These cupcakes are a white butter cupcake filled with a homemade strawberry preserve and topped with strawberry buttercream, pink sugar crystals and cute flowers!

You can find the recipe I used for these cupcakes, here!

And for her Daddy…. I made the same cupcakes but in blue liners with different decorations!!

WELCOME HOME 1SG JASON EVERSHED!!!!!

And here’s the complete order…

Please introduce yourself.  Tell us a little bit about what you do in the cupcake world and how/when you got started.

My name is Betsy Eves and I love to bake cupcakes!  I have been writing the blog, JavaCupcake.com since January 2009.  It has since grown and evolved and has allowed me opportunities to blog for other websites!  I am not a contributing writer for Today’s Military Spouse and am a Blog Intern for Cupcakes Take the Cake!

I don’t own a bakery, but I bake for family and friends birthdays, bridal showers and parties! My husband is currently in the Army and maybe… just maybe when he retires I might open a bakery.  We’ll see!  I am moving with my family to Germany in February 2011 and will continue to bring you the latest cupcake news from there!

You can find my blog here, or you can find me on Twitter, Facebook , YouTube and Flickr!

My most recent pic with Jessica of Rocket Queen Cucpakes, Me,  Lisa Waxman Johnson of New York Cupcakes and Carrie Middlemiss of Bella Cupcake Couture!

Bakery Start-Up Questions

What was the biggest challenge in starting your bakery/baking business?

Well, I’m not a bakery owner…. YET!  Maybe someday after my husband retires from the army.  Until then, I’ll keep on blogging!

What type of tools, gadgets, and gizmos are necessary for fantastic cupcake production?

Definitely good spatulas and wooden spoons, several sizes of ice cream scoops for scooping batter into liners and 2-3 tips that look amazing when piping buttercream!

Recipe/Ingredients & Baking Questions

What do you consider to be the perfect cupcake? What flavors and textures would it have?

My perfect cupcake is a moist cupcake that rises just above the liner.  It’s full of flavor and has the perfect buttercream frosting paired with it.  My favorite recipe I make is my Moist Chocolate Cupcake with Dark Chocolate Buttercream.  SO GOOD!

How many times do you have to “re-do” a recipe before you get it right?

Too many to count!  Some recipes I toss after the first try… but others, like the moist chocolate… I’ve perfected!

What is your favorite cupcake recipe?

I know… I keep talking about my Moist Chocolate… but it’s my go-to.  I love it!  But, my all time favorite is the Strawberry Lemonade I did earlier this year.  OH MY GOSH! SO GOOD!

How much is made from scratch and how much is purchased pre-made?

I’ve never made a cupcake from a box.   So 100% is homemade. Even my vanilla extract is homemade!

What is the recipe for a foolproof cupcake batter? Just a perfect basic recipe that can be doctored with extras to suit any taste.

If you find this… please, let me know.  hehe

Where do you purchase all those fun different sprinkles you use to decorate your cupcakes with?

I really love the website, Bake it Pretty.   But I also find a lot of liners and decorations on ETSY,  Michaels, JoAnn Fabrics, and the local Party World.

How do you get your cupcakes all the same size?

Ice cream scooper.  For sure.  It’s a life saver.

Do you have a Vegan Chocolate cupcake recipe?

Nope.  I don’t.  I’ve never had someone request  Vegan.  I’d look into it though if someone asked!

Do you have a delicious recipe for a trans-fat-free cupcake?

Nope.  Sorry.

What is the best cocoa to use?

Well, I’ve really only use Ghirardelli and Hershey’s.  I know a lot of bakers hate the Hershey’s , but I have had a lot of success with it!

I love buttercream… what’s your favorite recipe for it?

Butter,  powdered sugar, whipping cream, flavor.  Easy peasy.

How do you make the icing just the right sweetness?

Practice!

How do you get great control of a pastry bag and make those mile high swirls of perfection on top of each cupcake?

Seriously, this took me FOREVER to figure out.  But after hundreds of cupcakes, I’ve finally got it down!

Inspiration Questions

Did you always have a passion for baking?

Nope, sure didn’t.  I mean, I liked to be in the kitchen… but my passion for cupcakes started out of boredom.  I made a batch for my husband’s soldiers and was hooked!

What inspires you the most? Love of cupcakes or love of making things people enjoy?

