It's hard to explain how much I love baking. Let's just say getting a KitchenAid stand mixer (buttercup yellow, if you were wondering) may or may not be the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to me. Next to almost replicating Potbelly’s dreambar recipe, of course. So when my mom, who grew up in England, told me about an old British dessert called a maid of honor, I went straight to the kitchen. I wasn’t headed to a bridal shower, but hey—maybe you guys are?

Maids of honor, it turns out, are really easy to make. Whip up a batch of your favorite cupcake batter (or box mix—mmm, Funfetti). Line each cup of a muffin tin with pie crust (premade is fine), plop a little cherry-pie filling (canned?—no problem) into each, fill with cake batter until each crust cup is almost full, and put the tray into the oven for as long as your cupcake recipe says. Let the cakes cool, and frost with your favorite icing. (I used vanilla buttercream.)

If you’re feeling fancy, dye the frosting to match the bride’s wedding colors, and make a heart on top of each cake using silver sugar balls. Check out Sur la Table (5211 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-237-0375; 1720-M International Dr., McLean; 703-749-1125; 1101 South Joyce St., Arlington; 703-414-3580) for Wilton’s 12-pack of concentrated gel icing shades and a bottle of the balls, called India Tree Silver Dragees.

And if the bride tells you the dessert looks too pretty to eat, tell her that’s because she hasn’t tasted it yet.

Planning a themed shower and stumped for dessert ideas? E-mail me at mconrad@washingtonian.com, and I'll try to whip up a Sweet Talk post just for you. 

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