Man I LOVE the cake...

The clip above is from one of my favourite TV shows, Little Britain. This character is rather enthusiastic about cake - my kind of person!

Something I've always enjoyed about baking is watching people taste what I've made and waiting for their reactions. In fairness to me (and my taste-testers), most of my cupcakes are unusual. Malva pudding cupcakes, for example, are quite heavy (due to the fact that I drown them in syrupy goodness) and very sticky... A lot of people are rather sceptical at first. "Malva pudding cupcakes?"

My standard response is "eat it, and we'll talk after." This is when the face happens. Usually one or two bites in, people stop and look at the cupcake and then look at me with an expression of vague wonderment on their faces.

This is the moment that makes it all worthwhile for me! Of course, in my head, I'm thinking, yep, you did good, Sullivan! (I ignore the voice that tells me I'm imagining things).

What I'm getting at (in a very roundabout manner) is that I love how food (and sweet treats in particular) never fails to bring smiles to faces. I love being part of that, in my small way.

I also love trying to come up with new treats to surprise people with. By now, I have a small group of willing and enthusiastic taste-testers who I can rely on to give honest feedback. This is a good thing, because, like many things in life, not all of my ideas execute well! Cream Soda cupcakes, for example, didn't work so well in reality.

What's particularly important is that they help me to maintain perspective. Sometimes, simpler is better and I tend to get carried away with grand ideas (and plans for world domination).

That being said, I try not to let ANYTHING dampen my enthusiasm and determination. I really do love the cake, and the cupcakes, and the muffins, and the biscuits. I love starting out with a set of ingredients, combining them, and witnessing the magic that happens when they come out of the oven all hot and fluffy and delicious! I can sit for hours and wonder exactly how it all comes together. (I'm not fluent in science, hence the wondering).

Finally; I am always grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a special day or event by making something that goes way beyond what the client is anticipating. I take pride in what I do and I tend to get quite anxious when I deliver a cake/cupcakes to a client. I must admit that I often don't want people to cut into their cake because I'm so excited about how it looks! I'm also the worst person to be driving behind if I have a cake in the car because I drive like a new mom taking her baby home for the first time. Apologies for all the road-rage that I have inspired!

You know how I got into baking (see my first blog post, Totally Baked) and this should give you some insight into why I bake.. till next time!

#baking #cupcakes #happiness #motivation #inspiration #Malvapudding