My first stint in college was right out of high school, where I started out with intentions of becoming a Psychotherapist. That lasted all of one semester, when I decided I wanted to be a writer instead, in part because I sucked at math. And I've worked as a writer pretty consistently since I was 18, just not for much money to speak of... ahem.
Thoughts raced through my head... . at 27, I wasn't sure what to get a Master's in. Then I looked up the price of a Master's degree and realized that I'd be better off baking my hands off than paying $80,000 for a degree for the rest of my life. I decided to get my A.S. in Occupational Therapy, which ended up costing less than 1/3 of that coveted Master's, and being pretty much the ideal adult job for me. That being said, it was a big decision to go back to school at that age and take a huge pay cut from not working much, and work my tail off. Friends got neglected, buying a house postponed, I got a few gray hairs, plus snarky comments from lots of people about "going backwards" by not getting a Master's (anyone who thinks an A.S. is easy has no idea what they're talking about). The point is, I'm finished my last internship this past week, and am graduating! It feels like an eternity has gone by, and now that it's done I can't imagine why I wanted to put myself through that, but I feel pretty amazing. And I won't have to bake for a full-time job much longer, just for my own love of it.
I wanted to bake something inspired by my absolute glee from being done with school this week,and also something significant of the transition I've made in my life through the past few years. I decided to make a delicate and simple Lavender cupcake.Lavender is a soothing scent, and I needed to relax in a big way the last few weeks. Plus, it's spring now here in Minnesota, and flowers should eventually pop out if it ever warms up...
Lavender Cupcakes
Cupcakes:
-2 cups flour
-1 cup water
-1 T. dried lavender flowers
-1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 t. baking soda
-1/2 t. sea salt
-1 t. vanilla
-1 1/2 t. apple cider vinegar
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. In another bowl, combine sugar, vanilla, water and canola oil, whisk to combine. Add wet to dry and whisk to combine. Spoon into sprayed muffin liners and bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes up clean.
Cooked Buttercream Frosting:
- 3 large egg whites
-3/4 cup sugar
-2 sticks of butter
-1/2 t. salt
-1 t. vanilla
Directions: In a medium sauce-pan, combine egg whites and sugar and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until sugar is dissolved, (about 160 degrees on instant read thermometer) Transfer immediately to a mixing bowl and beat on high until doubled in volume, keep whisking until cool. Turn mixer speed to medium and slowly add butter 1/2 T. at a time to combine. May look curdled, but keep whisking, it will smooth out after several minutes. Once frosting is glossy looking, add vanilla and salt then turn mixer to high speed for 1-minute before stopping. Frost cooled cupcakes, sprinkle lavender flowers on buttercream.
A lovely little cupcake for a big celebration. The buttercream is clean and delicate on top of this moist and classic cupcake.
This cupcake tasted awesome with the dry white wine we were sipping. The lavender gives it a little spunk, and a beautiful little sprinkling of color too. It really seems to say "bring it on spring!"
The pretty little flowers were out of a gorgeous little arrangement my friend Wendy gave me as a graduation present. What a gorgeous touch to a sweet little cupcake.
So, I'm relieved and contented to be done with this chapter in my life, and start a new one. I'll have a different day job, but I'll never stop baking and practicing, because the only life for me is one where I love what I do.
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