Suckcake Emporium and Feelings of Superiority

Weeks ago, on a walk with Mitch, I spotted something downtown that was VERY exciting--the Cupcake Emporium. I'm obsessed with cupcakes (as evidenced here and here), I thought it would be a fun thing to do during Chloe's visit.

The Cupcake Emporium was a disappointment. The cupcakes looked nice enough, I suppose. Here's Chloe's carrot cupcake with cream cheese icing.

And here's my red velvet with cream cheese icing.

But the flavor and texture of these cupcakes was mediocre at best. The icing hardly tasted like cream cheese, and it had a gritty texture. The flavor of the cakes was just whatever and they were kind of dry. Blah.

It did seem like the Cupcake Emporium is actually more of a store than it is a cupcakery (nothing like Matty F's Frostings). Also, while we were eating ours we heard the cashier recommend the key lime cupcake to another customer, so it's possible that we just made poor choices during our visit.

The Suckcake Emporium did wet my appetite for cupcakes, though (like it takes a lot). So Chloe and I decided that we needed to spend an evening baking cupcakes that would be far superior. We made ourselves some carrot cupcakes and some strawberry cupcakes. Mmmm.

The carrot cupcake recipe is one from Martha Stewart. You can find it here.

During our night of baking, I also got to use one of my favorite new kitchen items, this pretty orange wisk. It makes me happy in my heart.

They are a million times tastier than the suckcakes.

We used this recipe for the strawberry cupcakes. If you're a strawberry cake fan, I'd highly recommend making these babies. We use cream cheese--smooth, cheesy cream cheese icing--on top of ours.

I do believe it's time for Porky Jean to make an appearance.

Idiots.

I accept that this show is fake and horrible and ridiculous. My husband (who, by the way, is a loyal watcher of any Real World/Road Rules challenge) refuses to watch it with me. But it's also AMAZING. I think I really just watch it to feel superior. And it works. Case in point:

On the preview for the next episode of The Hills, Spencer remarks to Heidi that "getting married will save this relationship."

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

What's more frustrating is that some people actually believe this. "Maybe if we sign some papers and have a big party and get some new jewelry, then we won't hate each other, cheat on each other, and fight all the time." It's horrible, but that's what we've come to expect from platinum-haired Heidi and her beau with the flesh-colored beard.

And don't even get me started on Audrina and Stephanie. . .