Jo’s cupcakes. Gourmet Cupcakes: Indulge in Jo’s Custom Cakes & Catering’s Delectable Creations

Discover the mouthwatering world of gourmet cupcakes at Jo’s Custom Cakes & Catering. How can unique flavors elevate your dessert experience. What makes these cupcakes stand out from the rest. Explore the diverse menu of sweet and savory treats.

Exploring Jo’s Custom Cakes & Catering’s Exquisite Cupcake Selection

Jo’s Custom Cakes & Catering offers an impressive array of gourmet cupcakes that cater to various tastes and preferences. From classic flavors to innovative creations, their menu showcases a diverse range of options that are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.

Traditional Favorites with a Twist

While Jo’s cupcakes include beloved classics, they often come with unique twists that elevate them to gourmet status. For instance:

• The Birthday Cake cupcake features white chocolate cake with white buttercream and colored sprinkles, adding a touch of elegance to a timeless favorite.
• Their Red Velvet cupcake is topped with white chocolate cream cheese frosting and cake crumbles, providing an extra layer of texture and flavor.
• The Boston Cream Pie cupcake reimagines the classic dessert in cupcake form, complete with yellow cake, pastry cream filling, and a chocolate ganache topping.

Seasonal and Regional Inspirations

Jo’s menu also reflects seasonal flavors and regional specialties:

• The Appalachian Spice cupcake captures the essence of fall with its apple pie filling and white chocolate cream cheese frosting.
• The Blue Raider cupcake, likely inspired by a local sports team, features white chocolate cake with blueberry curd filling and themed decorations.
• The Pumpkin Pie cupcake brings the cozy flavors of autumn to life in a convenient handheld treat.

Innovative Flavor Combinations That Push Culinary Boundaries

What sets Jo’s cupcakes apart from ordinary bakeries? Their willingness to experiment with unexpected flavor pairings and creative concepts. Consider these unique offerings:

Beverage-Inspired Cupcakes

Several of Jo’s cupcakes draw inspiration from popular drinks:

• The Cherry Coke Float cupcake combines chocolate Coke cake with cherry pie filling and vanilla ice cream icing.
• The Chai Latte cupcake captures the warm, spicy notes of the beloved tea drink in cake form.
• The Root Beer Float cupcake features root beer flavored cake with vanilla ice cream frosting and a root beer drizzle.

Cocktail-Inspired Adult Treats

For those seeking a more sophisticated flavor profile, Jo’s offers several alcohol-inspired cupcakes (likely containing trace amounts of alcohol):

• The Chocolate Amaretto cupcake incorporates the almond-flavored liqueur into both the cake and ganache filling.
• The Irish Eyes cupcake features chocolate stout filling and Irish Cream frosting.
• The Mint Julep cupcake reimagines the classic bourbon cocktail with a bourbon-mint butter cake and vanilla mint icing.

Decadent Chocolate Creations for Cocoa Enthusiasts

Chocolate lovers will find plenty to indulge in at Jo’s Custom Cakes & Catering. How does Jo’s elevate the classic chocolate cupcake? By offering a range of intensities and flavor combinations:

Rich Chocolate Bases

• The Death by Oreo cupcake features an Oreo-chocolate cake base with Oreo buttercream.
• The Chocolate Nutella cupcake combines chocolate cake with a Nutella filling and whipped ganache frosting.
• The Devil’s Food cupcake adds a spicy kick with cinnamon and cayenne pepper in the chocolate cake base.

Chocolate Pairings

Jo’s also offers cupcakes that pair chocolate with complementary flavors:

• The Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcake is a classic combination, dipped in chocolate for extra indulgence.
• The Mint Chocolate Chip cupcake features chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream rolled in chopped Andes mints.
• The Mocha cupcake combines coffee-flavored chocolate cake with red velvet mocha frosting.

Fruit-Forward Flavors for a Taste of Summer

Fruit lovers will find an abundance of options at Jo’s, with cupcakes that showcase both classic and unexpected fruit flavors:

Berry Delights

• The Chocolate Dipped Strawberry cupcake features strawberry cake and buttercream, dipped in chocolate ganache.
• The Lemon-Blueberry cupcake combines tart lemon cake with a blueberry curd filling.
• The Lemon-Raspberry cupcake offers a playful mix of lemon cake with raspberry buttercream filling and a swirled frosting top.

Tropical Inspirations

For those craving a taste of the tropics, Jo’s offers:

• The Pina Colada cupcake, complete with pineapple, rum, and coconut flavors in both the cake and frosting.
• The Coconut Cream Pie cupcake, featuring coconut cake, coconut cream filling, and flaked coconut topping.
• The Orange Dreamsicle cupcake, reminiscent of the classic frozen treat.

Nostalgic Flavors That Evoke Childhood Memories

Many of Jo’s cupcake creations tap into the power of nostalgia, offering flavors that transport customers back to their youth:

Candy-Inspired Treats

• The Hubba-Bubble cupcake captures the essence of bubble gum, complete with a gumball on top.
• The Heath Bar Crunch cupcake incorporates the popular toffee candy bar into both the frosting and topping.

Classic Dessert Reimaginations

Jo’s takes beloved desserts and transforms them into cupcake form:

• The Banana Cream Pie cupcake features fresh banana cake with banana cream filling and vanilla ice cream buttercream.
• The Hot Fudge Sundae cupcake recreates the ice cream parlor favorite, complete with vanilla ice cream buttercream, chocolate sauce, nuts, and a cherry on top.
• The PB&J cupcake captures the essence of the classic sandwich in dessert form.

Savory Elements That Add Depth and Complexity

While cupcakes are typically associated with sweetness, Jo’s isn’t afraid to incorporate savory elements to create more complex flavor profiles:

Herbs and Spices

• The Beehive cupcake features lavender-scented cake paired with honey-lemon buttercream.
• The Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake incorporates fresh grated carrots, coconut, nuts, and pineapple into a spice cake base.
• The Chai Latte cupcake showcases the warm spices associated with the popular tea drink.

Unexpected Savory Additions

Jo’s pushes the boundaries of traditional cupcake flavors with some truly unique offerings:

• The Maple Bacon cupcake combines the sweetness of maple with the savory crunch of bacon, topped with a “pig candy” garnish.
• The Salted Caramel cupcake balances sweet caramel with a sprinkle of sea salt for a more complex flavor profile.
• The Pistachio Nut cupcake incorporates the distinctive flavor of pistachios into both the cake and frosting.

Customization Options for a Personal Touch

Jo’s Custom Cakes & Catering lives up to its name by offering various ways to personalize their cupcakes:

Team Spirit and Special Occasions

• The Black and Gold cupcake can be customized with an edible gold “V” for an additional fee, likely catering to local sports fans.
• The Blue Raider cupcake offers the option to add white chocolate “M” and “T” letters, perfect for school or team events.
• The PowerT cupcake can be enhanced with an edible “T”, making it ideal for themed parties or rallies.

Seasonal Adaptations

While not explicitly stated, it’s likely that Jo’s adjusts their menu seasonally to incorporate fresh, local ingredients and reflect holiday themes. This could include:

• Featuring the Pumpkin Pie and Appalachian Spice cupcakes more prominently during autumn months.
• Highlighting fruity options like Lemonade and Seeded Watermelon during summer.
• Offering holiday-specific decorations or flavor combinations for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and other special occasions.

Jo’s Custom Cakes & Catering’s extensive and creative cupcake menu demonstrates their commitment to pushing the boundaries of what a cupcake can be. By combining high-quality ingredients, innovative flavor pairings, and attention to detail in both taste and presentation, they offer a gourmet cupcake experience that goes far beyond the ordinary.

Gourmet Cupcakes | Jo’s Custom Cakes & Catering

Applelachian–Spice cake filled with apple pie filling frosted with our white chocolate cream cheese frosting, dusted with apple pie spice.

Banana Cream Pie– Fresh banana cake with banana cream filling, vanilla ice cream buttercream.

Beehive– Lavender scented cake with honey-lemon buttercream, candy bee on top.

Birthday cake– White chocolate cake with white buttercream and colored sprinkles.

Black and Gold– Butter yellow cake with dark fudgy icing. Add an edible gold “V” for 50 cents each cupcake.

Blue Raider– White chocolate cake with blueberry curd filling, vanilla buttercream with blue and white sprinkles. Add a white chocolate “M” and “T” for 50 cents each cupcake.

Blue Ribbon Carrot Cake**-Spice cake with fresh grated carrots, coconut, nut, pineapple, white chocolate cream cheese icing.

Boston Cream Pie– Yellow cake, pastry cream filling, topped with chocolate ganache.

Caramel Apple – Apple spice cake with a creamy caramel topping, optional chopped nuts, with a Popsicle stick handle.

Chai Latte-Chai Tea and spice cupcake with lightly spiced vanilla buttercream, dusted with cinnamon.

Cherry Coke Float– Chocolate Coke cake, filled with cherry pie filling, vanilla ice cream icing, with a cherry on top.

Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper–Chocolate Dr. pepper cake, cherry buttercream filling, vanilla bean buttercream icing with a cherry on top.

Chocolate Amaretto* **– Triple chocolate Amaretto cake with chocolate Amaretto ganache filling, chocolate buttercream, toasted almonds.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry– Strawberry cake with strawberry buttercream, dipped in chocolate ganache.

Chocolate Nutella– Chocolate cake filled with Nutella, whipped ganache frosting.

Chocolate Peanut Butter– Chocolate cake with peanut butter buttercream, dipped in chocolate.

Chocolate Snowballs– Chocolate cake with vanilla bean buttercream filling and frosting rolled in shredded coconut.

Coconut Cream Pie–Coconut cake with coconut cream filling, Vanilla bean frosting with flaked coconut on top.

Coffee Cake– White chocolate cake with cinnamon swirl, crumble topping, vanilla glaze.

Death by Oreo- Oreo- chocolate cake with Oreo buttercream, mini Oreo topper.

Elvis– Fresh banana cake with peanut butter frosting sprinkled with chopped peanuts.

German Chocolate– German chocolate cake, coconut pecan filling, sweet chocolate frosting, with toasted coconut and pecan topping, drizzled with chocolate.

Heath Bar Crunch– Caramel cake, caramel-Heath bar buttercream, Heath bar bits on top.

Hot Fudge Sundae -White chocolate or triple chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream buttercream, drizzled with chocolate sauce, sprinkled with nuts, a cherry on top.

Hubba-Bubble– Pink tinted white chocolate cake with pink bubble gum flavored buttercream, gumball on top.

Irish Eyes*– Chocolate cake with chocolate stout filling, Irish Cream frosting, green sprinkles.

Key Lime– Key lime cake with key lime buttercream.

Orange Dreamsicle– Orange Dreamsicle cake with vanilla bean filling and frosting.

Lemonade– Lemon cake with lemon buttercream.

Lemon-Blueberry– Lemon cake with blueberry curd filling with a lemon buttercream frosting.

Lemon-Raspberry–Lemon cake, raspberry buttercream filling, lemon/raspberry swirled buttercream top.

Maple Bacon– Maple bacon cake with maple buttercream, pig candy garnish.

Mint Chocolate Chip– Chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream rolled in chopped Andes mints.

Mint Julep*- Bourbon-mint butter cake with vanilla mint icing. Decorated with a mint leaf and straw.

Mocha– Coffee flavored chocolate cake with red velvet mocha frosting.

PB&J-Peanut butter cake with grape or strawberry jelly, peanut butter frosting.

Pina Colada*– Pineapple, rum, and coconut cake frosted with a pineapple coconut buttercream, decorated with an orange slice and a cherry.

