The Buttercup Bakery

Valentine's Day is Upon Us

I'm going to let you in on a secret here. Are you ready? 

Okay...*whispers*...I LOVE Valentine's Day. 

Alright, you know I can see you rolling your eyes, don't you!? 

Let me explain. For a painful five years, I went to an all-girls school and, unattractive, shy little frizzball that I was (if you don't believe me, there are pictures, I'm sorry to say), I had to watch, wide-eyes green with envy, as the popular and pretty girls took possession of HUGE beautiful bouquets of flowers that, frankly, could rival the Chelsea Flowers Show. In fact, the only time I ever received so much as a card in my pre-wife days was aged nine. It was addressed to myself and my twin sister, Nicola, and the sender bashfully admitted the next day that his Mum had made him include my name just so I wouldn't feel left out. Well. That worked. 

Of course, all this meant that by the time I met my now-husband, I HATED V-Day. I wanted to smack every loved-up couple I saw and as for those stupid roses, well, I shan't say where impulse wanted me to put them. 

In fact, the very first Valentine's Day after I met Rich was a bit weird. We'd only met a few short days before and far from being 'snuggle-bunnies' (YUCK!), we were incredibly awkward around each other. He still laughingly tells of sitting next to me at a pub lunch with work colleagues that day, watching me nibble at my chips 'like a squirrel'. At that point, I couldn't imagine letting him see the way I normally eat! 

Those days are now, thankfully, long behind us and I now gladly shovel down my chips with both hands and, if available, a foot (just kidding about that last part). No more green-eyed monster for me. I'm pleased to say he doesn't buy me roses, knowing I detest them for thinking they're so much better than all the other flowers. Instead, he just does something - and it changes every year - to really make me feel special. Equally important, I do my best to reciprocate. 

With that in mind, this Valentine's Day, I decided to turn my baking focus to making something edible but romantic - and SO much better than an edible g-string...*shudder*. So here they are: my dark chocolate V-Day cupcakes, with a decadent chocolate truffle centre and a light, creamy vanilla buttercream on top. 

 Remember this Valentine's Day weekend, that the day doesn't mean spending a fortune on flowers, meals, jewellery or anything else. It doesn't even mean you have to be in love. Who needs that pressure if you're single?! Just take the opportunity to tell someone, anyone in your life, that you love them, and maybe bake them something really delicious. You could even decorate your handiwork together for extra fun. And who knows what you could do with all that leftover buttercream?!