Saturday, December 27, 2008

Happy Birthday, Baby!

How do you celebrate your daughter’s 25th birthday from 3,000 miles away? With award-winning cupcakes, of course!

I had this crazy idea of sending her 6 gourmet cupcakes from Best Buns, the second runner-up in the recent DC cupcake contest. I went in and placed my order for a half dozen beautiful cupcakes of different varieties. I actually talked to the general manager, Carlos Fernandez, about how to decorate them. I love the fact that they are so accommodating in this bakery!


But in the back of my mind was the looming question of how to ship them across the country without ending up with a box of sticky crumbs. No one at Best Buns had any idea.


I Googled thinks like “cupcake carrier” and came up with a plastic thing for transporting 24 cupcakes to a pot-luck dinner. Then one smart penny-conscious person suggested two muffin tins put together.


I just happened to have two pans designed for 6 mega-muffins, from the days when I baked muffins for hungry swimmers. I put double-sided tape in the bottoms of one pan.


The Best Buns people did the rest, all the way to curling the ribbon. The cupcakes were simply gorgeous, at least before the top pan went on. But I think they will be well-protected as they make their way across the country.


Will the USPS people even look at my “THIS SIDE UP” note on the top or all the arrows the postal clerk added? Perhaps not.


But I’m sure the cupcakes will be well received by a daughter grateful that someone back home remembered she is turning 25.

Happy birthday, baby!

(Photos at Best Buns used by permission!)

13 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Those cupcakes look scrumptious! Cupcakes are such a mother/daughter thing, and remind me of childhood Camp Fire Girl and PTA meetings and the like. I haven't tried making them for many years; mine tended to turn out dry or gummy. I'm sure your daughter will enjoy them!

And I'm appreciating that all the photos are yours! :-)

-- F.

12:38 PM  
Blogger Squirrel said...

25 is such a great age to be, and cupcakes like those---wow! Happy Birthday, Cupcake !

12:54 PM  
Blogger Squirrel said...

yeah, great pix!

12:54 PM  
Blogger Barbara said...

Anon -- You've had a powerful effect on my penchant to steal artwork! Maybe I should take a photography course to learn how to really use my camera.

I can't remember the last time I made a cupcake -- probably to take them in to someone's class birthday celebration. I could never quite gauge how much batter to put in the little paper cups; sometimes they barely reached to top and other times they were overflowing. The kids never cared and frosting made up for a multitude of sins.

If I ever get to meet you, I promise to bring you the best chocolate cupcake you will ever eat!

12:57 PM  
Blogger Barbara said...

Squirrel -- I will bring you one too, if and when I ever get to Nyack! Maybe you could teach me how to better use my camera; your photos are so professional.

I agree that 25 is a great age. It's when you have finally figured out what's going on in the world and your body hasn't started to betray you yet!

12:59 PM  
Blogger Barbara said...

BTW, can you tell that's supposed to be a bottle of champagne on the card? My husband thought it was a vase of flowers! I admit to not being terribly inspired at card-making last night, but it was the best I could come up with. She would probably have preferred the champagne to the card...

1:02 PM  
Blogger Angela said...

Happy birthday, daughter!! A quarter of a century is a great age! I`m thinking of you and wishing you well, Angela in Germany

1:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm glad you're posting your own photos, Barbara! And not just because I have my own personal opinions about voluntary vs. involuntary sharing of art and so on -- but because to me it feels so much more personal and interesting. E.g., how very cool and inspiring to see your cards!

As for meeting -- not "if," but "when," OK? And I'll be waiting for that fabulous chocolate cupcake. :-)

Looks like a champagne bottle shooting out fireworks to me...

Happy Birthday to the lucky Cupcake Girl!

-- F.

2:51 PM  
Blogger Barbara said...

Angela -- I will pass along your greeting as my R doesn't read my Blog. Sometimes it works better that way.

Anon -- Yes, WHEN is the operative word. Let's work on that, OK?

It was actually supposed to be champagne spewing up out of the bottle, but I sort of like the image of fireworks. A little more pizazz!

3:32 PM  
Blogger e said...

What an inspired idea. I hope your beautiful daughter appreciates the cupcakes and the card!

I was once the recipient of two fully frosted carrot cakes from Panama. They arrived to my college address in the U.S. in perfect shape. I hope your cupcakes do the same!

Happy New Year, too!

9:33 PM  
Blogger Barbara said...

E -- It's always fun to get a package of any sort, yes? She is a really good kid, always has been!

10:32 PM  
Blogger Celestine said...

OMG those cupcakes look delectable!

5:16 AM  
Blogger Kellyann Brown said...

:::crossing my fingers for a safe arrival of the cupcakes::::

Beeeeee-you-tif-full cupcakes!

11:59 AM  

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