Pink Lemonade– Pink lemonade cake with pink lemonade buttercream.

Pink Birthday Cake–White or pink tinted cake with pink buttercream and colored sprinkles.

Pistachio Nut**- Pistachio cake with pistachio frosting, chopped pistachio nuts.

PowerT– White chocolate cake with orange buttercream and white sprinkles.  Add an edible T for 50 cents.

Pumpkin Pie– Our Pumpkin pie cake with vanilla buttercream, sprinkled with cinnamon.

Red Velvet– Red velvet cake with white chocolate cream cheese frosting, cake crumbles topper.

Root Beer Float- Root beer flavored cake with vanilla ice cream frosting, root beer drizzle.

Salted Caramel– White chocolate cake, caramel filling, vanilla buttercream, caramel sauce drizzle, sprinkled with sea salt.

Seeded Watermelon– Think Jolly Rancher watermelon flavor, toned down. With mini chocolate chip “seeds”, green vanilla buttercream.

Snicker doodle– White chocolate cake sprinkled with cinnamon, vanilla bean buttercream with cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top.

The Devil’s Food– Chocolate cake spiced with cinnamon and cayenne pepper, frosted with dark chocolate cinnamon icing, decorated with a red fondant chili pepper.

Tiramisu–White chocolate cake filled with coffee buttercream, frosted with vanilla bean frosting, dusted with cocoa and espresso powder.

Toasted Coconut– Toasted coconut cake with vanilla buttercream icing and filling sprinkled with toasted coconut.

Triple Chocolate– Triple chocolate cake with chocolate ganache filling, chocolate fudge frosting, sprinkled with shaved chocolate.

Tuxedo– Triple chocolate cake with white vanilla buttercream icing, two chocolate triangles with piped buttons and bowtie.

White Chocolate Champagne * **-White chocolate cake made with champagne frosted with white champagne buttercream and decorated with sugar pearls.

White –on– White– White chocolate cake with white buttercream icing, white sprinkles.

White raspberry– White chocolate cake with raspberry filling, white buttercream frosting.

White Russian*– White chocolate cake made with Kahlua and Vodka frosted with Kahlua buttercream.

Chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes

by: Chica

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It’s no secret that I love sweets and cupcakes are right up there at the top of my list of favorite desserts. A friend of mine recently visited and brought me some delectable chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes that were such a yummy blend of cookie and cake that I knew I just had to find a way to recreate it myself. And boy, did I! Check out my super easy recipe that just involves mixing cookie dough and cake batter together in the right quantities. Then get ready to stuff yourself silly. And then if you have any left, you can use them to wow your friends!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes Recipe

• 2-1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 12 oz chocolate chips
• yellow box cake mix plus ingredient it requires
• cookie dough frosting (see recipe below)

Make the cookie dough: Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in a bowl and set aside. Use stand mixer to cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, allowing each to incorporate fully before continuing. Add vanilla and mix well. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and continue to mix until fully blended. Add the chocolate chips and mix for just a minute until they are evenly distributed in the cookie dough.

Mix cake mix according to directions on box. Add 2 cups of cake batter to the cookie dough and mix gently. (Remaining batter can be used for regular cupcakes). Fill lined cupcake pan 3/4 full and bake at 350 F for 20 minutes. When cupcakes are cool, add frosting.

Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in a bowl and set aside. Add butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, allowing each to incorporate fully before continuing. Add vanilla and mix well. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and continue to mix until fully blended.

Add the chocolate chips and mix for just a minute until they are evenly distributed in the cookie dough. Set dough aside.

For the cake batter, I prefer to keep it as simple as possible and go with a classic stand-by, Betty Crocker SuperMoist Yellow Cake Mix. Mix the cake mix according to package directions (with eggs, oil, and water).

You should now have about 4.5 cups of cookie dough and 4 cups of cake batter. Time to start mixing! I’ve tested different ratios and found that 2 parts dough to 1 part batter works the best (but you can use more dough for a denser cupcake or more batter for a lighter cupcake).

So with the 2:1 dough/batter ratio, that means you’ll dump all of your cookie dough into a big bowl and add 2 cups of cake batter to it. (Later on, you can use the rest of the cake batter to make regular cupcakes.)

Gently mix it all up, just until incorporated. Doesn’t it look delectable already?

Now put cupcake liners into your muffin pan and fill them 3/4 of the way with your dough/batter mix, then bake at 350 F for 20 minutes. This recipe should make about two dozen cupcakes.

Give the cupcakes a few minutes to settle before digging in to them, so that the cookie part of it can finish cooking. You know how it goes with cookies… you have to let them sit just a few minutes.

Then, feel free to break one open and enjoy the ooey, gooey, chocolate yumminess!

Whatever cupcakes have survived this far would be even better with frosting on them, and once they’re fully cooled, you can frost them without risk of it melting.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Frosting Recipe

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp molasses
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1-1/4 cups powdered sugar

Add all ingredients to bowl of stand mixer and whip up until light and creamy.

This is my favorite part of this recipe. My newly invented, homemade, cookie dough frosting! I used all the same flavors and most of the same ingredients as go into cookie dough, but in a sweeter and smoother variation. You will love it.

Before I continue, let me answer some questions you’re probably already asking:

1. “Is that enough frosting?” Probably not. This recipe only makes enough to put a small swirl of frosting on each cupcake, but I wanted to make the recipe easy to double or triple (or quadruple!) if you want, so I gave the smallest quantities possible. I recommend doubling to start.
2. “Why molasses?” Well, typical cookie dough has brown sugar in it, but using brown sugar made the frosting too gritty, so I couldn’t do that. Since brown sugar is brown because it has molasses in it, I got the same flavor by just adding a little molasses to the recipe and using powdered sugar.
3. “Flour? Really?” Seems weird, I know, but cookie dough has flour in it, and if we want this frosting to taste like the real thing, it needs that flour in there!

This frosting is so easy to make. Just take all those ingredients and put them in your stand mixer bowl and whip them up until light and creamy.

Use an disposable icing bag fitted with a large star tip to pipe swirls of the yummy frosting onto your cupcakes, and optionally top with a chocolate chip or two.

P.S. Jo insists that I tell you that the cupcakes taste best warmed up for 10 seconds in the microwave. Heavenly!

Jo’s Li’l Cupcake update; Jan Fetterly send-off Saturday – Eagle News Online

Shirley and Mike Martin planned to open their new business – Jo’s Li’l Cupcakes – on Election Day, but they needed a few extra days to complete the interior renovation of the shop that had long housed Chris’s Flowers Etc. at 141 First St., in the village.

The ovens went into overdrive and the doors swung open on Tuesday, Nov. 13.

Mike’s contractor brother, Jeff Martin, gave the room a wide-open feel complemented by a couple tables and a few easy chairs and a rock’n’roll décor accentuated by electric guitar imagery and a tabletop collage of concert tickets.

Comfort is a bonus at Jo’s Li’l Cupcake where the namesake confection gets top-billing. Every day the Martins bake 15 different colorful cupcake varieties from orange to pumpkin to peanut butter. They sell them for $1 each or $5 for a six-pack.

Customers can wash down the puny pastries with Paul de Lima coffee, tea, cider or gourmet soda pop made by Cooper’s Cave Ale Company of Glens Falls. The orange cream soda tastes like a carbonated creamsicle. Deelish! Shirley also bakes mini-pies, cakes ($5 each) and specialty breads ($3) and cookies (two for $1).  

While Jo’s is named after the Martins’ pet terrier, you won’t find Jo wandering around the premises — “Because we sell food for humans, we really can’t have him in here,” Mike explained — but the shop also sells pet treats, a real bargain at three for $2.

Got an idea for a brand new kind of mini-cupcake? “We love special orders,” Mike said. “Ask us about Jo’s li’l party pack.” Call Jo’s at 632-8269.

Sam & The Twisters

On Aug. 13, when the oldies band Smokin’ played for Liverpool Is The Place at Johnson Park, hundreds of friends and fans of drummer Jan Fetterly turned out to bid the old Twister good-bye. He and his wife, Nancy, are starting a new life in sunny Arizona.

This weekend Smokin’ hosts another send-off for Fetterly with a Sam & The Twisters reunion from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24, at the Goodtime Banquet Hall, 526 Teall Ave., in Syracuse.

Fifty years ago the Twisters featured leader-guitarist Sam Amato along with guitarist Mickey Palumbo, bassist Al Wolf and Fetterly. Amato died Feb. 17, 2011, in Florida after a long battle with cancer. On Nov. 24, Fetterly, Wolf and Palumbo will welcome Smokin’ guitarist Frank Rhodes to the stage to fill in for the late bandleader.

During the band’s heyday Sam & The Twisters packed places like the Red Dog Saloon, Hewitt’s, The Brookside, the Holiday Bowl, the Fayetteville Inn and Liverpool’s own Club 320.

In 1963, Sam & The Twisters and the Bigtree Sisters backed up Baron Daemon (Channel 9’s Mike Price) to wax “The Transylvania Twist. ” The disc sold 12,000 copies to become the area’s top-selling 45 rpm record ever. Mike Price will appear at the Nov. 24 performance to share recollections of portraying Baron Daemon.

The Nov. 24 dance party is open to the public. Admission costs $10 in advance or $15 at the door, and that includes a sandwich buffet, antipasto and coffee. Legal beverages will be available for sale at the Goodtime Banquet Hall bar, located on the top floor of Klub Polski, the Polish-American Citizens Club.

For tickets, call Goodtime Banquet Hall owner Mickey Vendetti at 345-1002, or purchase them from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily at Gilligan’s Pub, 3601 James St.; mickeyvendetti.com.

‘Eat & Greet’

Thanksgiving weekend is a swell time for reunions. It’s true for families and it’s true for long-lived rock’n’roll bands.

Sam & The Twisters revive the Sixties Saturday night on Teall Avenue (see above),  while another local rock legend, Todd Hobin, hosts an “Eat & Greet” CD release party at Nov. 24, at Monirae’s (formerly the Red Door North), on County Route 10, in Pennelville.

“My band is celebrating its first album release in decades,” Hobin said, “so we’re throwing a party on Saturday night.”

A home-cooked $15 dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m., followed by an acoustic set at 8:30 and an electric set at 10 p.m. Admission to the rock set only will cost $10; 668-1248; [email protected]

Diggin’ up Tulip Street

What the heck’s happening under the house-sized plastic roof in front of Ophelia’s Place at 407 Tulip St.?

A few weeks back Ophelia’s Place had a water main break.

“The Onondaga County Water Authority was there promptly to repair it,” reported Ophelia’s Dan Clausen. “Unfortunately, they shot the new water line through concrete-encased Verizon lines.”

Now everyone’s patiently waiting for Verizon to repair its injured fiber-optic cables.

Meanwhile, Dan and his crew at the Café at 407 had a little fun with the unsightly construction site. “We told some inquisitive folks that we were starting an exclusive underground club, and this was going to be the new entrance,” Dan said. “Not sure any of them bought it.”

Related

healthy chocolate cupcakes | Jo’s Delights

It sounds egotistical to say that I know my cupcakes taste good, but it’s true. And it hasn’t just been me telling everyone– I’ve had several people rave about my cupcakes! I guess there’s no shame in being good at something and knowing it. ?

But, I can now say that I’m a prize-winning baker… it’s legit. Kind of. The artwork prize is from Leslie McCarthy (Please, please, please check out her website for more artwork!)

The weekly ladies Bible study group was holding a ‘snack’ competition. And these little guys won “Best Sweet Snack.”

