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If you're looking for a sweet treat that will create quite the buzz, these adorable bumblebee and flower cupcakes are for you. With cheery fondant bees resting on white daisies made of frosting, they are the perfect cupcakes for garden parties, showers or birthday gatherings all spring and summer long. They'll be such a hit, everyone will make a bee-line for them.

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Things You\’ll Need

• Cupcakes

• Knife

• White buttercream frosting

• Piping bags

• Round piping tip

• Petal piping tip #104

• Yellow candy melts

• Yellow nonpareils sprinkles

• Yellow fondant

• Black fondant

• Rolling pin

• Pizza cutter

• White fondant

Step 1: Prepare the Cupcakes

Bake cupcakes either using your favorite recipe or a box mix. I used a box mix. Select any flavor you wish, as the top of the cupcake will be covered with frosting and, therefore, not visible.

If your cupcakes have a pronounced dome shape, cut off the top with a knife so it is flat. The flower will be easier to create when the cupcake surface is level.

Step 2: Prepare the Frosting

Store-bought frosting does not pipe well, so it's best to whip up a batch of frosting from scratch. The basic recipe is to mix 1 cup of butter with 4 cups of confectioner's sugar, and then mix in a teaspoon of vanilla and 2 tablespoons of milk, cream or water at the end. My secret for frosting that holds its shape when piped into flower shapes, even when the weather is warm, is to substitute half the butter for vegetable shortening. Believe me, it still tastes yummy.

When you've finished the frosting, spoon a small amount into a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip like tip #12.

Step 3: Frost Around the Edges

Apply a circle of frosting around the circumference of the cupcake. This layer of frosting will help support the petals so they don't droop over the edges.

Step 4: Pipe the Daisy Petals

To create the petals, fill another piping bag with the rest of your buttercream frosting, this time fitted with petal piping tip #104. Look for a tip with an elongated teardrop shape.

Place the piping tip over the cupcake with the wide end at the center of the cake. Tilt the tip about 45 degrees to the right (if you're right-handed). As you squeeze the piping bag, move the tip toward the edge and the frosting will form the left side of the petal.

Return the tip toward the center, squeezing the bag to release more frosting to form the right side of the petal. Overlap the left and right sides so there are no gaps. Start by making six or seven petals spaced out evenly around the cupcake. Let them extend past the circle of frosting you created for support.

Tip

Practice making petals on a piece of wax or parchment paper first to gain some confidence. Then when you get the hang of it, you can scoop the frosting back into the piping bag to reuse.

Add additional petals between the first petals until there are no more gaps. Don't worry about perfection. The petals will actually look more realistic if they are of different sizes and shapes!

Step 5: Create the Daisy Center

Make the round yellow center of the daisy with yellow candy melts. Place some yellow candy melts in a microwaveable bowl, and heat in 20-second intervals. If they get lumpy as you're melting them, add a teaspoon of vegetable shortening and they'll smooth out.

Spoon the melted candy into a piping bag. You won't need a special piping tip. Just cut off the very end of the bag with some scissors to create a small opening.

Squeeze dollops of the candy melts onto parchment paper. Make them between 1/2 and 1 inch in diameter.

While the candy melt dollops are still warm, sprinkle yellow nonpareils on top of them. Nonpareils are sprinkles that look like little pearls. Allow them to cool and harden at room temperature, or better yet, in the refrigerator.

Position the yellow candy center in the middle of the petals. The cupcake is already darling, but the bee puts it over the top.

Step 6: Form the Bumblebee Body

Roll a piece of yellow fondant between your hands to form a small oval shape about 1 inch long. If you've never worked with fondant, it is similar in consistency to Play-Doh and very easy to mold.

Step 7: Add the Bee Stripes

Place some black fondant between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it as flat as you can.

Cut thin strips about 1/8-inch thick using a pizza cutter.

Wrap two black fondant strips around the yellow oval. They don't have to go all the way around the bottom, as the bottoms will not be visible. If the fondant is fresh out of the package, the pieces should stick together without any moisture. Otherwise you can dab some water between the pieces to help them adhere.

