Sweets for me and Mary Poppins

Photo from http://cheekypoppins.wordpress.com

“A Spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
The medicine go dow-wown
The medicine go down
Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
In a most delightful way”

Mary Poppins and her songs, particularly this one, make me feel good. There can’t be any other way to put into words the comfort that I feel when I treat myself to some sweets. For weeks, I have been working so hard with my BS Nutrition classmates (there are 5 of us) in a far-flung barangay in the mountains for our practicum.  I needed a break. I needed some comfort.

                
As I nurture my undying love for sweets, I am also slowly embracing a love for fashion. Yesterday, December 3, 2011, I went to the Bloggers United 2 at the Global City with my friends Ariana, Ana, Isa, Ela, Danielle, Diane, Kate, and Irene.  It is one of this year’s most awaited events, especially for people whose love for fashion is greater than anything else. It is an event where fashion bloggers all over the Philippines come together to put up a special bazaar. From what I’ve heard from friends who attended the Bloggers United 1 last May 2011, there was a booth called Sophie’s Mom Bakery and Confectionary that sold yummy sweets and delectable breads. Unfortunately, there was none in this event. So after our eyes had feasted on fashionista clothes, shoes and accessories, we headed to Sophie’s Mom in Makati.

                
Sophie is a 17-year old girl who loves baking and was taught how to do it by her doting Mom, Marie Antoinette ‘Tonette’ Rosal. 

Inside Sophie's Mom shop! 

     Photo from Sophie's Mom Facebook Page

Christmas is just around the corner at Sophie's Mom

Dear Santa would be delighted to see these.

Christmas cupcake decors

Their famous cupcakes

Tres Leches with Fresh Mangoes

The all-time favorite Red Velvet cupcakes at Php50 each

Very cute packaging for Mochi Truffles

Each box contains Mochi truffles (5 pcs). These are Nutella Mochi Truffles. Php 150 each box

It was worth the swing to Sophie’s Mom. Indeed, their sweets made the fatigue in my body disappear. And yes, as Aunt Mary said, in a very delightful way. Sophie’s Mom is located at No. 8760 Santol St., San Antonio Village, 1203 Makati, Philippines. If you would like to know more about Sophie’s Mom, please visit their official Facebook page: Sophie's Mom .

Strawberry-filled cupcakes

Strawberry-filled cupcakes

        A few weeks ago, my cousin from Jacksonville, Florida,  Tin Catipon-Sanchez, together with her husband Dennis and their  three handsome kids Egan, Gage and Kian came home to the Philippines for the wedding of her youngest brother, Toti.  As a welcome treat to my nephews, I baked sponge cupcakes. I used a paring knife to cut a 1-inch-deep piece from the top of each cupcake, filled each hole with a teaspoon of stawberry jam and replaced the  cutout pieces. For frosting, I tinted the boiled icing pink , piped it on top, and finished it off  with a fresh strawberry.

Who wants Tiramisu cupcakes

Tiramisu cupcakes dusted with cocoa powder

Tiramisu with almonds

Bird's eye view

Freshly baked Tiramisu cupcakes!

          Tiramisu cupcake is a dessert to die for. It is a variation of the popular Italian dessert, tiramisu. This is my favorite among the assortment of specialty cupcakes that my sister bakes.  By the way, my sister is a registered nurse who, despite her hectic schedule at the hospital still finds time to cook and bake. Tiramisu cupcake was always my special request from her. One late lazy afternoon, she donned her apron, ponytailed her mane and announced that she was in the mood to teach me how to bake the t-cupcake.  I guess, finally, she got tired of giving in to my unending requests.  Instead of lady fingers soaked in coffee, which the classic Italian tiramisu is made of, we used small round sponge cakes and poked a few holes on top with a toothpick. Then, the espresso syrup which was a mixture of coffee, water, and sugar, was poured on top until it sifted through the holes and filled the center of the cupcakes. In place of mascarpone cheese, we finished it off, with whipped Cream Cheese frosting, then, dusted the top with cocoa powder. We chilled the cupcakes for about an hour, just in time for dessert after our sumptuous dinner.

Sweets for Summer

These are regular cupcakes.

But we can actually transform these regular cupcakes into ice cream cupcakes!

The waffle cones we used. 

Voila! Ice cream cupcakes that will perfectly suit your sweet cravings, especially during the summer! According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, sweet foods such as cupcakes, IF TAKEN MODERATELY can actually nourish "Qi"(essential energy).

       I've been searching for great recipes for cupcakes for the past weeks to satisfy my family’s sweet palate. Since it is blazing hot here in the Philippines during summer, I thought that a perfect way to represent what summer is all about was to transform our regular cupcakes into ice cream cupcakes! We put some icing inside the cone, placed the cupcake on top, and decorated it with colorful sprinkles. So pleasing to the eye, so delectable to the taste.