Since my surgery, I can’t eat these little beauties anymore… so my motivation comes from seeing the joy on others faces when they see and eat my cupcakes for the first time.   It’s like a natural high I get from it!

Where do you get new ideas for new cupcake and icing flavors?

I follow a lot of blogs… so I get inspiration from reading about others cupcakes.  I also get inspiration from what fruits are in season!

How do you come up with new, creative ideas for decorating cupcakes?

I don’t really.  I start with a color palate and go from there.  The decorations usually just come to me as I start to frost them.

With the internet and easy availability of so many recipes and decorating ideas, how do you come up with new and unique recipes that someone else hasn’t already done?

I’m not too worried about that since I don’t have a bakery.

Fun Questions

What’s your favorite part of cupcakes?

Eating them!

How can you be around all that yummy and not eat it all up?

I would get sick if I did!

Would you bake me a cupcake that wouldn’t make me gain any weight please?

LOL Dream on!

Do you ever get tired of the site or smell of cupcakes?

Only if I’ve been baking for like 36 hours straight.  lol

Can I live in your kitchen and be your personal taste tester?

Sure, only if you do dishes!

These were made by hand too!! Amazing!

Also on display at Trophy that day were these awesome sports cupcakes!  I’m loving the creativity the pastry chef at the Bravern Trophy!!

It started out with the Military Wife Tweet-Up with Katherine (@MissKatherine) and Erica (@HellcatBetty) down at the Starbucks by Fort Lewis.  Great conversation, great women, great time!

Then it was up to Bellevue, WA for the Cupcake Meet Up!  Jessica Stanley, owner of Rocket Queen Cupcakes in Albany, OR was in Seattle for a two week visit and wanted to tour a few of the cupcake shops she hadn’t been to yet!  So I met up with Jessica and Carrie Middlemiss, owner of Bella Cupcake Couture, at New York Cupcakes where owner Lisa Waxman Johnson met with us!

I had never been into New York Cupcakes before, so this was a nice treat for me! Their cute, pink decor was perfect for the petite cupcake shop.  Pink chandeliers, pink walls, pink fridge, pink cupcakes… everything was perfectly pink! Loved it!

Oh…. it was love at first sight with New York cupcakes.  Oh just pure heaven.  Firstly, let me tell you these are no small cupcakes.  They are full size, full frosting, some even filled and topped deliciously perfect looking cupcakes! Great, original selection and some fun, seasonal flavors too!

These blueberry cupcakes…. were like the the moistest cupcakes I’ve ever had.  It was like a muffin… on steroids.  SO GOOD!!!

And here’s the 6-pack I brought home to my Dad and Daughter.   No, I didn’t eat these myself!!

And of course… the reason for it all…. to meet these lovely ladies!!  Jessica Stanley of Rocket Queen Cupcakes, ME! Betsy Eves of JavaCupcake,  Lisa Waxman Johnson of New York Cupcakes and Carrie Middlemiss of Bella Cupcake Couture!

I’m definitely adding New York Cupcakes to my Top 3 Favorite Cupcake shops.  I don’t know why I hadn’t been there before… but it was well worth the drive to Bellevue!  The cupcakes are divinely delicious, the atmosphere is sinfully sweet and the owner… well Lisa is just fantastic and one of the sweetest women I’ve met in a long time!  Make sure you stop by New York Cupcakes on your next visit to the Seattle area… you won’t regret it!!!

You can find all these lovely ladies on Twitter too!

Jessica – @RocketQueenCC

Carrie – @BellaCupcakeC

Betsy – @JavaCupcake

Please introduce yourself.  Tell us a little bit about what you do in the cupcake world and how/when you got started.

My name is Lev Ekster and I am the founder of CupcakeStop.  We started as NYC’s First Mobile Cupcake Shoppe.  Our website is CupcakeStop.com and in the last year, we have expanded to two cupcake trucks, a shoppe inside the new Limelight Marketplace on 6th Avenue and 20th Street in NYC, a bakery in Montclair NJ and nationwide shipping!  You can also find our Fan Page on Facebook and we’re also on Twitter, @Cupcakestop.

Note: From the Cakestop.com Facebook page… CupcakeStop (and Lev on the right) works with GladtoGive, Cookies for Kid’s Cancer and Joan Cusack to benefit Pediatric Cancer

Bakery Start-Up Questions

What was the biggest challenge in starting your bakery/baking business?