(And my kitty sure thinks I’m a winner! She’s been a fan of my buttercream for years! Besides, every time the camera comes out my little girl has to ham it up. It’s just like having a child, I’m sure of it!)

While the last weeks have been filled with more adventurous cupcakes- those with less traditional flavors, like apple cider and margarita- I decided to go back to the basics and stick with what I do best. The original. The signature.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting.

I begin with a chocolate cupcake recipe. Second to the fudgy beet cupcakes, this chocolate cupcake recipe featuring Greek yogurt is a favorite.

Even though I HATE yogurt, you can’t even taste it in this recipe. Trust me. I HATE yogurt, like I said. ?
You’ll want to begin with 1 container of a good vanilla Greek yogurt. I used Yoplait, because that’s what I had coupons for. The 5.3oz size is all you really need.

You’ll also need your basic cupcake ingredients: sugar, egg, flour, milk (buttermilk in this case), water, baking soda, vanilla… But there’s one twist!

I used a combination of white and brown sugar. It’s unusual to have brown sugar in a cupcake recipe, but I find that it really helps balance the Greek yogurt which can be a bit sour-tasting (hence the reason I don’t like it). The added sweetness helps fool you into not even noticing that there is no oil or butter in this recipe. At least that’s what I tell myself.

I won’t try to fool you into believing that this is all healthy. I DID use my peanut butter frosting, which negates any healthy properties of the low-fat cupcakes. Or, maybe you can justify having your frosting because the cupcakes aren’t as fatty. You can always use a whipped frosting, or marshmallow frosting is you’d prefer. I just love the taste of peanut butter and chocolate.

You’ll whisk the dry ingredients with the yogurt and sugars, Mix in an egg,some cocoa, and buttermilk Finish off with some boiling water and you have a beautiful batter.

The outcome is a traditional looking chocolate cupcake. Nothing extremely spectacular to look at, but it is mighty tasty.

It certainly needs frosting though!

I wanted to decorate them in a cute fall theme, so I tinted some of my peanut butter frosting a darker brown color and piped on trees using a size 2 Wilton tip. I covered the top in festive mini leaf sprinkles.
To do this, you’ll want to flatten the top of your frosting. I piped on a bit of frosting, then used a spatula dipped in warm water to smooth out the top, as so:

These particular ones didn’t get completely flat, but flat enough for the trees.

I loved just sprinkling them on top then turning the cupcake over to remove the rest of the sprinkles that didn’t fit. I wanted it to look like the leaves were falling off the trees, so the trees don’t need to be covered heavily with the sprinkles.

Everyone thought the trees were a cute idea, but I knew I had some frosting lovers as my audience. So, SWIRLS! 

These still look absolutely cute. But it’s basically a 1:1 ratio of cupcake to frosting, which isn’t a problem in my house!

Chocolate Greek Yogurt Cupcakes
Ingredients:

1 (5.3oz) container of Vanilla Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar (I used light brown)
1 egg
1 cup AP flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used a heaping 1/2 cup)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 buttermilk (I used dry buttermilk -found in the baking aisle- and mixed it with skim milk instead of water)
1 tsp vanilla (I never measure it, but since the yogurt is vanilla flavored, I didn’t use as much)
1/2 boiling water

Directions:

1-If using liquid buttermilk, measure into a measuring cup, add vanilla, and set aside. If using the dry buttermilk, combine the powder with the dry ingredients and measure out 1/2 cup of milk or water and set aside.
2-Combine sugars, egg, and yogurt in a large mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed until well combined.
3-Combine dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk together.
4-On medium speed, slowly alternate the dry and wet (buttermilk) ingredients into the bowl with the sugar/yogurt mixture. Begin and end with the dry mix and make sure it is incorporated before adding more.
5-Gently add boiling water on a low mixing speed.
6- Fill a lined cupcake pan 3/4 of the way full for mini cupcakes, 2/3 for standard cupcakes.
7- Bake at 350 for 10 minutes for the minis and 15-17 minutes for the standard or until a toothpick inserted in the middle removes clean. The cupcakes will have a moist/shiny top, so don’t let appearances fool you. These can be completely cooked but appear wet on the top.

**Note: I don’t have a recipe available for my peanut butter frosting (top secret!) but you can find many recipes online that are tasty.

Disney Parks Mother’s Day Foodie Guide

Mother’s Day is May 9, and what better way to express love and appreciation than something delicious at Disney? Guests can treat mom during their visit to Disney with yummy cupcakes, desserts, brunches, and specialty sips created for Mother’s Day. But to be clear, we love and appreciate moms every day! Happy Mother’s Day!

Walt Disney World Resort

Creature Comforts, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park (mobile order available)

Flame Tree Barbecue, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park (mobile order available)

Restaurantosaurus, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park (mobile order available)

• Mother’s Day Cupcake – Chocolate cake with strawberry ganache filling and white chocolate frosting (available Apr. 30 through June 1)

Tiffins Restaurant, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

• Mother’s Day Dessert – Coconut and caramelized pineapple mousse, coconut sorbet, almond crumble, pineapple gel, and cherry sauce(available May 9)

Coral Reef Restaurant, EPCOT

• Raspberry and Chocolate Mousse Tart – Vanilla tart filled with raspberries and chocolate mousse topped with raspberry mousse and wrapped with chocolate rope (available May 9)

Le Cellier Steakhouse, EPCOT

• Lemon Cream and Berry Charlotte – Lemon and vanilla bean cream with ladyfingers topped with fresh berries (available May 9)

Amorette’s Patisserie, Disney Springs

• Dipped Strawberry Bouquet – Strawberry dipped in Guayaquil dark chocolate (available May 7-10)

Marketplace Snacks, Disney Springs

• A Mother’s Day Swirl – A swirl of DOLE Whipstrawberry and chocolate soft-serve with chocolate-dipped strawberry garnish (available May 7-10)

Landscape of Flavors, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (mobile order available)

World Premiere Food Court, Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort (mobile order available)

Everything Pop Shopping and Dining, Disney’s Pop Century Resort (mobile order available)

• Mother’s Day Sweet Blossom Cupcake – Vanilla cupcake with marshmallow crème filling topped with strawberry buttercream, white chocolate flower blossoms, and sprinkles (available May 6-9)

Contempo Café, Disney’s Contemporary Resort

• Mother’s Day Red Velvet Cupcake – Red velvet cupcake with cream cheese icing and cream cheese-buttercream icing garnished with sprinkles and a Mother’s Day chocolate plaque (available May 7-9)

Gasparilla Island Grill, Disney Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (mobile order available)

• Mother’s Day Mimosa Miniature Gâteau – Champagne-infused sponge cake with orange-scented mousse topped with white chocolate slipper(available April 23-May 9)

Barefoot Pool Bar, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Tambu Lounge, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

• Raspberry Lemonade Cocktail – A refreshing blend of vodka and flavors of raspberry and lemon (available May 7-9)

Capt. Cooks, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

• Mother’s Day Butterfly Cupcake – Chocolate cupcake with raspberry mousse filling and buttercream icing (available May 7-9)

Pineapple Lanai, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

• Key Lime Pie Sundae – Lime soft serve, graham cracker crust, blood orange mango jam, and topped with a macaron (available May 7-9)

The Artist Palette, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort (mobile order available)

Good’s to Go, Disney’s Old Key West Resort

• Mother’s Day Cupcake – Vanilla cake with a peach compote, spiced vanilla buttercream peach mousse, and a white chocolate hat (available April 24-May 9)

Roaring Fork, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (mobile order available)

• Mother’s Day Cupcake – Tres leche cupcake with vanilla buttercream and a chocolate butterfly(available May 6-9)

The Market at Ale & Compass, Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort (mobile order available)

The Beach Club Marketplace, Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort (mobile order available)

• Sweeter Than Roses – Creamy raspberry mousse on chocolate hazelnut cake with ruby red raspberry center and chocolate fondant decorations(available May 2-9)
• Mother’s Day Bouquet Cupcake – Red velvet cupcake filled with rich chocolate mousse and decorated with an array of buttercream flowers (available May 2-9)

Join us for Mother’s Day brunch at these Walt Disney World Resort restaurants:

Disneyland Resort

Ballast Point Brewing Company, Downtown Disney District

Lobster Ravioli with Shrimp and Heirloom Tomato – Lobster and ricotta-stuffed raviolis, shrimp, heirloom tomato, asparagus, tarragon-lemon cream sauce, and Parmesan. View full menu here (available May 8-10)

Naples Ristorante e Bar, Downtown Disney District

• Mother’s Day Weekend Cocktails – Enjoy three specialty cocktails including the Rossini (prosecco and strawberry purée) and the Ruby (vodka, elderflower, and grapefruit). View full menu and make reservations here (available May 7-9)

Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen, Downtown Disney District

• Bananas Foster French Toast with Bacon – Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen’s famous banana Foster sauce over sweet French toast. View full menu and make reservations here (available May 9 until 3 p.m.)
• Creole Caprese Salad – Vine tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, blue crab, sweet yellow pepper emulsion, lemon olive oil, and basil-arugula pesto. View full menu and make reservations here (available May 9)

Salt & Straw, Downtown Disney District

• Eat Your Flowers Series 2021 –Vivid flowers, bright fruits, and potent aromatics that draw us outside no matter the forecast. Flavors include Rhubarb Crumble with Toasted Anise, Wildflower Honey with Ricotta Walnut Lace Cookies, Jasmine Milk Tea & Chocolate, and Mathilde’s Hibiscus & Coconut Sherbet (available April 23-May 27)

Tortilla Jo’s, Downtown Disney District

• Mother’s Day Brunch – Special brunch menu featuring items like enchiladas, chilaquiles, churro French toast, and huevos rancheros. View full menu and make reservations here (available May 9)

Dean has been writing and blogging for over 10 years. He specializes in Disney theme park news including updates, openings, special events and general advice for travelers. He doesn’t shy away from the good, the bad and the ugly. His previous work includes being a Cast Member at Disneyland and working as a travel agent.

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Mouseplanet – Disneyland Resort Update for April 27

Disneyland Resort Update for April 27 – May 2, 2021

News and Views

HEADLINES AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED HERE ON PAGE LOAD!

Disneyland Resort readies for reopening day

Disneyland will have been closed to the public for 1 year, 1 month and 16 days when it reopens this Friday, and fans can’t wait to take their first steps onto Main Street, U. S.A.

With so much excitement around the opening, it’s hard to remember that a lot has changed since you last saw Sleeping Beauty Castle in person. If you’re heading to Disneyland for opening weekend, here are some things to remember.

Tickets and reservation confirmation

You need both a theme park ticket and a park reservation confirmation for the same day to enter the theme parks, so it’s a good idea to know how to access those on the Disneyland mobile app. You can also print out the email confirmation you received from Disney, but really, use the app if you can.

Proof of residency

Disney says that proof of residency may be required to enter the theme parks. We aren’t going to get into the debate of whether Disney will or won’t check IDs—we’re just going to remind you that they reserve the right to. If you’re at all uncertain whether your government-issued ID is enough to confirm you as a resident of California, you can always bring a utility bill or some other official correspondence with you just in case.

If you are active military and your ID doesn’t reflect a California address, you can use a copy of your orders to verify residency.

Parking

Theme park parking is only available in the Mickey and Friends and adjoining Pixar Pals parking structures—the Toy Story parking lot will not be open. For opening weekend, April 30 through May 2, the parking structure will open at 6 a.m. each day, though the theme park is not scheduled to open until 9:00 a.m.

