cupcakes

For our annual Relief Society birthday dinner they have a cupcake decorating contest. At first I didn't sign up because I heard comments of "I'm not doing it if Jane Stringham is doing it." I guess It wasn't okay that I won last year. So after comments like that my heart just wasn't in it. But like always I got talked into it. I really need to learn how to say no. Come to think of it I did say no but they kept giving me the guilt trip so I begrudgingly put my name on the list. The truth of the matter is I just had no inspiration. But I felt like I had a reputation to uphold (I know that's silly for me to think that but what are you gonna do?) So after looking at images for what seemed like hours I decided on this type of design. My one boast is that everything was made from scratch so they tasted wonderful. I made the actual cupcakes the morning of the dinner. I left with Amy to do a little shopping and left Scott with the boys. When I came back there were only 6 cupcakes left. I should have known better. Amy sweetly decided to take the kids to the park while I got started on batch number 2. I did chocolate and vanilla cupcakes, with chocolate cream cheese frosting, and marshmallow fondant. I cut the fondant in circles like you would a sugar cookie. I colored a little of the fondant black. Then I rolled the black into ropes and inlaid it in the white. The flowers were gum paste. Luckily I did those the night before because those are time consuming. The finishing touch were edible pearls that just make them look classier. I took them to the dinner but forgot to take a picture so these are taken with my phone. I've got to remember to keep my camera with me. I did not win by the way. But like I said, my heart just wasn't in it this year. So a little word of advice. Go ahead and do everything GREAT once. Then never do it again so you can always end on top.