Options.

Options are amazing things.  Options in the closet, options in the color car you purchase, options in baking, options in decorating.  We live a life full of options; we consistently, whether consciously or not, have to make a choice.  Those options affect everything from our mood, to the time we leave the house, to the way we feel.

The things or actions we choose, regardless of what they may be, also affect others.  Options affect our character, our destiny.  The options we choose affect us at the very core.  The choices we make directly affect who we are, and what we represent.  We will get to the big picture later.

To perk things up, let's talk about options when baking.

A very healthy field of choices, my favorite option in baking is frosting.  One can turn a boring loaf of banana bread into an exceptional mouth-pleasing dessert, simply by adding cinnamon cream cheese frosting.  Simple muffins can be drizzled with glaze to sweeten, or semi-sweet chocolate frosting to add a bit of bitter (say that 5 times...bit of bitter).

Today's post focuses on red velvet cupcakes:  canned frosting or homemade?

I would argue that not very many people can taste the difference between the two, however, this Modern Day Cinderella never puts out canned frosting.

Red velvet cupcakes (and the plate of cream cheese stuffed red velvet brownies you see) are worthy of only one thing:  homemade cream cheese frosting.  Why you ask?  Simple.  Red velvet cupcakes are a soulmate cupcake.  They are the unicorn of all cupcakes; the epic once-in-a-lifetime mouth full of goodness so incredible it makes you weak in the knees.  Ya, they are THAT freakin-delish.

Homemade cream cheese frosting really isn't too difficult to make.  Basically you take a few ingredients, make sure your cream cheese is softened, throw it in your mixer....and "whhhhhallla".

Here is my secret to the perfect sweet vs. bitter cream cheese frosting.  Soulmate worthy.

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar (shu-gah dahling)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. mix butter + cream cheese until it is good and creamy and fluffy.  It should look shiny and delicious.
2. Gradually add everything else.  Stick your finger in to taste (after shutting off the mixer), but beware, one taste is never enough.  I told you, soulmate worthy. 

Another fun trick to note, I didn't use a piping bag or tool for these sweet luvin' cupcakes.  

When left without, fill a sandwich size baggie with your frosting.  Clip a small corner off the baggie and again "whhhhallla"- piping bag created.  

Back to the moral of the story:  options.  I'm sure you've seen the quote "never be someone's option".  This is really, really for real the truth.  Although life is full of so many options, remember that falling in love or falling for someone means that you and he/she should never be an option for the other.  Much like the soulmate-unicorn cupcake, YOU should be a choice, never just an option.  I think we often forget this important aspect; likely because we are so flooded with options in everyday life.  

Never settle for being someone's option.  Always have enough respect for yourself to be someone's choice.  This Modern Day Cinderella needs to remind herself of that from time to time.  Baking brings out these epic life lessons; I hope know that someday when I find my Modern Day Prince Charming, I will be his choice and never feel like just his option.  

xoxo (from Minnesota),

Me