After college, I rediscovered my love for baking cupcakes when I found Martha Stewart's Cupcakes.
This is a great starting point for cupcake enthusiasts, as many recipes call for ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen or could easily find at the local supermarket. Anyone who's picked up this book will recognize these Ladybug Cupcakes. They're cute, delicious, fun to make, and guaranteed to make a co-worker or two smile. Invest in a multi-opening piping tip, and purchase either gum paste or marzipan to roll out some ladybugs (marzipan is much easier to dye and work with, not to mention more edible). Although the recipe calls for Swiss Meringue Buttercream, I find that regular buttercream holds the grass blade peaks much better. However, Swiss Meringue Buttercream has a lighter and smoother taste and texture, so that is the trade-off. 
