“How do you know they’re planning something?”I ask, gratified to know I’m not the only one thinking this.
She ticks the reasons off on her fingers.“List making, obviously texting each other, looking up here and grinning like they have a secret.They really suck at espionage.Good thing none of them went into that field.”
I grunt.“Until we’re done with this round, I gotta try to put it out of my mind.”I scrunch up my face, making Andie laugh.“But it’s so hard!”
“That’s what she said,” Andie deadpans, sending us both into peals of laughter that has everyone turning our way.A little bit of my tension fades.For the next little bit, all that matters is baking.Whatever else is happening is a future Phoebe problem.
The three hours feel like they fly by, and before we know it, we’re presenting our items to the judges.The other two teams did wedding cakes.Andie and I exchange glances, wondering if we made a mistake.
The judges walk around the small table holding our entry, examining it from every angle.Felicia is shaking her head, and Andie grabs my hand.
“I know these are cupcakes—we watched you bake them.But they look like flowers.Andie, I can’t believe the detail you achieved, and the coloring is exquisite.Tell us about it.”
Andie swallows and takes a deep breath, and I squeeze her hand in reassurance.Colby is next to Ollie and leaning forward like he’d jump up here in a heartbeat to make this easier for her.But I know she can do it.
“This is our twelve-cupcake floral bouquet.”She’s squeezing my hand so hard, it’s all I can do to not wince, but her voice is steady and confident.“We can design them to mimic the bride’s actual bouquet or to coordinate with the floral theme.The cupcakes are a selection of vanilla and chocolate cake and topped with our vanilla buttercream.”
“What are the flowers?”Paulie asks.“I’m a baker, not a gardener.”
I chuckle, and so do the judges.Poor Andie is too nervous to chuckle, but it’s okay.
“We have pink roses, hydrangea, daisies, forget-me-nots—a cottage bouquet, like you’d pick from your garden.”Her voice starts shaking, and she’s run out of breath by the end of the sentence, but she got through it.
“We can do these in smaller and larger sizes too,” I add.“To be featured on the dessert table or, for a couple on a budget, these could be centerpieces and then at the end of the night, disassembled and boxed as favors.”
Biff looks at me and then the cupcakes and rubs his jaw.He’s silent, which is scaring me.“That’s brilliant,” he finally says.“They’re certainly beautiful enough to be centerpieces, and flowers after a wedding are useless.That’s a great idea.”He juts his chin toward our workstation.“What’s up with the cookies?Did they not work out?”
I look over my shoulder to the platter of cinnamon sugar cookies.“No, they’re fine.They’re cinnamon sugar cookies with brown sugar frosting.They aren’t for judging.I made them in case you wanted to try them…and so my sister can have a couple.Gave me something to do so I stayed out of the way while Andie was decorating.”
That makes Andie giggle and bump me with her shoulder.
The judges return to the table so they can sample everything.The wedding cakes are sliced.We baked and decorated extra cupcakes so we didn’t have to take apart our bouquet.I’m surprised the other teams didn’t make sample layers so their cakes would be intact for pictures, but that’s not my problem.
They have positive things to say about both cakes—good flavors, beautiful decoration.Both teams went with unique flavors.Cake Daddy went the redemption route with their three-tier rosewater-flavored wedding cake with raspberry filling.The judges appreciated the rosewater and the flavor pairing.The cake was decorated with lacework and fresh raspberries.Nothing I would have chosen, but for the right couple, it would be perfect.
The Sweet Sorority Sisters also went with a three-tier wedding cake.It was stunning in its simplistic elegance with lemon sponge cake and lavender raspberry filling, covered in ivory buttercream with fresh-cut cream roses adorning it.
When they sample our cupcakes, we’re met with furrowed brows.
“They’re chocolate and vanilla cupcakes, no filling.They’re beautifully decorated, but it’s vanilla buttercream, no extra flavor.I’m a bit disappointed,” Biff says, and it’s like a dagger through my heart.Andie gives a small gasp.
Felicia takes her turn.“They’re stunning on the table, but on the tongue, it’s something we’d get at a six-year-old’s birthday party.”
I want to cry.
“Why’d you go so simple?”Paulie asks.“I mean, they’re delicious, I have no complaints about the quality of the cake.It’s flavorful and moist and sturdy enough to support the frosting.The buttercream is delicious.So silky, and the vanilla flavor shines through.What you did, you did extremely well, but you didn’t take any risks.”
It’s hard to slow my breathing when my thoughts are racing.How do I answer without showing the world why I’m the snarky component of Snarky Sweet?“If we’re working with a client, we’ll work with them to provide the flavor profile they want.We do cupcakes with fillings or more exotic flavors.We will flavor our frosting.But just because we can do something doesn’t mean we always need to.What you’re calling simple, we call classic.Chocolate and vanilla are classics for a reason, and I believe we take those classic flavors and elevate them.What we do may not be for everyone, but for those who appreciate the classics, we hope they appreciate what we offer.”
“Preach!”Daphne calls out from the audience like she was touched by the Holy Spirit, earning a stern look from Carla.
“Can we try the cookies?”Biff asks.“We aren’t judging them.But I’m dying of curiosity to taste them.”
Andie releases the death grip she had on my hand—luckily it’s the one I didn’t sprain a few weeks ago—and retrieves the platter of cookies and places it on the judges’ table.They each take one and taste them.
“This,” Biff says, waving his cookie.“This is what would have made all the difference in the world.This is incredible.Do you do this flavor with your cupcakes?”
“Sometimes,” Andie says.“Depends on what the client wants.”
