Yummy Gummy Pops!


Or however that Dr. Seuss story goes!

So I made a few quick treats for my favorite little visitors this weekend! I saw a post on Hostess with the Mostess and thought it was just too cute to pass up.  I went to the local candy store and found a bag of colored fishies.  (Next time, I will have to try a store like Sweet Factory because they have such a great selection of candies.)  Also, it seems like the thicker the gummy the better it looks and will stay put.

I did not use skewers for fear that my little visitors would poke their eyes out.  Instead, I used  lollipop sticks and made a slice with a knife through the top of the candy before sliding it into place.

Helpful tip: If you do not plan on using a skewer be sure to make a slice or poke a hole into the candy before you slide it onto your lollipop stick.  If you don’t make the slice before hand, all the candy will stick and it makes the lollipop look really gooey. And not very appealing!

Since the candies were fishies, I thought a little baby whale tag would be appropriate!  Needless to say, my gummy pops were a hit and were eaten before I could even say, “One fish, two fish!”

Rainbow Cupcakes!

Ready, set, bake!

The secret to making rainbow cupcakes is patience! Because by the time you are adding the last red layer to the 10th cupcake you want to just dump the whole bowl in!  Here’s the best way I figured out to make the rainbow cupcakes with the least amount of tears.  Honestly, it wouldn’t be arts and crafts without crying.

Let’s bake:

Follow the directions on the cake box.  I prefer to use white super moist cake mix because it tastes really yummy.  Step 1: Divide your cake batter into bowls according to how many colors you plan to use.  (I only used 4 colors).  Step 2: Add food coloring to the batter to achieve the desired color.  (I like using gel food coloring because the colors are very vibrant)  Step 3: Set aside a small bowl with water where you will be working because it will be used to spread the cupake layers.  Step 4: Add about 1 tablespoon of blue batter into the cupcake liner and make sure the base is evenly covered.  Step 5: Add 1 tbs of green batter on top of the blue layer.  (The trick I use is to pour the batter along the edges of the cupcake first and then pour it into the middle).  You may notice that all of the green is not spreading out evenly =( Don’t be alarmed! Stick your clean finger into the bowl of water and then lightly use your finger to evenly spread the batter so that you can no longer see the bottom layer.  In case you are wondering, the water helps to keep the batter from sticking to your fingers.  Step 6: Repeat the layering for the rest of the colors.

I usually make a little more red batter than the others colors and add about a tbs and 1/2 of it as a layer.  The reason being once the cupcakes cook, if there’s not a sufficient layer of red, the other colors start to seep through to the top.  (See exhibit 1 in the front!)  Also, by adding orange as a layer, it can help keep the top of the cupcake more red-ish.  Will do that in the future but was too lazy to make orange!

Let’s Frost:

For the frosting, I used a store bought icing and whipped it up with a hand blender for a few seconds.   Using a regular ziplock bag, I scooped the frosting into a corner of the bag, placed it into the fridge for 5 minutes, made a small “snip,” and  happily applied the sugary cloud.

After several attempts, you too can become a happy rainbow cupcake maker! And the best part, you get to eat the not so pretty looking cupcakes, that are still super delicious. TA- DA!!!

To Etsy or not to Esty?

Trying to decide what to do…

A few of my friends have suggested that I try to sell my craft creations on Esty and the thought has crossed my mind.  So much that I did create a tkle crafts store but I have some reservations.  Is there a market? How should I price my items? Do I really want to start a little business?  What to do…what to do…

tkle’s sweet treats!

Simply put … adorably sweeeeeeeeeeet!

These lovely delights are called Marshmallow Pops which I have cutely renamed as tkle’s sweet treats! I absolutely fell in love with the idea of marshmallow pops, cake pops, and cupcake pops.  I’m determined to make a batch (or more) of each!  I got the wonderful ideas from Bakerella who has rekindled my love for all things sweet.  Here’s how I made the goodies:

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
  2. Insert lollipop sticks into marshmallows and set aside on the baking sheet
  3. Melt chocolate according to package instructions
  4. Add food coloring if desired (make sure it’s not water-based)
  5. Dip the top half of the marshmallow into melted chocolate.  Softly tap and rotate the marshmallow pop until the excess chocolate falls off
  6. Place a candy on the top center of each marshmallow if desired
  7. Add sprinkles while holding the marshmallow pop over a large paper plate
  8. Place the marshmallow pop on baking sheet or a styrofoam block
  9. Place in refrigerator for 15-20 minutes or until completely dry

Lastly, wrap your little marshmallow pops with some cellophane and ribbon!  I have to admit packaging the pops was one of my favorite parts especially adding the tkle’s sweet treats tags!  Hope you have a very sweeeeeeeeeeet day!

  • Recipe: Wilton White Candy Melts, Wilton Lollipop Sticks, Wilton Gel Food Coloring, Skittles Wild Berry, Wilton White Nonpareils Sprinkles, Kraft Jet Puffed Marshmallows.