Cupcakes and Cookies

It is no secret that we have a little obsession with cupcakes. Well, I guess mine is more of a major obsession. But in general we prefer little bites of different kinds of food over a simple meal. It always makes things more fun.



And that is why cupcakes are so perfect. You can have a little of this... a little of that. And you never feel overwhelmed by having to eat an entire cake.

Not that I've ever had to eat an entire cake. By force at least.

But the problem with cupcakes is that mine never seem to turn out. Unless I make them from a box. Funfetti style. My made from scratch cupcakes are usually dry. And since this event called for "moist made from scratch" cupcakes - I decided to let the experts do it.






I found this place online - by googling "cupcakes in Columbia". It is down town - a very nerve wracking and foreign area to me - until I realized that it was just a couple doors down from where we celebrated the night away after Dave and Laura's wedding.

Perfect.

And then I asked the birthday boy what his favorite cake was. And he said red velvet. And I was just as surprised as you are. Because #1 I have NEVER made red velvet - and I try really hard to always make his favorites. And #2 I've only seen him eat red velvet one time. And #3 I thought it was carrot because that is what I made him the year before.

Regardless, Red Velvet Cupcakes it was. And it was even better that they made them in a mini cupcake size.

The store is too cute for words. Kind of like a store from my dreams. Pink and vintage and full of cupcakes. And the amount of flavors to choose from - well, it just blows my mind. I am actually relieved that I live quite far from this place and very rarely go down town. Because I just might get lost in the store and would never be seen again.

And then there are the cupcakes. OUT.OF.THIS.WORLD! They were absolutely perfect. And we ( me and Kev) are very picky frosting eaters. We don't like it too sweet or that yucky stale taste - and so far Publix ranks as our number one bakery for frosting. Well, the frosting was delicious and light and wonderful.

We LOVED these cupcakes!

And so, of course, I had to set up a dessert table. Complete with photo albums of Kev's youth and one of my favorite pictures of him and the tower of cupcakes....


I also - per request- made his favorite cookie. I call them wedding cookies ( pecan cookie rolled in powdered sugar). He calls them donuts. Because he just does. But this time I think I finally perfected the recipe. Some times they are too crumbly and I have worked and worked on this recipe. I only use the BEST ingredients. Top quality butter. And I make the dough a day in advance so it has time to "mesh". And then I purchased some vanilla bean PASTE instead of extract. Good grief- that stuff smells so good and makes food taste delicious. And this time around the cookies were like morsels of heaven.

And now that I just jinxed myself in to ever having a good batch again - I will go scratch them off of my Christmas cookie list.

And just in case you were wondering - Kev ate leftovers from this meal for about FIVE days! I went back to healthier food - but he was a trooper and kept it interesting my mixing up different meals with all the components. I also ended up taking some of the cupcakes to work - I had ordered 30 of them after all. But the "donuts" - well, he cherished those. He wouldn't part with a single one.

And he finished them off just in time for me to make some more.

I can't believe the birthday is over. I'm sure that every one around me is thrilled because it is all I have talked about for MONTHS. I had SO much fun with every aspect - and am already looking forward to the next one.

And am currently trying to make up events that I need to purchase cupcakes for.