A BFF's Birthday and a Tribute...

A and I have been friends for a looong time. She is my oldest, most consistent friend. Our acquaintance began in 6th grade during lunch with some mutual friends. There we all sat at the table, bantering back and forth about goodness knows what, when the conversations took a sarcastic turn. As I'm sure you all (painfully) remember about middle school, looking cool was the end all to be all. Duh. Who knows what prompted it, but at one point I threw at A "Oooo, where did you get your T-Shirt? Target?" Everyone knows you had to buy your clothes at Abercrombie(Kids). Burn. I was really at my comeback peek in 6th grade... To which A (and I remember this clearly) looked down and her shirt, and back at me and said, "Um. Yeah, actually." Whoopsie. And from that ill-fated moment on, we were fast friends. Well, that's a lie. While we hung around in the same circles (look at me, sounding all Housewives), it wasn't until our Junior year of high school that our friendship really took hold. We spent lunches speculating about Harry Potter, and a glorious summer running around town causing mischief (Mischief Managed, anyone?). Our friendship only grew and strengthened as we entered college and began to celebrate so many of life's important milestones-- marriage, college graduations, acceptance into grad school--together. In fact, this is the same A that I accredit in my first post to introducing me fondant. When in high school, one of our favorite things to do was to play old school NES. Coming from a technological strict family, I had never experience the glory that was Super Mario Bros. 3. A was quick to introduce me to it. Many an evening/afternoon/sleepover was spent studying (usually for Econ) and playing Super Mario Bros. doubles. I would study, while A played. When A died (infrequent... while my play time made it look like Mario had a death wish) we would switch. We really knew how to use our time wisely... In fact, this is a past time we enjoy even today. So when A was slated to turn 25, I knew what I was going to do. A had a love for Dr. Pepper cake ever since I brought her one from West (the best) on a back home from college trip. One fond memory has A and I eating some in the car with doors locked taunting her (now) husband and brother. It was also the flavor of her husband's groom cake. Knowing this, and wanting to conjure up images of our youth (25 is ooollllldddddd) I decided to make a Dr. Pepper, cream cheese, Super Mario Bros. extravaganza of cupcakes. I set to mixing and handcrafting fondant wonderies in preparation for A's big birthday celebration. The night before I was set to go to Austin, I baked up some Dr. Pepper cupcakes, and whipped up some cream cheese frosting to pair with it. These cupcakes were to have no filling, as they are super moist. The filling would turn them into puddles! On the day of A's birth, the cupcakes and I made the long trek from Dallas to Austin. The cupcakes (and I) survived... if just barely. A wonderful celebration was had by all!

A festival of Mario!

Side view of the cakes.

Until next time, sweet dreams!

-J

A Very Rushed Birthday...

I had made a fatal cupcakery flaw... I had allowed the sweet, sugary, deliciousness of my new-found obsession to be released into the wild... and now EVERYONE wanted in on that (Duh. Wouldn't you?). One of these people was my sister, who, after her delightful experience with her graduation cupcakes, decided she wanted to gift the cakes to her friend, B. B's birthday was the weekend after school let out, and K used her powers of persuasion to convince me to make the cupcakes for their party boat weekend. In hindsight, agreeing to make a ton of cupcakes for the weekend directly after school let out wasn't one of my wisest ideas to date, but I am always bending over backwards for the ones I care about. So, bend over backwards I did. Amidst the classroom rearranging, the end of the year planning, and the comment card writing, I went home every day to craft some fondant creations. K and I both wanted something fun and pretty to commemorate B's birthday with. Additionally, B had some insight of her own. She had told K that she loved the chocolate monograms from K's graduation cakes, and that the chocolate-raspberry and strawberry-cream flavors were her favorite. With flavor profiles set and at least one topper decided on, I went right to work. In the end, I chose to make some pretty flowers in bright summery colors, and some fun martini glasses. As a piece d'resistance, I made some catchy sombreros and mustaches-part inside joke, and part pure fun. Though I wasn't there to see the looks of overwhelming joy on the faces of those who indulged in my creations (kind of kidding... kind of not), I did hear there wasn't a crumb left over. I aim to please people.

Flowers and martinis galore!

More flowers and martinis!

Monograms and Ole!

Until next time, sweet dreams!

-J