Cupcaking is for Everyone, Even Me.

I am not a professional baker... I wouldn't even say I have a gift for baking. I normally have my husband do the baking for me because everything just seems to come out better when he sticks it in the oven. It doesn't make any sense that two people can follow a recipe exactly and then end up with two very different results but here I sit, a cupcake fraud. My goal here is to improve. I'm going to start simple... with out-of-the-box cake mix and then *hopefully* I'll advance to making cupcakes successfully from scratch AND creating new recipes. If I can do it ANYONE can do it. Most importantly, I'll be sharing my newfound tricks and successes here so that others can benefit from my adventures in cupcaking and become skilled cupcakers themselves.

Why cupcakes? Wouldn't whole cakes be easier?

Yes, yes they would. Let be honest here, though. Cupcakes are special....Why?

1. They are portable. I like to keep a cupcake on hand at all times because you never know when you are going to need to eat your feelings on the go. Sometimes when things take a negative turn all I need is a few bites of funfetti and the world seems a little brighter and more optimistic.

2. They are no-nonsense. At nearly every special event, cake is a focal point. Most people spend a considerable amount of time thinking "I wonder what kind of cake it is. Hope it does/doesn't have nuts. If the frosting is brown that means there is a good chance for chocolate underneath right? I really don't want a corner piece, too much frosting , but the middle pieces don't have quite enough." Solution? CUPCAKES. They have exactly enough frosting, can be made in many varieties for one event AND no guessing games. You can see what kind of cupcake they are with very little effort.

3. They're like baby cakes. Everyone loves babies and most people like cakes. Cute little cakes = awesome and delicious treat everyone loves.

4. They make creativity less frustrating. In one batch of cupcakes you can try several different decorating techniques. If something doesn't look right or work out you can just pop that cupcake in your mouth and start on a new one with a fresh and delicious canvas.

By this point your mouth should be watering and you should be craving cupcakes.... so join me in my adventure. My first entry is not far away and I will be posting pictures of everything I do.