SPCA Cupcake Day

This was supposed to have gone up yesterday, but THINGS happened to my computer, and thus, no post. 

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Right now, I’m sitting at my desk at the end of the work day with a hot wheatpack on my left shoulder coz it hurts something chronic – I’m pretty sure I pulled a neck muscle while yawning excessively and doing squats during Pump class at the gym. It started off as a lovely day, and the Husband and I actually dragged ourselves out of bed early enough to walk to work. That in itself should have caused the world to end.



A big ol’ bank of low gray clouds has moved in, obscuring everything on the other side of the harbour. As we like to say, “we’ve lost the Hutt.” And there are some sailboats heading out too – I’m not sure that this was the best decision those sailors could have made, since it looks like the sky is about to dump on them.


But I’m snug up in the office, content in my heroic efforts for SPCA Cupcake Day, basking in the money I’ve raised for the puppies and the kitties.  Our little office has gorged itself on cupcakes frosted the American way - that is, piled high with a pure butter-and-sugar frosting.  Ain't nothin better. :)

Jonno and I were up at the crack of 11am on Sunday to begin production.  Initially, this was an all-me project, but Jman saw the amount of work I had set myself up for and selflessly volunteered his body for science.  Or maybe he just likes the batter. 

I *may* have gone a little overboard - we made three different kinds! 
 

Very Vanilla Smurf cupcakes

I decided the very intense blue qualified them to be called Smurf cupcakes.  I totally adored that cartoon as a kid, and cannot wait for the movie to come out.  Hopefully it doesn't turn out like the Yogi Bear movie, which I didn't actually see because I saw the trailer and ran in the other direction.  How could they take a classic like Yogi and Booboo - institutions of cartoon fun! - and just ruin them with lame, overdone stupid humor.  Oh wait, they did the same thing with Alvin and the Chipmunks.  Eesh, all the childhood treasures are going down the tubes.
 

Peppermint Hot Chocolate cupcakes

Yes, I stuck RWC country flags into them, it made it more interesting around the office.  These Peppermint Hot Chocolate cuppies are these hot chocolate cupcakes minus the ganache and whipped cream topping (coz, let's face it, whipped cream in a can is nas-tee), with peppermint buttercream on top.  The cupcakes themselves were dense, but not very moist so they probably needed the ganache, but the taste was lovely.  The peppermint was my idea - usually Jonno is the one to throw peppermint flavor into everything we bake.

True story: last year for his birthday Jonno baked a Chocolate Slice and topped it with toothpaste-blue peppermint icing.  No one at work knew what to make of them, but they got eaten!
 

Cookies & Cream cupcakes

Finally we have these beauties - Cookies and Cream!  I got the recipe from the wonderful Bakerella, but made vanilla buttercream frosting with pulverized Oreo pieces instead of her frosting recipe, which contains shortening and I absolutely yak when I see shortening.  

the Cupcake Table!

The final two cupcakes to be left on the table were Scotland and South Africa, so my workmates reckon that's a sign about something to do with the Rugby World Cup.  What kind of sign, they're not altogether sure, but it means something, darnit!

Overall my office coughed up at least $150 for the puppies and the kitties, which is brilliant considering there were all of 20 people at work that day.  Also, I would just like to mention Trends Gifts out in Johnsonville mall, where I got all my supplies - the sales chica was right on the money with what frosting tip and disposable frosting bags, she saved my bacon!  Long live the disposable frosting bags!!

Jman came to the rescue with the frosting.  He whipped out three separate batches, quick like a bunny, and then incredibly he cleaned everything up after we were done baking and frosting.  I was flabbergasted, not only that he willingly helped me make cupcakes, one of the most girly things on the planet, but that he cleaned all of my dirty dishes too! 

Now back to your regularly scheduled program.