The Cupcake Chronicle

I have always loved The Cupcake. Even before they were the Trend.

Especially a homemade cupcake. For about a year now I have tried to make the Perfect Homemade Cupcake. It's been elusive, let me tell you.

I know that boxed cake mixes make fine cupcakes, but there is just something different about a homemade cake.

Nowadays, if you live in a big city, you can find gourmet cupcakes for a pretty penny. I've heard mixed reviews on these cupcakes. There doesn't seem to be any middle ground. People either love 'em or hate 'em.

I will admit that if we had one here, I would probably plunk out my four bucks to taste their cupcake, just to say I had one, but I don't think it would become a habit for me. There is sweet victory in finding a recipe that is yummy and do-able in my own kitchen.

Do you remember back in December when my Mom and Dad went on that unfortunate 14 Day-Tour? My mom did bring home about 10 fresh vanilla beans, and I have tried a few new recipes without success. They tasted good, but it wasn't anything to write home (or on the blog) about.

I did find a recipe for making vanilla sugar. Here's the recipe:
1 fresh Vanilla Bean 2 cups of sugar. Split the bean and scrape the seeds. Place seeds in sugar (and I put the skins in also) in a reusable plastic container, or zip-seal bag, and give it a good long shake. Then let it sit for at least a day before using it in any recipe that calls for sugar.

I used it in my banana bread and it was delicious.

I wanted to make a fun dessert for tomorrow night when meh arrives so I decided to make another attempt at cupcakes. I have not reached my cupcake pinnacle yet. I am still but a young whipper-snapper who makes many mistakes (Including the tendency to overfill your pan, which is a guaranteed train wreck) My cupcake woes have yielded many thrown-out batches. But I am nothing if not persistent.

So I making cupcakes as I type. That way, if they don't turn out, I can run to the store and buy some ice cream and call it a night!

Every once in a while I read a few cupcake blogs, and this week I read a few threads by people who take food seriously (man! there are people out there who really know their cupcakes!). Anyway, I kept hearing great reviews about the Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cupcake recipe. Today I am following this recipe with one change, I will use the vanilla sugar.

All right the first batch are ready to take out of the oven.

I hope every body is having a great Thursday!