In Vino No Cupcakes

I've never seen such cupcake tragedy. The tops were crisped, cracked and sunken in. The crumb almost had no structure. What happened?

Flashback 2 hours earlier. A glass of wine was waiting for me as I came home from some errands. I was in an upbeat mood - perfect time for wine. Ofcourse, it escaped my mind that I had to make cupcakes for a friend's girls party for the next day.

By the time I got started with the cupcakes I was almost done with my glass of wine - believe me it does not take too much to get to me at all. But I convinced myself that I was in control of all my faculties.

The first inkling that something was not right was when the flour flew all over the place as I whisked it into the batter using the stand mixer. After that  I was only able to fill 22 cupcake liners. Strange. That's a lot to be way off.

So I popped the trays into the oven, checked my email for a bit and decided to clean up. It was then that I saw them . Three whole eggs sitting amidst the cracked shells in the egg carton that were supposed to be in the batter! Oh sh*t!!!

At the same time, the cupcakes started morphing into grotesque mounds of molten goo that baked up quickly and then collapsed. Another realization hit me. I should have used the paddle attachment instead of the whisk! With the whisk , I overbeat the flour that activated the gluten or baking powder too much that the cupcakes rose too fast. The missing eggs, besides helping to fill those last two cupcake liners, helped in crumb formation.

So, here I am waiting for my normal looking cupcakes to cool off. Glad I did not mess up this second batch...because I am out of butter!

Oh, so you know how they say it's great to drink wine while cooking - I don't think that applies to baking.

   

Comments

[Shawnda]

And no drinking when grilling, either. In front of an open flame is no place for a girl to be slightly less aware :)

[peabody]

It doesn't apply to baking...I always seem to forget something if I bake and drink. :)

[T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types]

Thank you for this important public service announcement about drinking and baking, Veron. Now, I always thought a glass of wine always made the pasta taste better ...

[Aran]

Been there, done that! Hilarious!

[Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)]

In my kitchen, the rule is never to bake anything at 3:00 in the afternoon -- that is the time my biorhythms, or whatever, shut down, and whenever I bake in the afternoon, I leave something out. I've been known to poke holes in the pie crust to insert the butter or pour in the forgotten sugar -- I've left buttermilk out of cakes and baking soda out of quick breads. Maybe a glass of wine would have helped.

[breadchick]

What a riot! I love that you share your kitchen disasters with us as well as you successes. I'm the same way without coffee, two of the last three DB Challenges I've started without coffee and had to start over...

Glad things turned out in the end

[Bookstore Piet]

The inhumanity.... Those poor little cupcakes... Victims of BWI... :(

[Rasa Malaysia]

Great picture...I love it that you have the wine glass at the foreground...brilliant! Anyway, never mind of this baking disaster, I have had too many of those. ;)

[Katie B.]

Oh no! And they must have smelled so good, too - to not be able to enjoy them!

[Cakespy]

Geez and I thought wine made you so much BETTER at everything...oh wait, that is in your MIND, not in reality :-) Still, what a story! And glad deliciousness prevailed in the end!

[Pille]

That sounds all too familiar to me. I've forgotten to add sugar to cookies (tough and unpleasant result), forgotten to add eggs on a few occasion.
And once in a while I discover once-melted butter in my microwave - that should have added all the extra moisture and flavour into the cake we made few days ago and tasted somewhat odd :)

[joey]

Oh Veron! You are too cute! I agree, although I love to have a glass of wine while cooking, I don't think the same vibe applies to baking :)

[Marvin]

Hilarious story, Veron;) I'm glad I don't bake, otherwise I'd have to give up drinking ;P

[Hannah]

Haha, I can see a whole new campaign against alcohol coming out of this; "Friends don't let friends bake drunk." Sorry to hear about those sad, fallen cupcakes, but it could certainly be worse. It's a good thing you didn't need to go drive out to the store for ingredients in the middle of things!

[Christine]

Haha don't drink and bake! That's our new bumper sticker. I love this post, it makes me feel better about my own baking tragedies. :)

[White On Rice Couple]

Wow! Is that what happens when one forgets to put egg in the batter? This is a valuable lesson learned. Your tragedy is our gain. Sorry about the cupcakes but thanks for the lesson!

[White On Rice Couple]

Wow! Is that what happens when one forgets to put egg in the batter? This is a valuable lesson learned. Your tragedy is our gain. Sorry about the cupcakes but thanks for the lesson!

[Susan from Food Blogga]

At least you had an excuse. I made a two pie crusts the other day and forgot the sugar in both batches. Not once, but twice. And all I had was water. ;)

[Big Boys Oven]

lol! I love doing that, I meant having wine while cooking or baking, ain't it fun! You must had a jolly time! lol!

[Della]

Where did you get our cupcake liner and what size is it?

[Cynthia]

You had me on the floor with laughter. With you of course, not at you.

[veron]

All, it was definitely a learning experience. I really should make a bumper stickers about baking and wine.
Delia - The liners I got from wilton and are the 24/pk ones (maybe 3oz) nut and party cups.

[KJ]

You've been done for BUI (Baking Under the Influence), LOL. Not to worry. My kitchen has seen plenty of cakes like these, and I don't drink. At least you have an excuse.

[Paula]

LOL too funny! it's happened to me too, baking under the influence doesn't always work out so well;)

[Lisa]

HEHEHEHEEEEE! And this is why I love you so much, Sis.. we truly do share the same brain as I can relate to this story COMPLETELY. hee!

Love you!
xoxoxo