Cupcake Chronicles: Volume 1

Once again, I have abandoned this blog for a week, but I promise, not forever!  Something I have discovered about myself is that if I don't write a post in the morning, I will not write that day. I might write one in the afternoon for a future day, but not for that same day.  So this week, on Monday, we had a bad storm coming in the afternoon, and it was grocery day so I had to rush out and get them in the morning.  On Tuesday, because of the aforementioned storm, I had 8 inches of snow to shovel off our driveway so my husband could get to work.  On Wednesday and Thursday, I had my own self to hie to work, and that brings me to today.  

Number 12 on my 101 Things in 2014 list is to learn to pipe frosting.  I'm very serious about this one, as serious as one can be about cupcakes. I'm not trying to learn how to transform a cupcake in a high heel or a unicorn, but I do want to make presentable cupcakes!  That's why, after my first attempt, I cannot check this off my list.  See Exhibits A and B, below:

Are they terrible?  Well, that one might be, but they're not absolutely dreadful.  And they still tasted fine.  But I want to be good at this!  Exhibit C below is probably my best attempt:

Now, after decorating these cupcakes, I learned that apparently I have too small of piping tips for a cupcake, which usually makes it harder to get a nice swirl.  This made me feel better, and after some research, I ordered a few jumbo tips that will be here soon.  

I really want to be good at this, so until I have perfected a few techniques, I will be bringing you the Cupcake Chronicles, an overly-dramatic but alliterate title for a two-faceted venture.

Goal 1: Learn the basic techniques of piping frosting and making it look good.

Goal 2: Test cupcake and frosting recipes and build up an arsenal of delicious recipes.

For this first test, I made these Lemon Cupcakes with Pomegranate Frosting:

Absolutely delicious.  I halved the recipe (see #85 on my list) for both the cake and the frosting.  This cake is an absolutely perfect lemon cake, which makes sense since it has lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and lemon extract.  And even while I thought it was perfect, no one else thought it was too much, so it really is a perfect lemon cake recipe!

The frosting is really delicious, too, although 13-year-old boys who are picky about fruit might not like it.

Now, I have plans to try a new cupcake recipe (or just one that I really like) nearly every week until I have achieved Goal 1 (and by that point, Goal 2 will probably be done, too).  Some weeks I might not have time, and some weeks I might make a birthday cake instead, but I mean to perfect the art of simple cupcakes.

And after that, ooh, maybe I'll do scones!

Love and Frosting,

Leah Joy