The Birthday Celebration Begins

Toad has been planning his birthday since... let's see... the day after his birthday last year.

Today we started a week of celebrating with a small family gathering for lunch.  The menu included lasagna (or visagna, as Birdy calls it), salad, garlic bread, root beer floats, and some very interesting cupcakes.

Note to self: do not try a new recipe for a birthday celebration.

I have a fantastic cupcake cookbook called Crazy About Cupcakes by Krystina Castella.  I love to page through it for inspiration and have put many of her tips to good use.  Most of the recipes I've tried have been delicious.

Today's was just weird.

Toad wanted Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes so I tweaked the Low-Fat Chocolate Cupcake recipe that we love, threw in some Reese's Peanut Butter Chips, and then made the Peanut Butter Frosting.

Several things contributed to the downfall of these cupcakes.  Number one, I didn't have appropriate cupcake liners -- Toad probably would not appreciate Abby Cadabby cupcake liners.  I decided to use my Pampered Chef stoneware muffin pan.  Mistakes #1 and #2.

Mistake #3 -- I didn't have enough brown sugar to make the complete frosting recipe, so I cut the recipe in half.  In theory, it should have worked out just fine but I'm thinking -- no.  The recipe required the hot frosting to be spread on hot cupcakes.  I removed the cupcakes from the pan, still hot, at which point they started to collapse.  No cupcake liners, right?  The frosting, when cooled, congealed rather quickly and looked like cat vomit.  Mistakes #4 and #5. 

When the cupcakes cooled enough, I decorated each with grated chocolate chips and an upside down mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, a candle, and a Happy Birthday pick.  Hammer Guy rather enthusiastically agreed with me when I said they didn't turn out so great.  His enthusiasm was extensive, in my opinion.  I piled the lumps on a tiered tray and hoped for the best.    They weren't your typical light, fluffy cupcake, that's for sure.  One of my sisters raved about them, though. 

Because I got involved in a work situation, poor Toad had to wait and wait and wait to open his presents, but it was worth the wait!  Some highlights include Lego Harry Potter Hagrid's Hut, Lego Pirates of the Caribbean for Wii, supplies and a breadmaking cookbook (apparently requiring the use of a bread machine that we got for our wedding), super soakers for at the pool this summer, a few t-shirts and comfy pants, and money from Grandma B.

Tomorrow the celebration continues as Toad and Hammer Guy go to Target Field for Toad's first Twins game.  Next Thursday is his actual birthday, which will more than likely mean dinner at Space Aliens.  Next Saturday is his friend party, with a Phineas and Ferb Backyard Beach theme.  Guess I need to get my act together for that one.  Hopefully his cake turns out better than the cupcakes!