Cupcake Madness: The End.

I know the NCAA tournament is over, and I know I said I would make six different cupcakes for my sweet six series, to coincide with the sweet sixteen/final four, however that did not happen. I tried, I really did. If no time management skills had a poster child, it would be me. Unfortunately the real world calls, and the only excuse I have is that I was swamped at work. In fact, I am in Florida right now on business.

At first I was just going to leave it as is. The (excuse my french) F*** IT approach, but I couldn’t just leave you with my recipes for Double Chocolate Cupcakes, Lemon-Lime Cupcakes, or my Peanut Butter and Jelly cakes. No, no couldn’t do it, so here’s a little eye candy to end my cupcake madness series. Then it’s back to food for me, I don’t think I want to do sweets for a while. And by a while, I mean a week. Here are some ideas, and pictures from the National Capital Area Cake Show, that I attended last weekend.

It was my first time at the show, and I was impressed by all of the wonderful cakes, and the products from different businesses from across the country. Did I mention all of the edible glitter? I think I was standing in front of a display of glitter for at least 10 minutes. Really it’s the little things in life that make me happy, and if those little things happen to be shiny and bright, I’m in heaven.

The Cake on the right was hand painted. Bananas!

My sister and I walked through the floor and saw some really amazing cakes like this one:

One of my Sister’s favorites as she absolutely loves Zombies. In fact, I think we’ve decided to be different Zombies for halloween for the next couple of years. You know because who doesn’t love a good zombie? Preppy Zombie, Mommy Zombie, Prom Queen and King Zombie, Baby Zombie, the sky’s the limit! There are just so many options.

Sorry about these pics, poor lighting, couldn't help it.

I think our favorite part was the Cupcake Cocktail Happy Hour, where the theme was mini cupcakes infused with liquor. Yes, I did just say cupcakes and liquor together. Hello, we were both in there like swim wear.

By the way, what does that exactly mean? I know it means we were there, for sure, but I’m asking in a more literal sense, where and how in there is the swim wear? Do I even want to know? Anyway, back to liquor and cupcakes.

Forgot to take pics before we started eating them, I'm so impatient.

As we waited for the 2011 Cupcake Challenge: Cupcake Cocktail Hour to begin, we mapped out a game plan, because we could tell there would be lots and lots of cupcakes to choose from. We each had six tickets, which really meant we could choose twelve cupcakes because well we’re sisters and I don’t mind sharing with my Sis. I kinda had no choice, she would have killed me if I didn’t share. Sharing is caring right? This particular portion of the show was a competition, I love the concept because there were professional bakers and amateur bakers who could enter the cupcake happy hour. It had the makings of a Cinderella story, written all over it. As we were one of the first in line to enter the room we could already see some of the many varieties. We knew we had to try a mojito cupcake, and anything infused with kahlua or any margarita flavors. That took care of three selections, which left nine more. Once we actually got into the space, there were so many options from Guinness chocolate (very interesting tasting might I add, not bad really), strawberry daquiri, fuzzy navels, lemon drops, champagne infused cupcakes, peppermint, you name it, it was there.

Once we finally made our twelve selections, we found a quiet spot to taste our treats. As we started to taste the cupcakes, we stopped and laughed because we were critiquing them like we were real judges, when clearly we were just there to have fun and have some great cupcakes. However, I did feel like Goldie Locks because I kept saying, no this one is too sweet, this one is too buttery, this one is too dry, until I tried these:

This was a Pear Bellini Cupcake, which had frosting made out of marscapone cheese. Can you say amazing? Not too sweet, not too dry, just right. I was so pleased with the cupcake that I had to go back and tell the baker that hers was my favorite. My sister and I found her again tucked away in the corner of a room full of people and chaos. She was so sweet, and as I was talking to her, and asking her if she had a shop, she replied no, and that she had entered the contest as an amateur.

WHAT? Amateur? Hardly.

Her cupcakes were truly delicious, and it just goes to show that you don’t need a big, flashy display, which I must admit got me to taste some cakes. Unfortunately I was disappointed with most of the results. The ‘amateur’ baker in the corner won my best of show award hands down. Her recipe was simple, yet left me wanting more. I exchanged information with her, unfortunately in the course of the week, I think I may have lost it. 😦

So, if anyone from the cake show is reading this, and know who made the Pear Bellini Cupcakes, I’d really love to give her credit where it is due.

For now, until I can either find her info. or get it from the administrators of the show, I’m leaving my version of missed connection:

Dear Pear Bellini Cupcake,

I had you at the National Capital Area Cake Show last weekend and you were FANTASTIC. Whoever baked you really has talent, and I hope she doesn’t mind sharing your recipe with me because I would love to make you. Or if she could make a dozen of you for me, that would be amazing too. Tell her to keep up the good work, because you really are delicious.

Sincerely,

L at Onebigmix

P.S. Did I just write a personal add for a cupcake? Well a girls gotta do, what a girls gotta do. Those cupcakes were GOOD! 😉

Tags: Cake Shows, Cakes, Cocktails, Culture, Cupcakes, Dessert, Family, Food, Happy Hour, Photography, Wedding Cakes, Zombies