Birth of a cupcake monster

In my pursuit to be a domestic goddess I feel I am becoming a bit of a cupcake monster.

It all started when my boyfriend bought me a Hummingbird Bakery cupcake and muffin book, it was all very innocent to begin with. I love cupcakes, Swallow Bakery in Chichester is one of my favourite places to have a sugary piece of heaven. And as I have said in a previous post I would love to be a domestic goddess being able to produce heavenly cakes for all to admire. My boyfriend knowing this and being happy to reap any rewards that I might make was very happy to purchase the book to help me on my way.

Next step getting the book and choosing what to do all simple enough. Now this is where the obsession and transformation into the cupcake monster rather than cupcake Queen begins.

I bought all the ingredients for my first ever batch...chocolate and hazelnut cakes. I got the flour, sugar, eggs etc, I got the cupcake cases, the baking tin and Tupperware to put them in when done. Me and my boyfriend spent last weekend making a delicious batch of cakes which were enjoyed by both sets of families.

My boyfriend thought, bless him, that this baking session would be enough to tame the beast. But no, my head was busy planning what my next load of cupcakes would be, maybe Strawberry Cheesecake? Or Marshmallow? Or the Pecan and Maple Muffins?

I then knew I had to buy more equipment: a measuring jug, sieve, silicone cupcake cases and a icing piping thing. I paraded my purchases with a massive grin on my face, much to the bemused looks of my family.

My next purchase would be a hand electric whisk, a Kenwood one was seen on BBC 2's The Great British Bake Off programme. I get a flutter excitement about it in the same way I do about shoes and bags.

It seems that my fixation is never wavering, in a Waitrose I can stand merrily looking at the baking aisle treats, looking at the different sprinkles, food colourings and decorations like a pregnant woman looks at baby clothes. I just don't know what has come over me, I think it is something practical I could potentially be good at.

Out of my sisters I am not the practical, doing one. My youngest sister is a trained hairdresser, I couldn't do that at all. I am very theory based, which is why I think baking appeals to me there is a list of things I need and a step by step guide on how to do it, deviate from this and error rears its ugly head but as one who likes instruction it is my perfection. Something that cannot possibly go wrong if I follow the recipe to the letter.

And so another part of my puzzle has fallen into place, I bought the very stylish Cox Cookies & Cake bake book, filled with cupcakes that are sexy and out-there. Also cookies, brownies and other delights. With decorations including skulls, lips and underwear it is the naughty side but with chocolate and peanut butter offerings I cannot wait to get stuck in.

The sugar eyed beast is looming again, and my boyfriend cannot but stare, wondering what happened to his normal girlfriend who prefers not to cook. She is in here somewhere, behind a apron and a cloud of flour and baking powder.