's a recipe for an amazingly delicious French Onion soup made from scratch.

How to draw food. Now there's something I know how to do!

Concept art. What is it, and how do you break into that industry?

Savory whipped cream. Really! 

How to paint a perfect sunset! 

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Today's links are brought to you by the color RED. 

Need a good way to use up all that leftover pie? Pumpkin pie shakes for all! (CakeSpy)

One of my favorite Christmas cookies: pistachio cookies. (CakeSpy)

Another fave: Stained Glass Cookies. Get ready for compliments if you make these! (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Very intrigued: 7-up biscuits! (Bake.Frost.Repeat)

Cardamom rolls: so spicy and delicious-looking! (Fresh April Flours)

A helpful primer on cake knives. (Bakery Boy Blog)

No-bake peppermint cheesecake. This one's a showstopper. (Beyond Frosting)

Cappuccino eggnog donuts. So into these. (The First Year) 

Mini gingerbread house mug kits by my friend Not Martha. (Not Martha)

Savory whipped cream! Really?? Really. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

DIY horchata. Or, add rum and make it "rumchata". (CakeSpy)

French Toast Swirl Sticks. I'd go there. (Pepperidge Farm)

Interesting: a historian chases down the history of baby food. (Saratogian)

Brown sugar chess pie. YES. (Grandbaby Cakes)

Cherry buttercream. It's a winner. (CakeSpy) 

Book of the week: CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life. Yes, MY book! Because it's a great holiday gift.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Need cards? Click here.Cake decorators: Win 8 Craftsy courses! (Craftsy)

I need to tell you: Oreo Peanut Butter Dip. (Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts)

Maple walnut fudge. I like it. (Eagle Brand)

I know, linking to a link post. But this is a collection of food blogs beloved by someone in eating disorder recovery. Now that's sweet! (Recovery Warriors)

Is Walkers the best shortbread in Britain? (Telegraph UK)

Intriguing: salted caramel pita chip clusters. (Naptime Chef)

Pie-fect: how to make pretty pie crust edges. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Pecan pie baklava. A naturally delicious progression for both desserts. (Crazy for Crust)

In case you've ever wondered how to make a carved dinosaur cake. (My Sweet and Saucy)

50 Cake batter desserts. YES! (Chef in Training) 

Spumoni trifle. FREAKING LOVE THIS! (Confessions of a Cookbook Queen)

Palette knives: no longer just for paint. For cake, too! (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Pear, blue cheese, and walnut rugelach. Wow! (Baking a Moment)

Ramen Donuts. Would you ever?? (Culinary Brodown)

Edible Thanksgiving place cards. (Hungry Happenings)

In case you missed it: my awesome roundup of the Pillsbury Bake-Off (CakeSpy)

Homemade carmelitas. I wouldn't lie about this. (Shauna Sever)

Book of the week: 

Holiday Cookies: Prize-Winning Family Recipes from the Chicago Tribune for Cookies, Bars, Brownies and More. This book spans three decades of prize-winning cookies from the Chicago Tribune's annual holiday cookie contest. They are amazing. I will be featuring the winner from 2012 in a few days on the site, but til then, I do suggest you buy this book!

CakeSpy's Recent Craftsy Posts

I've done a bunch of truly awesome posts for Craftsy lately. Take a moment and check some of them out! You might just learn something.

Take a tour of the color wheel with this post on color theory. It includes the basics, which will inform your color choices for creating art. It's fun to see how there is a science behind it all!

I realize that chicken is not sweet, but this recipe for pan-fried chicken legs is the stuff of sunday supper dreams. 

Totally brilliant: a recipe for homemade nougat.

Sandwich bread. This is the best recipe, hands down. Do it! 

If you want to make that bread with whole grains, here are some tips for working with whole grains in bread-making.

Creative ways to ice a cake with a palette knife. Artful and sweet!

Curious about how to make a homemade artisan pizza? I've got you covered. I love this recipe and hope you will, too!

