Cupcake Craze

I love to bake. There's something very therapeutic about mixing some ingredients together, watching them rise and bake, sometimes adding some frosting or, joy of all joys, adding sprinkles, and then tasting the hopefully deliciously sweet results.

So far, I've limited myself to cookies, brownies and other bars, and boxed cake mixes. It just wasn't enough. Suddenly, I found myself searching Google for cake recipes, you know, the ones from scratch. In my search, I kept coming across dedicated cupcake blogs. The thought of making already individually prepared little cakes, each one perfectly frosted, is intriguing. Oh yes, I am hooked.

With Valentine's Day quickly approaching, I find myself craving strawberries, thus the search for the perfect strawberry cupcake and frosting began. As we know in our internet searches, there are so many sites to choose from. Well after much skimming and head spinning, I finally decide upon a recipe that makes the cupcake and frosting using fresh strawberries.

Recently, I've become obsessed with the idea of using cake decorating tips. I love the pretty swirls that adorn the cupcakes I see at the supermarket. Without much knowledge on the subject, I blindly purchase a tip. My husband later informs me I should have also purchased a tip coupler. Oh well, I decide to pop the tip into the cut corner of a Ziploc bag and just go for it.

Here's the end result:



Pretty, but alas, only okay tasting. The frosting is much too sweet. I kept adding more and more confectioner's sugar, trying to thicken the consistency so I could pipe it. Sigh. The cake itself is more like a muffin, kind of heavy. Hmmm, perhaps I'll try a different recipe. So many recipes, so little time. Happy baking!