The Monday after I started all of this, I got a call. I didn't recognize the number, and it was from Ohio. I almost didn't answer, but I had been applying for jobs (and, of course, there was a chance someone wanted cupcakes).
Me: This is Hope.
Her: Is this the girl who does the cupcakes?
Me: Yes!
She needed two dozen for a baby shower the following Sunday. The mother-to-be likes chocolate cake with vanilla frosting, but we agreed that not everyone likes chocolate. Some people are wrong.
(I actually hate it when people say things like that, but I'm going for crowd appeal here.)
We decided on a dozen chocolate cupcakes with chocolate cream filling, and half a dozen each of vanilla and chocolate cupcakes without filling. I'd use the same frosting on all of them and decorate them to make it clear that a baby BOY would soon be joining us.
My go-to chocolate cake recipe is no longer available online, but because I was wonderfully smart a few years ago, I wrote it down. The vanilla cupcakes were these vanilla bean cupcakes with chocolate cream filling. The instructions don't include putting in the vanilla bean paste, but I add it with the eggs.
My frosting recipe varies. Sometimes weather is a factor, sometimes my personal preference is a factor. The basic ingredients are butter (I usually use salted and unsalted so I don't have to add salt), powdered sugar, vanilla, and shortening. I'm not usually brand loyal, but I prefer Crisco.
I made fondant for the first time, because it's nice to control ingredients. Homemade marshmallow fondant is just marshmallows, a little bit of water, and as much powdered sugar as it takes to make a workable, elastic, non-sticky dough. Make sure you have some shortening nearby in order to keep the mixture from covering your hands. Melt the marshmallows in the microwave with a tiny bit of water, add some powered sugar, and start mixing.
I used the fondant to make little bow ties.
Here are the finished cupcakes.
The mustaches are Wilton. I used a large open star tip to make the swirls. (affiliate link)
The customer was pleased, and I felt good about my first paid baking job in over two years.
(I found out later that she works with a woman from my church.)
The Strange Request
On Monday of this week, I got a message through my THE Facebook page. It was my friend Dan asking whether I could make bearded cupcakes for the next night. He gave me some flavor preferences. I told him I'd make two dozen in a couple flavors.
I made chocolate cupcakes that afternoon because they're easy, they're better the next day, and they work with filling and peanut butter frosting (things he likes).
I also added some pumpkin to my chai cupcake recipe (and added a little extra flour), and topped them with cream cheese frosting.
Boyfriend Dan helped me with the decorations, since a paying gig got in the way of spending gas money looking at apartments. My original plan was to braid strips of frosting to make Viking-style beards. I made two of them, realized how long it would take, and decided we needed to find something different. Dan did a quick Google search, and we adjusted the plan.
This is what we ended up with. If I'd had more time, they'd be a little more finessed, but everyone seemed pleased. (I forgot to take a picture, so this is from Dan's FB post.)
I really enjoyed these baking projects. It's not a high-paying job and I'm not getting many gigs, but it's fun. I'm sharing this thing that I love doing. I'm just getting started here and I'm teaching myself. I'm using pictures, recipes, and tutorials. I'm spending a lot of time on Pinterest.
Thanks for your support so far!
