Monday Baking: The Holidays are Here!

This year, I totally missed out on the best cooking opportunity of the year: Thanksgiving. I was in Indiana with just my parents and me, so we didn't put together a big feast. I paged through Bon Appetit's Thanksgiving issue, drooling over all the things I want to make some day, and it just hardened my resolve to do Christmas baking in a big way this year.

First project up was my traditional holiday favorite: Buckeyes. I'm not sure if these are truly a holiday treat, but for me, they have always carried that association. My next-door neighbor used to make them and bring over tins full at Christmastime, and then my mom taught me how to make my own. I deviated a little this year and tried Smitten Kitchen's recipe, which cuts the sweetness a tad with cream cheese and less sugar - but let's be honest, still totally decadent.

Clearly, mine are not as pretty as Smitten Kitchen's. But that's okay, because my next recipe delivered on the adorable factor...

I mean, just look at that little guy! Isn't he just good enough....to eat! :)

This was actually incredibly simple. I made some basic yellow butter cupcakes, using Christina Marsigliese's recipe. 

I also used her chocolate ganache frosting recipe, figuring that the ganache would hold heavy toppings in place better than traditional buttercream.

With a few carefully placed toppings (ie, candy eyeballs, Nilla Wafers and red M&Ms)....voila! Rudolph, Donner and Blitzen! Well, actually just Rudolph, since they all have red noses.

Instant holiday cheer!