As with all major Disney events, there are going to be people who just must be the first ones in line at the gates. If that’s you, please keep in mind that California currently doesn’t allow eating or drinking in queues, which means you’ll be waiting for three hours without refreshment. Downtown Disney will not open until 10:00 a.m., so there won’t be an early-morning run to Starbucks, Jamba Juice, or La Brea Bakery.

You will not need to show your ticket or reservation to enter the parking structure, but be prepared for the cast member at the toll booth to ask if you have one. They’re trying to weed out people who show up without tickets before they get turned away at the gate.

Walking, Wheelchairs and Strollers

The Disneyland trams will not be operating, so be prepared to walk about half a mile from the parking structure to the Disneyland main entrance. The accessible vans will be running for guests who need them, but be prepared for a long wait. The tram route has benches all along, so you can stop for a break if needed.

Disney will have wheelchairs, strollers and electric convenience vehicles (ECVs) available for rent at the parking structure, just before the security screening checkpoint.

Masks and Physical Distancing

The Disneyland website states that “face coverings are required for all Guests (ages 2 and older) and Cast Members, including those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine.”

That’s everyone ages 2 and up. Even if you’ve been vaccinated. Even if you hate masks. Even if they smudge your lipstick and make it hard to talk.

Disney cast members are trained to enforce this policy, in the most Disney way possible, so please do not put them in the awkward position of having to remind you to wear your mask properly.

By now we’re all very used to seeing physical distancing markers every six feet whenever we go out in public, but it will still probably come as a surprise the first time you encounter one outside Pirates of the Caribbean. Expect the unexpected during this first trip back to the parks, and be prepared for the new physical distancing measures as you wait in line and board rides.

Rise of the Resistance Virtual Queue

Disneyland’s Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance had only been open for three months when the park closed due to the global pandemic; certainly not enough time for Star Wars fans to get their fill of the incredible attraction. When Disneyland reopens on Friday, Rise of the Resistance will use a virtual queue to assign boarding groups and manage the wait for hopeful riders. This is the same system Walt Disney World uses to manage the queue for its version of the attraction in Florida.

The only way to access the virtual queue is through the Disneyland mobile app, and now there are two chances each day to try for a boarding pass: One at 7:00 a.m. and a second at noon.

AM Virtual Queue

Visitors with a valid park pass and reservation to Disneyland for that day can enter the virtual queue when it opens at 7:00 a.m. each morning, from wherever they happen to be—even their homes or hotel rooms—instead of crashing the gates at opening.

Now that an advance ticket purchase and reservations are required to enter Disneyland, you should be able to link the tickets for your entire travel party well before you try to enter the virtual queue. This is an important step if you want your entire party in the same boarding group once the virtual queue opens, and will allow each person to request a boarding group for the entire party, increasing your chances. We posted step-by-step instructions for linking tickets in Rise of the Resistance Virtual Queue Update, so give that a read if you need a refresher.

PM Virtual Queue

Disneyland will open a second virtual queue at 12:00 noon to accommodate park hoppers. You can also try again if you didn’t get into the morning queue. To enter the afternoon virtual queue, you must have used your ticket to enter a theme park, but you don’t need to still be inside a park at noon (so go ahead and have lunch in Downtown Disney if you want). Guests with park hopper tickets may join the virtual queue while still over at Disney California Adventure, and hop to Disneyland for their boarding group once park hopping begins at 1:00 p.m. each day.

A word of caution from Alan Dalinka, our Walt Disney World editor, “The afternoon slot is risky—if the attraction has had a lot of down time [in the morning], there’ll be no slots.”

Virtual EVERYTHING

The Disneyland mobile app is going to get quite a workout during your visit, so be sure to bring a spare power supply or two. You will want to use the app to check on attraction wait times, place mobile orders at restaurants, and keep an eye on your Rise of the Resistance boarding pass.

Downtown Disney parking update

A new parking policy goes into effect for Downtown Disney starting Friday, April 30.

Prior to the pandemic, Downtown Disney charged an hourly fee for parking, with validation available from participating merchants. The fee schedule was:

• First three hours free with $20 purchase from participating merchandise or quick-service restaurant locations.
• First five hours free with validation from participating table-service restaurants.
• $14 per additional hour, charged in 30-minute increments.
• $56 maximum daily rate.

When Downtown Disney first reopened last June, parking was free, but we noted that Disney had installed self-pay kiosks around the lot. When a $10 flat-rate parking fee went into effect in November, and there was no offer of free or reduced parking with validation.

Starting this Friday, parking will return to an hourly system, and Downtown Disney shops and sit-down restaurants will once again offer validation with a qualifying purchase. However, we hear the details have changed and you may have to spend a bit more at the shops to qualify.

One last change is that Disney is completely eliminating the “complimentary” parking window. Even with validation, shoppers will pay a minimum fee. We haven’t heard what that fee will be, but we expect it will be between $5 and $10, even with validation.

What in the (Sea) World?

If you missed the story last week about Sea World, let’s catch you up.

When California theme parks got the green light to reopen as early as April 1, the state handed down a set of guidelines that regulated everything from how many people could visit a theme park to how long they could remain inside an indoor attraction.

The guidance for amusement parks and theme parks also required theme parks to restrict admission to California residents only, pursuant to a travel advisory from the California Department of Public Health.

One local theme park, Sea World in San Diego, had already reopened under guidelines for zoos, and decided to keep operating under those more lenient guidelines through the spring break period because zoos were permitted to sell tickets to out-of-state visitors.

Last week, the park announced that it was open with rides and roller coasters, and also welcomed out-of-state visitors. A notice posted on the website Tuesday night read:

“Per state COVID-19 restrictions, attendance is limited to California in-state visitors, and now out-of-state visitors will be required to show proof of a completed COVID-19 vaccine or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their park visit (required for guests 3 & up).”

Not surprisingly, this announcement caused quite a stir in the Southern California travel market, with everyone from travel agents to yours truly trying to figure out on what basis Sea World had made this major departure from the published California guidelines—and whether other theme parks might follow suit.

At this point, it’s helpful to note that the state of California has issued a master Blueprint for a Safer Economy for the state, industry-specific guidance for theme parks, along with a travel advisory for residents and non-residents. The three documents are updated periodically, and occasionally contradict one another. Further, the guidelines are extremely situational, which is why Downtown Disney restaurants can operate at 50% of indoor capacity right now, but the Blue Bayou Restaurant inside Disneyland can’t open at all.

While representatives from Sea World didn’t respond to our inquiries, it seems that their actions were based on an addendum made to the Blueprint back on April 13. Though the document still states that theme parks can open to in-state visitors only—and refers back to the CDPH travel advisory, which also prohibits non-essential travel—the addendum states that “fully vaccinated persons from out of state may visit or attend activities or events that are restricted to in-state visitors.”

Even so, Sea World’s policy was not consistent with that addendum, and by Wednesday, the park changed its announcement  to remove the option to provide a negative COVID-19 test. The new announcement reads:

“SeaWorld San Diego is now operating as a theme park. Per state COVID-19 restrictions, attendance is limited to California in-state visitors, and now out-of-state visitors will be required to show proof of a fully completed COVID-19 vaccine (you are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your second shot, or two weeks after the one-dose vaccine).”

The California Amusement Parks Association, an industry trade organization of which the Disneyland Resort is a member, issued a statement last week agreeing that the addendum applies to theme parks, saying, “individual parks may update their own responsible reopening plans in accordance with state and local public health regulations.”

For their part, Disney says, “Until further clarification from the state, only California residents may visit our parks, in line with current state guidelines. Please visit our policy here.”

None of the other major Southern California theme parks have changed their policies at this time, which is truly not a surprise. First, the guidance is not at all definitive, with officials from the California Department of Public Health themselves issuing conflicting statements to the media. While one spokesperson told InPark Magazine that the addendum does encompass theme parks, a different official told Deadline.com that it only applied to “movie theaters, museums, zoos and aquariums,” which are already subject to less-stringent rules.

Second, this is a policy that would be a logistical nightmare to implement. With no standard vaccine passport in place, theme parks would be in the impossible position of having to verify the vaccination status of every traveler, using whatever documentation that person happened to bring with them. And let’s not forget that fakes and forgeries are readily available for sale online.

Also, it’s worth pointing out that children under 16 can’t even get the vaccine at this time, so this may be a great development for those Disney-loving childless millennials we keep reading about, but families with younger kids are still stuck at the border.

As confusing as this situation is, it really puts a spotlight on a much bigger event that’s right around the corner: June 15 is the date Governor Gavin Newsom said the state could be ready to lift most COVID-19 restrictions and “reopen” for business as usual. We’re less than 60 days away from this red-circle day on the calendar, and there’s still no clear guidance on which rules would be relaxed or removed, who and how many would be allowed to visit California, and where they’d be allowed to go once here.

I’m sure theme parks would love some guidance on what to expect so they can start recalling furloughed employees they need to scale up operations, and vacation planners would love to know if it’s time to make reservations yet. Given the economic impact of tourism on the state, it seems a lot better communication is in order.

Anaheim Comeback Tour

Join Todd Pickering and me this Thursday as we take part in the Anaheim Comeback Tour, hosted by our partners at Get Away Today.

As you know, the last year has been absolutely devastating for the city of Anaheim. Because of Disneyland’s extended closure, local hotels were some of the hardest-hit businesses. With the Disneyland Resort reopening this week, we’re going to visit almost a dozen Anaheim area hotels, including some new properties that opened during the pandemic. We’ll check out the rooms, scope out the amenities, and let you know which are best for couples, families, and family reunions!

We’ll also get the details on the new Anaheim Resort Transit system, just in time to head back into Disneyland on Friday. You can follow along on Twitter and Instagram, and be sure to let us know if you have a question about a property we feature.

This and That…

…The MousePlanet Newsletter contains a recap of the week’s articles (in case you miss a day), news that may have developed since the weekly Updates were published, and tips for keeping the Disney magic going at home. We’ll also include a fun bonus, such as an Eye Spy or a trivia question. To subscribe to our free newsletter, just enter your email in the box below.

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Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Note: Due to the ongoing closure of the Disneyland Resort, refurbishment has been postponed or rescheduled. Information presented below was current as of March 14, 2020, but will certainly change when the parks reopen. We recommend checking for updates as you plan your visit. All information is subject to change without notice. To get the most recent updates, visit Disneyland.com or use the MyDisneyExperience smartphone application on your iOS or Android device.

View the different areas of the Resort by scrolling horizontally and selecting the one you want to read about.

Please let us know if the menu bar doesn’t work on your screen.

Disneyland – Theme park

scheduled to reopen April 30, 2021

• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway – under construction in ToonTown; scheduled to open in 2023.

Disney California Adventure – Theme park

scheduled to reopen April 30, 2021

• Avengers Campus expansion – Opens June 4, 2021

Downtown Disney District & Disneyland Resort Parking – Phased reopening began July 9

• Downtown Disney / Simba parking lot – entrance is now off of Disneyland Drive, between West Katella Avenue and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. The former Magic Way lot is closed to the public, currently in use as cast member parking. Parking is now $10 per car.
• Mickey and Friends parking structure – open only during the A Touch of Disney event. Parking is $25.

Many Downtown Disney restaurants and eateries closed in December, 2020 to comply with the State of California’s then-current stay at home orders, and are now reopening in the wake of updated guidance. The information below was accurate at press time, but it is subject to change without notice.

