Heart on Sleeve

Well, it didn’t go so great. In my mind I wasn’t too worried about the frosting component. I knew that it had to be some sort of vegan meringue, that would be the only thing that I could pipe on like edible frosting and would harden later so it would be something that I could package. All the recipes I found that others used in their cupcake bath bombs were a simple meringue using a powdered egg white product and sugar. Nothing too exciting and was just for looks, no function. So I decided I would try a combo of a vegan meringue using agar agar and some sugar- I tried to find a way around the sugar it just wasn’t possible. And then for my liquid instead of using water I choose almond oil so the frosting would add another layer of moisturizers. Seemed simple enough. Simple it was not. It took a lot of adjusting to the amounts of each ingredient to get something I could put in a piping bag. When I finally got to that point I filled my bag and went to piping the first of the cakes, I was already tired of this process and had to just cross my fingers and go for it. I piled up the frosting into a huge glorious mound in so good it looks like you could eat it pink “frosting”. It was beautiful…..and then it happened. The frosting started to fall, the beautiful pillowy mound sank, and it turned into a pile of pink mush dripping down the sides of the cupcake. Ugly. I wish I had taken a photo of it, but I was just too irritated. Batch two went a little quicker, and the frosting did not fall once the cakes had been topped. It did however start to harden in the bag making it almost impossible to squeeze out. This did not allow for the huge luxurious mound of frosting, but a much more reserved topping. Still nonetheless they looked pretty cute and I knew in my next batch it would be perfect. This batch would be just fine as a first test. Here are the photos of the very first batch, complete with frosting.





The Test:
Last week I had not been feeling well, I wasn’t sick just tired and had a headache that wasn’t letting go. So it was a perfect time for a bath. I filled my tub and got everything ready. I was anticipating dropping my bath bomb in and having the explosion of fizz while the almond oil and cocoa butter started to infuse the water. Oh, what an envision I had. I got comfy in the bath while my anticapation grew. Plunk, I dropped in it. Not the grand explosion I had expected it was more of a gentle fizz, very lackluster. Hmm, I thought ok next batch more citric acid. All the recipes I found called for a 2:1 ratio, next time I’m going for a 1:1 ratio. This bath bomb wasn’t what I wanted but it wasn’t the worse problem I could have had and I had the solution already figured out. As the bath bombs had dried they also developed some cracks, which I researched and learned it was from adding too many wet ingredients. That could have also activated some of the citric acid, in turn making it have less fizzing action once exposed to the water in the bathtub. So problem one down.


Problem 2- The Scent:
While I wanted I nice gentle scent, something not over powering my bath bomb didn’t have enough once it melted into the water. It was a little too subtle in the less concentrated form. This solution also easily fixed with the addition of essential oils.


Problem 3- Too Much Moisture
Too much, is that possible?? Yes! I didn’t want to skimp on the cocoa butter, which is amazing, but may have been a little to heavy handed in this first batch. It was amazing in the tub, but once out I felt a little too oily. And the next morning stepping into the tub for a shower was a slippery situation since I didn’t bother to rinse the tub after my bath the night before. But the shower did take care of the oils that were left, so I didn’t have to clean it later to avoid falling to my death during my next shower. Solution- less cocoa butter.


Problem 4- The Color
The frosting was a beautiful pink. I imagined my water looking like a softer version, but it didn’t really change the color of the water at all. I’m not sure it that matters or if I want to be sitting in colored water. I guess in my mind I had already determined I would be surrounded in pretty pink water, so when that didn’t happen I felt the bath bomb fell short. I have however used products that change the water and I have hated it. I almost felt like I was sitting in dirty water, even when the water was a pretty shade of purple I still wasn’t loving it. So maybe the fact that the product is beautiful and full of color but doesn’t color your water is a good quality. Now thinking back I’m not sure what I ideally want. What do you guys think? Would you feel like the product was superior if you were left with colored bath water, or would you like to keep it clean? It did change the color a bit, but not pink. It made it look sort of milky white, I’m guessing from the cocoa butter. And on the bright side it didn’t stain my tub or leave a ring. Which to be honest I was worried about.