One of my 3 little cupcakes turned 2 today! My middle child Anabelle celebrated her birthday today. Actually, the real celebration was Sunday. We threw her a Yo Gabba Gabba party and proclaimed that our Ani was turning “TWO”dee (one of the characters names is Toodee). I have to be honest, there were lots of really cool ideas running through my head for the cake and decorations, but things are just way too busy, I had to hold back a little (actually a lot) in order to even get a party together. I pulled an all nighter the night prior to the party and while I was content with the outcome, I had so much more I would have loved to have done. So here’s a peek at the festivities! 

My little Ani on Halloween dressed as Toodee…we used this picture in the invitations.

I was swamped with work and a new baby and moving, so didn’t get to ordering any themed party decorations. Yo Gabba Gabba is SO hard to find in stores. So, 2 DAYS BEFORE the party I ran to find something that would work…heres what I did:

I was able to find bubbles in some of the colors of the characters and just added some of the simple facial features and POOF! they all came to life. The bubbles were a hit with the kids, but messy. I applied the same idea to the goodie bags, party hats and buckets for centerpieces. I was going to do the same to all the balloons but ran out of time! On a side note, I asked my 3 year old what kind of party she wanted, response: a Foofa party!

Here’s what the cake table looked like almost complete:

Here’s a shot of the cake!

So, the original plan was to do a 4 tier cake…each tier was going to have one of the Gabba lands as the background and the coordinating character on each tier with Toodee on top holding a ballon and the Yo Gabba Gabba starburst somewhere. Well, it was either a huge cake (with tons of leftovers) and no decorations, or a small cake and decorations. I opted for the tiny cake with cupcakes…much easier! I had a slight catastrophe with the liners…the all began to separate from the cupcake…solution: ribbon tied around each cupcake. 

I got SO many great shots of my angel on her big day, and I really tried to limit the number I posted.  Here’s my Ani enjoying her cupcakes! If you look closely you can see the shirt i made her is Toodee holding what else? A CUPCAKE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANABELLE!

Last week we had an order for some too cute cupcakes. Little Adam was turning 2 and his mom wanted cupcakes to match the party decor (plates/napkins, etc.). How fun! So we worked out all the details and she sent over a photo of the decor. Here’s what we came up with:

This was my first time attempting to swirl the icing colors…it was a little heavy at first and I feared there’d be kids running around with dark blue tongues (which I’m sure they’d love). We did 3 dz cupcakes, each with swirly blue frosting (the “water”) and chose some cute elements off the plate to decorate each cupcake with. We were very pleased with how they turned out! 

“Thank you for the yummy cupcakes! They were definitely a big hit!” 

Tiffany…Adam’s mom

So, there you have it Cupcake Wars has aired and we couldn’t be more thrilled (for the airing, not the outcome). If you don’t know the story behind it all, you can read about everything from the call, the audition, the call back, the dilemma, the casting and all of our thank yous. Yes, you can experience it all as if you were there! 

So, if you caught it I really hoped you enjoyed it! We would love to hear any feedback, good or bad! Let us know what you thought of the show, the competitors, the judges, the host…we want to hear all of your comments! If you caught us on facebook or twitter, you got the inside scoop on a few things and how we were feeling as we watched. We received lots of feedback and questions…we’d like to answer a few questions: 

When are you due?

Had baby girl number 3….Angelica on November 27, 2009! Yay! 

Where was the “spicy”? 

 Yes, I know we technically did not use the “spicy” component as many of the others interpreted the term. However in reading the definition below, you can clearly see our cupcake fell into more than one of the 5 definitions!

Spicy

adj. spic·i·er, spic·i·est

Was the churro cupcake the only thing you could come up with?

Of course not! Sky’s the limit when it comes to flavor combos! We originally were going to go with a mexican chocolate cupcake…always had a box of Abuelita or Ibarra sitting around the house as a kid. The initial plan was a mexican chocolate cupcake, filled with cinnamon whipped cream and topped with a rich mexican chocolate ganache frosting and topped with gold sprinkles. I absolutely cannot stand the taste of mexican chocolate, so I made the executive decision to cut it. I can’t sell something I don’t absolutely LOVE! Plus…we wanted to stay away from the chocolate as we felt it would be a popular pick amongst the contestants. I wouldn’t change a thing though…except the frosting!

The frosting?

