Hooked On Love

My brother is getting married here in a few weeks. This last weekend was his awesome fiance's bridal shower and I was asked to bring the cake. They both love to fish so the theme of the shower was a fishing theme. I came across this cute cupcake idea and thought they would be perfect for the shower. They had used the rainbow colored goldfish crackers but I used the goldfish pretzels so it looked more grown up and not so childish.

Next I needed a good cupcake recipe, since I didn't really want to do just plain cupcakes. My mom found an awesome chocolate chip cookie bottom cupcake recipe in her Martha Stewart Living magazine and I then found a simpler version of that cupcake from "How Sweet It Is." I like simple so I went with that.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bottom Cupcakes

1 box vanilla cake mix

1/2 stick butter, softened

3/4 C. brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/3 C. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 C. chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Make cake mix as directed on box

3. In a bowl beat butter and sugar together with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

4. Line a muffin tin with liners and give each a quick spritz of non stick spray. Using a spoon, also sprayed with non stick spray, press about 1 1/2 Tablespoons of cookie dough into bottom of each liner. cover with cake mix until 3/4 full.

5. Bake 15-18 mins or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

After they cooled I got to the fun part.... decorating!

First I made up about 5 batches of buttercream ( I was making 80 cupcakes) and colored it with Wilton "sky blue" coloring.

I swirled on the blue buttercream using my 2D tip and sprinkled it with blue sanding sugar ( to make my "water" look sparkly)

I then tied floss onto a mini pretzel rod ( I know, I know... floss seems weird but fishing line is to clear..you can hardly see it ) I then stuck that into the cupcake a long with 3 goldfish pretzels. And ta da! You have a cute lil fishing theme cupcake.

Next came the cupcake stand. I did not want to buy one and I don't have one big enough to hold a large number of cupcakes. My mom and I came up with the idea to use a large fish bowl and fill it with bobbers Then we placed a round plastic tray on top. We then got a smaller fish bowl and filled it with bubble wrap and put a smaller plastic tray on that. I thought it turned out super cute!