for the love of baking...

It has been a busy, busy past few days. I don't think that I have had any down time but it's okay. It's been fun. 

Yesterday, I had a birthday party for a friend at my house. I wish that I would have taken at least one picture of the party! But of course, I didn't. I don't ever remember that I have a camera until it's almost too late. Just imagine a house full of mom's & kids. Fun! Anyway, I happily made her a lemon cake. It was really so yummy. I am not a huge lemon fan but I will eat it... if it's really good. I much prefer chocolate but she is just the opposite, which is a mystery to me but it's her taste buds, I guess. Love ya Heather! I used mostly this recipe from Annie's eats. The cake is delicious! The whipped filling I think needs to be a touch sweeter with a little more lemon zest or extract. I will definitely fix this next time. And I used my cream cheese frosting recipe, the one that I've tweaked & finally gotten the way that I like it instead of the vanilla bean in the recipe. You can't have lemon cake without cream cheese frosting. It's just not right. And besides, vanilla beans cost like a million bucks or something. Who can afford those?!! I could have used vanilla extract but where's the fun in that? Really though, this cake is superlicious! even for a "lemon is okay" fan like me. 

This was all that was left of a giant 3 layer cake. So good!

Today, a friend's son got baptized and the guest attending needed a treat. Cupcakes to the rescue! So last night, I made 6 dozen cupcakes. Chocolate chocolate chip & almond vanilla. I was so sleepy by the time they were done, that the frosting had to wait until this morning. I got up bright & early, before the sun even, and set about the task of making some frosting. I chose vanilla almond buttercream and chocolate. Nice & simple. Some of the chocolate cupcakes got a little chocolate frosting & some got vanilla almond. Same as the vanilla cupcakes. It made for a good variety. 

Now, I don't like to toot my own horn but these dang cupcakes were so good! I wanted to eat them all! But seeing as I need to lose a few L Bs, I kinda controlled myself. :D 

If you want the recipes, just let me know. I have a base recipe that I use and then go from there.

I really do enjoy baking, especially cupcakes. I get to enter into my own little world & create something delicious to share with those around me. It's fun for me to replicate, tweak, create, & taste all of the baked yumminess that comes from the oven. Thank you to all of you who share in my love of baking & help me eat all of these treats!