Baking Madness.

I got a cookbook at the bookstore the other day.  It's filled with cupcakes, mini cakes, mini pies, and sweet breads.  And it was under three dollars when it was all said and done; my sweet boyfriend even bought it for me.

It's the first cookbook that is mine, and mine alone.  So naturally, I want to make things out of it.

Earlier this week, I took a stab at making chocolate peppermint cupcakes.  They puffed up and then sank like a popped souffle.  I took the remainder of the batter and made a single layer cake out of it.  While it didn't fall like the cupcakes did, it was dense and heavy. 

Now, the chocolate peppermint frosting was really good.  I kept it.

Today, I decided to try making a different type of cupcake.  I followed high altitude directions and made something I knew my mom would love - red velvet cupcakes.  (After all, she's being really nice in letting me use her supplies and kitchen to chase down my crazy baking goals.)

They turned out beautifully!

They are fluffy, the right shade of red, perfectly domed on top.  They didn't stick badly.  They taste wonderful.

But then I made frosting.  Pink, sugary, frosting.

Yeah, that didn't turn out too well.  I frosted like five cupcakes and then threw the frosting away.  It was waaay too sweet.

But it's all a learning experience.  And in a few days, I'm going to make different cupcakes again. :)

~Meaghan

I Made Cupcakes!

And you know what, dear readers?

They were freaking delicious.  Oh yeah.  Tasty little bundles of warm goodness.

Here's how it went down:

I pulled out a cake mix from the pantry.  It was a yellow cake mix.  Which is one of my favorite, I might add.  Typically I like to make mine from scratch, but today was an exception.  Time was short; action had to be taken quickly.

So anyway.  I found a recipe for marble cake using boxed mix as a base.  I made it up, poured it into my cupcake cups, and swirled away.  The result: cupcakes with the best of both worlds in it.

Now I'm on a bit of a sugar high.  I'm sitting here on my bed with my sister and everything is making me laugh.  Seriously.  I'm about to crack up at this moment.  Part is because she is making me laugh, the other part is because I'm just that tired. 

She says hey, btw.  (You should go look her up.  She's got an account over at youtube and makes great vids.  Look for HisFallenAngel4.  You will not be disappointed.)

It was a good day.

I don't know what I'm going to do now.  Maybe I'll subject her to one of the movies I got from the library today.  Or maybe I'll just cruise the internet while we both laugh about nothing in particular.

I hope you guys are having a great evening.  After all, it is Friday.  You should be happy and enjoying yourselves.  I know I am.

Until the next time,

~Meaghan