Rebecca Weger

Monkeys!

This morning I was still undecided on what to make for a potluck party tonight.  A friend I’ve been really enjoying getting to know over the last year is moving away soon and it was her farewell event.  I was in the shower (where all good solutions are ferreted out) when it came to me.  I shouted downstairs.  “Joseph! You know how sometimes I’m kind of stressed out and then decide to make everything more complicated than it actually needs to be?”  “Yeah?” “Monkey cupcakes!!!”

As it turns out, my friend Bethany and I both share of love of monkeys, and I was thinking about it because I was headed to pick up a monkey shirt at the farmer’s market that Susan custom-made for me.

Some things about these cupcakes:

• Gluten-free
• They are minis
• The chocolate frosting was made with Green and Black’s cocoa
• I really had no idea what I was doing.

I looked around online for various recipes and designs, and was disappointed to find that many of them used cookies. I decided that I would have to draw my own. Two of three versions later I had something that looked somewhat passably like a monkey and a big learning curve ahead of me.

This was only my second time using decorating bags and tips, and the first time I tried to make any actual designs with them. Luckily, I think they were appreciated in the spirit of love in which they were made, and concessions were made for my craftsmanship. They were certainly fun!