the cupcake queens

Our family is a family of bakers.

Chocolate chip cookie dough runs in our veins.

Or something like that.

It is said that my great-grandma Presnell made the best bread

in the province of Saskatchewan
and that bachelors would come from miles around to partake of its goodness.

Somehow the love of flour, creamery butter and the sight of people smiling

as they bite into a small handful of happiness makes us feel right inside.

My niece, 10 year old Hope,
has discovered that she is really good at making cupcakes. 

It seemed only right that she make them while all of us cousins, aunts and uncles,

and grandma and grandpa were together.

I have been dreaming of chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting

and a dusting of peppermint...
a combination I had two years ago at Sprinkles Cupcakes...
yes, I do commit to memory baked goods that i love.

We combined our efforts.

My 9 year old niece, Chloe, wanted in on the action.

Hope whipped up the batter and Chloe and I got to work on the frosting.

We made gluten free and regular cupcakes. 42 cupcakes in all.

Hope scooped batter into green and red striped paper baking cups.

I slipped them in the oven and pulled them out
in their loveliness baked chocolat-i-ness.

7 year old Noah, crushed candy canes with a rolling pin.

As they cooled, Chloe frosted them and dipped them
in the bowl of peppermint candy.

And they were divine.

Chocolate candy cane heaven.

The baking tradition lives on. 

And as I saw the determination that Hope and Chloe baked with

I have a feeling that the best is yet to come.