adventures in cupcaking

I love to bake and that love gets completely supercharged during the holidays. One of my favorite things to make is cupcakes. Everyone loves a good cupcake, right? There’s just something about them that instantly lifts people’s spirits. Maybe it’s because they tap into that kid-level joy you felt when someone handed you a special treat for no reason at all.

This year, I decided to challenge myself and finally get better at frosting techniques. I stumbled upon the perfect vanilla cake and frosting recipes, and I’m not exaggerating when I say they converted me. I’m usually a chocolate-only kind of gal, but these cupcakes? They’ve become my go-to. Meaningful Eats comes through again.

Now that I’ve nailed the recipes, I feel compelled to make the cupcakes look as pretty as they taste. Easier said than done. I now own a piping bag and a handful of frosting tips, but let me tell you, frosting is not as simple as those cheerful tutorial photos would have you believe. My first attempt wasn’t terrible, but I can already see a future filled with video tutorials and lots of practice. At this point, if I can make it through a batch without wearing the frosting, I’ll consider it a win.

Anyway, I just wanted to share one of the things I’m baking this holiday season and the new skill I’m trying to learn. If you have any frosting wisdom to pass along, I’m all ears!