Bakerella!

This was a big week for me...in more ways than one! In the kitchen I kept myself busy with my Cupcake of the Month Club Baking. I went into cupcake overdrive every night when I got home from work so I could get these cranked out before the end of the week because I had something big planned.

Something huge (H-U-G-E)!

I was going to meet the person that without even knowing it (or knowing me for that matter) gave me the final kick-in-the-pants motivation I needed to start my own baking venture and create this blog....BAKERELLA!

I happened upon Bakerella's baking blog earlier this summer and was instantly smitten. I was in awe with the creativity this one person possessed in the kitchen....but the most surprising thing reading her posts did for me was leave me thinking, "I could do that!" So I started out by trying my hand at a batch of Cake Pops...and, well....things just started snowballing from there.

I've always loved to make fun treats in the kitchen and especially anything baking related....or anything that contains chocolate as a main ingredient. But with two small children to tend to, and with working a full-time job, I hadn't been making time for myself to play in the kitchen in a long, long time.

So when I discovered that Chicago was a scheduled stop on Bakerella's Cake Pops book tour I instantly started making plans to visit! My friend Laura and I decided to make an overnight trip of it and my sister Kristi wanted to join in the fun too, so the three of us set out from Iowa on Thursday night.

I've never been to Chicago before (shocking I know)...I didn't really have anything on my agenda besides A)Meeting Bakerella and conveying my complete and total adoration (you know...without scaring her or anything) and B) Going to Sprinkles Cupcakes and stuffing my face.

So MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Bakerella was amazingly sweet, just like you would expect her to be if you've followed her blog. She took time to answer every question asked of her and to sign books and take pictures with the crowd.

Of course when I met her I had treats...just a little token of my appreciation for her inspiration....and I mentioned how I was also the winner of the Cupcake Skewer Contest hosted by Pizzazzerie last month...and since she was the guest judge of that contest it connected a few dots ;)

If I look like I'm about to cry/pee my pants it's because I almost did (on both counts). I was beyond excited...like BEYOND.

Now as for Sprinkles. I'll be as brief as possible, really I don't need to say much to get my point across here: Chocolate Marshmallow and Caramel Apple Cupcakes. Amazing.

Gone in about 4 bites (since I shared with my sister she let me get in on her Lemon Coconut Cupcake...again Amazing...that's with a capital "A"). I mean, what else did you expect!?!?

Poor little guy, he didn't stand a chance.

We weren't even in town for 24 hours and were already heading back home, not enough time to check out the city....but it's on my list for the next time I'm in town.

~Audrey