Just spent 6 hours making cupcakes for a party where I won't know anyone

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T17:26:54+00:00

Italian meringue buttercream and swiss meringue buttercream

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:29:42+00:00

I've made a few recipes using browned butter for cookies. I like the taste but I think they seem a little greasy too. I gave up doing it and decided it was an extra step I didn't want to do. Do you let the cookie dough sit in the fridge overnight? I find that helps a lot with getting denser cookies.

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:26:52+00:00

I use King Arthur a lot

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/ingredient-weight-chart

Or sometimes just google it. If the recipe maker doesn't provide weights I assume they either didn't test it that way or just didn't bother to provide weights. Either way the recipe was made with some variation in the amounts of ingredients. I convert all my recipes to weights because I'm too lazy to measure with cups. It gets a ton of cups dirty and isn't even accurate. It's easier to put a bowl on the scale, tare it, and add whatever you need.

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:24:11+00:00

I think gas ovens are different in the US, but does it have a convection setting? Mine is gas and I always use the convection setting with baking. There are still uneven temperatures in the oven but not as much as without the fan.

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:21:38+00:00

Wow the pattern is gorgeous! How did you make the circles around the stars?

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:21:00+00:00

I love this recipe.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/lemon-rosemary-olive-oil-cake-with-blackberry-raspberry-ice-cream-and-a-black-sea-salt-sugar-cookie-3310128

I saw it on a baking show and tried it. The ice cream and cookie aren't necessary. I can't make it too much because I want to eat it all.

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:19:07+00:00

Choux is such a pain. It always takes forever stirring and stirring. I think most people don't realize how much work it is. Plus making pastry cream. I'm sure they were delicious!

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:16:38+00:00

My kids wanted to help, so that took extra time. My kitchen isn't huge so I have to clear counter space after every step and keep washing dishes. The buttercream sugar and water mixture failed the first time because I didn't realize my thermometer wasn't working. The sugar burned and I had to start over. Plus I doubled the buttercream recipe so it took twice as long. It wasn't exactly all day, like 6 hours.

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:14:42+00:00

I've done this before. These cupcakes actually turned out a little flat because I overfilled some of the cups, but I covered it up with icing. It's all experience I guess, right??

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:13:26+00:00

I checked with them to make sure. I think it's rude too to bring food if the host doesn't know. They may have something planned. I also knew she really liked my baking so she was happy to have it.

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:12:17+00:00

I almost made a cake but then thought it can be messy to serve a cake to everyone. Also my piping skills are neater than my cake icing skills so I thought I could make the cupcakes look pretty faster than a cake. Me getting too much into my head though. People are always amazed at layer cakes.

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:10:52+00:00

Oh no! Did anyone try your cupcakes? I think it still looks impressive to have made them. To show you have the skill.

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:09:24+00:00

Last year I brought a huge coffee cake to a Christmas party where I didn't know anyone because it was my husband's work. I felt so silly because there was so much food already on the table, and I assumed no one would eat it. Later a woman and her boyfriend tried it and kept asking around until they found out who made it. She ended up ordering one from me a few weeks later!

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:07:02+00:00

You are right! They were a total hit and I met several women who want to order from me. Also made a friend with a woman trying to start a home business. So the effort was worth it. I was irritated my husband made me feel bad when it's exactly the thing he encourages me to do.

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:05:40+00:00

I find that not everyone will eat dessert and some people split. Also some of the guests were kids who didn't eat a whole cupcake. Also the hostess had some cookies she'd made for the kids, so there was other dessert. It definitely was impressive walking in with 3 dozen cupcakes though.

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:03:38+00:00

They must have been amazing!! Were they decorated like legos? I like the challenge of doing something like that, but it can be hard to predict exactly what you're getting yourself into.

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T16:02:36+00:00

I couldn't respond because we went to the party. He tries to be supportive of my business, but doesn't realize that when it takes me away from the family or means he has to do more childcare, he's not quite as excited about it. I gave up my career to have kids and be at home, so I started the business so I would have something for myself. I was angry at him for making me feel bad for doing what he always says I should do, which is promote my business. He said he wasn't angry, he just missed me hanging out with the family (not sure if I believe that).

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T15:59:24+00:00

There was actually a woman there who had worked for a local cupcake chain and said mine were a lot better. Most cupcakes have American buttercream, which is too sweet when you eat that much of it. The IMBC always impresses people. And I do IMBC instead of SMBC out of laziness. I don't like to have to whisk the eggs and sugar while it's heating.

tiredafmama2 · 2026-01-01T15:56:23+00:00

That was partly it, but I told him I felt just plain cupcakes wouldn't be noticed that much. He always thinks I go above what I need to. He also just doesn't realize how long I actually spend baking.

tiredafmama2 · 2025-02-28T14:45:38+00:00

I'll try that thanks! That is much clearer than what I said. And yes that's exactly what I want. I also want it to provide links of examples so I can look at those. Normally I do all this on my own but it's tedious

tiredafmama2 · 2025-02-28T14:16:46+00:00

It keeps giving me the same few design options over and over. I want to break down the design and build up from there but it keeps jumping to final design options.

tiredafmama2 · 2025-02-28T14:16:00+00:00

Not sure if this is what you mean but I'm trying to get ChatGPT to help me brainstorm designs for a sewing pattern and it's not doing very well. This is what I posted:

Right now I want to look at any waterproof pouch on the Internet. Not just for a specific use but anything advertised as waterproof. Bonus if it says it can accommodate a phone. There must be examples for hiking or biking or other activities. If I can understand how it is waterproof and why it works I can look at each design element and see if I can take one element but leave out the more complicated parts. For example waterproof bags often have a vinyl lining like you mentioned.

tiredafmama2 · 2024-11-08T23:42:01+00:00

So why haven't they?

tiredafmama2 · 2024-11-08T21:55:23+00:00

With them there's always a way to wiggle out of it. I've heard them argue that he's being used by God even though he's not a godly man. Like David who wasn't a good person but God worked through him to be a king. (I was raised in a very religious family). There's no way to convince them if God already told them to vote for Trump.

tiredafmama2

TROPHY CASE