A work colleague asked me (at very short notice) to make some cupcakes for her sister and her fiance to taste, with a view to maybe providing the cupcakes for her wedding brunch in April. So, on Sunday afternoon, I baked Hummingbird, Devil's Food and Scouts cupcakes. About 150 in all. I probably should have halved or even quartered the recipes for smaller batches but I knew the leftovers would be gratefully devoured by my colleagues. I had great fun pract-ICING* with the frostings and tried some techniques and sugary bits I hadn't played with before. The Hummingbird cakes were frosted with citrus cream cheese frosting, the Scouts in vanilla buttercream (pale green and pale blue) or raspberry buttercream (baby pink, of course). For the DF cakes, I went mad with peanut butter frosting and the buttercreams.

* Did you see what I did there? Icing? Hahahaa! Amusing myself is always so much easier than trying to amuse others.

After working at the hospital from 0640-1510hrs, I started working in the kitchen at 1630hrs and finished up at 0030hrs with a boatload of cakes, only 20 of them iced (couldn't cope with doing more than was absolutely necessary by that point) and barely enough room in the fridge for the rest. I was very proud of the looks I managed to master, even if they're not terribly original. I just hope the bride-to-be likes them. Her groom is a very accomplished home baker and quite particular about what he'll let his bride pick for the brunch. I hope I pass muster.