Progress and Failures

This isn't just a blog for my finished cakes of awesomeness but it is also a blog where I share my thoughts as I go along learning about making cupcakes. Hence the name "Cupcake Trainee" - that's me! So I figured it was time for some of my failures and what I have learned from it. Yesterday I was in the mood for making cupcakes(I always am but I had the time yesterday). So I ran down to the store and grabbed some things that I needed for my newest project. I wanted to make a beautiful vanilla strawberry cupcake with a very strawberry-core. At the store I grabbed a package of cupcake cases. When I got home, the first thing I noticed was that the cupcake cases didnt match my cupcake pan very well, they were too small! But I decided to use them anyway since they could still sit inside my pan. I shouldn't have.


The random size of the cupcake cases should have posed as a warning that these were not good quality cups. I didn't notice it at first but after the cupcakes had cooled, I saw - and felt - that the bottom of it was all soggy and wet. They weren't waterproof! How silly. What I learned from this was that I want good quality cups and I think I've also got a fairly good idea now of which cups I like and which ones I want to avoid.


Another thing that I learned yesterday was that you shouldn't ever use light products, especially not in frosting. After frosting my strawberry vanilla cupcakes I ran out of cream cheese so I substituted with the cream cheese I usually put on my sandwiches which is a light product. While whipping it up I looked away for a second and when I looked back it was suddenly over beaten and had started to look like, well vomit to be honest. So I decided it wasn't worth ruining my cupcakes with it and tossed it instead. The cupcakes will rest safely in my freezer until tomorrow when I'm frosting some cupcakes for an order that I got. I choose to call it an order because it feeds my ego! It's really just my mother who's asked me to make some for a party she's holding on wednesday.


Anyway, here's the result of yesterday's cupcaking. I must say that this is one of my new favorite frostings. It's so light and fluffy - almost like whipped cream but smoother and sweeter. By the way, did you notice that learned a new piping method?