Post Vacation Vacation Post.
I'm back! Finally right? Have you ever had one of those vacations where you need another vacation just to recover from it? Yeah, that was me.
I had all these lofty ideas to post updates for you about how the visit was going salt and peppered with cute shots of chocolate daisy toppers, polka dot baking cups and an army of cupcakes. That didn't happen. That was a stupid idea. I'm stupid.
I barely had time to sleep let alone have the energy to post devilishly clever blog posts or keep my eyes open for Photoshop. The week was a whirlwind of events from a little firearm education with dad to lions and tigers and bears at the zoo. Manicures and pedicures with the ladies to Sandbanks with mom. A little Indonesian cuisine with the family to girly movies and giggling with my best friend. Curling, speeches, tours, appointments, photos, new friends, old friends... Cupcakes and lots of 'em!
I thought it would be too soon if I never saw another cupcake in my life. After a full day of baking twelve dozen cupcakes, filling twelve dozen cupcakes, frosting twelve dozen cupcakes, topping twelve dozen cupcakes and packing twelve dozen cupcakes I wasn't interested in eating even one. The three flavours were a hit at the wedding and they were nearly devoured before the photographer could snap the traditional cutting the cake photo. It was a beautiful wedding and Lisa and Jamie were the sweetest couple!
I was really excited about this particular cupcake because I personally considered it the signature flavour being that it was a fall wedding. Since I never tried it, or posted anything about the wedding like a good blogger would do, I decided just one batch wouldn't kill me. This time I took my time and planned ahead. Unlike last time when I forgot the jam entirely and accidentally bought a kilogram of whole wheat flour. This time there was no hair pulling, no exploding piping bags, no mountains of tupperware, no assembly line, no late night trips to my brother's new refrigerator. Just a little Ani DiFranco and a lot of love.
Bloomin’ Cake.
Today you can find me over on The White Library. I made a super pretty super tasty Chocolate Covered Almond Cake for Sandra and her beautiful blog.
It seemed only fair after she revealed her secrets to designing the perfect dessert table. If you didn't visit The White Library yesterday then make sure to stop by and see the details of this bloomin' cake.
Feather The Nest.
Outside tiny birds fly distracted and twitterpated snatching up twigs and absconding with string to prepare nests in your eaves trough. Inside we feather our own nests with knick knacks, baubles and trinkets.
I've made my nests of airy threads of spun sugar atop pillows of velvety Caramel Buttercream crowning moist Vanilla Bean Cakes. An egg would be so lucky to hatch here!
Because It's Spring again.
Because I had my first robin sighting of the year.
Because I'm on a sugar high.
Because I want you all to know how much I appreciate you.
I made you a little gift inspired by today's cupcakes.
It's a bird's nest necklace made of twisted silver wire and shiny turquoise beads on a dainty cable chain. Made with love by yours truly so it can be Spring all year long.
Tuesday Tip: Wet Your Whistle.


Adding even a tablespoon of milk, water, liquor or fruit juice to frosting might seem useless but it actually improves the texture and makes it easier to pipe or stick to surfaces. Dry frosting can easily fall from where it's placed like the side of a cake or a piped border.
A lot of people, including myself, have skipped this part of the recipe in order to keep the icing nice and thick, but don't overcompensate and add too much. A little bit of liquid goes a long way!