OK, so our frosting pretty much sucked! We made one batch of icing that just wasn’t hitting the mark for us, under the pressure, I think we missed a step. So, we made it again. This time not having enough vanilla bean or enough time to mix it to the consistancy we would have liked…..that’s just how it goes. We have since improved our recipe and LOVE it!

Did we know we were going home after the judges table?

We knew it was a possibility before the judging even began. We knew if it was anything it would be our frosting that got us sent home. The cake was delicious…moist and flavorful…the churros, to die for. The frosting was our detriment and we saw it coming before those bad boys were even plated. We were just hoping someone else had a worse encounter. But, at least I know the judges were on top of their game…they knew exactly what was wrong with each cupcake, including ours. 

Was it hard to film being pregnant?

Yes and no. There was a lot of prep involved and lots of sleepless nights. I am a very persistent person and put my all into everything I do. That being said, I was not going to let my pregnancy get in the way of anything. I was mindful of my little angel, careful and knew my limitations. But I was not going to go into this without giving it my all. Days were long and my feet and back would hurt…the tent was a bit warm at times too, but everyone was very supportive and helpful. The whole production crew made this experience amazing for me! 

What was your design for the presentation round?

While no, it was not a lady in a dress, it’s kinda hard to describe without a photo. Do I think we would have won that round with our design…possibly. But I must say, Elfie’s idea was great. I loved that she incorporated a real woman in the center and that it was mobile. She did a great job!

What’s next?

Well, maybe you guys should be asking what’s not next. We are working everyday to bring our tasty creations to you all. We are constantly trying to put a new spin on cupcakes and everything they represent. We have the LA Cupcake Challenge in February, the Arthritis Walk in May and hopefully many things in between! I also hope to open a storefront by the end of the year! 

So, Thank you to everyone who tuned in. We really do appreciate the continued support. Again, we’d love to hear your feedback…so drop us a message!

You can also read more of the “inside scoop” from Natalie over at Bake and Destroy.

First, can I say WHAT A YEAR! One year ago this month I embarked on the journey that is cupcakes.

While yes, a majority of the business was in my hands, from baking, decorating, and flavor concepts, to marketing, blogging, and even clerical….by NO means did I do it alone. I’ll try and make it quick, but here is where my gratitude lies: I am blessed to have help from my NUMBER 1, my husband. Thanks for ALL the PATIENCE and SUPPORT. My now three daughters Alicia (3), Anabelle (2), and Angelica (1 week)….they have no idea what lies ahead in the cupcake world! My Mom and sisters who have been there to help with baby sitting, taste testing, and creative ideas. My Dad, who is my voice of reasoning. My genius of a brother and sister who help in all creative aspects from packaging, marketing and website design. Ruth my beautiful model. Kitchen Couture for partnering up with us to bring you a couture line of aprons exclusive to Two Parts Sugar. Sugar Cat Studio for partnering with us to bring you couture cupcake wrappers. Dan Silberstein for getting us in last minute for last year’s LA Cupcake Challenge. The ENTIRE Super Delicious Team, Food Network and Ren Messer for believing in me! Katie B for graciously extending a hand to someone in need. Andy Ortega Photography for some amazing photos. The awesome bloggers out there….Zen Cupcake, Bake And Destroy (Natalie),Cupcakes Take The Cake, The Cupcake Activist, and anyone else who has helped spread the cupcake word. The CUSTOMERS……without you we would not have a place in the kitchen! Thank you to anyone and everyone who has crossed our path and helped to get us where we are today! 

So, as I was saying….This time last year we launched our website and life has been madness (in a good way) ever since. I have to admit, being a wife…no wait, a coach’s wife,  raising 2 children (now 3) and running a business is no easy feat. There were many times I wanted to give up, but my stubbornness wouldn’t allow me to. In the past year we have whipped up lots of cupcakes, cakes and treats, and have learned lots along the way. Our favorite moments of the year include participating in the arthritis walk to help spread the word about amazing kids like Faith who suffer from Juvenile Arthritis. Almost as rewarding, our blog was featured in the OC register, we took second in the LA Cupcake Challenge in the best traditional category, and auditioned and earned a spot on The Food Network’s CUPCAKE WARS (due to air December 27)! Needless to say it has been quite a BIG first year of baking for us!