These Downtown Disney restaurants are open:

• Ballast Point Brewing Company
• Black Tap Craft Burgers and Shakes
• La Brea Bakery Cafe
• CrazyShake Window by Black Tap
• Earl of Sandwich
• Jamba
• Naples Ristorante e Bar
• Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen
• Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen Express
• Salt & Straw
• Starbucks East
• Starbucks West
• Splitsville Luxury Lanes
• Tortilla Jo’s
• Uva Bar & Cafe
• Wetzels Pretzels

These Downtown Disney restaurants have not announced reopening dates:

• Catal Restaurant – sign at the location says the restaurant will reopen soon.
• La Brea Bakery Express
• Napolini Pizzeria
• Sprinkles Cupcakes
• Tortilla Jo’s Taqueria – sign at the location says the restaurant will reopen soon.

Some of these Downtown Disney businesses closed in 2018 to make room for construction of a now-canceled fourth Disney hotel, and others just closed up shop for good. We’re waiting to see what Disney does with the vacant buildings and spaces.

• Rainforest Cafe – Now home to the Star Wars Trading Post.
• AMC Theaters – building remains closed, courtyard is used as seating for Downtown Disney restaurants.
• ESPN Zone – building is being used as a pop-up shop
• The VOID – permanently closed in 2020.

Disney Grand Californian Hotel – Hotel unit scheduled to reopen April 29, 2021. Disney Vacation Club unit scheduled to open May 2, 2021.

• Mandara Spa – closed as of July 10, 2019. Will reopen as the Tenaya Stone Spa, date unknown.

Disneyland Hotel – no scheduled reopening date announced

• New DVC Tower – concept plans filed with city of Anaheim. No timeline released.
• Guest room refurbishment – was ongoing at the time of the Resort closure, and expected to be completed in Fall 2020. No updated timeline available.

Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel – no scheduled reopening date announced

Resort Events

Check here to see if a large convention, competition, or park event might fall during your next trip to the Disneyland Resort. If you know of any in-park events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail.

New! Just click the year you want to expand (or close).

2021-2022

• Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa – reopens April 29, 2021
• Disneyland and Disney California Adventure parks – reopen April 30, 2021
• Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa reopening – May 2, 2021
• Paradise Pier Hotel, the Disneyland Hotel reopening – TBD
• Disneyland After Dark: Villains Nite – postponed from Thursday, April 30, 2020. Visitors who had already purchased a ticket to the sold-out event will automatically receive a ticket for the rescheduled event once a date is selected. However, anyone who purchased a ticket and prefers a refund can call 714-781-4636 to request one.
• Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite – postponed from Thursday, August 27, 2020. Visitors who had already purchased a ticket to the sold-out event will automatically receive a ticket for the rescheduled event once a date is selected. However, anyone who purchased a ticket and prefers a refund can call 714-781-4636 to request one.
• A Touch of Disney – March 18 through April 19. All dates sold out.
• CHOC Walk in the Park – the next Walk will be a virtual event on May 22, 2021. Registration is now open.
• Dapper Day (unofficial event) – Fall Outing to Disneyland scheduled for November 13-14. More information on the event website.
• 2022 D23 Expo – September 9-11, 2022 at the Anaheim Convention Center

We also recommend checking the convention calendar at the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau website. When looking at that site, remember to note both the number of people and the number of rooms resulting from each convention. A gathering of 25,000 people booking few room nights (indicating most will be driving in to the area for their meeting) can impact traffic around the resort much more than a crowd of 25,000 staying in area hotels. Of course, that second group is going to make finding a hotel room more difficult (and possibly more expensive), so it’s best to book your own room as early as possible if you see that a big convention is in town during your trip.

Non-Disney Resort Events

Notable events at parks and attractions around Southern California. If you know of an event that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail.

Current Discounts and Promotions

Disneyland prices as of February, 2020.

Note: MousePlanet does not edit past Updates to reflect price increases; for up-to-date prices, check the most recent Disneyland Resort Update. Several current promotions offer discounted admission to the Disneyland Resort. For your convenience, we have grouped the discount offers based on the number of days the tickets are valid. Check out the category that best matches the amount of time you plan to spend at the resort, and pick the offer that works best for you. And keep those tips coming—let us know if you find a better or different offer, so we can share it with other readers!

This first section is a list of discounts on ticket-only purchases. Though it has become more common in recent years, Disneyland tickets are rarely offered at deep discounts unless you are a resident of Southern California or Northern Mexico. For residents outside that area, the best discounts available tend to be simple advance purchase discounts. If you know of any additional discounts, offers, promotions, or contests that should be listed in this section, drop us a line. Note, we are no longer listing offers from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, as their convenience fee negates any savings.

Don’t get scammed! Never buy tickets from an unofficial or secondary outlet, such as through eBay or Craigslist. Never rent or purchase tickets from people approaching you outside the gates stating they have remaining days or leftover tickets. This practice is against the terms of use for Disneyland admission, and may result in denial of entry. It is also common for criminals to shoplift inactivated Disney theme park tickets from supermarkets to resell them. There is no way to determine if these tickets are valid until you try to use them to enter the parks. Only purchase Disney theme park tickets directly from Disney, an authorized seller, or travel agency like MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Today.

Ticket Prices and Promotions

New! Just click the number of days or ticket type you want to view.

123456 or moreAnnual PassportSo Cal CityPASS

One Day Tickets

MaxPass Add-On: $20 per day, per ticket

Check the Disneyland website to see what type of ticket you need for the day you plan to visit. Seasonal pricing applies only to one-day tickets.

Two Day Tickets

• Two-Day, One-Park per Day Ticket – regularly $235/$220
• Two-Day Park Hopper – regularly $290/$275
• MaxPass Add-On – $20 per day, per ticket
• Advance purchase Two-Day tickets – check for current discounts and promotions from Get Away Today

Three Day Tickets

• Three-Day, One-Park per Day Ticket – regularly $310/$290
• Three-Day Park Hopper – regularly $365/$345
• MaxPass Add-On – $20 per day, per ticket
• Advance purchase Three-Day tickets – check for current discounts and promotions from Get Away Today

SoCal Resident Ticket Offer

The Southern California Resident Ticket offers residents of Southern California and Northern Baja California admission to either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure up to three times between January 7 and May 21, 2020.

You can use every day of this ticket at the same theme park, or visit different parks on different days, but you cannot use it to enter both parks on the same day. The ticket is $199 for ages 3 and up, a $20 increase over the 2019 offer.

For an additional $55, you can also upgrade the ticket to a park-hopper, which allows entry to both parks each day, and which is a savings of up to $101 compared to the box office price of a three-day park-hopper ticket.

Although you can purchase tickets at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths on the day of your visit, you will save time and receive one Magic Morning admission when you purchase in advance from MousePlanet partner Get Away Today. You can also purchase by calling (714) 781-4636, or by going online at Disneyland.com.

The Magic Morning offer does not apply to tickets purchased on-site. If purchasing from another third party ticket outlet, double-check that their three-day tickets come with this feature.

There is no “fuse” on this ticket, which means you can use the first admission the day you buy it and wait until May to use the remaining admission. You must, however, purchase the ticket by May 18, 2020. Tickets expire on May 21, 2020, and unlike past years, do not have a spring blockout period. However, we estimate the peak Spring Break crowds will arrive April 5–12, 2020. so plan your visits accordingly.

Disney states that proof of residency is required for purchase and admission, and each resident can purchase up to five tickets per day.

Special Ticket Offer for Kids Everywhere

If you do not live in the qualifying ZIP codes for the Southern California Resident Ticket described above, Disney has another offer valid for travel on the same dates – but this one is only for children ages 3-9. This ticket also comes with a 13-day fuse, so plan your visits accordingly.

The Child Ticket Offer is also valid for travel January 7 through May 21, 2020. The price is $199 for ages 3-9, and each ticket includes one Magic Morning entry when purchased in advance from Get Away Today, calling (714) 781-4636, or online at Disneyland.com.

Tickets must be purchased by May 18, 2020. You must use all entries within 13 days of the initial entry, which provides some flexibility to visit as many as three weekends in a row.

Four Day Tickets

• Four-Day, One-Park per Day Ticket – regularly $340/$320
• Four-Day Park Hopper – regularly $395/$375
• MaxPass Add-On – $20 per day, per ticket
• Advance purchase Four-Day tickets – check for current discounts and promotions from Get Away Today.

Five Day Tickets

• Five-Day, One-Park per Day Ticket – Regularly $360/$340
• Five-Day Park Hopper – Regularly $415/$395
• MaxPass Add-On – $20 per day, per ticket
• Advance purchase Five-Day tickets – check for current discounts and promotions from Get Away Today.

Six Day (or more) Tickets

No longer offered by Disneyland; some travel providers may offer tickets for 6 days or longer as part of a package to international customers; residents of Canada, Australia, or the U.K. should check with local travel agencies to see what options may be available.

Disneyland Resort Annual Passports

Annual Pass Monthly Payment Program

California residents can take advantage of the monthly payment plan when purchasing any but the Premier Annual Passport.

Check with your employer, school or credit union to see if any other discounts are available through them.

Additional Discounts

Did we miss an offer? If you know of an authorized discount on Disneyland Resort tickets, standing offers for Annual Passholders from non-Disney vendors, or other promotions which might interest our readers, please drop us a note!

New! Just click the category you want to expand (or close).

Everyone

Purchase with purchase offers – Disneyland Resort shops frequently offer a reduced-price souvenir (often a tote bag, watch, or blanket) with a qualifying minimum purchase. These are offered at Disney-operated stores only, and selection may vary by location.

Disney usually allows customers to purchase more than one of the offers in a qualifying transaction, so if you spend $40 or more you can buy both items currently available if you wish. If you’re a passholder, the minimum purchase is calculated after your discount, and your discount does not apply to the promotional item.

Character dining vouchers – Disneyland is no longer offering tickets or vouchers to be pre-purchased for Character Dining. You may still make reservations 60 days in advance with payment due at the restaurant.

Annual Passholders

Disneyland Resort merchandise – Disneyland has once again extended the additional 20% merchandise discount offered to Disney Signature Plus, Disney Signature, Disney Premier, and Premium annual passholders, this time through December 31, 2019. All other passholders receive a 10% merchandise discount. Visit the Annual Passholder discount page for specific details and exclusions.

Guided tours – 15% off the regular price of six guided tours – Walt in Walt’s Footsteps; Cultivating the Magic; Discover the Magic; Happiest Haunts; Welcome to Disneyland; and Holiday Time at Disneyland. Visit the Annual Passholder discount page for specific details and exclusions.

Dining – 10–15% off at a variety of Disneyland Resort locations, including Disney-owned and independent restaurants. Visit the Annual Passholder discount page for specific details and exclusions.

Disney Rewards VISA Credit Card Holders

See the Disney Visa website for terms and conditions for all of these promotions.

Character meet-and-greet at Disney California Adventure – cardholders have access to a private character meet-and-greet photo opportunity at Disney California Adventure, and receive one free image download per visit.

Star Wars Imperial meet-and-greet at Disneyland – cardholders have access to a private character meet-and-greet photo opportunity in the Star Tours Launch Bay in Tomorrowland. Offered daily from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. Darth Vader is once again the character featured at this location.

Disneyland Resort merchandise – cardholders also receive 10% off qualifying merchandise purchases of $50 or more from Disney-operated retail stores.

Disneyland Resort dining – 10% off at selected Disneyland Resort restaurants, (River Belle Terrace, French Market, Cocina Cucamonga, Wine Country Trattoria (lunch), Paradise Garden Grill, The Lounge at Steakhouse 55 (breakfast), Steakhouse 55 (breakfast), PCH Grill (breakfast and dinner), and Storyteller’s Café (lunch).

