The baking frenzy...

began early this morning (well, early for a Saturday) when I embarked on making four dozen - count them: forty-eight - cupcakes for a New Year's Eve Party.  Two dozen yellow and two dozen red velvet, with either chocolate, cream cheese or coconut frosting.  First, I discovered that I only have one standard-size cupcake pan; I thought I had two.  Turns out I have two jumbo muffin tins - what's up with that?  So I ended up baking the cupcakes a dozen at a time.  Not a big deal, because I got to try out my latest gadget!

A handy-dandy batter dispenser from the wonderful people at Chicago Metallic - the same people who make the greatest baking pans in the world.  Or at least I think so.  This thing is amazing!  Hold it over the cupcake liner and squeeze the handle; when it's full enough to suit you, let go of the handle and move on to the next liner.  No drips, no mess - no baked-on gook to scrub off the cupcake pan.  I suppose you could also use it for pancake batter if you are of the pancake-making persuasion.

To keep the cupcakes from getting smashed and the frosting from being mussed, I dropped each cupcake into a small plastic cup and then into a cute holiday plastic bag and twist-tied it closed.  I decided to forgo the raffia bows and tags reading red velvet - blah, blah, blah - no one would have cared that I went to all that trouble anyway.  I've learned over the years that there is such a thing as overkill when it comes to taking stuff to a holiday party - people really only care how what you brought tastes.  I re-purposed a pizza box into two flat trays by covering the cardboard with Santa paper.  Cute - and I don't have to worry about getting my tray or basket back.

Another lesson learned the hard way...

Unfortunately, I ran out of the snappy little snowflake bags and had to resort to using some supplies I had on hand.  The flowers and pumpkins are festive - but just the wrong season.  We'll just have to see if anybody notices.