Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes

My October installment in the Martha Stewart Cupcake Club included these Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes. I greatly preferred the flavor and texture of September's Zucchini Spice Cupcakes, but I enjoyed the challenge of tackling my first ever decorative marzipan project.

With sources online, I studied the art of making little pumpkins from marzipan, which was much like playing with Play-Dough, only messier. I dug through the little boxes on the top shelf of my pantry until I found the stash of Wilton cake decorating supplies that had been hiding out since the mid-nineties, when I attended Wilton cake decorating classes.

My dear friend, Kristina, and I took the class together. A charming and beautiful wife of a minister, Kristina stands for everything classy and southern. She was a wedding planner who owned an event planning business.

After our first couple of Wilton lessons, the teacher started teaching about all the ways we could make money decorating cakes, which ones sold best, were the easiest to complete and most cost effective.

"First of all," she said, "you need to make sure you have grass tips. Those are great for making adult cakes."

Kristina and I, ever innocent, began to let our minds wander to 30th birthday cakes, Valentine's cakes, over-the-hill cakes, and such. Until then, we had focused mainly on achieving a nice smooth finish on our cakes and making flowers, so the thought of something more than roses and daisies excited us.

The instructor continued, "You know, boob cakes and things like that. Those are the biggest money makers."

*crickets chirping*

I'm sure the instructor noticed our "deer-caught-in-the-headlight" look, which she interpreted as a lack of understanding. To help it all make sense to us, she began to name every possible variations of the adult cake, which cake pans to use for each body part, and the array of functions for grass tips.

She spoke quickly and passionately, leaving little room for either of us to interject a statement about just wanting to make cakes for our church friends. Being a giggler who always laughs at the wrong moment, my whole body shook under the table as I tried to control my nervous laughter.

Only one mention of adult cakes would have been tolerable, but the discussion went on and on. And on into every lesson thereafter. Each week we were reminded about the versatility of grass tips, although we confidently assured her we were not interested in the adult cake industry. To this day, the mention of grass tips can send Kristina and me into uproarious laughter.

The moral of this story? Cake decorating is fun, especially when you share it with a friend! Just make sure you have those grass tips...

The recipe comes from Martha Stewart Cupcakes, and while we've been asked not to share the recipe on our blogs, if you're really desperate the recipe can be found elsewhere on the internet. Save yourself the hunt, though, and purchase one of these books for yourself. It is a little pot of gold for cupcake lovers.