A World of Cake.
I was fortunate enough to recently receive the lovely cookbook, A World of Cake by Krystina Castella. It's quickly becoming one of my favourite cookbooks with its big beautiful photos and scores of recipes for, you guessed it, cake.
A World of Cake reads like a cherished family recipe book with a detailed story behind every recipe and how each has been adapted and passed down for generations. It reminds us that we're all apart of a global family with traditions and cuisine that have been influenced by cultures all over the world. While flipping through it's glossy pages you quickly realize how similar and unique we all are.
You get a glimpse inside the kitchens of Japan, Brazil, Germany, Kenya and nearly every other country you can think of. After a long browse I decided to make this Ugandan Peanut Cake with it's intriguing combination of peanut, honey and cinnamon as an example of the multitude of incredible recipes you can discover in this book.
You want a copy? Sure you do!
Cupcake Confessional.
Are you ready?
Like really ready?
Ok, here goes.
I'm 41.
Ok no, not really. You should see your face. I couldn't keep a straight face on that one either.
Let me clarify. According to my Wii I'm 41. My Wii thinks I'm 41. Should this offend me? Because it does. I have been insulted by a tiny white box.
I took the Wii Sports fitness test last night and let's just say the results were less than desirable. Really though, what does the ability to volley a virtual tennis ball into a target have to do with my level of fitness? Or the talent of dodging virtual training balls being lobbed at me randomly? Or being able to curve a virtual bowling ball? I'm quite good at that one by the way. One of those life skills that will certainly come in handy in the future. There will be a bowling ball curving emergency somewhere someday I'm sure of it.
Basically the Wii is an elaborate game system designed entirely to make you look stupid. Yes, the truth is out folks. Let's be honest here, it's not like you were really worried about looking cool while cow racing, swerving around goombas or collecting star bits.
I dare you to try to not wave your arms around like a spazz while boxing and whip someone in the face with the nunchuk cord. Yeah that didn't happen. I dare you not to get the overwhelming urge to whip the remote at the TV when you miss the tennis ball for the umpteenth time. That may or may not have happened. Tell me you never threw a temper tantrum and blamed the game before. Tell me you were never in a bad mood for half the day because you didn't round that corner just right to avoid the Shy Guy. You never slung insults at the screen after falling through the same star shaped hole in the Rocky Road?
No? Just me then? Oh.
Maybe I'm bitter because my Wii called me 41. Maybe I've been eating too many of these Devil's Food Cupcakes. Maybe it's worth it.
Yes. Yes, it definitely is.
Swoon.
There are a few specific types of food that it is considered absolutely criminal to dislike. Corn on the cob, for example. It's in season and it's on sale at the supermarket by the bin-fulls. I casually yet efficiently weave my cart around that bin and the greedy patrons digging through it all the while carelessly tossing husks on the floor. I have all summer to look forward to awkward social situations where I have to politely say no thank you when they pass the plate of corn on the cob my way. I have all summer to look forward to the shocked and hurt faces around the table when I explain I don't like corn on the cob. Professing your hate for corn on the cob is like admitting you eat puppies for breakfast.
And then the question. Oh, the question. But why don't you like corn on the cob, Lindsey? Why does anyone dislike any type of food? Because they don't like the taste! What do they expect me to say? When I was five my family and I were carjacked at gunpoint by a gang of corn on the cob and ever since then I can't even look at the stuff without bursting into tears. That's what I should say. That would catch them off guard. Ask a silly question, get a silly answer.
Then there's lobster. But why don't you like lobster, Lindsey? Oh I'm sorry if my personal choice offends you, but I prefer not to look my dinner in the eye while I viciously crack open it's exoskeleton and eat out it's insides. Seriously? Is it that hard to understand? It's like eating an overgrown bug! Then you add insult to injury and dip the poor thing in garlic butter. You know what I think? I think eating lobster is just an excuse to eat an entire stick of butter. That's all it ever ends up tasting like anyways. Would you like some lobster with your butter? I like my butter on bread, thank you very much.
But then there's things like these Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting. I would personally be shocked and offended if you told me you hated them. That's where I draw the line on criminal food aversions. Banana and peanut butter is a match made in heaven. The saltiness of the peanut butter brings out the sweetness of the banana. You bite into one and you just let the flavours combine and compliment in your mouth. Then you swoon and eat another. It's just that simple.
Life is Just A…

...Bowl full of cherries. That's right, I said it. You know why that's such a great metaphor? Because there's nothing better than a bowl full of fresh, bright, juicy deep red cherries. Can you tell I really like cherries? Yes, they are one of my favourite fruits.
I imagine the pit has something to do with the cherry/life metaphor too. Maybe something like, you take the bad with the good. With life though, unlike cherries, you can't just spit out the pit. It doesn't work like that. What you can do is try to move on after life's little pits and make the most of the delicious cherry flesh because sooner or later you finish that bowl of cherries and you want to have something to show for it.
You get what I'm driving at here right? Life is short. Life is sweet. Life is cherries.
So in celebration of life and my favourite spring fruit here are some cupcakes I made for you. No pits though. Promise.


















