I am not a baker. No, I rely on cake mixes to make any sort of pastry item.

I am not a decorator. Not when it comes to food. I think I do an okay job in other areas, but decorating cakes and cupcakes, etc? I am only good in my mind.

So when my husband said he wanted an Oregon cake for his birthday, I readily went, “YEAH! I can do that!” Then we agreed we’d do half Oregon, half Texas A&M so we could take it to the game watching party tomorrow. Again, I said, “Oh, EASY!”

Today, I went to the store to pick out my cake mix. I opted for a red velvet cake because, well, I couldn’t find it for my birthday and since he didn’t make any request I figured it was fair game on flavor. ;) I got home and dove into baking challenge.

I mixed the cake mix (only causing a moderate level of mess that resembled a murder scene), and I decided to make cupcakes. I decided it would be easier to decorate cupcakes in two different styles than to do a half-and-half cake decor.

Once they were baked and cooled, my mind took over and I decided I’d be brilliant and put all my icing in a sandwich bang, snip the corner and pipe the icing onto the cupcakes. You know, like they do on tv. Like I had never, ever done myself but somehow thought I was talented enough to do it.

Let’s just say all the cupcakes got icing, but none of them looked professional.

Then I put green “O”s on half the cupcakes. That went okay. Not great, but okay. Then I went to but A&M on the others. Yeah, that went “fair” to say the least. In fact I gave up and put sprinkles on the last 1/4 in frustration. I had to admit… I am not a cake decorator. So, no bakeries have any concern of my coming along and competing with them.

I did eat one already. They taste good at least! Even if they aren’t the most pretty things. I’m giving myself an A for effort. I tried. And they were trainwrecked with love. So… in that respect… I’m proud of them. And I hope my husband will like them, too.

Red velvet and all.

Happy Birthday, honey!!! Go Ducks! Gig’em Aggies!