Make your maple syrup swoon with these pancakes stuffed with bacon!

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links!

Square scoops of ice cream? Believe it. (Cinners and Squares)

Listen to an interview with me on an eating disorder recovery podcast! (Recovery Warriors)

In case you missed it: the most beautiful blog post ever. (Culinary Concoctions by Peabody)

Butternut blondies with white chocolate chunks (Whole Foods; I found it via Vanilla Sugar)

Easy and elegant chocolate garnishes (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Food encompasses human struggle and happiness. An interesting read. (Arizona Daily Star)

How to make sandwich bread. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Junk food brownies. These are brilliant. (Love and Olive Oil)

Pumpkin Spice Butterscotch Sprinkle cupcakes. Every word is so right! (Picky Palate)

Paint the rainbow: explore color theory, adorably. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Homemade honeycomb ice cream. If you don't know what that is, it's worth discovering. (Giramuk's Kitchen)

What is "urban sketching" and how do you do it? Find out here. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Looking for a cool contest? Check out Perugina's Chocolate Dessert Contest. (Perugina)

Back in stock: the best holiday card ever! (See what it is here)

I don't know if you already knew, but I'm on instagram. User name: cakespyblog (it's a long story why I don't have the "cakespy" one; deal with it!)

Book of the week: You Can't Judge a Cookie by Its Cutter: Make 100 Cookie Designs with Only a Handful of Cookie Cutters. What the title promises, the book certainly delivers: you'll learn how to make many types of clever cookies with a small selection of cookie cutters. Check out a more full review (which is what initially intrigued me!) on InStyle.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Halloween Links!

Happy Halloween!

A cultural history of candy. (Smithsonian Magazine)

What does Mellowcreme pumpkin think of Candy Corn? Find out here. (CakeSpy)

A brief history of candy corn. (CakeSpy)

The history of the jack o' lantern. (History.com)

Meringue skulls! (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

America is addicted to PSL. Hilarious audio file! (Bob & Tom)

Pairing wine with Halloween candy. (Neatorama)

Happy Challah-ween! A Jewish tradition meets Halloween candy. (Tablet Magazine)

Fun infographic of pumpkin facts. (Sparefoot blog)

Cute pug Halloween costumes. You're welcome. (BuzzFeed)

Use up your leftover halloween candy like this. (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

Pan de Muerto is a classic day after Halloween treat, for Day of the Dead. Why not try Frida Kahlo's recipe? (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

What's the best Halloween candy? (ET Online)

What kind of Halloween candy do you give out and what does it say about you? (Post Grad Problems)

Book of the week: Sweet Treats for the Holidays: Edible Creations for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and More. I will be talking a lot more about this adorable book, but for right now: BUY IT.

Trick or Sweet: 33 Amazing Halloween Recipes

Halloween is all about sweets, right? And costumes, I guess. But I am most concerned about the sweets.

Here is a collection of 33 (cos that's how old I am this year) Halloween recipes that are bound to make it a year of trick or SWEET for sure!

1. Mega fun-size candy bar.

What happens when you melt together a bunch of fun-size candy bars to make a mega mass of chocolatey goodness? Find out here. (CakeSpy)

2. Candy corn pecan pie.

What could make pecan pie even sweeter? How 'bout a nice serving of candy corn? (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

3. Frankenstein monkey bread.

Monkey bread gets Halloween-ified with this spooky treatment. (Pillsbury)

4. Candy corn cookie cake.

It looks like a pie, but this spy knows the truth: it's a cookie coated with candy corn! (Culinary Concoctions by Peabody)

5. Candy corn cookies.

This clever adaptation of Kaleidoscope cookies is sweet and cute. (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

6. Homemade mellowcreme pumpkins.

Because the homemade version blows store-bought out of the water! (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

7. Candy corn boston cream pie. 

Even fancy desserts like to play dress-up on Halloween. (CakeSpy)

8. Cake baked in a pumpkin.

Are you still eating cakes baked in pans? Not this month, sucker! Make yours in a pumpkin for Halloween. (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

9. Microwaved halloween candy.

How do different treats fare when put in the microwave at high power? (CakeSpy)

10. Glow in the dark buttercream.

Illuminate your treats--um, literally. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

11. Pumpkin bread.

Plain and simple. In case you like more wholesome treats, no tricks. (CakeSpy)

12. Homemade candy corn.

An awesome DIY version of everyone's favorite Halloween tricolor triangles! (Shauna Sever via CakeSpy!)

