Day Three Hundred Twenty One: Cupcake Collapse

Years ago I spotted Martha's Chrysanthemum Cupcakes and have wanted to try them ever since.

Martha's Chrysanthemum Cupcake

I never have made them....probably because the icing looks like such hard work, and because I did not have the proper icing tip to make the petals.  Last weekend, however, I became the proud new owner of one fancy curved icing tip:

Ta-Da!!!  So I ran home to make cupcakes.

These are plain vanilla cupcakes, but they are iced with Martha's Meringue Butter Cream, which is like crack for children and thirty-something mothers.

Best. Icing. Ever.

I've made this icing before (and here) and it never fails: each time people are licking their fingers and asking me where I bought the cake.  

If you don't follow the recipe to the LETTER, however, it doesn't turn out so hot. Hot being the operative word here:  I didn't allow the meringue mix to cool down entirely before adding the butter so my butter cream icing was a little runny.  So, instead of lovely perky petals, my flower looked like it needed to be watered:

It was truly a sad day, especially since I was pretty sure I was the Icing Queen after my previous successes.  

:dramatic sigh:

Does this mean I have to give up my sash and tiara?