The wedding I went to the past week had something unique in their menu. Instead of serving the guests cake from a three-tiered, white fondant-covered cake, the bride and groom (and their planner) opted for cakes that are easier to serve and easier to stow away for later: they have decided to introduce cupcakes for dessert. Though I have heard of cupcakes being served in formal events nowadays, that wedding was the first time when I saw an elegant cupcake in action (that is, ready to be consumed).

I spent some time scrutinizing the cupcake. It was the blackest, most moist, most luscious chocolate cupcake I have ever tasted. But the taste pales compared with its design. The baker used fondant to decorate the cupcake. It was topped with a flat circle of pale blue fondant (the wedding’s theme was blue) with white fondant flowers placed delicately on top of each one. The light colors contrasted sharply with the color of the cupcake itself, giving it an elegant look that no full-fledged cake could ever hope to achieve. Read More

When a friend invited me over to her house for a slumber party, I excitedly packed clothes, games, and other essentials that I thought would make the party fun. Little did I know that I should have brought a plastic suit and a painted placard that says, “Warning: Clumsy person. Not fit for cupcake decoration.”

When I got there, my friend told me that since her parents were out of town, we were to make our own food. So she hit on what she thought was the perfect idea: Let’s stuff ourselves with cupcakes! She said it would even be more fun if we could decorate them just the way we wanted. And I thought, how hard could it be? Read More