This post is just to let all of our supporters, customers, family and friends how much we truly appreciate EVERYTHING! Also, to let you all know we are NOT slowing down! We have lots of aspirations for 2010! Some of our newest features include….a “make-over” for our website, new packaging exclusive to Two Parts Sugar, our “shop” which will include couture aprons and cupcake wrappers, new gourmet treats added to our menu, and much, much more! Events where you can find us: The Food Network’s CUPCAKE WARS, air date December 27, 2009…..The LA Cupcake Challenge, February 20, 2010…..The Arthritis Walk May 16, 2010! Please keep checking back for the latest, and if you have an event you’d like us to participate in or would like to place an order let us know!

twopartssugar.com

That’s right all you cupcake enthusiasts…WE HAVE AN AIR DATE! The Food Network’s Cupcake Wars will air on December 27th! We do not have a time yet but will keep you posted! For those of you who don’t already know, we were fortunate to be one of the competitors on the show. SO, tune in on the 27th and watch what happens!

So many things going on in the next month!

This week we have a 3 tier Yo Gabba Gabba cake, a Colette Peters inspired 3 tier Sweet Sixteen cake, a 3 tier chocolate wedding cake with 2 dz coordinating  cupcakes, and 12 dz gourmet cupcakes! A lot of work, but can’t wait to work on each order!

We are also working to revamp our image, just a bit. We are working on updating our site with lots of eye catching elements…including new flavors, packaging and a few other new things Two Parts Sugar will be offering. We are truly excited to be in the process of all of this. All just in time for our big 1 year anniversary! Yes, we have been at this cupcake madness for 1 full year this December!

That being said, December holds A LOT of BIG milestones/events we will be experiencing….new image, flavors, and other goodies…our 1 year anniversary, the airing of The Food Network’s CUPCAKE WARS, and Two Parts Sugar owner Monica Serratos will be welcoming baby girl #3 Angelica! We will keep you posted on all things to come and hope you all like what we’ve come up with!

New packaging!

We welcome all feedback! If you have any questions or comments feel free to contact us here!

We have been working extra hard these last few months coming up with unique designs and working on some things you will be seeing here shortly. I can’t tell you the struggles, long hours (and I’m talking LOOOONG hours…like way too many overnighters), and set backs we have been faced with….but along with that has come some AMAZING opportunities. As many of you know we have been cast on The Food Network’s Cupcake Wars and couldn’t be more honored. While yes, that is probably the high point in our careers thus far, there are more things that we are proud to have been a part of. Even the smaller things…..from having the opportunity to create cupcakes for customers with AWESOME themes, to being featured on different blogs, to learning about and participating in the Arthritis Walk, just to name a few. We value every order that comes through our kitchen and truly appreciate all the well wishes and support from EVERYONE! That being said…we couldn’t be more thrilled to see our Sex and the City (which I have never seen and actually called it Sex in the City until I googled it!) cupcakes featured on Zen Cupcake! Be sure to check out the post and read the very kind words that were written about Two Parts Sugar.

Here’s what Selena (our  customer) had to say:

Hello! I requested these Sex and the City cupcakes from Monica. I’m telling you…I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect cupcake for our themed party! Not only were they adorable, they were OH SO tasty! Even the NY skyline was tasty.  Monica, you are so wonderful! Your talent is such a gift. I will rave about these for a while. 

Thank you Selena for the kind words! Wishing you the best with your first born…Sam!

We’d LOVE to hear your feedback…or if you have any questions or would like to place an order you can reach us here.

I recently posted about an opportunity we had with THE FOOD NETWORK….just an interview, a chance  of a lifetime that could potentially catapult our cupcakes to the next level….well, WE DID IT! We were cast to be a part of a show that should be airing within the next couple of months. I haven’t posted anything until now because of very strict confidentiality rules. But, one of our favorite blogs, Bake and Destroy has posted a little tidbit, so we figured we’d give you all just a taste. 

I know my posts can be lengthy, so I’ll try to adapt this to those with even the shortest attention span. I will first say OMG….I can’t believe we were blessed with such an amazing opportunity! I mean this is the FOOD NETWORK…win or loose…this is HUGE for us! I have to mention everyone working on the show from the fabulous judges, to the friendly contestants, to the AWESOME production crew…they were all so down to earth and friendly. I have never been surrounded by SO many fun, energetic, kind people all in one place at a time! From the actual casting audition, the call back, the long hours and intense hard work and the time that goes into something like this is just unreal. All in all it was an AMAZING opportunity and such a fun time. You can read more about Natalie’s (from Bake and Destroy) experience here and find out a little more about the contestants and judges. 

