Author, Poet, Story-Baker.

That’s what it says on my business cards. 

Behold.

If you’ve been kicking around this blog for any length of time, you know that I love stories, and I love to bake. But, this appellation is not merely a whimsical attempt on my part to combine two of my favorite things into a legitimate-sounding job description.

Baking and writing actually have a lot in common. One tends to be a bit nervous when embarking on either as a venture. One may choose to stick rather closely to a recipe, or an outline. Then, as one discovers one’s own style and and becomes better acquainted with the elements at play, one becomes more comfortable and starts forging new paths.

I wonder what would happen if I used Greek yogurt instead of buttermilk here.

I really like this imagistic phrase, and I really like the way it evokes part of this character’s personality. If I scatter it throughout any references to this character,  maybe the flavor will pervade the entire text.

No time to make a cake. What if I made a bunch of cookie dough, baked it in a 9×13 pan, and then covered it with frosting and chocolate chips?

Maybe this character should encounter that character and confide something that will lead to a conversation about this topic, layering in foreshadowing for the climax.

And, of course, both have the same goal: creating something for the enjoyment and delight of others. The emotion I experience when someone takes a bite of something I made and says, “Oh MAN, that’s good” is similar to the sensation of reading a glowing review on amazon.com.

*Side note: many multitudinous thanks to the folks who helped launch Songs in the Gate by leaving reviews! If you have not yet left a review, why not celebrate the weekend by taking two minutes and sharing your opinion about the book with a waiting world? If you can’t leave a review because you haven’t purchased the book yet, allow me to suggest that you “treat yo-self” to some poetry on this lovely Star Wars Day. (And May the fourth be with you.)

In the spirit of baking adventures, I wanted to share with you one of my latest creations:

I can't even.

The hubs requested cream-filled chocolate cupcakes, so I got to fulfill a recent (as in, ever since I started watching The Great British Baking Show) ambition and make creme patissiere!

I felt fairly legit, I can tell you. I actually squealed and danced about when the consistency started to transform as it was supposed to. (Baking can also give one a feeling of immense accomplishment and semi-instant gratification. Sort of like cleaning a bathroom, but WAY more fun and much tastier.)

As it was my first time, I did stick to the creme pat recipe like glue. Here’s the one I used:

Surprisingly Easy Creme Pat

I made it in the morning and let it sit in the fridge all day. I did not have any plastic wrap, so I took a big ziploc bag and pressed it down to cover the creme pat. It worked just fine. 🙂

I also made the cupcakes in the morning. For the basic recipe, I turned to the wonderful Pioneer Woman:

Ree Drummond’s Chocolate Cupcakes

The only changes I made:

~ I used coffee instead of boiling water. ALWAYS a good idea.

~ I melted some chocolate chips – maybe a quarter cup? – and added them to the mix at the end.

~ As usual, I cut the sugar down by half and used an equal mix of brown sugar and white sugar (half-cup of each – maybe even less).

I let the cupcakes cool at room temperature all day, and the creme pat chilled nicely in the fridge. When it was time to assemble, I made the frosting. I wanted it to be a chocolate cream cheese frosting, so:

~ I took one 8-oz package of cream cheese and one stick of butter (both softened) and, using a hand mixer, whipped them together with about a half cup of sugar (some brown, some white).

~ I sprinkled in a generous amount of vanilla and whipped some more.

~ I melted another quarter cup of chocolate chips and mixed that into the frosting, whipping it all together into a smooth, fluffy consistency.

~ I said a prayer thanking God for chocolate, cream cheese, butter, and chocolate again.

*Baker’s note: frosting is a very inexact science to me. I don’t use confectioner’s sugar and I don’t like to use a lot of any sugar to begin with, so I usually put in a small amount of all the basic ingredients and then add different things according to taste. (Frosting MUST be taste-tested. Always.) So, get creative and have fun!

For assembly, I cut a small piece out of the top of each cupcake, stuffed the hole full of creme pat, covered it with a tiny piece of cupcake for a “lid”, and slathered the whole lot generously with frosting. Frosting covers over a multitude of unlovelinesses – and besides, it’s scrummy!

Call it "shabby chic".

They look a bit messy, but . . . they tasted GREAT.

#achievementunlocked

There you have it, friends. I hope you have an opportunity this weekend to take some creative risks – with words, with chocolate, or whatever medium appeals most to your spirit!

One thought on “Story-Baker

  1. Ron says:

    You may bake those for your dear old Dad anytime!

    1. R. A. Nelson says:

      Deal. 🙂

  2. Amy M says:

    I absolutely love reading your recommendations on how to adapt recipes!! You have a knack for finding that perfect substitute ingredient! Thanks for sharing and those cupcakes look amazing!

  3. Jonda Crews says:

    Sounds and looks delish!!

  4. Looks yummy! Thank you for sharing.

  5. Micah says:

    What would Mary Berry say? We know what Paul Hollywood would say,

    1. R. A. Nelson says:

      “They look a bit homemade, which I like, and they taste scrummy.”
      She’d probably suggest adding brandy.

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