It's a very Happy Blog Birthday!

Today I'm celebrating four years of blogging. Sometimes I look back at the work I've done over these past years and wonder - who did that? Did I really bake all those things? Did I really write a book? And am I really writing another one? Yes!

It's a little surreal getting to do the thing you love every day. It's a blessing. I still can't believe it's only been a year since I quit my day job to pursue Sprinkle-Baking full time. I've never been more grateful for this life I have. I thank you for being part of it. ♡

This year's birthday cake definitely spreads the sprinkle-love, but it's no ordinary cake. It's made from one of my favorite sweets on the planet - Rice Krispie treats. I whipped up the biggest batch ever (ever, ever!) to make this triple-layer confection. 

It's an easy birthday cake alternative, just make sure to grab your biggest stock pot for the task. I'll admit, it feels a little messy to make (buttering up hands to press the candy into cake pans) but in the end clean-up was a snap. And that's always a good thing!  

Lately my home has been filled with the scent of warm vanilla and cooked sugar. I've been making every incarnation of caramel I can think of. I can't help it. It's something I love to enjoy during the fall months. I've been leaving a trail of crumpled wax paper squares everywhere I go. Why do I even bother wrapping homemade caramels, honestly?!

This is a caramel recipe that I've been dying to share. It makes the glossiest, most perfect caramel apples I've ever seen! And, as if that weren't enough to soothe a fierce sweet tooth, I've added a layer of chocolate chip cookie dough.

I regret nothing.

Okay. So maybe I told a little white lie in my last post about holding off on fall baking until my return from the beach (we're still here, and loving every minute!). In my defense, this is candy (which isn't exactly baking, right?) and it's so darn easy to make I had no trouble whipping it up before we scooted off to the Carolinas.

These caramels are bursting with baked apple flavor and truly evoke the essence of fall. Get all the details with step-by-step instructions HERE on the Etsy blog!

Sometimes the gravity of how fast time passes hits me all at once. It knocks me flat. I find myself lying on the floor eye-to-eye with Churro-the-pug. "Did you have a good summer?" I ask. "Did you stop to smell the roses?" He probably did (he spends a good deal of time outside sniffing things), but I fell a little short of the task. Now summer is almost over and I'm not quite ready for it to end. That's why we're packing our things (pups included) and heading to the ocean tomorrow. We're grabbing on to the very last bit of summer with both hands!

Although I'm itching to get started on fall baking, I've decided to hold off until my return home. For now, I'm sticking to what feels right, and that's champagne cake layers filled with tangy raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream. I found some gorgeous raspberry colored roses at the market and that sealed the deal. This cake was meant to be, I tell ya!

Since this cake is celebratory in flavor, I decided to go ahead and use the Victorian cake pulls I've been saving for a bridal-themed post. Have you heard of cake pulls? They're little sterling silver charms attached to lengths of ribbon. The charms are placed under the cake (by the baker) with only the ribbon visible, then the cake is frosted and decorated. Party guests (usually a group of bridesmaids) each choose a ribbon to pull before the cake is cut. The assorted charms have different meanings, so that brings a bit of fortune telling-novelty to the party.