For now I will have to keep all that I have experienced a bit more confidential….but will keep you updated! 

This past week has been a whirlwind and I couldn’t have done it with out my partner (and sis) Maria, she really  pulled through for Two Parts Sugar. Also, OF COURSE my loving, supportive, PATIENT husband, who without I would be completely LOST! My girls (although they may not have known what all was going on) for being such troopers. My mom for her unconditional support and willingness to drop whatever she had going on to accommodate to my schedule. My sister Alicia (who has a 6 week old) for babysitting my two little rascals. My dad for his handy skills and willingness to guide me through the process. My big brother Juan for also dropping what he was doing to help guide me, support me, and bring out my best and most creative ideas. Katie B for being available to me LAST minute and willing to work with my budget and schedule. Also, to the entire production team…you all ROCK and were a pleasure to work with…I will remember you all forever. Thank you to all our loyal customers and everyone else who has crossed our paths in the last 10 months since our journey in the cupcake world began. I can’t express how truly blessed and appreciative I am of every single one of you!

So, yesterday was the “big day” and what a whirlwind! For those of you just finding out about this here’s a breakdown of how I even got this audition: I applied for a post I saw on Cupcakes Take The Cake on Wednesday and got a call back on Thursday night (you can read the details here). We got an audition for Tuesday evening. So now it was crunch time. I had 5 nights to prepare, which you think would be plenty of time right? Here’s what they wanted me to bring:  some photos of “extreme” cupcakes and an idea for a stand that would hold up to 1,000 cupcakes. Well, I had 2 orders to fill over the weekend, and 2 sample boxes to deliver as well….not to mention 2 daughters to take care of, a house full of half done renovations (trying to get done before baby #3 gets here) and a husband to keep entertained over the 3 day weekend as well. So, here’s how the prep all played out:

Thursday night…..Thoughts swarmed my head, nerves were going crazy, and really tried to figure out how I was going to manage my time. I couldn’t work during the day….my family is priority and I didn’t want to spoil a 3 day weekend with me working the whole time, so I decided I would just do everything after my girls went to bed. I made sure to focus on the orders I had to fill over the weekend and then just go full force. So, the whole night I worked on cupcake toppers and cake decorations for my already booked orders.

Friday night…..Hubby and I celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary (10 years together) with dinner. Then, baked 48 cupcakes and topped with decor. Also made a 2 tiered cake (about 80 servings) covered in fondant and decorated. In bed at about 3:30 am.

Saturday night…..After a loooong day of appliance installations, cabinet hardware installation, 4 deliveries, and sprinklers with the girls it was time to get started. Decided to make a couple extreme cupcakes to take in, sometimes pictures don’t do a cupcake justice (especially if I photograph them). Also worked on some ideas for a stand that I passed over to my big brother to sketch out for me. Up until 3:30 am….again! Keep in mind my girls are up at 6:00 am EVERY morning!

Sunday night…..Reality is starting to set in. Daytime consisted of more cleaning, cabinet installation, rearranging EVERYTHING in ALL our kitchen cabinets, a trip to Ikea, and fun with the girls. Then it was recipe ideas with my sister, sketch modifications with big bro, picture printing for a portfolio to present, and one more “extreme cupcake to make”.

Monday night (night before)…..Where did the time go?!?!?! During the day it was breakfast with the family, renovation clean up, another trip to Ikea, a ceiling fan installation at moms, and lots of activities with the girls. Then it was 5 dz cupcakes to bake, finishing touches on the cupcakes, sketch and portfolio and 2:00 am was my cut off time.

So, Tuesday rolls around….it was up at 6:00 am with my girls and then on with the day. We ate breakfast and did a little cleaning together, then it was off to Michael’s. I had to be sure to leave my house in Mission Viejo by 2:00 pm in order to arrive at my moms to drop off the girls and pick up my sister, and make it to LA by 5:00 pm. After Micheal’s and the grocery store it was now lunch time, after lunch it was nap time. The day FLEW by and before I knew it my sister an I were on our way to Hollywood. We took with us 2 “extreme cupcakes”, 4 dz raspberry red velvet cupcakes, 1 dz of our new CHURRO flavored cupcakes, a portfolio with as many pictures as we could cram into it, and a sketch for a display of 1,000 cupcakes. 