The biggest challenge was mastering how to sell cupcakes from a mobile vending truck.  Being the first cupcake truck in NYC, I didn’t have much guidance.

Any business tips you can share that has made your bakery a success?

Provide your customers a superior product with exceptional customer service.

How much time did you spend planning before you decided to take the steps to make your bakery a reality?

Approximately 6 months of planning went into launching CupcakeStop.

How much time does it take to run your business?  More or less than you anticipated?

Much more, I am currently working 27 hours a day, 8 days a week!!

Recipe/Ingredients & Baking Questions

How many times do you have to “re-do” a recipe before you get it right?

We redo, tweak and improve recipes all the time.  At CupcakeStop, we are never satisfied and feel there is always room for improvement.

How much is made from scratch and how much is purchased pre-made?

At CupcakeStop, everything is entirely Baked From Scratch.

Inspiration Questions

Did you always have a passion for baking?

I always had a passion for desserts and was always a fan of cupcakes.  I just wanted to start a business that would offer a better product.

What inspires you the most? Love of cupcakes or love of making things people enjoy?

I am inspired by my desire to make CupcakeStop into the undeniable best cupcake bakery in the world.

Where do you get new ideas for new cupcake and icing flavors?

We brainstorm in house but also take on ideas from our customers.

Fun Questions

What’s your favorite part of cupcakes?

The room for creativity and ingenuity.

How can you be around all that yummy and not eat it all up?

I can’t…

Do you ever get tired of the site or smell of cupcakes?

Not even close!

Can I live in your kitchen and be your personal taste tester?

Absolutely, we’ll get a futon immediately.

All photos courtesy of the CupcakeStop’s Facebook page! THANK YOU!!

A week or so ago, the ladies at CTTC put a call out for an intern to write for their blog.  I applied and made it to the final round where they asked me to submit a cupcake related post for their blog! I wrote about my latest cupcake creation, the Coconut Lime mini cupcake!

This cupcake recipe will be exclusive to CTTC and can only be found on their blog!  So check out my post on Cupcakes Take the Cake for the photos and recipe of these yummy Coconut Lime cupcakes!

If you’d like to see more of me on CTTC, please leave comments on the Coconut Lime cupcake post on CTTC and let them know! Your support means so much! THANK YOU!!!

UPDATE: WE HAVE A WINNER!!!

Congratulations to Tori!!

Please contact me at betsy@javacupcake.com with your address!

Thank you to everyone who participated!

Stay tuned for another giveaway in the very near future!

Hello loyal JavaCupcake readers!  It’s time for a sweet summertime giveaway!

Here’s what’s included…

Hope Heart Institute Measuring Cups (From Cupcake Camp Seattle)

3 Mini Cupcake Bath Bombs from Feeling Smitten

1 Lucky Cupcake Hair Clips Button

1 JavaCupcake necklace

***One winner will be chosen by random on Tuesday, August 17th.***

Entering to WIN is simple, just do these two things and you’re IN!

1) “LIKE” JavaCupcake on Facebook! CLICK HERE to do that!!!

2) Come back to this post and leave your name and email address!

That’s it!  Easy-peasy!  Have fun and GOOD LUCK!

Please introduce yourself.  Tell us a little bit about what you do in the cupcake world and how/when you got started.

My name is Karla Jennings and I was one of the creators of Sugar Cupcakery.  My sister Krista Tevar and I started Sugar Cupcakery in the summer of 2009 to meet the growing demand for organic baked goods in the Cincinnati area.  Once we opened the store we started getting a lot of request for vegan and gluten free items, so we slowly started adding them to the menu.

I started baking professionally in the summer of 2009, but I have been an avid baker for most of my life.  Sugar Cupcakery is located in Milford Ohio and is Cincinnati’s first all organic cupcakery.

Website: www.sugarcupcakery.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sugarcupcakery

Twitter: @sugarcupcakery or @__karla__

Personal blog: http://karlajennings.blogspot.com/

*Note* Karla no longer works with her sister at Sugar Cupcakery, but she was gracious enough to still participate in our series.  THANK YOU KARLA!

Sugar Cupcakery was also a contestant on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars!

Bakery Start-Up Questions

What was the biggest challenge in starting your bakery/baking business?

