K gets suited up. Notice the cat.

My Tuesday afternoon went something like this:

Co-worker K: Will you bake me cupcakes?
Me: Yep.
Co-worker K: Can we bake cupcakes?
Me: Yep.
Co-worker K: And brownies?
Me: Yep.

“I will not forget the salt.” Again, notice the cat.

So, after a quick speakerphone warning from K’s mom that I’d better have insurance—and the revelation that the last time she tried to make something from scratch, she accidentally set the oven to auto-clean—we headed to my apartment for an impromptu baking lesson!

K making frosting

Gleefully, we took back Tuesday by covering my kitchen in powdered sugar and flour, making vanilla cupcakes and crumb-topped brownies.  K, after a little encouragement, was in charge of the buttercream frosting for the cupcakes (vegan, of course). She is now one of only 3 people who know my secret this-frosting-is-awesome ingredient.

We made cupcakes!

We ate so much batter and frosting along the way, that most of the cupcakes (and all of the brownies) survived the evening unscathed. Somehow, we didn’t remember to take a picture of the brownies—I blame the sugar coma.

(Never fear, the brownies didn’t really go to waste. Ask our co-workers what they ate all day. And, you know, ignore the chocolate crumb trails to their offices while waiting for the answer.)

**If you click through a link to Amazon.com in this post, I will make a little money if you make a purchase. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.**