Oh Crap! Cupcakes!?

Even though I don't have kids, I still get to experience those frantic mornings when you've hit the snooze one two many times (oh crap!), and while on your way to the kitchen for some caffeinated redemption you narrowly miss a pile of "last night's dog chow" strategically placed on the nearly white carpet (oh crap!), only to meet your (imaginary) 8 year-old glaring back at you in the bathroom mirror with a "mommy, remember I need to bring cupcakes to school today" look. CRAP!!! Love those mornings, don't you? Calgon, take me away!!!!!!!

I work for the federal government (and seriously love my job, by the way)-- but, we have A LOT of meetings. We invite important people to these meetings, however "the rules" prevent us from spending a dime to sustain the lives of these important people so that they actually survive the full duration of our marathon meetings. Thus, we, the civil servants, bake. It's actually a never-discussed requirement of the job-- but let me tell you, they do have a "ability to bake" calculation when they are scoring those God-awful KSAs. (Bake sales come in handy when our public health program budgets are cut. Some coined 2000-2008 "the baking years"...I digress.)

I love to bake. However, before the hour of 9am, I don't much love anything at all... I struggle even with my adorable, perfect husband. It's not his fault. I was born at 11:10am-- why? Because, frankly, I slept in that day- it was my BIRTHDAY, for crying out loud! Can't a girl get a little beauty rest before having to face the world on her birthday!? ...there I go digressing again.

Anyway, any rational person would just cut the pre-work primp short (because frankly, these important people much rather EAT than admire your looks all meeting long), and swing by the market to grab some not-made-today but not-quite-expired, ready-made, neon icing topped cupcakes. Another thing I'm not before 9am? --Rational.


"Oh Crap! I forgot about the cupcakes!" CUPCAKES
(Special thanks to Ms. Betty Crocker for her gluten free cake mix- even if it is more than twice as expensive as the gluten-filled variety. Alas, I love that woman!)

Tip: no right-minded woman should go a day without eggs in her frig, oil in her pantry, Betty Crocker in her corner, and a bag of Snickers mini's (or another favorite GF mini chocolate candy) hidden in her sock drawer.

1. Do as Betty says. That's right, follow those directions!
2. BUT WAIT-- here's where it gets good: just before you slide the battered filled cupcake pan into the pre-heated oven, pop a Snickers mini into each of the cups!
3. Bake like Betty tells you (however, the clean toothpick in the middle method ain't gonna work this time).
4. Remove from the oven and cool (place them on the floor of your car while you drive to work)-- guess what, these yummy-filled beauties don't need a lick of icing!

So deeeelish, those important people will remember nothing from your meeting but the awesome Oh Crap! Cupcakes :) Well done.

If you're not a snickers fan, here's a list from celiaccentral.org of GF candy http://www.celiaccentral.org/SiteData/docs/Gluten-Free-Candy-List/370e802df5a4b099ad419d940cf8fe22/Gluten-Free-Candy-List.pdf (though something tells me BubbleYum bubble gum wont work quite as well...)