Downtown Disney District dining and merchandise – 10% off at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen (maximum discount of $40, excludes alcohol), Wetzel’s Pretzels, and Alamo Rent a Car.

Disneyland Resort Guided Tours – 15% off the “Welcome to Disneyland,” “A Walk in Walt’s Footsteps,” “Discover the Magic,” and “Cultivating the Magic” guided tours.

Southern California Residents

SoCal Resident Ticket Offer

The Southern California Resident Ticket offers residents of Southern California and Northern Baja California admission to either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure up to three times between January 7 and May 21, 2020.

You can use every day of this ticket at the same theme park, or visit different parks on different days, but you cannot use it to enter both parks on the same day. The ticket is $199 for ages 3 and up, a $20 increase over the 2019 offer.

For an additional $55, you can also upgrade the ticket to a park-hopper, which allows entry to both parks each day, and which is a savings of up to $101 compared to the box office price of a three-day park-hopper ticket.

Although you can purchase tickets at the Disneyland Resort ticket booths on the day of your visit, you will save time and receive one Magic Morning admission when you purchase in advance from MousePlanet partner Get Away Today. You can also purchase by calling (714) 781-4636, or by going online at Disneyland.com.

The Magic Morning offer does not apply to tickets purchased on-site. If purchasing from another third party ticket outlet, double-check that their three-day tickets come with this feature.

There is no “fuse” on this ticket, which means you can use the first admission the day you buy it and wait until May to use the remaining admission. You must, however, purchase the ticket by May 18, 2020. Tickets expire on May 21, 2020, and unlike past years, do not have a spring blockout period. However, we estimate the peak Spring Break crowds will arrive April 5–12, 2020. so plan your visits accordingly.

Disney states that proof of residency is required for purchase and admission, and each resident can purchase up to five tickets per day.

If you know of an offer that we’ve missed, please drop us an email with the details.

Disney Vacation Club Members

Coming soon.

If you know of an offer that you think most Members do not know about, please drop us an email with the details.

Service Members

• Disneyland Resort Military Discounts

  2020 Ticket discounts

  From November 5, 2019 through December 18, 2020, active and retired U.S. military personnel (including active and retired members of the United States Coast Guard, National Guard and Reservists) or their spouses can purchase:

  • Disney Military Promotional 3-Day Park Hopper Tickets for $184 each (an increase of $6 from the 2019 offer)
  • Disney Military Promotional 4-Day Park Hopper Tickets for $204 each (an increase of $6 from the 2019 offer)

  Disneyland tickets may be used January 1 through December 18, 2020, excluding the spring break blockout of April 5–12, 2020.

  Active and retired U.S. military personnel can purchase Disney Military Promotional Tickets for themselves and up to five additional family members or friends. No more than six Disney Military Promotional Tickets may be purchased by any eligible member of the U.S. military (or spouse) pursuant to this offer. All tickets and options are non-transferable and must be used by December 18, 2020.

  2020 Hotel discounts

  Military discounts are valid for stays most nights from January 1 through December 19, 2020. You can book now through December 19, 2020, and travel must be completed by December 20, 2020.

  Disney does not publish the actual discounted rates, and instead asks eligible U.S. military personnel to call (714) 520-7088 to check pricing, availability and to make reservations. In past years, the offer was generally 30% to 40% off, based on room category.

  Unlike the Walt Disney World version, the Disneyland offer allows the eligible service member to book up to two rooms, and allows their spouse (with valid and proper ID) to qualify in the absence of the service member.

  Photopass Discount

  Eligible service members can purchase the Photopass Collection for $49 plus tax through December 21, 2019. The package includes digital downloads of all PhotoPass photos in the user’s account when they redeem the voucher; a voucher for a dining print package, and a Disneyland photo disc with 350 stock photos from around the Disneyland Resort.

  Terms and Conditions:

  Here are some other details you should know about regarding the offers:

  • Disney Military Promotional Tickets may be purchased at participating U.S. military sales outlets ONLY by Eligible Service Members (defined below) or their spouses (but not both), for use by themselves and other family members and friends, as provided herein. These Tickets may not be otherwise transferred, distributed or resold.
  • Eligible Service Members are active or retired members of the U.S. military, including the National Guard, Reservists, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service (PHS), and the Commissioned Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
  • The actual prices charged at the individual U.S. military base ticket offices for Disney Military Promotional Tickets may be less than the prices set forth above.
  • Participating military sales outlets must require that Eligible Service Members (or their spouses) present valid military identification to purchase Disney Military Promotional Tickets.
  • Disney 3-Day or 4-Day Military Promotional Tickets for admission to the Disneyland Resort expire and may not be used after December 18, 2020. Valid military identification will be required for purchase and use.
  • No more than six (6) Disney Military Promotional Tickets may be purchased and (if applicable) activated by any Eligible Service Member or spouse (regardless of the place of purchase and whether purchased by that person or that person’s spouse). In addition, one of the six (6) tickets purchased must be used by the Eligible Service Member or his/her spouse.
  • Each Disney Military Promotional Ticket must be used by the same person on any and all days.
  • The Photopass Collection can be purchased only in person at Kingswell Camera Shop in Disney California Adventure, or at Main Street Photo Supply in Disneyland.

Hotel & Travel Packages

Costco Travel Packages – many different travel packages including visits to Disneyland and Disneyland hotels are available through Costco.

Disney’s Resort Magic and Good Neighbor Magic Packages – these package includes accommodations in one of the three resort hotels or at one of 40 Good Neighbor hotels, along with theme park admission. The packages also come with a variety of extra inclusions and bonuses, usually a souvenir pin and lanyard, and discount coupons for various Downtown Disney merchants.

Contact Disney Travel at (714) 520-5050, book on line. through the Disneyland website, or call your favorite travel agent to inquire about these packages.

If you can’t see the categories, please let us know!

Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

• DL – Disneyland
• DCA – Disney California Adventure

Annual Pass blockouts:

• SL – Southern California Select Annual Pass
• SC – Southern California Annual Pass
• DX – Deluxe Annual Pass
• SG – Signature Annual Pass

Flex Pass blockouts:

• Good to Go – may enter park without prior reservation
• Reservation only – must make advance reservation to enter park
• Blocked out – may not use pass to enter park

Early Admission – full description available on the Disneyland website:

• MM – Magic Mornings for 3-plus day ticket holders and promotional “bonus” tickets.
• EMH – Extra Magic Hour for Disneyland Resort Hotel Guests
• EA – Early Admission for Annual Passholders (not currently offered)

Disneyland Resort Special Events:

• F&W – Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
• GN – Grad Nite. Canceled for 2020
• OBB – Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure

Visit our Annual Passholders Blockout Dates page to see more dates. You can see future calendar schedules at Disneyland. As always, specifics are subject to change without notice (or occasionally, without us noticing) so when information conflicts between what is presented here and that presented by Disney, it is best to assume Disney’s information is correct.

Visit the Park Hours section of our Disneyland Park guide for additional details about Magic Morning and Toontown Morning Madness, including available attractions. Entertainment schedule: Go directly to the Disneyland Resort schedule for this week at Disneyland.com here.

The Ticket Tier calendar is published on the Disneyland website for the next eight to 11 months.

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90,000 Mocca Joe Cupcakes: 11 Steps | 2021

These delicious chocolate muffins have a coffee flavor. I like to chill them and serve them cold with freshly brewed coffee or a cold glass of milk.
Muffins :
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of vegetable oil
1 cup of strong coffee, chilled
3 large eggs
1 cup of sour cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Coffee cream icing:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter softened
3 cups of confectionery sugar
1/4 cup strong coffee, chilled

Consumables:

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Step 2:

Line trays with paper inserts and set aside.

Step 3:

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Step 4:

Add butter, coffee and eggs. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until smooth.

Step 5:

Add sour cream and vanilla extract.

Step 6:

Beat until smooth.

Step 7:

Divide dough evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling every 2/3.

Step 8:

Bake for 16-18 minutes.

Step 9:

Remove from oven and let cool before freezing.

Step 10:

For icing, combine butter, confectioner’s sugar and coffee in a medium bowl. Beat with a mixer until smooth and creamy.

Step 11:

Freeze the muffins and enjoy!

Cool Cupcakes – Actors and Crew – KinoPoisk

Joe Biden suggests looking at yourself from afar – Mir – Kommersant

While US President Donald Trump travels through the “hesitant states” on the eve of elections and organizes rallies of thousands without social distance, his opponent Joe Biden is advocating a radically different approach.A democrat has few events, just as few of them and his supporters. With both rhetoric and campaign style, Mr. Biden emphasizes: unlike the president, he knows how to defeat the coronavirus and takes the pandemic seriously. Sociology is still firmly on his side.

“President Trump said and says that we have passed the peak, that the virus is leaving, that we are learning to live with it. We don’t learn to live with him. You are asking us to learn how to die with him. You can’t do that – at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, Joe Biden was generous in accusing President Trump.“A tough winter awaits us if we don’t change course. Experts warn: our country will lose almost 200 thousand more lives, and this is because the president is more worried about the stock market than about you. ”

A Democrat stood behind a pulpit in the small town of Bristol: the stage was decorated with pumpkins (after all, October 31 – Halloween), which adorned with signs like “Vote for Joe” and “Biden-Harris”, and haystacks.

Spectators were fenced off from the candidate by glass: most of them were their own, separate ones, since it was not a rally in the usual sense of the word, but an auto rally – the Americans gathered to look at the democrat without leaving their cars.Several dozen journalists stood at the stage. The candidate and the press were separated from everyone else by a fencing set at a respectful distance.

US Presidential Candidate Joe Biden

Photo: Andrew Harnik, AP

Often in the United States, cinemas in large parking lots are arranged this way: this time, the main blockbuster was, of course, the coronavirus.

Addressing the spectators who gathered in several dozen cars, Joe Biden explained: he does not want his rallies to become “super-distributors” – sources of massive COVID-19 infections.

However, the Democrat was not only talking about the virus. “The best evidence we have is that temperatures in southeastern Pennsylvania — including Bucks County — are rising faster than anywhere else in the state. How long before the Delaware River floods? We can fix the situation. We have to do this, ”he touched upon the topic of climate change that worries many Democrats. The spectators sitting in the cabins greeted these words with the hum of horns.

He promised that unlike Donald Trump – who supposedly thinks only of his constituents – he will be the president of all citizens.

While Joe Biden was talking about love for all citizens, other citizens arrived at the meeting with him – with flags of the Donald Trump campaign – and began to drown out the speech of the Democrat.

It is noteworthy that the number of second “citizens” was greater than the first.

“I am proudly nominated for the Democratic Party, but I will rule as the American president of every citizen. I will work hard for both those who support me and those who do not, including these boobies with the microphone.This is the president’s job: to take care of everyone, “- found Mr. Biden. Another meeting awaited him ahead, and also in Pennsylvania. While Donald Trump has traveled to several “wavering states” – traditionally complaining about the coronavirus, Joe Biden’s “weakness” and his unwillingness to fight criminals and illegal migrants – the Democrat has chosen a more calm, restrained approach. For example, if a Republican traveled to four states on Saturday (started the day in Florida, then drove to North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin), then the Democrat focused on one.

US President Donald Trump

Photo: Leah Millis, Reuters

He entrusted visits to other states to his entourage – for example, his vice president Kamala Harris was in Michigan on Sunday. And Mr. Biden’s former boss, ex-President Barack Obama, campaigned for his ally in Florida. He also emphasized the difference between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. “The presidency does not change you, it only shows your true face, strengthens you.He (Joe Biden – Kommersant ) made me a better president, ”Mr. Obama assured his supporters. He stressed that Donald Trump completely failed the coronavirus test. “Yes, the very idea that the White House has achieved something other than complete failure is nonsense. Donald Trump will not be able to suddenly take and protect us. He cannot even take a few simple steps and defend himself, ”blamed Mr. Obama.

