MARTHA STEWART PRESENTS BLAKE LIVELY'S "EASTER DESSERT BUFFET"

Blake Lively's Easter Dessert Buffet

While at the TIME 100 Gala in New York City tonight, Domestic Goddess Martha Stewart spotted Gossip Girl's Blake Lively, an Honoree this year at tonight's festivities.  The Gala honours the year's most influencial people according to TIME Magazine.

Stewart Tweeted the above Photo of Lively's Easter Dessert Buffet, which quite literally is a rainbow of flavours.  And if I'm not mistaken, that's a seven-layer Rainbow Cake featuring every colour of the spectrum up in front.  I only wish Lively used a better Camera minus all the effects on her iPhone so we can better enjoy the details she put into her Table of Yummy.

Lively is known among the Baking Circle as quite the talent. Back in December, she and the Queen of the Cake Pop herself Bakerella, hooked-up and had a bit of a Baking Party.  Wish I were there!

(Photo credit: Blake Lively)

YOUR 2011 YEAR OF THE RABBIT CHINESE HOROSCOPE

Lantern Cake Pops

With Chinese New Year around the corner, I made use of my Sick Day fully and  more Cake Pops. This time around I decided to model my Cake Pops after White Lanterns with the Chinese character representing "Fortune" inscribed on them. I hope to spread prosperity and positive energy to my Family when I give them these during Celebrations. 

These Lantern Cake Pops have a Gingerbread center, which I feel fits the occasion as Chinese people love their Ginger!  Knowing how erratic my schedule is, I've decided to bake and decorate these ahead of time and  freeze them until the Lunar New Year (February 3, 2011).  They should be just fine with a bit of defrosting at room temperature; all that Candy Coating on them surely will preserve them well!  For the scoop on how to make Cake Pops, visit Bakerella's inspiring Blog here.

MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT "CAKE POPS"

Mr. Will-W.'s Cake Pop Bells

Inspired by Bakerella's Toronto visit last week, I decided to try my hand at her signature Cake Pops - Candy-coated balls of Cake mounted on Lollipop Sticks. They're all the rage now.

I had a bit of a struggle finding shops Downtown which carried Candy Coating Wafers - an essential part of the Cake Pop - so I turned to the help of my friends on Facebook. I wound up venturing north of the City to Michaels Craft Store, which surprisingly has a large section devoted to Cake Decorating and Baking.  Luckily, Candy Coating Wafers from Weston were on sale, so I stocked-up hardcore!

I decided to make a Red Velvet Cake base for my Cake Pops, which would be shaped into Bells hence, Cake Bells.  After having found some amazing glittery silver Decorative Sugar at Williams & Sonoma yesterday, I was anxious to put some of that to use.  Silver Bells -  how festive, right?

I actually had enough Cake left over to freeze perhaps for another batch on Christmas. In a nutshell, this is how I went about making these Confectionary sensations:

BAKERELLA IN TORONTO FOR NEW BOOK "CAKE POPS"

Bakerella & Mr. Will-W.

I love this Woman!  Bakerella (née Angie Dudley) is at the forefront of this generation of Web Celebrities, who have found notoriety simply through their publishing their passions in Blog form.  Her eponymous Baking/Cake Decorating Website is becoming a hit among Celebrities, Homemakers, Foodies, Novice Bakers and Decorators alike.  

It all began with a Cake Decorating Course which Bakerella took in her native Atlanta, Georgia.  Her Hobby soon led to her posting Photos of her creations anonymously on Picture Sharing Website Flickr, and then subsequently, creating her own Blog.  Before she knew it, Martha Stewart, CTV's Canada AM and NBC's TODAY were calling her to book appearances.  Just this past week, Gossip Girl's Blake Lively met-up with Bakerella for a bit of a Bake-off and the pictures were posted online, which is how I discovered her work.  

Scrolling through the Blog, I found myself mesmerized by her Craft. Her original Cake Pops - Popsicles made of Cake and decorated/modeled into adorable Novelties - are the new rage, quickly demoting Cupcakes to the passé.  Who would've known the possibilities?

Bakerella is in Toronto promoting her new book Cake Pops by Bakerella.  The Hard Cover Book explains visually how you too can create these Confectionary delights, with a focus more on the decorating aspect of it.  Sheep, Snowmen, Bonbons, Chicks, Christmas Trees.  Everything.