There is an unwritten rule in Mr L’s current position that you have to provide cakes one day a month. He informs me that the chosen day correlates to the busiest period for his department and whilst I am quite sure that a bought cake would be preferred, I have taken it as a personal challenge to provide something sweet and edible for said day. I have always enjoyed baking, but please don’t read this as a suggestion that I am any good at it. For me, as with any form of cooking, I am more about the flavour than the presentation. I do find baking therapeutic but am often reluctant to bake because the L household is unlikely to consume the whole offering. Now I love the Great British Bake Off – it’s addictive viewing – where home bakers make works of art out of sugar paste. A starring role on that show is not likely to be in my future but I do love a challenge. So far, my repertoire has consisted of muffins, fruit cake and red velvet cupcakes, which is quite diverse.
Now I am all about the cake. Whether its carrot or victoria sandwich (my fav), I love the fact that there is a filling and often more than one flavor. The cupcake – or fairy cake as I grew up with – is an idea wasted on me. I have always wondered if they are one and the same? I am not a baking connoisseur enough to know. I do know when I grew up the fairy cake had very little icing/frosting, whereas I feel now that it outshines the cake. Am I a misery? I do not dispute the cupcake is an item of beauty and has a cult following all of its own. I used to live very close to Georgetown Cupcake in DC and see the lines of people waiting to purchase. I made my first cupcakes for a long while on Wednesday and I was underwhelmed. I will also admit I’m not great at frosting with a bag, despite watching hours of You Tube on how easy it is, and seeing little kiddies making it look pips. I gave up and got out my granny’s old method of using a little spoon and covering them with sprinkles. They certainly didn’t look anything to write home about although Mr L told me they tasted delicious, but he is not going to tell me they taste c*** is he?!
So as I consider my future monthly offering I will return to where I feel comfortable and safe – the cake. Nothing says comfort like a good piece of homemade cake and don’t even get me started on a good old cream tea ;0)
Am I being unreasonable? Do you have a to die-for cupcake recipe? What’s your favorite baked offering?
All this baking is making me hungry!
Ta ta for now
TLL x