the bake it better challenge

Hi friends!

Since I want to write about anything other than the election right now, I thought I'd share my new favorite baking mixes, because, sugar.

As some of you know, I love to cook, but a certain nine-month-old can make that somewhat tricky. Miss Jones Baking Co. was kind enough to send me some of their chocolate cake mix and vanilla frosting to test out and I am very glad they did. All of their products are certified organic, non-GMO, plant-based, responsibly sourced, AND contain no artificial colors or flavors. While Avvie isn't allowed to have sugar yet, I know it's inevitable. But, I'll feel much better about her scarfing cupcakes if they're responsibly made like these. 

Plus! If you bake any treats using Miss Jones and post them on social media using the hashtag #betterwithmissjones, they'll donate $1 to a San Francisco-based food bank. And if straight philanthropy just isn't your thing, using the hashtag will also enter you into the Bake It Better contest, whose grand prizes include a Kitchen-Aid mixer, Scharffen Berger chocolates, and Williams-Sonoma bakeware. 

I made straight-up cupcakes, but I busted out my piping bag to get all fancy. I'm still working on my technique, but I do find cake decorating to be a wonderful way to relieve stress, which god knows I need after the atomic bomb of last week. 

My favorite part of this dessert is how good the icing smells. I am a homemade frosting girl, but the Miss Jones version is absolutely redolent of vanilla and tastes nearly identical to the type I make myself.

So, happy holiday baking to you and please share any creations you make!