Sweet as Pie Crimes (19 page)

Epilogue

La Jolla Cove, California

Along the Shores

of the Pacific Ocean

4 Months Later…

Waves undulated rhythmically as I glided along the sugar white sand beach.  In the distance, a little girl ran towards me, hiding something in between her hands.  I smiled and started running towards her until we were face to face in ankle deep water.

“Look what I found, Danica!  It’s a shell shaped like a heart!” Proudly, Mackenzie handed me the discovery as I tossed a tender glance over my shoulder to Lane, who was just a few steps behind.

“It’s the most beautiful shell I’ve ever seen,” I gushed as Mackenzie beamed.

Lane and I had been inseparable ever since he returned from his away game in Dallas.  During the past few months, I had also grown closer to his daughter, who frequently begged to help me bake at Cupcakes by the Sea.  At last, my bakery was thriving after Sally’s Scones & Sweets had been permanently shut down.  Police learned that the mayor’s daughter had played a pivotal role in the scandal, obtaining tainted ingredients and hatching the health inspector plot for Sam O’Donnell to carry out.  Now both father and daughter were securely behind bars after pleading guilty to multiple charges including fraud, breaking & entering and, most serious of all, attempted murder.  The prosecutor was relentless in pounding the point that countless victims, including children, could have been poisoned had the toxic ingredients ever made their way into my cupcakes.

As for Betty, she was still working at the real estate office, but I hadn’t heard a peep from her since her husband’s death.  Rumors floated all around Sea Ridge that she had gotten away with murder, as Marvin’s death was a closed case and ruled an accident.  I had my suspicions that she was responsible too, but I couldn’t dwell on those thoughts.  Aunt Marilyn, who was glowing even more brightly since she started dating a new man, was also trying to move forward.  Our lives were finally sailing smoothly, and we weren’t about to disturb the flow by concerning ourselves with basketcase Betty.

“That’s lovely, sweetheart,” Lane praised his little girl.  “And it’s funny because I’ve got something for you too, Danica.”

“You do?” I asked mischievously.  “What is it?”

Digging into his pocket, he pulled out a thick folded envelope and placed it in my hands.  As my fingers tore the seal open, I wondered what it could be.  Two tickets for a romantic vacation?  Or maybe season passes so I could attend all of his away games?  As I read the document, my hands quivered and tears glistened like the sunlit ocean in my eyes. 

“I can’t believe you did this.  Thank you!” I threw my arms around Lane’s neck as he gathered me into his embrace.

“I know how much you miss your father, Danica.  And since I’ll never get to meet him, I wanted to do something in his honor.”

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I looked at the name emblazoned on the official document: George Mulrooney.  I imagined how proud my father would be to have a baseball scholarship named in his honor.  Best of all, Lane had funded the scholarship at the University of Minneapolis, where my father had graduated.  It was the perfect way to immortalize my father while lifting up new generations of young men as well.

Mackenzie tugged on her father’s sleeve.  “Can we go back to the bakery now and have some cupcakes?”

Lane and I laughed in unison at her one-track mind.  “I think that can be arranged!” I said amiably as we walked off the beach hand in hand in hand.

***

*BONUS SECTION*

10 TEMPTING CUPCAKE RECIPES

TURN THE PAGE TO START DECORATING LIKE DANICA!

Recipe #1

Caramel Drizzle Cupcakes

1 box golden cake mix

1 stick butter

2/3 cup milk

3 eggs (organic, cage-free)

1/2 can
dulce de leche

Caramel sauce for
drizzling

Can of vanilla icing (Duncan Hines, Pillsbury, etc.)

Prehe
at oven to 350. Line 2 muffin pans with colorful gold foil cupcake liners.  In a bowl, combine cake mix, butter, milk and eggs. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. In another bowl, mix together the 1/2 can of dulce de leche with 1 cup of batter and set aside. Fill the muffin tins halfway.  Spoon a tablespoon of the
dulce de leche
mixture into each cupcake liner, and with a butter knife swirl it into the batter. Bake until the tops are golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and cool for 10 minutes.  Once cool, frost with vanilla icing and drizzle with caramel sauce.  Enjoy!

Recipe #2

Swiss Buttercream Cupcakes

1 cup egg whites

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups butter, soft

Whip sugar and egg whites together in a double boiler until the temperature reaches 120 degrees and sugar is dissolved. Transfer to the bowl of a mixer, whip to soft peaks and add butter until fluffy. Use the ingredients and recipe for Caramel Drizzle cupcakes to make the cake.  After cooling, spread the buttercream liberally onto the cupcakes.  Decorate with golden sprinkles.  Sweet!

