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Sugar & Sparrow

Lifestyle and Cake from Portland Oregon

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Whitney

how to make monster cupcakes

October 12, 2026 · In: Cupcakes, Featured, Halloween, Recipes, Seasonal, Tutorials

Easy Monster Cupcakes

These easy monster cupcakes are so fun to make with your favorite piping tips, a fun buttercream color palette, and lots of googly eye sprinkles! You can use any cupcake…

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Halloween cakes cupcakes and treats

October 10, 2026 · In: Featured, Halloween, Seasonal

Halloween Cakes, Cupcakes, and Treats

Whether you need a spooky showstopper for your Halloween party or simply want a fun baking project, here are all the Halloween cakes and bakes I love. On this list…

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mummy halloween cupcakes recipe and decorating tutorial

October 8, 2026 · In: Cupcakes, Featured, Halloween, Recipes, Seasonal, Tutorials

Easy Mummy Cupcakes

These mummy cupcakes are probably the easiest Halloween cupcakes you’ll ever make! You can use any dark-colored cupcake recipe for the cake portion (I’ve included my favorite chocolate cupcakes recipe,…

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black velvet cake baked in a 9x13 pan decorated with black buttercream and googly eyes

October 7, 2026 · In: Cake, Featured, Halloween, Recipes, Seasonal, Sheet Cakes

Black Velvet Sheet Cake (Dye-Free!)

I made my beloved black velvet cake recipe even easier for spooky gatherings with this sheet cake version that’s perfect for serving a crowd! It’s completely dye-free (aka ZERO food…

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Whitney Depaoli of Sugar and Sparrow in the kitchen

October 2, 2026 · In: Lifestyle, Recipes

Everything I Baked in September

Now that my kids are back in school and I have the kitchen all to myself, I’m getting back into my GROOVE! I spent this month making a couple new…

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apple cupcakes with salted caramel buttercream and salted caramel topping

September 24, 2026 · In: Cupcakes, Fall, Featured, Recipes, Seasonal

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Deliciously moist, perfectly spiced apple cupcakes topped with a swirl of salted caramel buttercream and drizzled with homemade salted caramel sauce – these are the ideal Fall cupcakes if you…

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small batch pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting recipe by sugar and sparrow

September 18, 2026 · In: Cake, Fall, Featured, Halloween, Recipes, Seasonal, Small Batch

Small Batch Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This small batch pumpkin cake is the perfect way to enjoy classic Fall flavors without making a full-sized cake! It’s my favorite pumpkin layer cake recipe that’s supremely moist, beautifully…

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fall dessert recipe ideas

September 4, 2026 · In: Cake, Fall, Recipes, Seasonal

36+ Best Fall Dessert Recipes for Cozy Baking

The coziest baking season of all is here! To celebrate, I’ve gathered all of my favorite Fall baking recipes in one place. Below you’ll find 36+ dessert recipes with all…

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how to make brown butter in a saucepan perfectly

August 26, 2026 · In: Fall, FAQ, Featured, Recipes, Seasonal, Tutorials, Winter

How to Brown Butter (with Video Tutorial!)

If you’ve never made brown butter before, you’re about to discover one of the easiest ways to add incredible flavor to your baking! Brown butter is simply regular butter that…

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Welcome to Sugar & Sparrow

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how to make brown butter in a saucepan perfectly

How to Brown Butter (with Video Tutorial!)

raspberry buttercream recipe with fresh raspberries

Fresh Raspberry Buttercream Recipe

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@sugarandsparrowco

DYE-FREE BLACK VELVET SHEET CAKE 🖤👀 if you’re look DYE-FREE BLACK VELVET SHEET CAKE 🖤👀 if you’re looking for a black cake that won’t stain your teeth, look no further! This sheet cake version of my favorite black velvet cake recipe uses black cocoa powder to create the dark black color for this whole cake without ANY food coloring, and it tastes just like Oreo cookies (but in deliciously moist cake form). Top that black buttercream with googly eyes for the perfect easy Halloween cake 👻

Comment RECIPE and I’ll send it to you or find it linked in my bio + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/black-velvet-sheet-cake/

You can also use the same ingredients and amounts for my black velvet layer cake recipe from a few Reels back! Just lower the oven temp to 325F and bake in a 9x13 pan for 30-35 min 🖤

