Back to School "Hostess" Cupcakes

It's that time of year again! School starts back up this week, and I have to admit, it's about time! Since I was a little girl, I've always looked forward to the start of a new school year, but this year, the whole family has been counting the days! Of course, yesterday was actually supposed to be the first day of school, but it was cancelled yesterday and today due to Hurricane Earl. As I said yesterday, we lost power and internet for the majority of the day, but by the time Earl had escalated to a Category 4, he had moved off to the northwest, leaving us with very minimal damage to clean up around our home, but more damage around the island. We're keeping our eyes on Tropical Storm Fiona now, which is expected to head our way by the end of the week. For now, though, things are quieting down and there are treats to be made (and eaten)!

With all of the stress and strain of moving overseas this summer, the normal routine that a school year brings with it will be very welcome. Plus, our poor boy has had some very lonely few months. As an extroverted, social kid, this summer has been especially tough on him. He's very much looking forward to meeting new friends tomorrow, and getting involved in some extracurricular activities, as well. He's nervous for the first time ever, but I suppose that's to be expected. After all, he isn't just starting a new school...he's starting high school!

In honor of the start of school tomorrow, I wanted to make something that reminded me of school lunches and after school snacks. What's more memorable than finding a special treat from your mom at lunch? Something like a Hostess Cupcake! Or, in this case, a "fauxstess" cupcake!

These are even better than the real thing, though. The mass produced, pre-packaged variety that you get in the grocery store aren't awful, but they aren't exactly delicious either. The cake tends to be dry, while the filling is overpoweringly sweet, and the frosting on top is flat tasting. These homemade cakes are moist and chocolate-y, the filling is the perfect amount of sweetness and creaminess to balance the cake, and the frosting is rich and smooth. And, bonus, they can be made vegan!

This is Not a Test

My family and I are hunkered down waiting for Hurricane Earl to pass. This is our first official hurricane because we've always been evacuated in the past. Evacuation procedures here are different, due to our distance from the mainland. At this time, Earl is a category 2 hurricane. Things are pretty wild, but nothing too out of control. Things are expected to escalate this afternoon and evening, though, when the center of the storm will be very near the Virgin Islands.

Ironically, my back to school post had to be postponed due to the fact that the first day of school has been cancelled because of Earl, but also because we've lost power and Internet (thank goodness for iPhones). So, for now, I'm going to go play Apples to Apples with the family and some friends who are weathering the storm with us. I'll update later and will hopefully have some yummy food published ASAP!