Johnny Cupcakes

Recently Johnny Cupcakes was in Downtown Phoenix selling his limited edition wares at Red Hot Robot as part of his "Back to Basics Suitcase Tour 2010." Seeing as how I, Rikki Cupcake, am obsessed with baking cupcakes, eating cupcakes, drawing cupcakes, and as of late having them tattooed on my body, I thought it only fitting that I meet the man behind the brand. Timmy, my pal Ryan and I drove to Phoenix all full of butterflies to hear his "punk to entrepreneur" lecture and get our hands on some of his limited edition tees. We got there promptly at eight to realize we were to be the last in line. The line already snaked around the parking lot and as we overheard later, people had been waiting there since 10 the night before! Crazy! As we stood in line discussing our day and our weekend plans, the crowd in front of us started cheering. The crew from Johnny cupcakes was setting up and started to film the crowd. Everyone from the beginning of the line began doing the wave and just like the flu it spread from one person to the next until the entire crowd had thrown their hands into the air in participation. I was giddy, like a little kid. Half of an hour rolled by and the line started to move, they were letting people in to buy shirts, but what I didn't realize was that this was only a meet and greet, no lecture. We were essentially waiting in line to buy a shirt, then wait in another line to have our photos taken, grab and autograph and shoot the breeze with JC himself. I wanted badly to meet him, shake his hand, tell him he is an inspiration to all small business owners out there, but the waiting, oh the waiting. I cannot lie, it got to me. It stared out slowly with the shifting from one foot to the next, the lapse in conversation, the blank staring at people I do not know, and then...the yawns. I COULDN'T TAKE IT! When I finally got inside, I purchased my shirt, glanced over to the line waiting for their moment of personal conversing and I sighed and walked on to the car. It was almost midnight and I wanted to go home. I love my shirt (though a bit pricey) I still love Johnny and I adore Red Hot Robot but all in all I was hoping for something different. I wanted to leave with a smile on my face instead of wiping sleep from my eyes. I wanted to be filled with adrenaline and be able to share my excitement with everyone, but instead all I got was a t-shirt. Sigh...




the beginning


2 1/2 hours in


the Johnny box


me




Wu Shirt

Coffee, Cookies and Crafts

On April 24th I will be giving out yummy samples of my cupcakes and other treats at the Coffee, Cookies and Crafts event in Phoenix at Bragg's Pie House. There will be an awesome set up of coffee and sugary goodness to fuel the fun to be had at the crafting sections. There will be a craft swap (so bring in materials you may not need, want or be using to trade with others) a kids section and the Lost Boys of Phoenix will be there selling their clay cows to benefit the Lost Boy Foundation. Also the Mutant Pinata show will still be on display and if you haven't seen it yet, you need to!





mutant pinata

Busy Week

I have had this goal to write one post a week. To come up with one new recipe to share or to bake at least one new thing I have never tried to bake before. As much as I strive to keep up with my goals, a little thing like life gets in the way. So as I have done before I will re-cap my week with some photos and a few blurbs on what I actually did.

One week ago today I got some new and amazing tattoos by Uncle Josh at Lady Luck Tattoo in Tempe. Josh is an amazingly talented artist who not only does tattoos but paints as well. The pieces I commissioned him for were of a cupcake (of course) and a 1950's dough mixer. His vision perfectly matched mine and my legs and his art were a match made in heaven.


the day after

I also joined a gym to keep my calves in shape so as not to distort my new artwork. (: Timmy and I are now working out three nights a week. I have already lost 30 pounds! Ha ha just kidding. Timmy and I have been spending more quality time together and less time zoning out on zombie films, which by the way Zombieland is the best movie ever. We took the little doggies to the park the other day and had a super fun time. Ellie even met a chihuahua friend!




This past weekend I baked an insane amount of goodies for the ASU Art Museum Street Walk and met some people in the downtown Phoenix area who I will be helping with an event this weekend at Bragg's Pie Factory. I made Chocolate Peanut butter cupcakes with Newman's own peanut butter cookies in the center, Coconut Cupcake with a fudgy filling, snickerdoodles, white chocolate chip and pistachio cookies, gluten-free rice snacks smothered in dark chocolate and strawberry shortcakes. And I only took one silly photo, what was I thinking?



