When I started working 40 hours a week, I knew my life would get crazy.
What I didn't realize was that between work, sleep, my class, eating, cleaning, and my husband that I really wouldn't have time left for my beloved DIY projects and basically any other hobby - like calligraphy where I bought all the supplies and a book but now have no time to practice.
I thought that with time, I would get used to the schedule and still have some free time. Well, I've gotten used to the schedule and have come to find out that was wrong. I've even missed my absolute favorite event of the week (Taco Tuesday - free tacos and no cooking or cleaning, c'mon y'all) on a consistent basis.
There's not much time for fun things.
With that being said, I was asked to bake cupcakes for my Great Grandpa's 100th Birthday party not long ago. I was excited, but knowing my new schedule, I was pretty intimidated. I mean, it wasn't just 6 cupcakes to make.
Now, I don't know if you've noticed in the blog/Pinterest world, but making recipes from scratch seems to be the epitome of being a great wife/cook/party thrower/woman. I had it in my head that I was really failing at this cupcake business if I didn't make them by starting with a bag of flour and sugar.
But by the middle of the week before the party, I knew this would be how I'd be making cupcakes for the party.
LIFE'S TOO BUSY MASS CUPCAKE METHOD
1. Go to the store and purchase several boxes of cake mix in the flavor you want.
2. Make sure you have enough eggs and oil.
3. Check the back of the box and make sure you aren't missing anything.
4. Checkout and pay for your boxed cakes and avoid eye contact with cashier or use self checkout. You're gonna look like you eat A LOT of cake.
5. Go home and prepare to completely destroy your kitchen (but don't bother cleaning it up until the next day unless you have more energy than me).
6. Follow directions on back of box for cupcake method. (Don't forget to eat all the ugly cupcakes while they're hot. No one will ever know.)
7. Have a backup plan for how you plan to "trick" people into not realizing you used box cake.
a.) Make icing and put it on pretty.
b. ) Make a cute decoration that overcompensates for your lack of baking from scratch.
c.) Attend your event with confidence!
At first, I felt bad about using boxed cake mixes to make the cupcakes. But now that I did it, I don't feel bad at all. In fact, I'm glad I used them.
I spent considerably less time to make about 50 cupcakes, test drove a car, ate food from our favorite Korean restaurant, spent time with a friend, and caught up on Sons of Anarchy (the next show that is in order for TV night at our place).
I made successful icing for the first time in my life (yes, I could fail at making icing). I made the cupcakes pretty with the icing. And if that wasn't enough to make up for using boxed cake, I decided to sacrifice sleep and make some cute cupcake tags from old photos and my new calligraphy markers that I found on sale!
Moral of the story: If you're life is super busy, go ahead. Make cupcakes from boxed cake mix. And spend your time doing more important things like spend time with people and make cute decorations. Because chances are most people won't know whether you used a cake mix or not...and if they do, they'll eat it anyway.
And if they don't eat it anyway...well, tough luck.
Next week I'll post a short post on how I made the cupcake tags! They helped dress the cupcakes up so much, plus they can serve as a keepsake if anyone wants them!
