It's not a good day.
Kid #1 is not having a good day.  She hasn't been having a good day for a while now but this day is particularly bad.  Let me explain.
Kid #1 has just turned 11.  Her birthday is on December 31st - that last day of the year here in Canada - making her the youngest kid in her class... every single class she's ever been in.  Birthday parties are a constant sore point for us because having your birthday on Old Year's Night is much like having your birthday on Christmas Day.  You're always sharing.  What we usually do is bypass it entirely.  We have a little family thing on the day of her birthday and then she can have a few friends over later in January.  This has typically worked fine... until this year.  This year we've had conflicts every single weekend so far.  We finally were able to settle on the last weekend in the month and low and behold everyone she invited couldn't make it... save one.  Yeah for one friend!!!  Sometimes (most of the time) that's all you need.  
We decide to make the best of it and go ahead with the 'party'.  They can hang out a home for a while then they can go to a movie... just be friends and have fun.  Only problem is that this morning Kid #1 wakes up with a terrible sore throat.  She went to dance class but had to leave early because she felt wretched.  At the moment she is in her bed resting, feeling horrible and very sad.  I'm left with trying to figure out whether to go ahead with things or put it off (since it's only one friend coming) for yet another week, all the while feeling terrible for my poor girl.
She's determined to forge ahead and do this.  She needs it.


I've decided that if she's determined then I'm going to do my damnedest to help her.  I'm busy making some chicken soup - full of vegetables that will boost her immune system and hopefully counteract all the crap she will down at the movies (sick or not treats must be had at the movies).  I also thought that some yummy cupcakes might boost her spirits and make it feel a little more like a party.  Truth is though that I think I made them as much for me as I did for her.  I had some sad little limes that needed help and some lemon curd leftover from christmas gifting (yeah - I know that was a long time ago but it still smelled ok).  So my intentions weren't completely altruistic.  However, I figure that nothing soothes the soul quite like homemade chicken soup and a beautiful little cupcake packed with sunshine.


I have said many times on this blog that I am far from the ideal Mom - I hate parks, play groups, labour and delivery discussions and trading potty training tips.  I think that most of the time our kids would have a much better time without us all hovering over their shoulders making sure they didn't hurt themselves when little johnny pushed them down.  But it still kills me when my baby is sick and feeling down in the dumps. Of course I can't make her better but these cupcakes really went a long way.


Lime Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Icing adapted from 'Food and Drink Magazine' (LCBO)
makes about 12 med/large cupcakes

2 cups cake and pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs (at room temperature)
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 milk
1/4 cup lime juice (fresh) - about 3 limes
1 tbsp (at least) lime zest

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line about 12 muffin tin cups.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.
In another bowl beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat until fluffy.   Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated.
Combine the milk and lime juice.
Alternate adding the flour and milk mixture to the butter mixture.  Alternate by about 2 or 3 batches mixing well after each addition.
Divide the batter between the cupcake cups piling each up just below the top of the cup.   (My last one was a small one)
Bake for about 18 - 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool completely before icing.

Lemon Curd Icing

1/3 cup cream cheese
4 tbsp good quality lemon curd
2 cups icing sugar (sifted)

Mix together the cream cheese and the lemon curd until the mixture is creamy.  Gradually add in the icing sugar until it's a thick consistency.  Ice the cupcakes.