I was at the event thanks to the lovely girls at Loveland Boutique in Tempe. They are both super smart sassy girls with a unique boutique for women and children.


Althea from Loveland with Izzie

I also attended a birthday party for a co-worker and a farewell party for another co-worker. Tim (not to be mistaken with my Timmy) is one of the silliest people I have ever met and I can say I am quite saddened by his departure and although I will miss him, I will still never create a Facebook page for him to email me on. Sorry Tim.


Tim with Timpig and Stef


Danny and Katie


Heather and Angela


Timpig, me and Tim

bye Mr. Jones!

How was your week?

ASU Art Museum Street Party

If anyone is interested in meeting me and trying my vegan goodies for sale I will be at the ASU Art Museum Street party this Saturday. I will have cupcakes, cookies, brownies and who knows what else for sale. So make your tummy happy and come on down!



Live bands, beer and amazing art.

Springtime giddiness

Timmy and I have been overjoyed that our garden is showing the first signs of life. When we first planted our seedlings we were proud little parents going outside watering, talking, sharing our future plans. We had named the tomato plant Sarah Plain and Tall, told the basil how dashing he was and even promised the squash a new original recipe with it a the main star. Our fingers were crossed and we dove right in to this whole urban gardening thing, and to our dismay we were born with the blackest of thumbs. Things sprouted, oh yes, but they died as soon as they were born. I became depressed, our outlook was bleak. I had been driven to begging people for gardening tips, asking them to come over and fix our cemetery plots meant to be gardens of life, but nothing seemed to work.

Then like magic, like a green goddess spread her mystical compost on us, things started to bloom. We have not yet produced a tomato, nor a squash but things are looking up. Life is beginning here in this Tempe house.

All organic, all the time baby!

I Love Cake!

Whenever I am asked to bake a cake for some celebration or another, I become a mixed bag of emotions. The first is nervousness, the fear of the cake not being perfect, because honestly, I want to make the most wonderful cake for someone just to highlight how special they are. Then I have the great feeling of elation when I have decided what to make and have an idea of how to make it. Coming up with winning flavor combinations and building layers of tastiness and art make me feel great. There is the zen of baking and the chaos of construction that can make everyone of my muscles ache as if I have just performed in a marathon, but it is all worth it. In the end when I deliver a cake and I see that person's eyes light up and their tummy give an audible nod of appreciation, I am renewed. I feel accomplished.

Fudgy Agave Brownies

Today was a good day. I got up early and ate a bagel with peanut butter and jelly, I did laundry, mowed the yard, worked out, helped my sister in a crisis, started a new book, "The Year of the Flood" by Margaret Atwood and baked the best brownies I have ever tasted. I wanted to do something for National Meat Out Day (tomorrow) and for my dear friends Alyssa and Owen with whom Timmy and I will be sharing our Meat Out day with. I wasn't really thinking of creating a new recipe, I just wanted a basic brownie that everyone would enjoy. Well upon close inspection of my fridge I noticed I was out of earth balance, I did not have any almond milk, nor did I have as much bittersweet chocolate as most of the recipes called for. This is when I got crafty and started tossing in what I thought would resemble a brownie mix and crossed my fingers hoping for a decent result. What I got was more than decent, it was glorious!

And now my friends, I share the recipe with you!




2 T. flax meal
1 cup filtered water
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 plus 2T. agave nectar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tsp. pure bourbon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup morello cherries

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

In a blender mix flax meal and water until semi gooey. Combine flour and cocoa powder and set aside. In mixing bowl combine agave, canola oil and vanilla. Then add in flax mixture. Mix wet ingredients thoroughly then add dry and beat until it becomes a thick fudgy batter.

Pour into well greased 8x8 inch baking pan and top with chocolate chips and morello cherries. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

I get my morello cherries jarred at Trader Joe's and they are fantastic!


topped with Ricemellow