13. Creamy Candy Bar Sauce.

It's just such a good idea. (the Kitchn)

14. Candy corn Nanimo bars.

Nanaimo bars like to get dressed up for Halloween, too! (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

15. Zombie graveyard cake.

Make a ghoulish cake for people, not zombies! No brains included in the ingredients. (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

16. Deep fried halloween candy. 

Take Halloween candy...and deep-fry it. Like, whoa. (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

17. Homemade halloween oreos.

They have orange filling = instant Halloween! (Smells Like Home)

18. Scaredy-cat brownies.

Oreos become cute cats on this adorable brownie presentation. (Martha Stewart)

19. Candy corn and spider web cake pops.

She's the queen of cute cake pops, and these ones are a good example of just why she's considered royalty. (Bakerella)

20. Creamed candy corn.

Yes, I went there. You'll like it more than you think you will, I promise. (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

21. Candy corn milk.

If creamed candy corn is too thick, perhaps you will like the easy drinking quality of candy corn infused milk.(CakeSpy)

22. Candy corn cupcakes.

These are just adorable: tricolor delights of cake! (Chocolate Moosey)

23. Glittery pumpkin cupcakes.

Add a little glitz and plenty adorableness to a Halloween party with these dazzling cupcakes. (Real Simple)

24. Candy corn tuxedo cake.

I don't know if I can express how worthy this is of clicking over to see. It's truly stunning. --> (Sprinkle Bakes)

25. Pumpkin Pie Milkshake.

I say it's appropriate through all of the pumpkin holidays: Halloween thru Thanksgiving. (CakeSpy) 

26. Crescent witch hats.

These crescent witch hats are not only cute, but they're easy. Really! (Pillsbury for CakeSpy)

27. Ghost cupcakes.

These are ghoulish, but the taste is all sweet thanks to an enrobing of white chocolate! (CakeSpy)

28. Brownie spider web cake.

Yummy, easy, cute, Halloween-y, and brownies are included. What more do you need? (Heather's French Press)

29. Peanut butter haystacks.

It's the eyes that make them look like little monsters. Delicious little monsters, that is. (The Girl Who Ate Everything)

30. Candy corn upside down cake.

Like pineapple upside-down cake, but replace "pineapple" with "candy corn". Yes indeed. (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

31. Halloween fudge.

It's not only super-sweet, but also highly adorable. (Crazy For Crust)

30. Halloween jell-o Jigglers.

These are amazingly easy to make, and they will make everyone happy when you serve them. (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

31. Candy corn popcorn balls.

Like popcorn balls, but with the added Halloween joy of candy corn. Hooray! (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

32. Bell pepper jack o'lanterns.

This savory treat is allowed because they LOOK so sweet (figuratively, of course). Promise me you'll check 'em out. (itsyummi.com)

33. Leftover halloween candy pie. 

It's awful and awesome all at once. Just like a horror movie. Gulp. (CakeSpy for Serious Eats)

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links!