Recipe #3

Classic Chocolate Cupcakes

1 can of your favorite chocolate frosting

1 bag semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

1 bag Hershey’s kisses (optional)

1 ½ cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup cocoa powder

1 cup water

½ cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vinegar

Mix all ingredients together with a wooden spoon.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Cool and frost.  Place a Hershey’s kiss on the center of each cupcake or pour a cascade of chocolate chips on top.  Yum!

Recipe #4

Chunky S’mores Cupcakes

1 bag of mini marshmallows

Can of chocolate frosting

½ cup chopped peanuts (optional)

Follow the recipe for Classic Chocolate cupcakes.  Fold in 1 cup of mini marshmallows and ½ cup of chopped peanuts into the batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Cool.  Frost with your favorite chocolate icing and decorate with mini marshmallows.

Recipe #5

Maple Sweet Cupcakes

CUPCAKES

1/2 cup
sugar

5 tablespoons
 butter, softened

1 teaspoon
 vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon
maple flavoring

2
 large eggs (organic, cage-free)

1 1/4 cups
 all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons
 baking powder

1/4 teaspoon
 salt

1/4 cup
milk

1/4 cup
100% maple syrup

FROSTING

3 tablespoons 100% maple syrup

2 tablespoons
 butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon
 vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon
 imitation maple flavoring

1/8 teaspoon
 salt

3/4 cups
 powdered sugar

Maple Candies (Optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat
first 4 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until blended.  Add eggs, beating well. Spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine milk and maple syrup. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with milk mixture; mix. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes and remove from pan. For the frosting, beat 3 tablespoons maple syrup and next 4 ingredients (syrup thru salt) at medium speed for 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar, beating until blended.  Spread frosting over cupcakes.  Garnish with maple candies if desired. 
Bon appétit!

Recipe #6

Festive Confetti Cupcakes

1¾ cups cake flour
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1¾ cups sugar
2½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into tiny cubes
4 eggs
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup rainbow sprinkles

Can of your favorite vanilla icing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside. In a mixer, add flours, sugar, baking powder and salt, and mix together on low speed for 1 minute. Add the butter. Keeping the mixer on low speed, add the eggs. Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and mix until everything is combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, until batter is smooth. Using a spatula, stir in rainbow sprinkles.  Fill liners two-thirds full and bake for 20 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Ice with a thick layer of vanilla frosting and pour on the rainbow sprinkles.
Voilà
, a fun and festive dessert!

Recipe #7

Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes

24 Vanilla Wafers
2 (8 oz.) cream cheese packages
3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs, beat
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Cherry pie filling

Place 1 vanilla wafer in bottom of each foil cup cake liner. Beat cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla and lemon juice
; fill cups 2/3 full. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool. Put cherry pie filling on top.  So tasty!

Recipe #8

Mocha Swirl Cupcakes

2 cups sugar

1-3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs (organic, cage-free)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoon
s coffee extract

1 cup boiling water

1 cup milk

Can of
dark chocolate frosting

Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake pans. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Add eggs, oil, milk, vanilla and coffee extract; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water.  Pour batter into lined cupcake pans. Bake 18 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.  Enjoy with a hot cup of coffee!

Recipe #9

Red Velvet Cupcakes

CUPCAKES

2 cups sugar

¾ cup vegetable oil

2 eggs
(organic, cage-free)

2 cups flour

1 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 oz red food coloring

½ cup hot water

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2
tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

FROSTING

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese

4 tablespoons butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325
degrees.  In a bowl mix together sugar and oil until combined. Beat in eggs. Add in buttermilk, vanilla extract and food coloring. Mix until combined. Mix in hot water and distilled vinegar. Add flour. Mix together baking soda, baking powder, salt and add to bowl. Add in cocoa powder. Mix to combine all ingredients. Line a muffin pan with red cupcake liners. Pour each liner halfway full. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cupcakes sit in pan for a few minutes. Make the frosting by mixing together cream cheese and butter. Add in powdered sugar and beat until creamy. Frost and enjoy this romantic treat!
 

Recipe #10

Brownie Walnut Cupcakes

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs (organic, cage-free)

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup cocoa

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Can of dark chocolate frosting

In a bowl, blend butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs and beat. In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; blend into wet mixture. Stir in walnuts. Spread batter into cupcake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Frost while brownie cupcakes are still warm.  Delicious!

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