#blackbuttercream #blackcake #blackvelvetcake #halloweencake #sheetcake
SNICKERS CAKE 🤎🥜 this truly tastes like a sweet an SNICKERS CAKE 🤎🥜 this truly tastes like a sweet and salty Snickers bar, but in cake form: decadent chocolate cake layers filled with soft chocolate peanut butter nougat and thick, gooey peanut caramel, all wrapped up in chocolate buttercream. Make this for the Snickers lover in your life!! 
⁣ 
Comment ‘RECIPE’ and I’ll send it right to you, or find it linked in my bio + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/snickers-cake-recipe/ 
⁣ 
#snickerscake #chocolatecake #caramel #birthdaycake #cakedecorating
BLACK VELVET CAKE 🖤 can you believe that this deli BLACK VELVET CAKE 🖤 can you believe that this deliciously moist all-black cake is made with ZERO FOOD COLORING?! The magic of black cocoa powder creates the perfect black cake + dye-free black buttercream for the ultimate Halloween party cake that won’t turn anyone’s mouth black 👻 plus it tastes like Oreo cookies so I’m obsessed!!

Full recipe (with black buttercream + my fave black cocoa powder) linked in my bio or at https://sugarandsparrow.com/black-velvet-cake-recipe/
 
You’ll also find recipes for a cupcake version, a vegan version, and a small batch version if you search “black velvet” at https://sugarandsparrow.com 
 
BLACK VELVET CAKE  
2 Cups (265g) all purpose flour 
1 2/3 Cups (340g) granulated sugar 
2/3 Cup (80g) black cocoa powder 
2 tsp baking soda 
1 tsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp salt 
1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil 
2 large eggs, room temperature 
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 
1 Cup (240ml) full-fat buttermilk, room temp
1 Cup (240ml) hot coffee or hot water 
 
INSTRUCTIONS 
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and line three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans. 
2. In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and whisk together. Slowly pour in the hot coffee (or hot water) and whisk until combined. 
3. Pour into prepared cake pans and bake for 32-36 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool before frosting with black buttercream. Full recipe (with frosting!) linked in my bio✨⁣⁣⁣ 
⁣ 
*If you can’t find buttermilk, mix together 1 Cup (240ml) whole milk + 1 Tbsp white vinegar as a substitute. ⁣ 
⁣⁣⁣ 
#blackcake #blackbuttercream #blackvelvetcake #cakedecorating #halloweencake
SALTED CARAMEL APPLE CAKE 🍏🍯 layers of deliciously SALTED CARAMEL APPLE CAKE 🍏🍯 layers of deliciously moist apple spice cake and salted caramel buttercream drizzled with homemade salted caramel sauce (which is also used to drip the cake and coat the apple on top). Such a classic Fall cake that is so fun to decorate with that dripping caramel apple! 

Comment RECIPE to get the full recipe + decorating tutorial sent to you! Or find it at https://sugarandsparrow.com/caramel-apple-cake-recipe/ 

Here’s what readers have said about this cake:

“This cake is one of the most delicious cakes I have ever had in my life! My husband also said he wants this for his birthday from now on! Fantastic recipe!” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I just baked this cake with intentions to sell by the slice but once I posted it someone wanted to buy the whole thing… RIGHT NOW!!! Thanks for the recipe.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I just made this cake for Thanksgiving and it was a hit! The salted caramel buttercream perfectly offset the spiciness of the apple cake. If you’re looking for a cake that celebrates fall flavors, I highly recommend it.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I made this for Thanksgiving and wow! Everyone wants me to make it at Christmas too! Even my husband, who doesn’t usually like sweets had two pieces and said I nailed it. It was a big hit with my family.” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
 
#saltedcaramel #applecake #caramelcake #cakedecorating #fallbaking
MONSTER HALLOWEEN CAKE 👀 🥳 give me a handful of pi MONSTER HALLOWEEN CAKE 👀 🥳 give me a handful of piping tips and some googly eyes sprinkles and this is what happens 😆 I love this cake design so much because you can truly go with the flow with your buttercream piping. The googly eyes will make that piping come alive! 
⁣
The full tutorial is linked in my bio + at https://sugarandsparrow.com/buttercream-monster-cake-tutorial/
⁣
👩🏽‍🍳 buttercream recipe: my vanilla buttercream at https://sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-buttercream-recipe/
🎨 frosting colors: @americolor Electric Green, Electric Purple, Orange, and Deep Pink + added black cocoa powder for the black piping⁣
✨piping tips: @wiltoncakes 1M, 104, 4B, 233, 10, and 16 ⁣
👀 eye sprinkles: @michaelsstores
⁣
#monstercake #halloweencake #cakedecorating #halloweenparty
#buttercream

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