Cauldron Cakes

This is part II of my mini-series on Harry Potter snacks from the books brought to life (part I is on Honeydukes treats, part III features every wizard's favorite drink—butterbeer!— and part IV showcases decadent butterbeer cupcakes).

When I was young, I wanted to grow up to be a writer. I also wanted to be a teacher, deep sea diver, and a cashier at McDonald's, but that's a different story. In early elementary school years, I would furiously write about anything and everything that came to mind. My stories expressed the affairs most important to a seven year old girl—monsters, dolls, and the first day of school. Though often incomprehensible, I was proud of my work. At the ripe age of eight, I took it upon myself to complete my first novel, Baby Gaga, which included 50 short chapters on the adventures of an articulate toddler learning to share, nap, and eat ice cream.

It would seem I had a bright future in writing, but all of this was cut short as soon as I entered fourth grade. Somewhere along the way, I just lost interest. Perhaps writing wasn't "popular." Perhaps I was too critical of my own work—nothing I wrote was good enough to satisfy me. At home, I would devour novel after novel, but I was no longer tempted to write my own.

For years, scarcely a sentence flowed from my pencil.

Then Harry Potter entered my life.

When I was fifteen years old, I became obsessed with the series. I would drink in as much of the magical world through the books and through the movies as I could. When that was no longer enough to satisfy my cravings, I began to seek out more. I discovered others who felt the same pull, the same desire to create more of this rich world. Together, we would write our own stories. I would borrow JK Rowling's characters and take them on my own adventures. I developed little known characters and gave them a story. A purpose. Writing became fun.

And the words began to flow from my pencil once more.

Harry Potter inspired me to continue writing again.

Since then, I've worked to keep writing a part of my life. Over time, my chosen topics have changed as my style has evolved. Gone are the days of writing about Harry Potter. Instead, I find myself journaling or finding small ways to share bits and pieces of my life with you.

While baking seems to come naturally for me, writing is still a challenge (and I imagine it will always be so). I often struggle with finding the right words to express the ideas swimming around my head. I am a slow writer, yes, but I have grown to love the art of the word. Sharing these words, thoughts, and ideas with you has become a natural part of my life. While writing can often feel like a chore, I find that the more I write, the more I am unable to imagine not writing. It has become a form of expression, a freedom, that is impossible to find anywhere else.

These Cauldron Cakes are the ultimate Harry Potter eye candy. They are easy to make, fun to eat, and, above all, delicious. Though the steps may appear long or complicated from a quick glance at the recipe below, I assure you they aren't. In less than an hour, you can have one of these cauldron cakes in your belly. By simply flipping a cupcake over, it opens a whole new world of possibilities. These cauldron cakes consist of devil's food cake cupcakes dipped into a rich chocolate glaze and filled to the brim with marshmallow filling. Chocolate chips form the cauldron feet, which not only keep these cauldrons looking more authentic, but stop the cauldrons from rolling around. I like to think the edible gold glitter means these cauldrons are filled with a little Felix Felicis (or "liquid luck").

These cupcakes would also make a perfect Halloween treat!

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Easter Chick Cupcakes

Do you remember those chocolate nests I made last Sunday? Well, they hatched.

Okay, maybe they didn't hatch per se, but if they actually did wouldn't that be just about the greatest thing ever? You slave over the world's simplest (and easiest) cookie recipe to make a batch of chocolate nests full of candy eggs and head off to sleep, only to wake up the next morning to find that your eggs have hatched into a bunch of cute baby cupcake chicks.

If only, if only.

Mama Chick is protecting her precious eggs from the dangers of nature (and sneaking fingers). Be careful; she might peck you if you get too close.

Once the little peepers hatch, they get hungry. Feed them gummy worms to stop the chirps. Now that I think of it, that might look too adorable (is there such a thing?). In any case, I'll caution you on this one. Do it at your own risk. Cute overload is a real threat.

I love the little chick on the left; he looks like he's puckering up for a big kiss.

These chicks remind me of the song Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep. It's probably best that you don't ask me why I know all the lyrics.

If your little chicks are growing up too fast for your liking (they were tiny peeps just a moment ago!) and start to fly the nest, you can always lock them up. Keep them safe from the dangers of the world (and hungry stomachs) for just a little longer.

This is also effective in keep wandering hands from touching your afternoon snack.

In my biased opinion, I think these chicks are just too cute. I literally squeal in delight whenever I see them and then proceed to coo and peep at them for several minutes until I come back to my senses. Then, I eat them. They are cupcakes after all.

I played around with the size of the cupcakes when making the mamas, papas, and little peeps, which I think made all the difference. These Easter chicks are surprisingly easy to make. Young children could tackle the baby peeps with relative ease (they might need a little help on the beaks) while the older ones could try their hand at the big chicks. The bigger chicks are formed by molding marshmallows and attaching them to the cupcake with frosting.

I've always been hesitant to try out elaborately decorated cupcakes because the steps were long and complex or I didn't have all of the ingredients on hand (like colored candy melts or certain fruit chews). With that said, I can assure you that you most likely have all the ingredients for these chicks in your pantry already. You could decorate a flock of these chicks in a half hour's time (instead of an entire afternoon) without breaking a sweat. These Easter chicks are cute and practical; what more could you ask for?

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Brown Butter Rice Krispie Bars

Today I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Creamy peanut butter, grape jelly, and white bread—transcendence. I haven't had a PB&J for years and oh it was good. Sometimes I feel like I've outgrown certain foods, like boxed macaroni and cheese, hotdogs, or PB&J. It's not that I've ever stopped enjoying them, but they just got lost somewhere along the way and I'm just not sure why.

Do you ever feel like you've outgrown particular foods?

Occasionally, I throw around words like "palate" and "sophisticated." When I'm trying to be a bit of a show-off, I sometimes relate these words to myself. I'll be the first to admit I don't have any idea what I'm talking about. Having a "sophisticated palate" is probably much more than eating brussel sprouts without cringing or enjoying foie gras with fancy cheeses.

Lately, though, I've noticed that chefs are going back to our roots. The foods we loved as children are now being dressed up in new clothes. Grilled cheese and tomato soup. Macaroni and cheese. The hamburger and fries. As an adult with a "sophisticated palate," I can't complain. I love the nostalgia of my childhood favorites done up from scratch with more vegetables to satisfy my health tooth (I may have a health tooth, but the rest of my mouth is filled with sweet teeth).

These are the traditional Rice Krispie Bars elevated to a whole new level. Browning the butter before mixing everything together results in a bar with deep nutty undertones. By using salted butter, you can cut down on the sweetness of the marshmallow and really allow the browned butter flavors to shine. This isn't the Rice Krispie Bar from your childhood—this is the Rice Krispie Bar you wish you'd grown up eating.

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