The Return... yet again & vanilla cupcakes galore!

Can we still be friends? I come bearing cupcakes!!!!

This is my peace offering.... I know... I know... This happens EVERY year right around Christmas. I get so overwhelmed with everything else going on for the holidays that I (pathetically) neglect my blog and my blog loves! I'm so so sorry but I have to admit that amidst all of the Christmas hullabulloo, I almost lost feel like I lost the love for documenting my culinary adventures. I still love cooking and baking and I still love my blog but my feelings towards the two together were lack-luster. So I took a little break.... and got to focus on a few other things like spending time with family & friends, actually taking the time to make Christmas gifts for 7 of my closest loves, spending time with a very special boy who has reminded me how to smile more, and working incessantly!

However, this past weekend I was really thinking about the blog and how much I missed it. And then I picked up my camera (for the first time in a while) and remembered how much I missed playing around with it. So I had some cupcakes to bake for my step-grandmother's birthday party and picked up my camera and it was like I'd never left.

And on that note, I figured that my reintroduction to the blog should be simple and sweet... an easy progression back into the wacky world of food blogging. What better way to return than with cupcakes. Now, these are not necessarily your typical basic cupcakes but they were simple in design and delicious on taste. A few months ago, I found a recipe on Sweetapolita for Magnolia Bakery's Bakery-Style Vanilla Cupcakes. I was intrigued as a) I've never been to the Magnolia Bakery and b) I'm always on the hunt for an amazing vanilla cupcake recipe. I've made them twice now and they're great! Beautiful in presentation, great texture, not too dry and pretty much perfect!

How could anyone say no to these beauties? Notice, the little black flecks in both the batter and the frosting?

Yes, my friends... REAL vanilla bean seeds from my favourite vanilla bean paste. I'm telling you, bake with it once, and you'll understand why I am such a convert! it makes a HUGE difference from the stuff you can get at the grocery store! Try it! It's a beautiful thing and you will totally disregard the price tag that comes with it! It's worth every penny!

I am in love with these cupcakes. Simple, sweet and perfect for about 50000 different occasions. I've got a few events coming up that could be the appropriate time and place for these cupcakes: a baby shower, a few birthdays, Jessica aka The Wedding Girl's engagement party and any other occasion I can come up with!!!!

All I can say is LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!

I hope we can still be friends despite my hiatus!!!! The second batch of cupcakes made for Nana's party will be posted soon!

Take care and hugs for 2012 to all of you!!!

Happy baking!

Tamara