Cupcakes and Clarity

Lately I've been trying to broaden my horizons, Ive started to try and learn Italian ( very basic i might add so please don't try and test me), Ive started writing this blog ( which is proving to be quite enjoyable) and last night i embarked upon my first lesson in cup cake and cake decorating. Ive long been enamored with the way the artists/chefs on over the top American baking shows such as Cake Boss and Ace of Cakes create some amazing masterpieces with just some fondant icing and  butter cream. With my intentions set high i gathered together the list of equipment instructed to bring:

•  500g ready to roll icing
• Apron
• Icing Sugar
• A Mug
• Rolling Pin
• 12 Cup Cakes- Ready made

I felt quite pleased myself, i had baked 12 delicious golden topped cupcakes in the afternoon ( which were still oozing that intoxicating smell of just been freshly baked) my rolling pin, although a cast off from my Nana and a little blacked round the edges was clean and worked perfectly (just don't ask me how a wooden rolling pin came to have 1st degree burns on it) and i had managed to clean my apron, which was well called for considering i literally had to peel it off me after making spun sugar the day before. I felt pretty confident i was well prepared and i was sure that within a few hours i would be making my own replica of Prince William and Princess Catherine's wedding cake.

This very pleasant daydream began to ware off quite quickly upon arrival of the collage where the course was taking place. Having had a prior bad experience at this particular collage my hairs began to stand on end and a cold shudder rippled through my body ( the less said about the bad experience the better - just know that i spent the worst year of my life here, student life was not for me) . I also begin to feel a little nervous, in my thoughts i am a confident, outgoing and easy to talk to person where as in reality I'm a quivering apprehensive wreck. I force myself to unclamp my hands from around the steering wheel and get out of the car.

As i make my way towards the kitchens where the class is due to take place i start to relax, Ive been looking forward to this since i booked it and I'm not going to let my pathetic insecurities get in the way, i stepped through the door and took a quick glance around, I'm greeted by a very pleasant crowd and an extremely warm and friendly tutor but then the feeling of dread starts to overwhelm me again - everyone else bar me seems to have brought with them enough icing and decorating equipment to cover and embellish a Buckingham  palace sized cake, there are tool kits full of cutters and moulding tools, drawers stuffed with colourings and glitter pots and huge gleaming white rolling pins meant specially for rolling out icing, don't i feel a idiot.

Fortunately for me everyone was extremely helpful and generous in lending me anything i needed, even when i  pulled out the charred rolling pin.

For just over two hours i became transfixed and completely engrossed into trying to reproduce the wonders that Sam (our tutor) had shown us how to do.

As i stood over my handiwork, i feel a single tear about to roll down my cheek - is it wrong that for the second time in two days i am about to weep tears of happiness over something i have made or is just that fact that I'm finally realising what it is I'm meant to do?

To be cont ..........

Ps Recipes will be uploaded at a later date