A Sweet Birthday!

I am a huge sugar fiend -- I can't help it, and I can't get enough of it.  My biggest vice is cake.... and creme brulee, and tiramisu, oh and ice cream!!!  I could go on an on!  As you can see, being gluten free, casein free, and sugar free has been a huge mental hurdle for me!  However, as much as I love these goodies, I hate being sick so I am very good about not eating things I am not supposed to.  All of this to say that of all days, I really wanted some cake today -- my birthday.

I have been wanting to head down to babycakes in LA, the premier boutique bakery for all things gluten free, sugar free, and vegan.  I had not made it there just yet because, in the past, the massive amounts of traffic, horrendous parking, and navigation of the not-so-safe downtown streets talked me out of a silly little cupcake every time.  However, the nostalgia of cake on my birthday took hold of me today, and it is all I could think about all morning.  [Sidenote:  If you know my husband at all, you know he does not cook, and he certainly does not bake!  So any hope of a homemade cake was a wasted wish.  Furthermore, it is my birthday, so I was determined to not pick up a paint brush OR a whisk all day!]  After several hours of going back and forth and not being decisive, I decided to go!  

This wasn't an easy mission, it was just as bad as I thought it would be!  We live just outside of LA county (thank goodness!!), but somehow a short distance always turns into a several hour trip!  I left at 10 am, and this is the traffic I sat in (funny how this still baffles me after 6 months of living here)....

When I made it downtown, I circled the bakery about 6 times trying to get as close as I could while adhering to one way streets and roads that did not allow turns during certain hours.  I finally parked a block and a half away, and if you know downtown LA, you know that was entirely too far away to be walking alone.  Before I even got 50 yards down the street, a Los Angeles police officer approached me and asked where I was heading.  He was so nice and walked the remaining block to the bakery with me...I was so thankful!  I was welcomed by this....

...and this once I got inside....

One dozen cupcakes later, and $50 lighter (Yes, I almost fell over when they told me my total) I left with these awesome goodies that made the entire 3 hour odyssey worth every moment!  

My plan is to stash some of my cupcakes away in the freezer for a later date....we will see how long that plan lasts!  As far as Todd's plan...he may be more willing to bake a cake or procure a birthday cake prior to me taking things into my own hands and getting the Rolls Royce of cupcakes next year! ;o)  

This has made my mouth water, I'm off to find those cupcakes!