Bake me a cake as fast as you can.

Lavender cupcakes. © Ryan Schierling

Practice, practice, practice. I'm honing my skills for the big day. I have been bestowed the honor of baking the wedding cake for one of my dearest friends this summer and the challenge is turning out to be an education that is even tastier and more gratifying that I could have ever imagined.

I'm justifiably anxious. It's an August wedding, out-of-doors and out-of-town. If I don't have utmost confidence in the methods I've chosen, I'm screwed. I haven't exactly spent years staking my reputation on this particular variety of baked goods. I mean, this is a WEDDING CAKE, and holy mother of all that is pink and glittery… I simply mustn't let this lovely couple down.

So, I have officially baked more cakes in the past two weeks than I have in the past two years combined. I've tested cake recipes and successfully executed my very first (ever) Italian Meringue Buttercream (IMBC), including variations. When the big day arrives, I plan to be cranking out several batches of that fabulously fluffy IMBC with experienced gusto, gosh-darn-it!

There is tremendous satisfaction in the mastery of a new creative endeavor, but thank goodness I didn't have to re-invent the wheel here. There are those who have traveled this path before me, and whether via online video or traditional cookbook, I have found trusted mentors in this venture. As with all baked goods there are principals and nuances and detailed instructions to attend to, but with every new batch I'm having more and more fun. Instead of late-night cookie baking for relaxation, there's a good chance that cupcakes will fall into place as my go-to alternate.