To New Beginnings.

         Baking has been a hobby of mine for about a year now. It's something I've always been interested in, but never passionate about, until more recently. With each new project I've been trying to up the ante- whether it be a new type of ingredient, perfecting mixing technique, new types of baked goods altogether, or even sometimes just a bit of practice with my (lack of) decorating skills. 

         For months now, I've been subjecting my friend Ashley to numerous types of desserts, wines, and movies. It's been a kind of girls' night in that I've really come to enjoy. Recently, we've come to call it Winesday, since we always plan it on Wednesdays. I feel that these Winesdays have been the motivation I've needed to really get better at this baking thing. 

         When I was thinking about making this blog, there was one thing I knew I couldn't do on my own. I don't have the skill or the equipment to take even close to professional pictures of the things I bake. Fortunately for me, I have many skilled friends, and Ashley actually happens to be a great photographer. I am really pleased to have her working on this project with me, because I really couldn't do it without her!

          Now, on to the tasty treats!

          These particular cupcakes were made for a Luau party a friend of mine was hosting. My friend is very big into cocktails, so I decided to make these look like little drinks. The recipe itself is a great recipe I'd used once before, but I slightly modified it this time. It can be found here . I substituted in coconut rum instead of coconut extract, cut down on the coconut milk a bit to add tiny bits of pineapple, and halved the recipe to make about 20 cute little cuppies. For the frosting, I made a basic cream cheese frosting, then added a little pineapple juice and more coconut rum. (Basic frosting recipe found here.) I also made a gelatin mix with even MORE coconut rum, and drizzled it into little holes I poked in the cupcakes. All in all, I was pretty happy with how they came out, though I didn't add nearly enough pineapple. They were quite a hit at the Luau!