Rain, Rain go away…….Or not

Okay, I have to admit it. I’m stoked it’s about to start raining. I love the fall. It is my absolute favorite time of year. I love pretty leaves, I love scarves, I love boots, I love curling up on the couch and listening to the rain outside, I love comfort food, I love all of it.

 

My absolute favorite memory from growing up was listening to the rain. My room was the only one that faced the backyard and we had a large deck that was covered with this plastic roofing. I don’t even know what it was called, it looked like a tin roof, but it was yellow opaque plastic. It made so much noise when it rained; I didn’t have to look out my window to know whether or not it was wet out. I loved waking up and falling asleep to that noise. When I have a house, I want to put a piece outside of my bedroom window so I can hear it again.

I also love the sense of purpose that comes with fall. The rain washes everything clean, and people in general seem to refocus on what’s important. I like the reset mentality; we’ve had fun, we’ve goofed off all summer, now let’s get back to what’s important. I feel like it’s so much more genuine than New Years. New year everyone makes a big deal, and feels like they’re supposed to start fresh. Fall, everyone just starts fresh, because it’s what we do. Kids go back to school, we spend more time indoors because of the weather and the lack of daylight.

Additionally, at least for me, Fall kicks off baking season! I get out of the habit over the summer, because I’m busy and it’s hot, but in the fall I start making all sorts of deliciousness again. Roommate’s birthday pretty much kicks off fall baking for me. She requested I make Bailey’s Irish Cream cupcakes for her. This breaks one of my cardinal rules, which is “Never make the exact same thing twice”. Coincidentally (or maybe not) roommate hates this rule. Apparently I make delicious things and she loves them, only to have them never seen again. I’ll make things that are similar more than once, but the only thing that I will make exactly the same way every time is Chocolate Chip cookies. I perfected my recipe, it can’t get better. Also, when you really want a chocolate chip cookie, no other cookies will do.; whereas with cupcakes, I usually just want a cupcake, not a particular kind of cupcake. There are so many flavors, so many potential toppings, so much room for creativity, why would I make the same thing more than once?

I’ve been daydreaming about this Raw Apple Cake that my favorite Uncle would make growing up. It’s perfect for fall; it’s sweet and tart and has no match that I have found. I’m thinking that I’m going to turn it into cupcakes. I was thinking a cinnamon cream cheese frosting, but the cake itself is so moist and sweet it doesn’t require frosting. I think I might do a drizzle glaze, instead of a full frosting, since the cake pretty much stands on its own.

Unfortunately, that is not what roommate requested. So I will be making Bailey’s Irish Cream cupcakes. I may dye the frosting pink for her. If I could make that frosting out of sparkles, I would also do that. There is nothing that roommate likes more than pink sparkly things. If I can combine alcohol, cupcakes, and pink sparkly things, her head might explode.

Here are last year’s birthday cupcakes

I put black edible glitter on last years cupcakes. Yay sparkles!

And here are the Bailey’s Cupcakes from when I made them last spring

They have green sprinkles for St. Pats!

 So excited for Teatro Zinzanni on Friday night and to give roommate the special project I’ve been working on for her. I really hope she likes it. I might take a couple of pictures of it and post them on here as well. Also, here is a picture of the bag with her present in it. I put it on the table on Monday for her to stare at all week. That’s just the kind of roommate I am J