Something to aspire to...

I didn't have any new year's resolutions this year. Don't get me wrong, there are hundreds - no, thousands - of things that I want to do before the year is out. But something is sticking with me at the moment - cupcakes. I'm thinking I want to do one batch of cupcakes per week. Every time, a different flavour. A different technique. And all gluten free (natch). No excuses - I want to be able to do this right. And preferably learn to take a decent photograph of them!

In the last 6 months, cupcakes seem to have made the antipodean jump in popularity. Cupcakeries have sprung up all over Melbourne. Yes, I know they have always been popular - but since S&TC turned Magnolia Bakery in NYC into the cooking version of Studio 64, cupcakes have been HUGE in the US. Australia is just a bit slow to catch on. Perth hasn't quite caught up yet - but cupcakes are starting to turn up in mainstream delis and city lunch outlets.

I know, I know, I'm just a bandwagon jumper, but there is something just so satisfying about making something... pretty. Oh god, I'm such a girl. Seriously though, everything in my life has purpose and is thoroughly practical - apart from cupcakes. Hell, I don't even have to eat them to enjoy them - it's how utterly useless but universally loved and always appreciated that gives them their appeal, I guess...

I've always lived a somewhat practical existence - finding ways to optimize efficiency, to do what needs to be done with the least amount of effort, to maximize return on investments. That kind of life doesn't have a lot of room for... frills. Cupcakes are frills. Frippery. But utterly fabulous.

I took this photo outside the Cupcake Bakery in Melbourne Central. That's what I'm aspiring to this year - to get to the point where my cupcakes are almost as good. And that is the point of this post!

So. Flavours thus far:

Italicized = Recipes are my own creation

Green = Already Complete

Orange = Not yet complete but I know how I'll do it

Red = Will be made but I'm not sure how I'll do it

January
- Cinnamon Pancake with Maple Buttercream
- Salted Caramel with Caramel SMBC
- Cinnamon Caramel Fairy Cakes with Cinnamon SMBC

February
- Cosmopolitan Cupcakes
- Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes
- Lemon Lime Bitters Cupcakes
- Orange Meringue Cupcakes
- Fig & Honey Cupcakes

March
- Red Velvet cupcakes (well, everyone is always going on about them...!) - this recipe
- Quinoa Chocolate Cupcakes (low fat, low GI but high taste!) This Recipe
- Blueberry Polenta Cupcakes
- Some form of high-hat cupcake

April
- Carrot cake Cupcakes (for Easter! Yay!)

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December
- Gingerbread cupcakes

What other flavours? Please post your faaaaaaaaaavourite cupcakes!

(Mine so far is definitely Salted Caramel!)