domesticity

. . . . or how to gain back all the weight you lost after surgery.

yesterday was a lovely return to the city - boston. it was hot and busy and crowded and sweaty and awesome. so wonderful to be away from the country.

and! i finally! found a good shirt-dress at h+m; pictures to follow.

this afternoon i hung out with a younger cousin; when at a loss what to do with a 12 year old girl, i turned to cupcakes.

generic cupcakes

1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
[other tasty spices - i love cardamon!]

3/4 c. milk [soy, rice, coconut, cream if you're feeling CRAZY]
1 tbls. flavor extract [vanilla, lemon, almond, coconut, anise, etc.]

cream butter and sugar together. alternate adding dry and wet ingredients - keep the mixing to an absolute minimum for max deliciousness.

bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, or until the tops are slightly springy to the touch.
cool and frost.

generic buttercream

1/2 c. butter
more confectioners sugar than you ever thought necessary
some other tasty liquid substance [milk, coconut milk, cream, soymilk, ricemilk, vanilla extract, lemon/lime juice, etc&]

cream butter with sugar - add small small small amounts of your liquid of choice but be careful! it's real easy to go from beautiful thick consistency to dripping liquid sugar.

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these are so easily customizable and are wicked fun to play around with. i was doing coconut cupcakes with lime frosting for a while, then on to "americana" cakes with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in the cake and with an apple jelly buttercreme. today we just went classic.