Joyce // Shutter To Think

I met Joyce at my grandma's birthday party last weekend.  (more after the jump)

Easter Grandma!

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Grandma turns 91 today, and looked radiant-in-red for her birthday party, n'est pas? That's my beautiful Gramma! Hopefully, I got some of her youthful genes (still getting carded at the grocery store, so, so far so good!).

She worked in the couture shop at Marshall Fields in downtown Chicago for many years, and has been my shopping buddy all my life. She strikes a hard bargain! And has tried to talk me into brightly colored faux-fur on more than one occasion. Grandma has told me that she never felt more proud of herself than when she was dressing ladies for special occasions. She does have an amazing eye
for fashion!

So, in honor of my Grandma's love for her old employer, I made "Frango Mint" cupcakes (pictured on the right). Chocolate cake, filled with mint icing, topped with a thick layer of chocolate ganache and a mint "L" for Laura (her name isn't "Grandma," after all). I also made some plain chocolate-chocolate cupcakes for the mint-haters of the world, but I managed to pipe some nice chocolate roses on the tops. All dairy-free for my lactose intolerant family!

Happy birthday to my beautiful Grandma!

96 cupcakes for Grandma, in detail.

Grandma turned 90 yesterday. We had a party! I made cupcakes.

French Silk Cupcakes

Chocolate cake, filled with chocolate mousse, topped with whipped cream frosting and miniature chocolate chips.

Growing up, I visited my grandparents nearly every weekend for family dinners. I remember Grandma putting a French Silk pie on the table for dessert nearly every time.

Double-Shot Espresso

Coffee-flavored cake, topped with espresso buttercream and a chocolate-covered coffee bean.

Because Grandma is a coffee-junkie.

Coconut Lychee

(from "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World")

Lychee cake, topped with coconut glaze and a jelly candy, wrapped in edible rice paper.

Some more traditional Asian-inspired flavors for the lactose-intolerant.

Green Tea

(from "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World")

Matcha green tea cake, topped with green tea glaze and a neapolitan taffy twist.

Another dairy-free concoction–why not offer both tea and coffee? Interesting to note: Taffy, when placed on green tea glaze, basically melts. it was still good! Just not as pretty as pictured above.