All right. I’ve recovered from the embarrassment of the Baking Fail on Sunday and now I can crawl out of my hole and share a little Baking Success.

Had to slice a MILLION apples.

The recipe called for 10 freaking pounds of sliced apples. Right. I got to about 5 pounds and the pie was stuffed. Evil lying recipe.

Then I rolled out the top crust and magically didn’t tear it (too much) while putting it on the pie. I don’t know if it shows well enough in the picture, but I put B <3 E on there. And if you look at the burner on the far left of the picture, you’ll see the remnants of The Great Cider Mess of Sunday night.

Aww, how cute did I make this?

Stuck the pie in the oven and set the timer for two hours. Time to finish the cupcakes!

Front left corner: my secret shame

Yep. That’s a tub of Betty Crocker icing. The made-from-scratch cinnamon cream-cheese icing just scared me a little too much after the Cider Fail and in my fear I bought a can of buttercream. But I topped the icing with cinnamon and sugar…

Nom nom nom!

And they are SO GOOD. The cake was moist and sweet (and still is three days after baking) and the buttercream icing actually complements the flavor, making it more cupcakey and less like a muffin. Of course, this has not stopped me from eating them for breakfast.

A made-from-scratch pie crust, made-from-scratch cupcakes and a million fresh apples? Check out your baker friend with the mad skillz over here.

Cupcake pajamas and cupcakes for breakfast... this turned out all right after all.

Apple pie - I'm doin it rite.

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Apple cupcake recipe at Epicurious is here.

Apple pie recipe at Epicurious is here.

And apple cider cream cheese icing (my Epic Fail) is here. Don’t go do your live blog in the other room when the cider is boiling – just a tip from me to you.

Happy baking!

This is my first-ever attempt at live blogging. Today I am going to be a baker! My mom and I went to the orchard today and I have 10 pounds of apples and some recipes from Epicurious, and I am determined to make a pie (for E) and cupcakes (for me) this afternoon.

Let’s see how this goes.

3:37 pm, CST: This SHOULD be everything I need for both recipes.

First step, pie crust.

4:01 pm, CST: Dough is prepped and ready to go in the fridge.

Next step, start cupcake batter.

4:02 pm, CST. Realize I do not have eggs or baking soda. Shit.

4:03 pm, CST. Am going down the block to Mel’s house for eggs and baking soda. God bless her and send her cupcakes.

4:18 pm: Returned. Melissa will be stopping by to pick up her cupcakes before work. Now, cupcake batter.

4:54 pm: Muffins are ready to go in the oven!

4:57 pm: Cupcake batter is SOOO yummy! Observation – apple slicing is difficult when you are a klutz and afraid of your own paring knife. Cupcakes are in for 18-20 minutes.

5:18 pm: Cupcakes are not “springy to touch.” I’m leaving them in longer… damn this 1970s oven. At least I got all the dishes cleaned up so far. Now am just dreading slicing ten effing cups of apples for pie.

5:24 pm: Cupcakes are springy! Removed from the oven. I do NOT want to slice those apples. I think I’m going to nap till the cupcakes cool, then make the cinnamon-cream-cheese frosting, THEN finish the pie. Good plan!

6:58 pm: Up from nap, leave for Target to buy apple slicer thing.

7:55 pm: Return from Target with apple slicer, peeler, and new pair of Converse One Star sneaks in black suede. Yeah.

7:59 pm: Time to make cinnamon cream cheese frosting and slice some apples!

8:07 pm: Dropped chunk of cream cheese in cat’s bowl. Sliced off the kibbly part and it’s okay now.

8:13 pm: While typing that last line, cider boiled over and I have no more. Huge mess. No cider reduction. EFF.

8:25 pm: Still cleaning up cider from stove. Frosting is unrescuable. Eff eff eff.

8:49 pm: Completely EPIC FAIL. Started slicing up apples, got three done, and realized am out of sugar. Used it all on Frosting Fail. Now I cannot make pie filling tonight and sliced apple will go brown. I declare Baking Fail for today.

Runny frosting and apples that will go brown tonight. Send in the Fail Boat!

Tomorrow I will buy more sugar and more stuff for cream cheese frosting and I’ll get it right. Sigh. Is this a sign that I should not be a baker, or a sign that I should just make a better grocery list, have backups, and not leave anything boiling?