Dear Martha....

Dear Martha,

I think I'm waving my white flag. I've accepted defeat. I've tried 5 of your so called "recipes" in your Cupcakes book 4 of which resulted in failures. I am disappointed. I know I can bake, but every time I try one of your recipes, it kills my baking confidence. These little set backs have made me not want to bake anymore. I hate that feeling. I love baking. I love making edible pastries and sweets. What I don't love? Your recipes. I feel like it's just me who doesn't get it. People seem to have so many successes, and I, failures. You were my idol since I was little. You inspired me to become a domestic diva, but I can't stand to waste another batch of cupcakes that are based on your recipes.

- SkinnyMinhy

Oh, hello baking world, my... have I missed you. I wanted to give that cupcakes book another chance. How can I failed with the "one bowl chocolate cake" recipe? This was very similar to THE chocolate cake recipe I always use. The steps were vague. And the taste of the baked cake? Dry. Dense. Gross. Another DRY cake in that cupcake book... and one that sticks SO much to the liner. Why? well .. how about 1.5 tbsp of oil for 10 cupcakes... that seems a bit.. little doesn't it? I have 1/4 cup oil for 12 in the other recipe... and 3/4 cup for 12 for red velvets (the only good recipe out of the book.) Maybe that explains the dry texture. It was just dense. SO disappointingly dense... I know I did reduce the sugar, but I always do, and the texture is usually not compromised. Maybe that's my issue with her recipe. People DO use the full amount of sugar. I never do. I know her recipes must be good. I've read so many blog entries by people who get it right. I'm going to try them all again when I move. Maybe... the issue is with my electric oven... gas is the way to go for me. blah... oh well. my mixer got a good workout.. not really. I'm going to make a sponge cake soon...like those Chinese bakery ones. I have the recipe for that, never made it myself, but my mom has perfected that recipe for the past few years.

Peanut butter frosting. I really love peanut butter. This was a delightful change to the regular butter cream frosting. It wasn't too sweet, but very rich and creamy. The recipe was just a combination of a lot of recipes online on peanut butter frosting. I eyeballed everything.. * creamy pb, salted butter, powdered sugar* <- so easy!!! Yummmm I've really been lazy in the staging and photography side of cooking.. well.. and also cooking itself.. haha here's my lazy frosting job.
Hope these cupcakes magically become moist tomorrow, maybe the oil from the peanut butter will seep into the cake....