Donald Trump, susceptible to personal insults, by the way, noticed the activation of Barack Obama and himself criticized him several times in his speeches, invariably calling the democrat by his full name: Barack Hussein Obama.

It was the coronavirus fight that became one of the hottest. When White House chief of staff Mark Meadows openly announced Sunday that the administration was unable to control the epidemic and focus on vaccines and treatment, Joe Biden reacted almost immediately.

“This is not a reservation, this is an honest admission that from the very beginning of the crisis, Trump had one strategy: to hang out a white flag, ignore the virus and hope that it will go away by itself.No, it won’t go away, ”Mr. Biden reacted.

Joe Biden’s measured tactics and punctuated attacks – as opposed to the mighty tour of Donald Trump – is a logical explanation: from the very first days of the race until today, the Democrat, according to polls, has never yielded leadership to the Republican.

90,087 According to RealClearPolitics, an electoral poll aggregator, the Democrat has an 8% advantage over a Republican nationwide, and 3.9% on average for the “swing” states.

As the head of the GBAO Strategies communications agency Margie Omero told Kommersant, in 2020 one should trust public opinion polls more than in 2016, when the majority of such polls did not predict the victory of Donald Trump, but one still cannot count on absolute accuracy.“People tell you they will vote, or maybe they won’t. They give you their own forecast. You have information about them as voters: it can be false. You give the best prediction based on the data you have, but there are changes in voters that can dramatically change the outcome, ”said Ms Omero. According to her, in 2016, many polls did not take into account the level of education, and the lower, for example, a white American’s level of education, the more likely, according to statistics, he will vote for Donald Trump.

Also, as noted by Margie Omero, the theory of “silent trumpists” who hide their true preferences has not received confirmation. According to her, if a person is not aware of the latest news or considers polls unrepresentative, he would rather refuse to participate in them than deceive a sociologist.

“Now people are paying more attention to these facts, but this does not mean that if we work better, we will get better results,” she summed up.

Joe Biden himself, it seems, also does not intend to rest on his laurels. “I am one of those gambling guys who do not stop fighting until the gong has rung. I’m afraid to jinx it, predicting something for myself other than a good fight. We feel comfortable – but I don’t want to underestimate his methods, ”he told CBS.

Alexey Naumov

Sergey, who bakes cupcakes, and his big family | Hromadske TV

“Good afternoon! My name is Seryozha and I bake muffins.I myself am not allowed to make flour products, but I love to cook them for my family and other people. Now I am collecting money for a new food processor (the old one is broken). But it costs 14 thousand hryvnia ($ 561). And in order to quickly collect it and bake it again, I want to arrange crowdfunding: I will bake a cupcake for everyone who will help me collect it for the harvester. ”

I recently received such a message on Facebook from 17-year-old Sergey Yatsenko. I read it and decided to go to him.

This story is about how, despite difficult life circumstances and a difficult diagnosis, a person goes to his dream.

***

Seryozha Yatsenko and his family live in Yuzhny, a 30-minute drive from Kharkov.

Two little boys meet us on the porch of a large private house. Each of them holds a leaf painted with acid colors.

– Look what I drew! – boasts a guy in a sweatshirt with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. – This is the house. And the sky.

On the doorstep we get to know the whole big family. There are so many children that the first time it is difficult to remember all the names.

Mom Oksana Zatsarinnaya leads us into the living room – a spacious room with plain green walls, a minimum of furniture, a corner of soft toys and an icon hanging from the ceiling.

Seryozha – a fragile boy in glasses and a white shirt, whose seriousness contrasts with the behavior of his younger brothers-robbers – immediately hands us a package.

– These are small cupcakes, I baked for a treat, – he says, as if a little shy.

fullscreenPhoto:

Konstantin Bunovsky

Sergey started selling cupcakes two years ago.Caring people presented him with a harvester. Soon there was a queue of customers. However, after a year of non-stop operation, Sergey’s combine broke down. The family cannot buy a new one, so the guy decided to raise money on his own. In the meantime, he continues to cook the muffins, kneading the dough with a whisk.

– The fillings are delicious. Chocolate, raisins, candied fruits, condensed milk. Just yesterday added to the assortment with walnuts, peanuts, almonds.

***

Seryozha finished school in a neighboring village.After the ninth grade, I entered the Regional Mechanical and Technological Center for Vocational Education in Kharkov as a cook-baker-pastry chef.

– I get up, sometimes even at 5 am, but still sometimes I’m late. I take a bus that takes 45 minutes. Then I take the subway, and then another tram.

Classmates nicknamed Sergei President.

– Because you look serious?

– Yes. I’m wearing a shirt now. And they walk in a sporty way. I go into the classroom, they say: “The President has entered!” They ask me when they will make roads in Kharkov.

fullscreenPhoto:

Konstantin Bunovsky

read also

***

Oksana and Oleg Zatsarinny are raising 10 children. The youngest Stepa recently turned three, the oldest Vanya is 18. The couple have only three biological children, but they consider everyone to be relatives.

The family grew on the initiative of his wife – Oksana works as a lawyer in the regional specialized children’s home “Zeleny Gai”. Oleg, who himself grew up in a family with seven children, and is now engaged in construction, supported her in everything.

“When you work, you see children all the time,” says Oksana. – Someone is adopted, taken away, and someone hangs in the system. You look – good children. Why are they not taken? I dont know. I feel sorry for them. When you live together, no one asks the question of who is a biological child and who is not. As a teenager, the youngest son Fedya learned that Seryozha was adopted. I took it normally. All are my children. And Seryozha will say in your ear: “I am dear, and all the others are not.” He feels that way and thank God! ”

fullscreenPhoto:

Konstantin Bunovsky

Oksana assures: because of many years of work in an orphanage, she knew from the very beginning what she was doing, so she did not feel emotional shock when new children appeared in the family.However, in order to adapt them to normal life and teach elementary things, it still took a lot of effort.

“You couldn’t go somewhere for a long time and just leave them,” Oksana recalls. – It was necessary to explain to the child so as not to cry that you will be back soon. Nobody went to kindergarten in Vysokoe, because when you brought the child, he constantly asked: “Will you come?” Everyone brings and takes the children, what if they don’t come back for him? Even now they are afraid that they will be left alone again. “

fullscreen Both were abandoned by their own parents. The doctors diagnosed both of them with a difficult diagnosis.

“Serezha has hydrocephalus and genetic disorders,” explains Oksana. – The set of chromosomes there is a little wrong, and as I understand it, this affects the general exchange processes.He learned to walk only at the age of four. Physical activity, sports are difficult for him, it is mentally difficult, because he is slower than others.

Bogdana has a developmental lag, in particular physical. We are being monitored, and we are given special injections every three months so that she grows up. In December she will be eight, for her age she is too small, of course. The doctors said that if nothing was done, she could remain small. But I think it will outgrow. Serezha also had a diagnosis, and many said that he would not grow up.Fortunately, things turned out differently. ”

In December 2018, the Zatsarinnye moved to a family-type orphanage in Yuzhnoye. New housing for the couple was provided by the state on conditions that the spouses will take five more children. The family was soon replenished with three little boys and two adult girls.

Brothers Stepa, Dima and Misha were taken from Green Guy, and Veronika and Nastya were taken from the rehabilitation center. All of them are from dysfunctional families, deprived of parental rights. For all five Oksana and Oleg are parent-educators, in fact, guardians.

“Misha, Dima and Styopa are brothers, they have one mother, but all fathers are different. Misha Sr., he is six, he remembers drinking, fighting, breaking something around. Dima is four, he is average. He is also lagging behind. He is not yet diagnosed with anything, but for his age he is also small. Step three and he is already outgrowing Dima. But on the other hand, not everyone has to be big. Veronica and Nastya also lived in dysfunctional families. ”

fullscreenPhoto:

Konstantin Bunovsky

Meanwhile Styopa is desperately mutuzin Misha on the floor.The older brother unsuccessfully tries to overcome the younger one.

– If Styopa fights with them – that’s all, hide! The two of them can only fill him up, – Oksana shares her observations.

– Misha, who do you want to be when you grow up? – we are interested in the boy.

– Policemen!

Next year Misha will go to school. Bogdana became a first grader this year. Nastya and Veronica also go to school, the older boys go to college. The little ones are still at home – they promise to build a garden in Yuzhnoye only after the New Year.

Oksana continues to work part-time in the orphanage.

“We receive payments for a child every month. Up to 6 years old – 3600 hryvnia ($ 144), from 6 to 18 – more than four. Someone will say that this is a lot, but it is not a lot. For this money, you have to feed them, clothe them, buy medicines. I don’t quit my job because of this ”.

Social services monitor these families more closely than others. It is especially difficult, says Oksana, to explain to government officials why children go to school later than their peers from average families.We have to constantly report to the Service for Children, the Department of Education and the school itself.

“The system is such that you have to go to different state structures and explain why you don’t send your child to school at the age of 6 or 7,” explains Oksana. – You say: “The child was not yet in the family. He needs more time. He is not ready yet and will not pull the program. Can we go at 8? “They answer:” You are breaking everything in the world. ” But what are we breaking? We will study, but we have a different start, a low start. “

fullscreenPhoto:

Konstantin Bunovsky

***

While we are talking with Oksana, Sergei sits silently on the sofa, his hands folded in his lap. Mom asks him to put the kettle on, and the son obediently fulfills her request, disappearing in the kitchen for a long time.

– Serezha, when he was very little, was pushing all the time in the kitchen, – Oksana recalls. – When you knead the dough, you feel it with your hands. A friend of mine who taught him says that he immediately felt the dough as it should be.It’s good that at that age he found himself. Many people tell him that it is difficult to work in the kitchen, but it will be visible there. So far he just went to study.

– What do you like most of what Seryozha prepares?

– I love what he cooks! – laughs Oksana. – We have to cook a lot. Borsch, for example, we usually cook 10-12 liters. Seryozha will easily cook a gorgeous borscht for you! Porridge, potatoes can cook, stew something, fry. We, of course, help him, but he is also a great help.

Meanwhile the kettle is boiling and Oksana invites us to the table.

fullscreenPhoto:

Konstantin Bunovsky

read also

***

When the family gathers in the kitchen, Seryozha cuts the cake:

– There are two types of dough – brown and white. I added cocoa to one of the parts, it makes the dough thick, – he explains.

– How good it smells, delicious! – advertises the products of his brother Misha.

Styopa meanwhile licks the icing sugar from his piece.

– The main thing is to cook with soul and correctly. One girl asked me for a recipe. I first wrote to her: “No, I will not give it, this is my secret family recipe, why do you need it?” She writes: “Mom will come tomorrow, I want to do something nice for her!” I gave her the recipe, and she made her cake not from wheat, but from corn flour. But from corn it turns out not so lush.

– How long does it take you for one cupcake?

– I make the dough in 10 minutes, it might take 5 minutes in the combine.It is cooked in a combine in about 45 minutes, now without it – 50-55 minutes.

– How much do you usually sell cupcakes for? – we continue to ask Sergei.

– Now 110 UAH costs without filling, and with filling – 130 UAH. I wanted to go to “Masterchef”, but the children’s “Masterchef” is up to 17 years old. As an adult, it will simply be difficult, I think it will be necessary to go there after college.

fullscreenPhoto:

Konstantin Bunovsky

Sergey advertises his products on his personal page on Facebook.Sometimes, however, it also goes to small marketing tricks offline.

