Is it a gratuitous picture of you if people request it? (And some baking)

So yesterday I saw a picture of a lovely little cupcake and I was inspired. So I chatted with a baker friend of mine and trolled around and cobbled together some recipes (cupcakes here and ganache here...confession: for the Icing I used a pre-made tub of cream cheese icing with a few drops of peppermint extract mixed in.)

And here's what we got:

I had exactly 24 mini cupcake papers (which is convenient because I have exactly one tin with exactly 24 mini-cupcake reservoirs) and the saintly husband stopped at the store on his way home from work (I know which store he stopped at - he is more of a man than I) and picked up a package of white regular sized papers - which produced exactly 24 regular-sized cupcakes (again - convenient because I have exactly 24 regular-sized cupcake reservoirs.)

I baked them last night and this morning I made the ganache and smeared it on top to add to the mocha-ness.  Then I mixed the cream-cheese icing with a few drops of peppermint to make sure it was well balanced (and hopefully not too toothpaste-like) and piped it on top of the ganache...until I ran out. Then I topped all of them with little peppermint pillows, even the ones with just plain ganache:

 

 

The result?

Holiday Cheer:

Then I took them to work and husband is unloading them on his co-workers as you read this.

Now - for the gratuitous pictures of my (GPOYF)

These might be the last ones I take of my belly...Bunny is making overtures of being ready to be an outside baby and I'm far enough along that there will be no moving to stop him once he makes up his mind. In fact - it's speculated that January 11, 2010 (when the c-section is scheduled) is now and "outside" date.  This weekend: pack hospital bag. Install Carseat. Erect Crib.

Blame the sun for the look on my face. This is me at 35weeks, 6days. The ticker to the side there counts down to the c-section, not my actual estimated due-date.

From the other side. Because I can. It *is* called GRATUITOUS Picture of You Friday.

One more for good measure. Yes, I have an outie. My little hoodie says "let it show" and has a snowflake. Because we are all "sacred, unique snowflake[s] of special unique specialness."

Happy Weekending!