Step 8: Attach the Bee Stinger

Not that we're going for anatomical accuracy, but the stinger does give you that "bee" look. Using your fingers, shape a small piece of black fondant into a pointy cone shape and adhere it to one end of the body.

Step 9: Add the Eyes

Roll small balls out of the black fondant and attach them to the face. Use a toothpick to hold the eye, and then press it to the body with your finger.

Step 10: Attach the Wings

Roll small balls of white fondant that are about 1/4-inch in diameter. Then place them between two pieces of parchment paper and form small circles by pressing down on the fondant with your thumb.

Pinch one end of each fondant circle to create a teardrop wing shape.

Attach two wings to the bee's body just behind the eyes. Again, they should stick without any added moisture, but use a little water if necessary.

Tip

The fondant can get very sticky when manipulating it due to the warmth of your hands. If you're having trouble with overly sticky fondant, just leave it alone to air out for a few minutes, and it will harden and be easier to use.

Step 11: Attach the Bee to the Daisy

Position the bumblebee on top of the cupcake with the head resting on the yellow daisy center. The frosting beneath the bee should be able to hold it in place. However, if the frosting has hardened, or you plan on transporting the cupcakes to another location, you can secure the bumblebees in place with a toothpick.

These cupcakes are the bee's knees.

Ice cream is undeniably delicious, and adding fresh cranberries only makes it better. This recipe will yield you a frozen treat as good as any you've had—it nails all the wonderful flavor, tanginess, creaminess, and texture of this irresistible dessert. The method is simple and straightforward, and grants you a bowl of tasty ice cream all made right at home.

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Things You\’ll Need

• 1, 12 oz bag of cranberries

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 tbs fresh orange juice

• 1/2 cup + 2 tbs granulated sugar

• zest of one small orange

• ¾ tsp vanilla extract

• ¼ tsp cinnamon

• ⅛ tsp ground cardamom

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 1, 14 oz can of condensed milk

• pinch kosher salt

• saucepan

• spatula

• 1, 9×5-inch loaf pan

• plastic wrap

Step 1

Add the cranberries, water, orange juice, and sugar to a saucepan set over medium heat.

Step 2

Cook the cranberries, stirring often, until they begin to pop and thicken, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in the orange zest, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and cardamom.

Step 3

Transfer the cranberry sauce to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator until cold.

Tip

If you prefer an ice cream without skins in it, simply pass the cranberry sauce through a fine mesh sieve before chilling.

Step 4

Add the heavy cream to a large bowl, and whisk until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Step 5

Add the condensed milk to the cranberry puree and mix until combined. Add a small amount of the whipped cream to the condensed milk and gently fold together to lighten the mixture. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until just combined.

Step 6

Pour the mixture into a loaf pan, or an equal-sized container, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place the ice cream into the freezer until solid, about 6 hours, but preferably overnight.

Tip

When covering the ice cream, make sure that a layer of the plastic wrap touches the ice cream. This help prevents ice crystals from forming.

Step 7

Remove the ice cream from the freezer, and let sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving. Once the ice cream has slightly softened, scoop and enjoy.

Mermaids are known in mythology for enchanting sailors with the sweet sounds of their voices. If singing isn't one of your special skills, cast your sea goddess spells by making these donuts instead. Baked, not fried, they're loaded with green tea goodness and almost too pretty to eat — almost.

Ingredients

For the donuts:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon matcha powder
• Blue food coloring

For the frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
• Blue food coloring
• Matcha powder (for dusting)
• Gold sugar (for dusting)
• Candy pearls
• Candy seashells

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

First, prepare the batter for the donuts. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix the butter, egg, milk and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Be sure to not overmix.

Separate the dough into two separate bowls. Add the matcha powder to one of the bowls and stir. Add two drops of blue food coloring to the other bowl and stir. You should now have a green donut batter and a blue donut batter. Spoon each of the batters into separate piping bags and pipe them into a donut pan, alternating colors so that you have a swirl pattern for each donut.

Place the donut pan into the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until done. Let the donuts cool on a cooling rack. While the donuts are cooling, prepare the glaze.

Whisk the powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of milk together in a bowl. If needed, add another tablespoon of milk to thin the glaze.

