Vanilla violet cupcakes

It's been quite a while. I used to believe that I don't need a reason to bake, a reason to make or create some sweets. But I've come to learn that that isn't entirely true. Ich liebe backen. Aber ich liebte ihn mehr.

Nevertheless, time seemed to have just flown by. To compensate for the lack of activity in the oven, I managed to satisfy my cravings scouring this small island for brunch food and delightful desserts. Honestly, I think I can do desserts pre-meals, for meals, and after meals. There was nothing more relieving than a moist and fudgey good ol' chocolate cake - I never knew I loved chocolate so much. Just like how I never knew beef could actually taste good, or that I would actually ingest raw seafood. In the midst of my food-search and checking the to-visit-cafés/restaurants list, I found myself starting to love this place for its bevy of dining options - especially those tucked in quiet corners and ulu places. It was easy to indulge in cakes and cream, seeking solace in the overwhelming sweetness that often resulted a diabetic coma, or perhaps a glucose hyperactivity. Believe me, they are a much more effective solution to insomnia than chamomile tea.

I missed the kitchen, the baking, the mess. There are times when you know you want to do something, but you procrastinate cos' you think you can't do it, and you find all sorts of silly excuses to avoid it - as if deprivation would give you an answer to whatever you thought was missing. It doesn't. Thankfully, I found a reason to re-enter my baking realm days ago. For a special friend, I started mixing, creaming and whipping. With each step, I found that simple joy again.

I attempted these vanilla cupcakes on a saturday morning. I was happy with the way the cupcakes turned out, light and fluffy. I contemplated infusing it with buttercream but decided against it as I know I tend to have an exceptionally high tolerance to sugar compared to many others I know. These cupcakes were topped with violet vanilla buttercream, and then prettified with silver dragées and sugar flowers. 

And here's a special THANK YOU to my sister and her friends for their kind encouragement. Totally made my day! (:

I will be back soon. The only thing that keeps me away would be work and other commitments. Not myself anymore. So silly. (: