Cinnamon Bun Cupcakes from Robicelli’s: A Love Story, with Cupcakes {a book review}

I had read a few reviews for Robicelli's: A Love Story, with Cupcakes, in various places before staring at it in my wishlist on Amazon, then moving it to the basket, then back to the basket and so on…

I have an excessive collection of baking/cook books. So, its kind rare for me to purchase one, even though I covet loads of titles, these days. I’m running out of space and I do get anxiety attacks.

Basically if I know I have 2 or more recipes for the same type of cake or dessert I’m after I panic because I want the one that’s the best. However I am well aware that if I don’t try them out how will I know which is the best. I just don’t always want to try them all out; I just want the best right now. Then I wonder well, what if there isn’t one that is better then the other? What do I do then? Maybe I should make something else?

Hence the anxiety attacks I get over deciding what to make because I have so many cookbooks. We won’t even go into meal planning…. 

Yet, even though I know all this I still love a good book about food. And that is why this one stood out to me. All the reviews said how well written and funny it is.

Then one day, as I went to stare at it in my wishlist, Amazon informed me that there were only 9 copies left! Well, that just started another anxiety attack and now I am the proud owner of one of those 9 copies! 

I haven’t been back to check if they are fully back in stock, but I would have to assume so.

I read the book front to back and all the other reviews were right it’s laugh-out-loud funny, but what I really liked best was how real it was.

When you read a book or sometimes even blogs only the good things are there in black and white and we think: “How lucky are they to be where they are!” or “There life is perfect! I wish my life were more perfect.” But life isn’t like that. I guess I just appreciated that it shared the good, the bad, and the funny.

As I’ve been homesick lately I chose to try out the Cinnamon Bun Cupcakes first. I do like my cinnamon and these are full of it! They are good, but not exactly what I was expecting. Which I guess isn’t fair, as I really just want a proper cinnamon roll.

The cakes tasted good, but were heavier then I like them to be and the cinnamon goo sunk straight to the bottom. It’s probably due to something I did. I may have over mixed or converted the butter from sticks to grams wrong? The homemade butterscotch was good. So good, that it has finger impressions in it. Usually mine.

Then I thought I’d try this French Buttercream that they promote throughout the book. However, I found it to be a bit rich.  Maybe I don’t have a sophisticated enough palate for frosting that might as well be a slab of butter creamed and slapped on the top of a cake? Maybe it would be better on a different cake like their Bea Arthur cupcakes, which is a black coffee chocolate cake? Maybe I should make them I have plenty of frosting leftover?

If not I will use their tip of freezing the leftover buttercream in ice cube trays and using it for pancakes!

The recipes throughout the book are refreshing and far from the cute cupcakes being sold across the world. They make everything from scratch, but give tips on how to cut corners if you must. I have lots of others I’d like to try despite my not so great first attempt.

One recipe does not a cookbook make.

I will let you know how I get on with any other recipes I try!

notes: I read once that if you have more choice your brain thinks it’s an important decision. Therefore you find it harder to make a decision and likewise easier if you have fewer choices. I need to learn how to make myself proper cinnamon rolls. I bought myself a copy as stated above. Amazon is probably the only place you can buy this book in the UK as it’s a USA publication. Saying that it is in cups, sticks of butter, ounces and there are some things that aren’t readily available in the UK. Like Corn Syrup, I found mine at a big Tesco’s in their World Food section.