One of the biggest challenges in starting Sugar Cupcakery was finding organic food vendors that would take us seriously.  There are a lot of organic distributors on the market these days but as a small business its hard to find ones that will invest their time in you.

Any business tips you can share that has made your bakery a success?

Make sure you are passionate about the business you are about to start.  If you aren’t you will be unhappy.  Starting a small business is a lot of hard work and you need to surround yourself with people that are supportive of you and what you are doing.  Make sure you are well organized and are prepared to have many sleepless nights!  Also networking with local businesses and social networking;  small businesses love to promote other small businesses so getting out and doing grassroots marketing helped us a lot in the beginning.

How much time did you spend planning before you decided to take the steps to make your bakery a reality?

I had a business plan in my head for quite some time now on a bakery that I had always wanted to start.  When my sister called and asked me to help her design the interior of Sugar Cupcakery I knew exactly how it should look.  So the planning process was much shorter than usual.  We started planning in March of 2009 and the store was up and running by September of 2009.  Most business take way longer, I suppose we lucked out that we had a great crew working for us!

Recipe/Ingredients & Baking Questions

How many times do you have to “re-do” a recipe before you get it right?

My cupcakes are always a “work in progress”  I like to base my flavors on what is in season and what I can find locally so I have to be versatile when I’m planning new recipes.

How much is made from scratch and how much is purchased pre-made?

Everything is made from scratch.  The only items we buy are the basics.   All the fruit purees are made fresh, as are the caramels and ganaches.

What is the best cocoa to use?

In the store we use Valrhona cocoa powder, it’s a great versatile cocoa.   I am also a big fan of green and blacks.

Inspiration Questions

Did you always have a passion for baking?

I have always had a passion for cooking in general.  When I was a little kid, food brought my family together and so when I think back on my childhood most of my memories are of my family sitting down with food and lots of laughter and conversation.  I love the quote by Marco Pierre White “ Good food is the basis of true happiness.”  I love baking for people, baking appeals to all of our senses and its enjoyable for everyone.

Where do you get new ideas for new cupcake and icing flavors?

I get new ideas all the time, from going out to eat and looking at flavor combinations of teas or gourmet potato chips.  There are so many things around us everyday that inspire new flavor combinations, I love it!

With the internet and easy availability of so many recipes and decorating ideas, how do you come up with new and unique recipes that someone else hasn’t already done?

Constant research.  Also when changing the menu seasonally I have to look at what the stores around us are doing.  I never want to offer the same specialty cupcakes as the shop across town.

Fun Questions

Do you ever get tired of the site or smell of cupcakes?

Haha!  I actually can’t smell them anymore.  But I have recently been told that I smell like cupcakes, I guess I can’t complain about that!

All photos courtesy of Karla’s Flickr! THANK YOU!!

She wanted mini’s…. two different kinds…. and in 3 days.  Ok, it’s not like I had much going on… but usually, I like at least a weeks notice for cupcakes because I like to special order liners, wrappers, embellishments, etc etc.  I had to come up with two cupcakes and find everything I needed for them locally!  But… I did it!  I came up with two delicious cupcakes… and this first one:

Mini chocolate cupcakes with a fresh raspberry center topped with a super sweet vanilla buttercream, sugar pearl and sprinkles garnished in a white cup with green ribbon!

Wow, that’s a mouthfull! hehe (and so is the cupcake!)

The recipe was an easy one for me… I used my standard moist chocolate cupcake recipe, put a fresh raspberry inside and topped it with my standard buttercream recipe.  Easy-peasy! For me… a basic cupcake can be spiced up and embellished to become a spectacular cupcake!

Mini Moist Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

Makes 36 minis and 12 regular cupcakes

½ cup vegetable oil

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1 cup heavy cream

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs at room temperature

1  ¾ cup all purpose flour

¾ cup cocoa powder

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 cup boiling water

Fresh raspberries (enough for each cupcake)

