The Cupcake Placebo Effect

I gave Bride and Groom 3.0 and roommate Davin four pound cake cupcakes to taste. I told them that there was a slight difference between the cupcakes, but didn't tell them what it was. I will, however, tell you:

Solid yellow wrapper = Land O' Lakes Butter / Cold Oven
Striped yellow wrapper = Land O' Lakes Butter / Warm Oven
Solid blue wrapper = Challenge Butter / Cold Oven
Striped blue wrapper = Challenge Butter /Warm Oven

All four cupcakes had the EXACT SAME FROSTING!

Watch as the tasting trio spend the whole video talking about frosting differences.



I wanted to scream at the screen: "It's the same frosting, people!!!" The power of suggestion is amazing!

Unlike my tasters who tasted the cupcakes without the frosting (who all preferred the cold oven technique), Bride and Groom 3.0 and Davin used the imagined difference in the frosting to pick their favorites and ended up with different selections. I guess if I do end up making pound cake cupcakes for their wedding, there is no need to take the full hour to bake them the cold oven way - good to know.

Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Cupcake Video Review

Check out Bride and Groom 3.0 (and everyone's favorite co-star, Roommate Davin) as they review this week's Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Cupcake!



Note 1: The taste that they identify as oatmeal is actually crumb topping that was baked into the cupcake.

Note 2: Cousin Nancy who got the shout out is referred to around these parts by her new name, Grandma Nancy! Without her watching baby Myles, I wouldn't have had time to bake these cupcakes! Thanks!

Garlic Cupcake Video Review and Cupcake Stacker Winners

I asked you guys what you thought of the new Cupcake Project video reviews and in exchange you had a chance to win some über-cool cupcake stackers. Thanks for all of your feedback (yes, I'm making you read to the bottom of the post to find the winners). Some of you (I'm talking to you, Danielle Johnson, Amanda, and Southern Baker) seemed to think that roommate Davin had it going on. Bride and Groom 3.0 listened and Davin is now hosting the videos!

In their video review of the garlic cupcakes below, the tasting trio made the video shorter (as you all suggested), listened to the great suggestion from Foodie Ffanatic and showed closeups of the cupcakes before the review, and responded directly to commenter Trish who said, "And I hate to say the obvious but there was a lot of hand to nose action....egads! While working with food!" Check it out and keep those comments coming!



And the Cupcake Stacker Winners Are...

Jere and Rachel! Congrats!!

Caramel Apple Cupcake Review

Bride and Groom 3.0 and their roommate, Davin, got a chance to try the caramel apple cupcakes that are featured on Paula Deen. As you'll see, they enjoyed them but thought that the chocolate pumpkin cupcakes were better (except for Groom 3.0, who doesn't like chocolate). Maybe I should have made the chocolate pumpkin cupcakes for Paula (please indulge me imagining that we are on a first name basis).



It's funny to me that the tasting trio keeps imagining maple where it doesn't exist. The frosting is a vanilla bean buttercream, not maple. Bride 3.0 nails it, though, when she says that the cupcake would be good hot. Everyone should get to try these fresh out of the oven. You can't beat it!

Reminder: I'm selecting the cupcake stacker winners tonight at midnight CST. Enter now!

First Video Cupcake Review and Your Chance to Win Cupcake Stackers

When Bride and Groom 3.0 asked if I'd like it if they did video reviews of my cupcakes, I was not about to say no. Below you'll find their first video review featuring the vanilla and chocolate sour cream cupcakes with sour cream frosting and the whole cupcake party setup. Bride and Groom 3.0 are joined in the video by their roommate, Davin (he's the one on the separate couch).

The review is pretty long (16 minutes - 16 hilarious minutes!). I do realize that some of you may not like video, may not be able to watch video at work, or may not care to watch people ramble about cupcakes for 16 minutes.

So, I'm asking for your opinion. Leave a comment with your thoughts about the video. Do you love it (I hope so)? Are you excited for more? What changes would you like to see (shorter? longer? - probably not). Are there things that you would like Bride and Groom 3.o to talk about? Would you like to send them hats to wear (they plan on wearing hats for each review)?

If you leave a comment with your opinion on the video and your email address, you will be entered for a chance to win a set of 6 cupcake stackers. I will draw two winners on Friday, October 30th.