Friday Failure......

 I tried to make these delicious looking cupcakes that I saw on someones "linky party" awhile back.....who knows where, as I get so confused with those party things but from now on I'm going to list the name of the website when I save something.  Anyway, they were lemonade cupcakes with raspberry frosting.  Doesn't that sound scrumptious?

I had gotten the ingredients from the store the other day...I plan ahead I do! I made the batter.........

 Filled the pretty liners I'd purchased just for the occasion.........

And baked them off.............

So far, so good!  I wanted these to turn out nice as I had met some great people in the neighborhood and wanted to take some to them.  I whipped up the frosting and got out my pastry bag with tips to frost like the original recipe called for.  She said use a #1 tip and of course, I made her frosting recipe. My tips were not labeled like that though.  I had a #30, #27, #29.....no single digit tips at all but I picked the one with the biggest orifice, filled my pastry bag and went to work!  That's when it got ugly...............I mean REAL UGLY!!!!  Take a look.............

Pitiful aren't they?  Come on.....you know they are...don't be polite.  The frosting was too thick, I guess, so I went back to my old way of using a knife...........

I know you're laughing and now I am too!  They tasted good but OMG I will never be a pastry chef!  I thought if I used a pastry bag it would look better than my spreading attempts with a knife but obviously not.  I thought it would be easier too...I could picture myself like those bakers on the food channels just piping away on cakes and cookies and cupcakes.  I really thought the pastry bag method was going to open up a whole new world for me............NOT!!!!!  I certainly hope your Friday was not a failure and if anyone has any "frosting tips" for me please, by all means, send them to me. I can only go up from here!  This is what happens when you choose a career over staying at home and years later you retire.  Be afraid....be VERY afraid......this could happen to you!
 P.S.  Here's the original recipe and how they're SUPPOSED to look.........I would like to give credit to the person that blogged about this but I don't know who it was.  If you have any information as to the whereabouts of this person please speak up so I can give credit where credit is due!  It's pretty obvious from the above scenario that it wasn't me for sure! LOL!  But like The Terminator said...."I'll be back"!  You haven't seen the last of me and my cupcake forays!

Lemonade Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream

1 (12 oz.) frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed)

1 package white cake mix

8 oz. sour cream

1 (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

3 eggs

Combine concentrate, cake mix, sour cream and cream cheese and eggs in a mixing bowl.  mix on LOW until ingredients are moistened.  Beat on HIGH for 3 minutes, scraping sides as needed.  Spoon batter into lined muffin tins.  Fill 3/4 full.

Bake at 325 for 20 - 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean.  Cool in pans for 5 minutes.  Remove from pans and place on wire rack.  Cool completely before frosting.

Raspberry Frosting

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

6 oz. fresh raspberries (rinsed and dried completely)

1 t vanilla

1/8 t salt

32 oz. confectioners sugar

Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with a mixer until creamy. 

Gradually add powdered sugar, blending well after each addition.

Frost cooled cupcakes using 1M tip.