Readers, your help is wanted: I'm in charge of making a very important person's 30th birthday cake. Although some may think it's boring, she's requested that the base of the cake be a classic vanilla flavor. I found an awesome-sounding recipe in Organic and Chic: Cakes, Cookies, and Other Sweets That Taste as Good as They Look for a vanilla-bean butter layer cake that I plan on using.
The birthday girl is letting me select the filling and frosting flavors, but the problem is there are so many options out there! That's why I'm asking for your opinion and ideas. What filling and frosting will make a vanilla cake taste absolutely spectacular? Coconut and cream cheese? Lemon and vanilla buttercream? Mocha and dark chocolate?
Please share your suggestions! Decorating tips are welcome, too!
My nephew is completely obsessed with teepees and has a giant one in the backyard where he will play for hours. So when it came time for his birthday, my sister-in-law had a great idea to create teepee cupcakes! Using a muffin pan to keep the ice cream cones upright, she filled each one with cake batter. Once cooled, she dipped both sides in chocolate and sprinkles. On the shorter end of the cone, she used pretzels sticks to create posts that would keep the teepee up right. My nephew was so excited to chow down on his very own teepee.
It's a Barbie world, and we're just living in it! Once lil girls turn three, they are often drawn to the buxom plastic dolls, tiny clothes, and dream homes. Seventy-six percent of LilSugar readers 
