Cupcake Tasting

Well, thank goodness it's Friday!!  This week has been a crazy, stressful one for me!  June is always kinda hectic already, but boy, this week took it to a whole new level!!  You know, when I have events line up, I am usually pretty careful about how I plan the days leading up....I like to think that I'm pretty organized and get things done in a timely manner... C had given her friend my contact so that I can whip up a cupcake tasting for her.  The bride will be getting married next summer and is trying to plan everything...and I mean everything this month!  Both the bride and groom live out in Chicago, but have family out here in CA and will be getting married here in CA...so, trying their best to plan as much as they could before heading back to Chicago!  Anyways, C had raved about my cupcakes to the blushing bride, and we set up a day for cupcake tasting!  That was scheduled for this morning...(so, we had cupcakes for brunch today!).  Of course, I planned accordingly and tried to get as much info as I could from the bride...you know, venue, color, them, yada yada yada...but since they are in the very early stages of planning, the couple still aren't sure yet!  I had told them no biggie..I'll make some cupcakes with some simple flowery designs..you know, a few different looks to push them into the cake-planning mode!

 [Vanilla Bean cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream]

The couple had asked for a sample of red velvet and vanilla.  I had a couple of flavors that I know for sure that was super yummy, like peanut butter and chocolate.  But my favorite of the moment would have to be coconut!  Mmmm....coooconut...however, apparantly, not too many people are fond of coconut >:I  And this bride was no exception :(  But me, being me, I made coconut anyways...who knows, perhaps I can sway her mind and convert her into the throng of coconut lovers ;)

 [Coconut cupcake with Vanilla-Coconut Buttercream]

So, we ended up doing 5 flavors with 5 frosting!  Vanilla Bean with vanilla buttercream, coconut with vanilla-coconut buttercream, red velvet with cream cheese frosting, peanut butter with chocolate peanut butter buttercream, and dark chocolate with whipped chocolate ganache buttercream!  Hmm...I think I gained 5 pounds just listing that! Lol..I had also whipped up some vanilla whipped cream, which I had put on each cupcake.  Whipped cream is a lot less sweeter than buttercream, so I thought I'd try it out and see what the couple thinks.  I, personally, thought the sweetness level was just right with the whipped cream.  However, the texture of light whipped cream made my cupcakes feel more dense...so, it was a no-go texture-wise!

 [Dark Chocolate cupcakes with Whipped Chocolate Ganache Buttercream]

I started out by making the fondant flowers earlier in the week.  Because fondant takes a bit of time to dry, I figure I need to start early.  I haven't used gumpaste before and was thinking about trying it out...but figured I still have fondant at home, and the flowers came out beautifully the last time I made them, that I'll just use fondant this time around too.  Hmph...I had fondant heartbreak this week!  The darn weather certainly did NOT help me!  In fact, it was the start of the ruination of flowers! I ended up with sticky, tacky flowers on Thursday, which was assembly day so that I'm ready to roll out the door Friday morning...Can you imagine?? Sticky, tacky fondant flowers!!!!  LOL...yeah, I can only laugh about it now, after the fact, and after everything's done and over with! *sigh*...Thank goodness my baking buddy M had a food dehydrator.  Yes, it really does work in drying out fondant fast! Thanks M, you're a life saver!!

[Peanut Butter cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Buttercream]

[Red Velvet cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting]

In the end, everything worked out fine!  I had some beautiful cupcakes to show the bride and groom and hopefully gave them a start to planning the look for their cupcakes!  I had a lot of fun sharing my cupcakes with them and wish them the very best! I shall leave you lovely readers with a view of those fondant flowers that nearly broke my heart! ;)

Enjoy!