Buttercream Bump Off by Jenn McKinlay

      Only three months earlier, Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura had the surprise of their life when Mel was thrown into a homicide investigation for the murder of Christie Stevens. Tate, a partner in the bakery, was engaged to Christie and he is ready to move on with his life. Not only do all three own the new cupcake bakery in town but they have been best friends since junior high. In the second installment of the Cupcake Bakery Mystery, Mel's mom Joyce meets a scheming rich man, Baxter Malloy, who asks her out on a date. The problem is that Joyce has a killer dress, the dress causes any man who sees her to have a heart attack. However, Baxter did not end up dead in his pool from a heart attack. Instead, someone killed him while Joyce was undressing in another room. Melanie is astonished by her mother's first date manners, but she is worried that the killer will target Joyce. The bakery is booming and Melanie will have to find time to secure all things that are dear to her: her mother and her bakery. 


     Some readers might not understand why I like this series so much. Firstly, The killer is placed so easily in the book that I found him/her in the first 20 pages. Most of the time when this happens, I get extremely frustrated and I will stop reading the book. Not with this series. Jenn McKinlay's writing is so easy  and fun to read that I find myself enjoying the entire book. I also find myself at the end saying, " I knew it was you." When the killer is finally revealed to the reader. Secondly, the movie quotes adds a different texture to the writing. If you are well-versed on movie quotes this book is for you! However, I am horrible with movie quotes and I never can pinpoint where a quote was from. Even though I am horrible at movie quotes, I find the quotes refreshing. Sometimes I look up the scene or quote just so I can get a better picture while reading the book. Thirdly, These books have AMAZING recipes. Even if you don't like the writing or the style, go pick up the book at the library and try some of the recipes.

Blonde Bombshell Recipe

Sorry it took me so long to publish the recipe included in Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay. I absolutely loved these cupcakes and I can't wait to make another batch!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (and people who try to microwave your butter.... just leave it out for 20 min or warm it between your hands if its frozen.)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature (yes, this matters)
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups milk

How to:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar at medium speed, add eggs and milk, and beat until smooth.
3. Beat in extracts. Add dry ingredients, 1/4 of a cup at a time, beat until smooth.
4. Fill liners 2/3 of the way. ( Ice cream scoop is a great help.)
5. Bake until golden brown, about 20 min.

I put regular buttercream frosting and some colorful sprinkles on top of the yummy almond flavored cupcakes!

Friendly advice, if you always forget to leave your butter out, so you try to microwave it. Whenever I bake the first thing I take out butter and eggs and set them in a bowl, than I get all of my other ingredients out of the pantry and begin the process. This gives them about 10-15 min to breath. If the butter is still hard, move it around while gripping it in your hands. It works!

Blond Bombshell Cupcake

Last night after reading Sprinkle With Murder, I decided to make one of the cupcake recipe's included in the book! These are the Blonde Bombshell cupcake, an almond flavored cupcake with buttercream frosting. Instead of a garnish, I just put some colorful sprinkles on top! They are VERY VERY yummy! :-)

I will post the recipe if anyone wants to try them!

As you can see my talent does not include a photography.....

Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay

Things I love about Goodreads
- I am able to be apart of all kinds of groups
-Therefore, I am able to find new new series to add to my love for cozy mysteries!

This book popped up in a to-read list for one of my groups. First off, I love books that give me new recipes to try! The baker in me filled with joy when I saw this cover! Not only that but the reviews were good, people LIKED it! I then realized that this book is now on the top of my to-be-read list.

Review:
Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura are the new owners of the Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery in Scottsdale Arizona. Business is picking up and they are finally in their dream career and its becoming a success. They just got an order for five hundred cupcakes to be made for their best-friend's wedding and his bridezilla. The bridezilla is demanding and horrible, but neither Mel or Angie want to admit to their long time friend that he is crazy for marrying someone like Christie Stevens. To everyone's surprise Tate will not be walking down the isle anytime soon, not because he called the wedding off but because Christie Stevens is found dead with a cupcake in her hand. Yes, one of Fairy Tale Cupcakes. Mel has to find the real killer before the police put her behind bars. But who is trying to frame her?

I really enjoyed this debut for the Cupcake Bakery series by Jenn McKinlay. I loved all of the characters and I think the movie quotes bring a lightness to the series to bring comfort to any reader. I am looking foward to see how the characters will transform in the next books. I am also hoping to find new and exciting characters to add to this popular Arizona town. I am going to bake my heart away this weekend and try the included recipes. I will post pictures and my thoughts on how they turn out in my kitchen!