– Once I treated people at Novaya Pochta to cupcakes, and then one woman quit her job and met me: “Can I order a cupcake from you?” I made a cupcake, delivered it, she was happy and then ordered another one. First, people need to make an advertisement, treat them – for example, he gave two pieces of cake in a small bag, the person tasted it and said: “Very tasty, can I still order from you?”

– What are your plans for the future? – we ask Sergey at the end.

– I want to open my own bakery or pizzeria. You can have a pizzeria and a bakery at once!

We pick up the gift cupcakes and head to the exit. A large family escorts us to the door.

– Come again! – Misha shouts.

The Bosch MUM58252RU food processor, which Sergey dreams of, costs 14 thousand hryvnia ($ 561). Now he has to collect 1 thousand hryvnia ($ 40). You can help Seryozha by sending money to his account .

A cupcake was found in Antarctica, which was baked at the beginning of the 20th century

Abstracts of publication

• The box in which he was lying is half-decayed
• The cupcake itself has not changed at all in appearance
• Cupcake may have been among the supplies of Robert Scott’s 1911 expedition

Cupcake was found by Antarctic Heritage Foundation staff in Christchurch, New Zealand.It was among other supplies, including canned meat and jam. They survived worse, while the cake, thanks to the cold, did not even begin to decompose. What can not be said about its packaging – a rusty tin box. On its remains, you can still distinguish traces of paper with the logo of the confectionery brand Huntley & Palmers. The researchers did not dare to try the baked goods: it smelled of rancid butter.

Photo: Antarctic Heritage Trust

The finds were in one of the huts at Cape Adair on the shores of the Ross Sea.It is believed that these are the first human buildings on the continent. They have been preserved since the end of the 19th century due to constant subzero temperatures. Since the route of Robert Scott’s expedition to conquer the South Pole in 1911 passed through these places, the cake could well have remained from its dead participants. Antarctic cruise liners often land on the Cape.

Foundation personnel stated that all facilities will be put back in good condition.

90,000 Stellar Twitter: CFDA Fashion Awards, Cycling & Cupcakes

Jessica Alba in Beijing

What a selection from “Twitter” does without the presentation of a prestigious award or stellar appearances on the red carpets.So this time, the celebrities did not leave us without their evening “bows” and exquisite outfits.

Fashion celebrities who keep their finger on the pulse of fashion could not miss the presentation of the CFDA Fashion Awards, one of the most prestigious in the beauty and style industry. Sisters Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Rachel Zoe with her husband and other celebrities shared photos from the ceremony. But Victoria Beckham is not up to awards – the star mom is constantly coming up with new collections that are very popular among star buyers.

In the hot summer, many celebrities moved from stuffy cars to bicycles – they breathe fresh air and is good for health. And for the beach season, the stellar bodies will be tightened, so that not a single paparazzi will “catch” a bad “bow”. Alisha Keys and Doutzen Croesus, without a word, chose glamorous bicycle models for trips. The singer opted for the multicolored version, while the model opted for a bright red bike.

But not all stars strictly follow their shapes.Bar Rafaeli allowed herself to eat a few slices of birthday cake once a year. And Emma Roberts, apparently, has an enviable genetics – the girl loves to have breakfast with cupcakes. Her colleague Busy Phillips was even more fortunate: the actress received a delicious present for breakfast – a cup of fragrant cappuccino with a pattern in the shape of a cat.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen at the CFDA Fashion Awards

Rachel Zoe with her husband (ibid.)

“Two from the Strongbox”: Rachel Zoe with Mandana Diani

Julianne Hough and Malin Ackerman attend another ceremony – Spike TV Guys’ Choice Awards

Victoria Beckham shared her design novelties

And Lenny Kravitz, as always, is absorbed in musical creativity

Zoe Saldana in a jumpsuit from a friend, designer Prabal Gurung

Carly Rae Japsen shows off trousers with hearts

Marc Jacobs has a new tattoo

A “Super Mike” star Joe Manganiello painted a clay figurine

Kat Dilly enjoys New Girl show

Tony Hawk in front of a poster in California

Jessica Alba and Jackie Chan met in China

Spouses Cash Warren and Jessica Alba

Hayley and Hilary Duff at a charity event

Let’s hit with a bike ride: Dautzen Croesus and…

… Alisha Keys

Chris Hemsworth posted a photo before flight

Rumer Willis got the best of it at Disneyland

The spouse photographed the athletic figure of Alicia Keys in a bikini

Kim Kardashian is ready for beach season

Ryan Seacrest was treated to tender brisket

Nick Zano found a funny sign at a wedding: “Shut your mouth and take off your clothes”

And Kellan Lutz boasted a letter from fans

Cartoon by Josh Kelly

Family Portrait: the entire Hilton family

Bar Rafaeli violates the regime: for the sake of a birthday, you can!

Emma Roberts is about to have a delicious cupcake… if you figure out what’s what
in this device

“Appetizing” Victoria Justice

Syara gave Adam Sandler a photo from the iconic basketball game

This is not someone’s “star” baby – Kristen Bell shared her baby photo

Jennifer Hudson with her son David Otunga

Kim Kardashian’s nephew – Mason

Serious Luca, son of Hilary Duff

Jessica Alba’s daughter – Haven – waves at the camera

Joe Jonas prefers ceramic over live cats

Dane Cook shares food with pet

Jamie King with tongued friends

Pleasant morning surprise for Busy Phillips

Results of the “Ideal Cupcake” contest – Curious chef – LiveJournal

Situation next
Works are collected, all participants are great !!!
The random number generator was launched, the publisher chose their winner, although it was not easy, but they made their choice.
Today I will post here links to all works and name the winners.
But today I do not have time to make the beauty in the form of photographs for each link. Therefore, I will update this post after the New Year during the Christmas holidays. I’ll bring a marafet, so to speak. But now you can find a lot of tasty and interesting things and by Christmas you will also have time to bake beauty 🙂
So, works:
Out of competition, without numbers
eastflower http://eastflower.livejournal.com/207744.html
eastflower http : // eastflower.livejournal.com/209080.html
eastflower http://eastflower.livejournal.com/209237.html
eastflower http://eastflower.livejournal.com/209499.html
eastflower http://eastflower.livejournal.com/210103 .html
eva_daren Chocolate-citrus cake with beets http://eva-daren.livejournal.com/135117.html
eva_daren Cupcake with condensed milk without eggs in a slow cooker http://eva-daren.livejournal.com/136909.html

Participants in the drawing:

1. le_nochik Savarin http: // le-nochik.livejournal.com/8889.html
2. lenkazhestyanka http://lenkazhestyanka.livejournal.com/157184.html
3. natavera15 tangerine muffins http://natavera15.livejournal.com/89899.html

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4. / maria /maria-vis.livejournal.com/120694.html
5. brigami “Kiwi muffins” http://brigami.livejournal.com/103359.html
6. julie208 Mandarin muffins http://julie208.livejournal.com/ 32820.html
7. sunpolina Cupcake with persimmon, cinnamon and whole grain flour http: // sunpolina.livejournal.com/144040.html
8. t_brenon Lemon cake http://t-brenon.livejournal.com/54929.html
9. cyetacyet Curd cake with raisins and dried apricots http://cyetacyet.livejournal.com/49528. html
10. exituss banana – http://exituss.livejournal.com/125268.html
11. jd_ganna stollen – http://jd-ganna.livejournal.com/67710.html
12. bigmir81 Fast grandma with cocoa http : //bigmir81.livejournal.com/265150.html
13. pepelnaya http: // pepelnaya.livejournal.com/853377.html
14. halynatykhoruk Curd cake with tangerine juice – http://halynatykhoruk.livejournal.com/60244.html
15. val_officinalis Christmas cake from Emily Elizabeth Dickinson. com / 55299.html
16. julie208 New Year’s cupcake with surprise http://julie208.livejournal.com/34029.html
17. natavera15 Yorkshire cupcake http://natavera15.livejournal.com/91836.html

    26
    _906gan English christmas cupcake – http: // jd-ganna.livejournal.com/70824.html

18. lily_rocha Yoghurt cake http://lily-rocha.livejournal.com/87080.html
19. bigmir81 http://bigmir81.livejournal.com/266028.html
20. cyetacyet – apple-almond muffins (Strawberry, apple and almond breakfast muffins) http://cyetacyet.livejournal.com/51511.html
21. maria_vis Apple cake with honey and lemon http://maria-vis.livejournal.com/121737 .html
22. seredan Superfruit Christmas Cupcake – http: // seredan.livejournal.com/74743.html
23. t_brenon Carrot and nut muffins http://t-brenon.livejournal.com/55438.html
24. lily_rocha Saffron cake http://lily-rocha.livejournal.com/87523. html
25. sweetblog http://sweetblog.livejournal.com/94407.html
26. nimfeechka with a chocolate orange ring.)) http://nimfeechka.livejournal.com/122494.html?view=3156606#t315677606
27. nimfeechka cupcake … Christmas. http: //nimfeechka.livejournal.com / 123037.html
28. lily_rocha Scottish Dundee cake http://lily-rocha.livejournal.com/87957.html
29. lily_rocha Lemon yogurt cake with syrup http://lily-rocha.livejournal.com /88168.html
30. bigmir81 Silky cake: http://bigmir81.livejournal.com/266779.html
31. lanochka08 English banana cake “To the breakfast!” http://lanochka08.livejournal.com/153167.html
32. zoryanchik Coconut muffins http: //zoryanchik.livejournal.com / 517792.html
33. surrealnay English cupcake http://surrealnay.livejournal.com/64786.html
34. nimfeechka Christmas cupcake. http://nimfeechka.livejournal.com/123327.html
35. nina_minina Zebra … http://nina-minina.livejournal.com/283601.html
36. brigami http://brigami.livejournal.com/ 104150.html
37. julie208 Chocolate cake without flour http://julie208.livejournal.com/34496.html
38. jd_ganna http: // jd-ganna.livejournal.com/73932.html
39. sago_cuisine Marble cake: http://sago-cuisine.livejournal.com/230565.html
40. lily_rocha Curd cake http://lily-rocha.livejournal.com/88609.html
41. sunpolina http://sunpolina.livejournal.com/147461.html
42. yul_yashka Christmas fruitcake http://yul-yashka.livejournal.com/52206.html
43. maria_vis Banana cake with dried fruits and dried fruits : //maria-vis.livejournal.com/123321.html
44. zykerka_zuki Westmorland Pepper Cake http://zykerka-zuki.livejournal.com/143029.html
45. cream_of_tartar Eve wreath from Pierre Hermehttp: //creative wreath by Pierre Hermé /6112.html
46. zoryanchik Lemon-coconut muffin in a slow cooker http://zoryanchik.livejournal.com/518997.html
47. lanochka08 muffins- chocolate muffins with cherries http://lanochka08.livejournal.com/15
48. eva_daren Condensed milk cake without eggs in a multicooker http: // eva-daren.livejournal.com/136909.html
49. liligorina http://liligorina.livejournal.com/85533.html
50. silverina1 Chocolate whiskey cake – http://silverina1.livejournal.com/27731.html

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51. nina French muffin or four quarters) http://nina-minina.livejournal.com/285011.html
52. annet_bakery Spicy muffin with wine and prunes http://annet-bakery.livejournal.com/1877.html
53. dons66 Pumpkin cake on kefir with cinnamon http: // dons66.livejournal.com/37808.html
54. natavera15 pumpkin cake with chocolate http://natavera15.