Today Is Bake-N-Blog Day!

Okay, for all you new readers, my friend Staci from Staci Edwards Design created this event based on Ming Makes Cupcakes.  Have I confused you yet? Okay, Ming Makes Cupcakes is a website that lists 33 very unique cupcakes.  Staci thought it would be fun if bloggers signed up for a cupcake, baked it and then blog about it - a virtual cupcake party! Great idea right? I chose the 10th cupcake - Apple Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

Mmmmmm.  So, now we are all caught up!

I decided to do my post in "time schedule" style, so that I don't lose any of you with large paragraphs.  Here goes:

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010
9:30pm - YIKES! I can't get onto the Ming Makes Cupcakes website! Darn all you Bake-N-Blog procrastinators who are crashing the site! I will have to wait until tomorrow (the day before the big event - GULP!) to make my cupcakes

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
9:00am - Yes! The website is working again! I print out a copy of the ingredients and directions so I don't get stuck again tonight
8:00pm - The baby is in bed, the husband is watching sports and it's time to start! I have to say that I am not usually this much of a procrastinator - must be the thought of baking!
8:01pm - I realize that I'm an idiot and could have had my cupcakes made last night because I didn't need to get on the Ming Makes Cupcakes website to make mine - I had written a post about them that included the ingredients and directions.  I was tired, okay.
8:10pm - Another realization - I hate peeling and dicing apples - this better be worth it!
8:20pm - I call Aidan in to help with the mixing...my wrist was hurting.  He calls me a "baby".  Ha ha.
8:21pm - Aidan requests "sprinkles" on his cupcake when they are done...I'm not kidding
8:30pm - They are ready to go in!

8:35pm - My caramel topping is cooking! I cannot even describe to you how good my house smelled at this point! I didn't know making caramel was so easy!

9:00pm - They are ready!
9:01pm - I realize that they are not actually ready.  They have risen, but are still gooey.  Uh oh.  I have had problems with my oven before and timing, so I put them in for another 15 minutes.  Here's hoping!
9:16pm - Still gooey.  Grrrr.  Another 10 minutes.
9:26pm - Maybe I did something wrong....another 10 minutes
9:36pm - Finally!
9:46pm - After waiting for them to cool, this is is me eating one of them! (Aidan was taking the picture and eating his "sprinkled" cupcake simultaneously!)

(great picture, I know...haha)

Final Thoughts:
1. The cupcakes didn't turn out exactly as expected - nothing like the picture.  Recipes never do! At least for me.
2. They were more like muffins, than cupcakes.  Maybe it was because of the added apples in the cupcake mixture?
3.  They took waaaaaaaaaay longer than Ming said.
4.  No matter what they looked like and how long they took, they were DELICIOUS! And I would definitely make them again!

I want to thank Staci for putting together such a fun, unique and successful blogger event.  I had such a fun time doing it!! Hooray!!  Now onto my 6th cupcake!