Dear Starbucks,

I love you.

There.  I said it.  I love you.

Why wouldn’t I?  We have a history.  You have been with me on every late night study session, and on early morning rides to work (like when I worked at that bakery and had to leave my house at 4am to be to work by 5am).

You have kept me company on road trips, your giant highway sign welcoming me to every new city like an old friend.

You have comforted me on rough days, tired days, over worked days, stressed out days.

And on really good days, you’re there too, making them that much better.

And you Starbucks Barista person, while I may at first seam hostile towards you, I apologize.  My hostility is only out of jealousy, knowing that your overly perky behavior is mostly due to having already had your coffee.   Really, I love you too.

And to say thank you, I made you a cupcake.

A Caramel Macchiato Cupcake.  Okay, it’s not exactly a caramel macchiato, but I think it’s as close as a cupcake can get.  Whatever.  It’s delicious.

I started with the Martha Stewart’s Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes

I added 2 packets of Starbucks Via, dissolved in 2 tablespoons of hot water, and the seeds from 1 vanilla bean.

I then topped it with Martha Stewart’s Caramel Butter Cream, which she describes as both rich and ethereal, but what she means is pain in the ass to make!

I topped it with an espresso pillow from Trader Joes.

When completed what you get is a light airy cupcake with the subtle flavors of vanilla and coffee topped with a delicate (not too sweet) caramel frosting.  YUM!

I’m also working on a cake pop of the same ingredients – they’re in the freezer now – I’ll let you know how they turn out.

Sandy

PS – CakePops were even better than the cupcake!

Hi, my name is Sandy and I’m an over-achiever.

And a perfectionist.

I need help.

I’ll explain:

This week was teacher appreciation week at my son’s school.   Instead of making a picture,  or painting a flower pot, or making one of these really fantastic hand-sanitizer bottles that I saw on The Idea Room, I suggested cupcakes.  And because I am an over-achiever, I couldn’t just make vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting like my son suggested (which we did make by the way).  No, I also HAD to make chocolate cupcakes with cookies and cream frosting.  And because I am a perfectionist I will not be showing you the photos of the cupcakes my kids and I made yesterday.  I frosted new cupcakes today and took pictures of those instead.

And, in case you were thinking about becoming an over-achieving perfectionist yourself,  let me tell you what it gets you – a sore back and swollen knees from being on your feet for about 10 1/2 hours (oh yeah – I took the kids to the park before starting by double batch of cupcakes), a kitchen temperature of about 85 degrees from making back to back batches of cupcakes, a failed attempt at the first batch of buttercream (which was going to be strawberry, but became a soupy mess from juicy strawberries) and 2 more batches of frosting that wouldn’t keep their shape because the kitchen was 85 degrees.  And then a couple more hours doing all again the next day so you can take a better photograph.  But I’m not complaining.  Okay I’m totally complaining, but don’t get me wrong – I have no-one to blame but myself.  I should have just made the vanilla cupcakes.  Oh well, lesson learned.  Who am I kidding?  I’m pretty sure there will be an over-achieving perfectionist moment in my very near future.

At least I have eager little helpers, and by helpers I mean eager little taste-testers:

Here are the Vanilla/Vanilla Cupcakes:

The one’s we made for Connor’s teachers looked like the white roses, but then he got to sprinkle them with purple sanding sugar.

I used the Martha Stewart Yellow Buttermilk Cupcake Recipe and added the seeds from a vanilla bean, because I like the specks and the smell!

I also added the seeds from a vanilla bean to the frosting.

Confetti Cakes Cupcake Frosting Recipe (my favorite):

Ingredients:

• Unsalted butter – 1 cup (2 sticks; 8 ounces)
• Confectioners’ sugar – 8 cups (28 ounces)
• Milk – 1/2 cup (4 ounces)
• Pure vanilla extract – 2 tablespoons

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, breathe the butter on medium with speed until smooth.
2. Turn the mixer to low speed and add 1 cup of the confectioners’ sugar and beat until combined. Scrape the bowl thoroughly.
3. In a small bowl, combine the milk and the vanilla.
4. Add to the butter-sugar mixture. Set the mixer to medium speed speed and beat until light and fluffy.
5. Gradually add the remaining confectioners’ sugar, adding as much as you need to achieve a smooth and stiff consistency.
6. Use immediately, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 10 days.

Excerpted from The Confetti Cakes Cookbook: Spectacular Cookies, Cakes, and Cupcakes from New York City’s Famed Bakery

And the Chocolate/Cookies & Cream Cupcakes:

I used the Martha Stewart Devils Food Cupcake Recipe

I used the same frosting recipe as above but added about 12 crushed chocolate sandwich cookies.  The ones we made yesterday the cookie pieces were too big to be piped on, they kept getting stuck.  I had to use a decorator knife to frost them. Today I shoved the cookies in a ziplock bag and beat the crap out of them with my rolling pin.  It worked.  And piping the frosting makes them much prettier.

Thanks for listening.

I wonder if they have Over-Achievers Anonymous?

Sandy