When you have a good friend, and they have a birthday, and you’re craving sweet things anyway… well, you extend your only-one-batch-of-cupcakes-per-month rule and say, okay, maybe two. I love baking, and frankly I needed the shift in focus (nothing like watching news, or worrying and crying about devastating natural and man-made disasters a la post 9/11). I needed a little cheer to lift me up, and make me remember why we all love life so much. It’s because of cupcakes, obviously.

Because this was a cupcake aimed at a specific person, I perused my list of choices and arrived at #24: Coffee Chocolate Cupcakes with Bailey’s Irish Creme Frosting. Perhaps it is a bit ironic that St. Patrick’s Day is later this week, and that all things Irish are currently in vogue, but it’s really because the birthday boy loves milky, sweet cocktails, and the recipe uses Bailey’s in the frosting.  And I, of course, didn’t really mind at all helping him out.

So this month I made two batches, and last month none. So I’m caught up. That’s three down and 9 (or 10 – baker’s dozen) more to go. Let’s just hope I can make it through the year without looking like I made cupcakes weekly.

Here are some pictures to entice you to make your very own batch of deliciousness. Jeff suggested I used the macro lens for this project so I could get you even closer to the action. I hope you get hungry. Enjoy! xoxo