That’s right….
Love the logo!
I’ve decided to put myself out there and register to be a baker in Cupcake Camp DC. Basically, 27 other bakers and I will be harshly judged on our cupcaking abilities, and there will be ample opportunities for me, my husband, and our one year old to eat many many cupcakes. This is all going down in Arlington on the afternoon of September 18th. That’s just 72 days away. But who’s counting.
Below are some examples of cupcakes I’ve made this summer. Please consider them evidence of my worthiness as a competitor.
Exhibit 1: Sundae Cupcakes - chocolate cake, white buttercream frosting, chocolate ganache, and a maraschino cherry. I used a silver wrapper on these intentionally, because I thought the silver was a kind of nod to the spoon in a sundae.
Exhibit 2: 4th of July Cupcakes - chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting and candy decorations.
I feel semi confident, but to be realistic, there are some problems with my baking skills that indicate the road ahead may not be so smooth.
1.) I don’t really like baking the cake part from scratch. I’ve tried to, a lot actually, but I like the box mixes better. Something tells me that won’t earn me much credit in the competition, so I better get to work on crafting the perfect batter. As far as the icing goes I’m pretty much a superior icing maker so nothing to worry about there.
2.) As you can probably tell from the above examples, I almost always make chocolate cake and a white frosting. I cook what I like…what can I say. What this really boils down to in terms of what to expect from me in a baking competition is this: don’t expect any fancy stuff like tropical fruit infusions or candied unicorn horns.
3.) I don’t do fondant.
4.) I don’t do elegant piping. I do what is referred to in pastry-chef circles as ‘The Ziploc-bac-with-a-hole-cut-in-it Method.’ My husband is offended by my piping skills, or lack thereof. He still eats my cupcakes though.
Anyway, I’m seriously excited about this event and will keep blogging about it as it approaches. If anyone wants to test a cupcake (or a dozen cupcakes) I’d love to have some willing subjects…I mean dessert guests. Stay tuned – I’m just a designer trying to make it in the baking world.
Design consultations for all styles and budgets: JGB Interiors.
Paint It What I Tell You 
I think your decorating methods are perfect, and are what people are looking for today. People aren’t as attracted to the really intricate detail that you’d see on a wedding cake, for example, because they like the whimsy of cupcakes.
I think your cupcakes taste delicious, but if you want to borrow my cupcake recipe book to help with the from-scratch aspect, let me know.
Thanks Anne! I couldn’t have imagined doing anything BUT cupcakes for our wedding. And I’d love to borrow your cupcake book 🙂