Cupcakes in Colombia

I have groups of students at my school.  They are called courses but that's kind of confusing.  Anyhow, two of the courses are 5th grade and two of the courses are 6th grade.  Each period the courses compete with the other course in their grade to earn the most points from Kate's Top Ten.  Kate's Top Ten is a list of things that I want my classes to do everyday.  Honestly, I kind of threw it together at the last minute in the beginning of the school year and there are some things that seem a bit redundant, but the students have complained and it seems to motivate them.  The winning 6th grade course won a class block off, in order to watch a movie in the library (we all hung out on the floor with pillows and watched Stand & Deliver).  The winning 5th grader course (because I see them only 90 minutes each week) won cupcakes.

I thought that would be easy...I was wrong.  Generally, I think in Colombia people make things from scratch - frosting, cake batter, things that in the U.S. we buy pre-made or in a manner in which they only require adding one or two additional ingredients.  After searching high and low I was able to find cake batter, chocolate frosting, AND sprinkles....thank you Betty Crocker!  I was not able to find the cupcake paper cups (I think there is a word for them...but sadly my English seems to be escaping more and more and possibly at a greater rate than my Spanish is improving.  Yes, I may be in trouble.)  Anyhow, my host mom assured me that we could just grease up the cupcake tins and we'd have no problem.  Oops. Wrong.

What was supposed to be a quick, 24 cupcakes in the oven became an emergency rescue mission.  Mission:  Create a presentable treat for 5th graders with the cupcake pieces that did not stick to the insides of the tins.  Thank God for Colombian ingenuity and the fact that my host mom is the craftiest woman on the planet.  Without even hesitating, my simple cupcake-making project became her baby.  She jumped right in grabbed as much as should could of one cupcake out of the tin, rolled it up into a ball and I just stood by and watched the magic happen.  Olga melted chocolate, covered cupcake balls in chocolate, then in sprinkles, and created the most delicious chocolate covered cupcake ball I have ever had.  We proceeded to make enough for my class, laughing (I had tears in my eyes the whole situation was so ridiculous), and doing our best to uphold a conversation in Spanish.

Needless to say, the cupcake balls were a hit.  The students were so impressed that "I" made them...and one fifth grade, who's a little crazy but also crazy smart said, "Kate, these are so delicious because they are made with love".  Augh! Too cute!