CUPCAKE KNOCK-OFFS!

Ok!  We all know about the knock-off designer handbags, watches, sunglasses, and scarves.  So, why not knock-off cupcakes ala' Crumbs Bake Shop.  If you read one of my blogs a few blogs ago, when Becky and I went to New York City  we fell in love with the gargantuan cupcakes from Crumbs.  Sooooo.... I decided to try to recapture the Crumbs experience.  A Crumbs favorite is the Baba Booey. Here is my version . . .

I bought an extra large cupcake pan and made the chocolate cupcake with peanut butter chips in the center, peanut butter frosting on top, surrounded by chocolate frosting and then topped with peanut butter chips.  I invited Barry and Becky to be my official taste testers.  As you can see, it is about the same size as a Crumbs cupcake and it smelled good.

Next comes the unwrapping . . . . .

And then the true test - a big bite of the cupcake!

The knock-off Baba Booeys passed the Becky, Barry, and Jim test!  I must say that it was delicious and took the edge off of missing Crumbs Bake Shop!

With a successful first attempt, I decided to try one of Crumbs signature cupcakes, the Red Velvet cupcake. Here is how I did it.  I filled the cupcake liners 1/3 full with the batter.

Then I partially melted some white chocolate chips in the microwave.

I dropped a small spoonful of the semi-melted white chocolate onto the center of the batter and then topped each cupcake with more batter.  

Twenty-two minutes in the oven and we had cupcakes ready for the next step.

I frosted the cupcakes in a creamy white frosting. Yum!

The next step was lots of fun as I decorated the cupcakes.  I coated some in fresh grated coconut and red, white, and blue sprinkles.  They look so pretty!

For others I used red non pareils and chocolate chips as the garnish!

This is the tray filled with my finished products!  I have some friends coming to scrap tomorrow (Monday)  and guess what they get to taste!