Chocolate cupcake covered in white chocolate icing, topped with oreo crumbles and adorned with a rose and butterfly

We arrived at about 5:00 (15 min early) and headed into the building where the castings were being held. What happened next still has me busting up! We are walking on the sidewalk up to the entrance of this building and my sister and I see this guy who looks like Alton Brown. My sister points him out and says “OMG is that Alton Brown?” My jaw dropped in disbelief and we just kinda stared at him. He stops at his car and looks over and waves…we wave back. He then walks over and my sister and I just kinda look at each other dumbfounded. He asks if we were here for the cupcake wars audition and we said yes. He then asked if what we were carrying were cupcakes and we said yes. He is now making his way toward us and my sister and I (both getting pretty nervous at this point) realize this is NOT Alton Brown! HAHAHAHA! It was just some Joe Schmoe off the street, maybe just getting out of his audition. We offered him a cupcake anyway and headed inside. My sister and I both felt so silly! We were able to laugh about it afterwards though. We were just so caught up in this whole experience our minds started playing tricks on us. 

Our attempt at a snow globe cupcake (our globe part didn’t come in on time with the holiday weekend). This was a red velvet cupcake turned upside-down, covered in fondant and then decorated with the winter olympic mascots, graphics from the website, snow, a mountain, and then there was supposed to be a globe on top. (we’ll post pics of completed cupcake soon!)

So we get inside and there were about 7 people already there. They were also casting for the host of the show. We watched all the hosts (even those arriving after us) going in and out of this room where they were conducting on camera auditions. I sparked up conversations with the other bakers who were all very excited as well. Many of them had been baking for a few years, up to 5 or 6…I’ve been at it less than a year. this began to get me even more nervous. Then, out walked Peter and Nick, the casting directors. They called in the next auditon for host and said hi. They also handed me a 3 page questionaire to fill out. I introduced myself and tried to throw out some whitty comments before they returned to the room for their next interview. I filled out the papers and joked around with the other people in the room. I was trying to get a feel for my competition and sneak a peek at what they had brought. Peter and Nick made it a point to strike up a conversation with all of us as they pulled in the next interview, and I made it a point to stand out. I was always involved in the conversation and tried to make my presence know and memorable. Time passed rather quickly and before I knew it it was about 6:30 and I was up!

Music note cupcake….again no time to order black foil lines that would complete this cupcake.

I walked into the room. This room was small with a white screen on one wall, a chair in front of that, and 2 cameras facing the chair. I sat down, introduced myself and answered some questions. I felt prepared, especially after talking to everyone in the waiting room and seeing what they brought. I really felt like I clicked with Peter and Nick, so that was good. Everything went well in front of the camera and I think Peter and Nick’s personalities really clicked with mine. So we finished up my interview and then I made sure to stick around and talk with them as much as I could before my sister and I left. I asked a bunch of questions about the show and what happens next. They said I would get a call by Friday (hopefully) if I made the show. If I didn’t make the show, there would be no call. He also mentioned that filming would be next week! NEXT WEEK! How fast does all that happen?!?!?! 

Cinnamon cupcake topped with vanilla icing and bunuelos (fried tortilla with cinnamon and sugar) pieces.

So, now we wait. What a super fun experience to have had. I had a blast preparing(although it was A LOT of work), the drive up with my sister was fun, and the whole interview process was great! It turns out a cousin of mine (who I hadn’t seen in years) just moved to LA so my sister and I got a hold of him and were able to stop by and visit for a bit. It really was an enjoyable day and i am thankful for the opportunity to have experienced it. i wouldn’t have changed a single thing! We will keep you posted on whether or not we get the call!

A couple weeks back we were contacted by a mother who wanted to get cupcakes for her son who was turning 2. She was throwing his party at a petting zoo (too cute) and wanted cupcakes to go along with that theme. We ended up doing pigs, chicks, and cows (a female and male version of each) and #2s. She ordered 6 dz minis for all the youngsters, which seems to be more of a trend lately (the minis that is). So, we delivered her cupcakes and she and her husband were thrilled. Then, as a tribute to National Cowboy Cupcake Day…..Zen Cupcake featured the cow and bull cupcakes we did on their site!

 

Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Your cupcakes were one of the highlites of the party!  Everyone cound not stop raving & eating the cupcakes! And unfortunately for us, we did not have any leftovers!!!

- Suzy

Thank you Suzy for the kind words! Zen Cupcake, as usual you rock…thanks for the post! If you have any comments, questions, or would like to place an order you can reach us here.