“Let’s make cupcakes!” my girls cry one afternoon.
I am in.
Baking is an awesome way to kill those late afternoon hours when it’s too dark and cold to go outside and you’ve already eaten all the good Halloween candy.
I had picked up some cake mix and icing ingredients in anticipation of such an activity. So the girls grab their step stools and get to work adding the milk, the eggs, the oil –
Crap.
We have no canola oil.
I should have tweeted. I should have called someone. Anyone.
But no. I just say to myself, “What the hell is the difference between canola oil, vegetable oil and olive oil anyway?! All those oils must be the same.”
So in the absence of canola oil, I substitute olive oil.
And we finish the cupcakes….
And they taste like an Italian olive tree. Actually, make that an entire olive grove.
Even Dylan who counts cupcake eating as one of her hobbies says, “These are not so good.” Which is a real blow from a 5 year-old.
Thankfully, the icing still rocked. And isn’t that the best part anyway?
34 Responses to no one has ever confused me with a pastry chef
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kelcey kintner
I saw that coming a mile away and (sorry) was grinning ear to ear.
OMG that is hilarious! I still don’t know the dif between canola, corn, and veg oil but I think I now know to never sub olive oil (which I am actually allergic to anyway) But hey, it’s the trying that counts right?
I love this. I’ve come THISCLOSE to using olive oil and then thought better of it. I think you can use apple sauce, actually, just FYI for next time. xoxo
been there, done that. reminds me of those “special brownies”….you remember, the oddly salmon-y ones? just in case: http://utterlychaotic.blogspot.....found.html
We only use olive oil for all our baked goods and they always taste good! I wouldn’t be 30lbs over weight if it wasn’t for said baked goods…and beer and wine and chocolate! Have a great Friday!
You are just cutting edge, don’t you know olive oil cake s all the rage? Apple sauce, or melted butter, mmm… butter, I totally forgot oil the other day but had added sweet potatoes and they were fine.
yep. ALL the other oils are pretty much the same, except for olive oil!
When my husband goes to Costco, he gets canola oil in a container the size of two Dylans stacked on top of each other, with a Summer on top.
Sorry for bragging.
You can also substitute plain yogurt for canola/vegetable oil. However, I don’t know about you, but the only time we ever have plain yogurt in our house is when I buy it to bake with, so that’s probably not helpful. 😛
So I’m guessing everyone just licked off the icing and ditched the cake part? The icing is the best part anyway.
haha! they still look pretty.
Yummy! I love olive oil so much I probably could have eaten them anyway. One time my 3rd step mother-in-law dusted the sugar cookies with colorful margarita salt. She says she thought it was sugar, but I think she was trying to upset my children. Have you ever tasted a salted cookie? Blech.
At least you get points for trying. If my girls were to ask to make cupcakes I’d have to say no, because I never just happen to have cupcake mix in the house.
(Although I do have plenty of spare chocolate frosting)
Oh no! I had a feeling you were going there when you said no canola oil…
My children wouldn’t have noticed a problem since they literally lick off the icing and then hand me the cupcake like it’s a plate (for the icing – the only good part).
You for sure get an A for effort. I did chuckle though…..I have run out of oil – and just sub’d in applesauce or left it out…..
And, like many of the other commenters – It really doesn’t matter to my daughter anyway, since, she only eats the icing and leaves the cupcake untouched.
Good for you for making memories with the girls! I am glad the icing turned out!
We had a little dilemma when we were baking Todd’s birthday cupcakes. I was distracted cooking with 2 children and added double the water. The girls insisted we cook them and eat them. Well…they baked for almost 2 hours and they were very dense, but Todd really loved them anyway since the frosting is the best part.
Oh god! So funny! I once made Molasses cookies with maple syrup because we had no molasses. They are the same thing right? Um, NO!
Funny! I did that once with a cake. And never try water in cereal. I tried that in college. Haha
Look at the bright side. You had fun making the cupcakes with the girls, made it happily through a dreary afternoon, do not have to worry about the cake calories, and will get to repeat hte activity very soon. Preferably after a trip to the store.
Huh. I wouldn’t have known this either. Apparently oil isn’t just oil – who knew? Yeah, I’m with you: it’s all about the icing anyway.
Oh my. Well…thank you for the cautionary tale. And you’re right, who the hell eats the cake anyway, when you have perfectly good icing?
sometimes you can substitute it… note to self: not for cake…
Good to know. I tried to pass of slice and back Halloween cookies as cooking so you are my idol (whatever kind of oil you use).
Applesauce works for an oil substitute! (Plus makes them much more heart healthy!)
other substitutes… yogurt, sour cream, even milk… but it’s all about the memories and the frosting anyhow!
yeah, I’d have done that too. Thanks for saving me from yet another cooking disaster
Well, at least you started them from scratch, which is more than what I would do on most occasions. A packet mix all the way.
Have you ever tried just buying the ready made cookie dough log? It works like a freakin charm.
Oh man… when in doubt, always go veggie oil.
HA! This could have easily been me!
FYI I gave you an “honest” award on my blog. Its sorta like a 7th grade chain letter, please no need to feel like you have to do it, just thankful you share your words and make me want to pump my fist in the air often.
Lovely: “These are not so good.” Priceless.
Give me icing and a spoon and I’m good;P
When I was 12, we made cupcakes with Lest Oil…as in the stuff you use to clean your toilets. Luckily, we didn’t share the cupcakes with the neighborhood – I feel your pain!