Cupcake Wednesday

In our office, the busy time is the end of the month. It’s a push to finalize as many cases as possible so we look as productive as possible. There is incentive, because there’s a productivity report that goes out every month. This leads, to varying degrees depending on how many cases you’ve tried to finalize, to a vast sense of relief when the first of the month arises out of the ashes of the completed month. Which led me to bake cupcakes.

I like to bake cupcakes, even if they’re just from a box. There’s something whimsical about this small icing (or is it frosting?)-topped mini-cake that is all yours that makes people smile. This is not to say that I’m a pro. I lack creativity (just ask the girl I once stalled for two hours in a desperate ploy (that worked) to avoid making a poster). So I tend to just make things that I think will taste good, often the basics. One of my favs? White cake with white frosting (or is it icing?). I’m also very partial to red velvet with cream cheese frosting (or is it icing?). From the box.

So last night, I attempted to make 2 kinds of cupcakes, to varying degrees of success. The box mix for triple chocolate cupcakes was fantastic. It’s apparently “light,” “fluffy,” and “moist” (although I’m sure it would be dry as dust to my dad – he’s a cake-hater). I also tried a recipe for chocolate-chip cupcakes. Since moving to the STL region, I have tried it twice. In T-Town, this was one of my absolute favorite things to make. Here, the first time was an abysmal failure. We’re talking having to scrape out the half-burned/half-batter cups with my fingers. Ew. Last night, I gathered my courage for another go. I was cautiously optimistic. Honestly, I think I could have happily brought them to work if I’d had paper cupcake liners. But I didn’t. So this time I got 5-8 out with varying levels of success. I prepared to take them to work with the more visually attractive triple chocolate ones.

I got as far as the “bagel bar” (a name I have yet to determine its origin) when I faced reality. Another talented and creative co-worker had gotten her cupcakes to look like owls. Owls! Sad chocolate chip cupcakes could not cut it, so I hastily removed them from the “bagel bar.” I reluctantly allowed the chocolate cupcakes to remain. They must not have been totally repulsive, because they were gone by 1:30.

But I refuse to give up. I’m going home over Easter, and Mom will bake cupcakes with me. She has fun toys (like mini-muffin pans – uber-cute – like my hair!) and double boilers and lots of experience. So I am confident it will be delicious, whatever we do. So we’ll make something delicious from my “Cupcakes!” (which, incidentally, must be said in such a way as to acknowledge the existing punctuation – I prefer jazz hands and a face full of excitement – it’s there for a reason, people) cookbook. And maybe Pat will come and get in on the fun. We like to bake.

If you want me to bring you cupcakes, all I require is this beauty (picture a bright light and angels singing):



Someday, this baby will be mine. Then, me and my cupcakes, we’ll be unstoppable.