It's Too Sweet

I did it! I succeeded in making my host family and St. Martin’s hospital cupcakes and cookies…well kind of. I made carrot cake cupcakes (courtesy of Betty Crocker) with frosting and peanut butter cookies (thank you Jess!).

It was not difficult to procure all of the necessary ingredients and except for the incessant pleas from the twins to help, it was not difficult to mix the correct ingredients together either. Baking the goods was a small obstacle since the oven available was a gas oven that did not have a temperature gauge. I was thus forced to sit in the hot kitchen to watch my cupcakes and cookies bake. I can only hope that Eva’s sweat did not become part of the recipe.





As I laid the stunted but finished goods on the table, I couldn’t wait for everyone to try them! The hospital administrator’s home became the place to visit. I asked the medical officers, the matron, the cook, and everyone else I could flag down to stop by and take some cookies and cupcakes. I am disheartened to report that the reception of the cupcakes and cookies was far less than enthusiastic. Everyone was very impressed with the appearance and process of baking. But, every bite into either a cupcake or cookie was met with a nose crinkle, a request for some water, and a seemingly forced positive comment. After three of these reactions, I gave the cupcakes and cookies a try and tasted nothing unusual or disgusting (thankfully). I actually felt a huge wave of American comfort in sampling the cupcakes and cookies. After my fourth negative response, I asked what was wrong and the lab technician said that the cupcake and cookies were too sweet!

In retrospect, this reaction makes sense. If the Ghanaians don’t normally eat dessert, then of course this will be too sweet. I did anticipate this with the cookies and cut out a lot of sugar from the recipe, but perhaps that was not enough. The only people that seemed to thoroughly enjoy the cupcakes and cookies as much as I did were the twins. I suppose Jess’s suggestion of making fajitas was the better option…