My new hobby ...

... which may be short-lived! I have often been awed by my aunt's ability to make a great cake. And, I always find myself staring at cakes wondering how on earth they do that. So, I decided to give it a go. I thought I'd start with cupcakes since I'd be able to practice MANY times without making MANY cakes. I don't really know my neighbors, so who would eat all those cakes?!

I learned a few things.

• First, if you actually check your baked goods at the right time (and if not finished, every couple minutes for real) they actually turn out without burning.
• Second, if you measure the ingredients correctly, your baked goods will taste like heaven. And, I'm talking, running the knife over the edge of the measuring cup to get it perfect and everything ... a "heaven" taste isn't easy, after all.
• Third, air-tight tupperware is fantastic for storing icing. However, unless it's a huge tupperware or a tiny bit of icing, don't try and re-whip the icing in the tupperware.

So, here's where I started. Yes, they're a bit misshapen. I don't know why. Please ignore it. Thanks.

And, voila. Quick and easy as those kitchens on tv.

Okay, not really. It was several hours, a two year old that decided he was FOR SURE not going to go to bed, a hubby who had to get up at the crack of snot and was exhausted and a woman who seriously didn't know what she was doing. But, I did it! Oh, why did I do it, you might ask? Because I'd promised to send my misshapen little practice treats with McH to work. And, The Mommy doesn't break promises ... most of the time.

And the colors? The last picture is the most accurate. McH was a doll and stopped at the store on his way home to pick up food coloring. The sweetheart got ... NEON. I'm still laughing.

Oh, and did I mention they taste like heaven?