Image: BitrebelsI'm amused and horrified by this Sta-Puft figure. (BitRebels)

Not sweet per se, but still a baked treat. The history of the Cornish pasty! (History.com)

How to make fake cupcakes. A valuable life skill! (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Oatmeal banana bread pancakes. YES! (Whipped)

Master recipe for biscuits and scones. Yes! (NY Times)

No blurred lines here: a guide to different types of lines in drawing. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Who knew? Unexpected uses for honey. (Philly.com)

You knead to know: how to test yeast. (Taste of Home)

DIY Nutella. It's such a good idea. (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Incredible white chocolate brownies. (The Perfect Brownie)

Caramel apple pie scones. Just absorb all of those things together. Add clotted cream. YUM! (United Cakedom)

Say hello to the Southern Food and Beverage Museum (!) (Food World News)

I'm sorry, but did you miss these white chocolate candy cups filled with sugar cookie dough? Too much joy! (Crazy for Crust via CakeSpy)

It's early in the season, yes,, but I'm so into pannetone French toast. (Colavita)

The art of the conversation: how to draw people talking (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Book of the week: Southern Biscuits by Nathalie Dupree. Because the south does biscuits best (no offense, rest of the world) and this is the bible of how to do biscuits right! Om nom nom.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links!

Candy corn upside-down cakeHow to get your food blog noticed. (Foodcandy)

Homemade Velveeta. Not kidding. (Foodista)

Here's what you do with your homemade Velveeta: make fudge. Really. (CakeSpy archives)

DIY Cashew-coconut creamer (Have Cake, Will Travel)

Help my friend Gluten-Free Girl bring her all-purpose gluten-free flour to market! (Kickstarter)

Frankenstein Monkey Bread. It makes me happy. (Pillsbury)

Learn how to illustrate like a pro (ME!) with this free e-guide! (Craftsy)

Seriously. Homemade Snowballs. (WannaBGourmet)

Cute: "Wicked dessert puffs" with store-bought puff pastry (Pepperidge Farms)

Cake, and loss of a loved one. A beautiful essay and recipe. (Shauna Sever)

New favorite website! (Bite Me More)

Stuffed pumpkin cupcakes. I'm so into this. (Epicuricloud)

Candy corn rice krispie treats. These just make me happy. (Baking Bites)

Dessert wines for an all-dessert dinner. (!!!!) (Jameson Fink)

Pumpkin wheat dinner rolls (I know they're not sweet per se, but imagine using 'em for French Toast?). (Heather's French Press)

Chocolate cake with instant fudge frosting. Instant! (Crumbs & Cookies)

Book of the week: McCall's Cooking School: Step-by-Step Directions for Mistake-Proof Recipes. If you love retro cookbooks like I do, this one is worth your investment.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links!

Apple cider doughnuts. Tis the season! (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Here it is, world: the official Cronut recipe, from Dominique Ansel (Good Morning America)

Chocolate-peppermint birthday cake. You'll want to eat this thing. (Naptime Chef)

Dessert-ify your nails! (ModCloth--thanks Pam!)

What's an Asian Pear? Find out, and also score a recipe for Asian pear bread. (Ninja Baking)

Strawberry and cream cake. SERIOUSLY. (Shauna Sever)

Hooray for tres leches! Here's a beautiful recipe. (WannaB Gourmet)

Yums: apple crostada! (The Cultural Dish)

Tips for using fresh flowers in cake decorating (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Food ingredient marketing? I had fun poking around this site. (Food Ingredient Marketing)

Tips for drawing clothing on your characters in illustration (CakeSpy for Craftsy)

Lovely and proper Scottish shortbread (Food52)

I'm sorry, are you still baking your brownies in a pan? Try 'em in a pumpkin! (The Perfect Brownie)

Magical princess cupcakes. (CakeSpy archives)

Wok and Roll: tips for making perfect stir-fry (not sweet, I know, but I wrote the article for Craftsy!)

Can we talk about the awesomeness of this bad-ass unicorn tee? (Plasticland--thanks Ren!)

Princess Leia cupcakes. (JustJenn Recipes)

Praline bread pudding with caramel-pecan sauce. Reminds me of New Orleans, in the best way. (Bake or Break)

Book of the week: Huckleberry: Stories, Secrets, and Recipes From Our Kitchen. Because I have visited the bakery behind this cookbook, which is located in Los Angeles, and everything I ate was delicious. Since I don't live in Santa Monica, I would like to be able to replicate the goods on a daily basis, please.