Divide the glaze into two separate bowls. In one bowl, add one drop of blue food coloring and stir. To the other bowl, add three drops of food coloring and stir. Dip the donut tops in the lighter blue glaze. Then use a toothpick to drizzle the darker blue glaze on top, creating a swirl pattern.

Sprinkle the donut tops with matcha powder and a light dusting of gold sugar. Once the matcha melts into the glaze, it starts to look a bit like seaweed — perfectly thematic!

Top the donuts with candy pearls and seashells. Pro tip: I found the candy pearls in the baking aisle next to the sprinkles, but I made the seashell candy using white chocolate and a candy mold from the craft store.

If you're displaying the donuts for a special occasion or packaging them up for a gift, set them on a bed of gold sugar, which looks a lot like shimmering sand. Delicious and delightful, these mermaid donuts are sure to spellbind all who are lucky enough to receive them!

These flourless gluten-free brownies are made with black beans. Image Credit: Julia Mueller

When it comes to desserts, brownies are an easy sell — whether sweet, rich, gooey, fluffy or fudgy. If you must limit or omit gluten in your diet, these flourless black bean brownies allow you to enjoy the dessert while sticking to dietary restrictions. You also can make these brownies free of refined sugar, and they come with the added benefit of being full of protein and fiber. And the best part: These are so easy to make. Simply toss everything in a blender to prepare the batter, and presto! Brownies.

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Things You\’ll Need

• 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 large eggs

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 2 teaspoons instant coffee

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Collect your recipe ingredients before you begin. Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Heat the oven to 375 F and line an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Gather and measure out all of the ingredients you'll need for the recipe.

Step 1: Blend Ingredients

Combine brownie ingredients Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Add all of the ingredients to a blender, and blend them on high until completely smooth. You may need to complete 2 or 3 rounds of blending in order to puree the beans.

Puree the ingredients until smooth. Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Step 2: Bake

Be sure to line your baking dish with parchment paper. Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Pour the black bean brownie batter into the prepared baking dish, and smooth the top.

Bake until the brownies test clean. Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Place the baking dish on the center rack of the preheated oven, and bake for 22 to 28 minutes or until the brownies test clean when poked in the center.

Step 3: Cool Before Serving

Cut the brownies after they\’ve cooled. Image Credit: Julia Mueller

Remove brownies from the oven and allow them to cool 10 minutes. Lift up on the parchment paper and transfer to a cutting board. Allow brownies to cool an additional 10 to 15 minutes before cutting into squares. If desired, serve brownies with a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top.

Store brownies in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or place them in a zip-top bag and freeze them.

Tip

To eliminate the refined sugar from these brownies, replace the brown sugar with coconut sugar.

For gooey brownies, add 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips to the batter after it's completely blended.

Sprinkle sweetened or unsweetened coconut over the brownies 8 minutes before they're finished baking for a toasted coconut topping.

Omit the instant coffee or use coffee grinds. The purpose of the coffee is to add depth of flavor to the brownies.

Picture this: warm, gooey chocolate fudge sliding down the side of a mountain of ice cream with the faint aroma of vanilla. Are you salivating? Because you should be! Homemade chocolate fudge sauce guarantees a smooth texture and quality taste. Never buy fudge sauce from the store again, because you can whip up this delicious recipe in 15 minutes.

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Things You\’ll Need

• ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 12-oz can evaporated milk, (1)

• 2½ cups powdered sugar

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

• ½ tablespoon vanilla extract

Step 1: Heat Butter and Chocolate

In a large saucepan, melt butter and chocolate chips over low heat, about 5 minutes. Add evaporated milk and mix well.

Step 2: Sift Powdered Sugar and Boil

Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder to a sifter. Sift a third of powdered sugar at a time, whisking in between to make sure the sauce is smooth. Bring to a boil of medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat, mix in vanilla, and pour into a container. Serve warm. Keeps in refrigerator up to a month.

Tip

To reheat: Place the desired amount in a heatproof bowl over a sauce pan of simmering water. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes until fudge is smooth and warm. OR, microwave the sauce in 10-second increments, stirring in-between, until it is smooth and warm.