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Line pans with foil or paper liners.
2. Mix oil, sugars, cream and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each.
4. Beat on medium for about 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl.
5. Sift dry ingredients together.
6. Sift them again.  Make sure all the flour and cocoa are thoroughly combined and all clumps are gone and the mixture is very fine.
7. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in three parts, scraping the sides of the bowl and thoroughly mixing after each.
8. Beat for about 2 minutes on medium-high speed.
9. Add the boiling water and mix until just blended.  DO NOT BE ALARMED, mixture will be thin.
10. Fill cupcake liners no more than 1/2 full.
11. Add a raspberry to the center of each cup, push in until almost covered.
12. 
13. Bake 8 minutes, rotate pan 180 degrees, and bake an additional 2-3 minutes.
14. Do not over bake! Cupcakes will be done when there are air bubbles in the center and it springs back to the touch.
15. Leave in the pan 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Vanilla Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 lb bag of confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tbsp corn syrup

1. In an electric mixer on medium-high, cream butter until smooth.
2. Mix the vanilla and cream together in a measuring cup and set aside.
3. Add sifted sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until smooth after each cup.  Between each cup of sugar, add the cream/vanilla, beginning and ending with sugar.
4. Slowly pour in corn syrup and mix well.
5. Add more cream, if necessary, to obtain desired consistency.
6. Beat on high for 5 minutes.

You can find out all the details by visiting the Frosted website, Facebook or Twitter! 

Below is a recent article on KomoNews.com… the owner of Frosted Cupcakes & Cakes was interviewed about her new shop and upcoming opening!

Stefanie Buono, owner and pastry chef of Frosted Cupcakes & Cakes took some time to answer a few questions so we could get to know her as she moves into her new store front this month.

When are you opening up at Nama’s?
Our proposed date to open at Nama’s is Thursday, August 19th

What will your hours be?
We’ll be in operation Thursday-Saturday 10am to 6pm and Sunday 12:30pm-4:30pm

What is your baking background?
I’ve never had any formal training but grew up with an Italian mama who loved to cook and bake.  I credit most of my baking skills to her.  I’ve also had the privilege to work as Pastry Chef at Olives Cafe & Wine Bar for a few years where I obtained experience in the field.

How did you find a passion for cupcakes?
I love the idea of having your own personal mini cake.  There are so many different ways to interpret, decorate and arrange cupcakes…not to mention the endless possibilities of flavor combination’s.  How could I not be passionate!

I think Edmonds is the perfect spot for cupcakes, what do you think makes Edmonds the right place for your store?
I’ve lived in Edmonds for 21 years…I couldn’t imagine opening Frosted in any other town.  Plus, I’ll be the first cupcake shop in Edmonds.  I’m so excited to see how Frosted will be received.

What is your ideal Edmonds Kind of Day?
Definitely taking advantage of the beautiful scenery.  When I’m not in the kitchen baking you’ll probably find me taking a walk by the water.

What is your favorite cupcake?
Good question!  I would say it’s a four way tie between Chocolate with fudge frosting, Coconut with lime cream cheese frosting, Lemon with Passion Fruit Buttercream, and Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting….but wait there’s also Espresso Chip with Mocha frosting.  Make that a five way tie!

Yum, I know I’m excited to try every one of these treats!

All photos from the Frosted Cupcakes & Cakes Facebook page.

Kimberly, Betsy, Patti

So yesterday, I head over to Jubilee and meet with Kimberly and Patti.  We sat in their cute little shop and sampled EVERY cupcake they had out that day.  Of course, just having come off of gastric bypass surgery, I only had a little bit of each cupcake.  But HOLY SMOKES were they DELICIOUS!

Here’s the aftermath of my tasting!

I’d have to say that my MOST favorite was the chocolate cupcake with the peanut butter buttercream.  To. Die. For.  Choc PB is already my favorite combo… but the moist chocolate cupcake paired with a rich, creamy, peanut buttery buttercream…. HEAVEN!   This is why it’s my Cupcake of the Month here on the blog!!!

So… as we were eating cupcakes, we were chatting about everything from the flavors, textures of their cupcakes to the local and national cupcake scene!  I was so excited to be asked to give my opinions and feedback on their cupcakes!  To be honest, it was really such an honor and I was so excited to be there!  As we were discussing I realized that WOW, I sure do know a lot about cupcakes!  HA!  More than I really thought I would.  I guess all those recipes, baking experiments, failures and success, plus tasting hundreds of cupcakes really have taught me a lot about what makes a good cupcake!

I’m really looking forward to getting to know these wonderful ladies better!!  I have a feeling that I’ll be giving them lots more feedback and support with their shop in the future!  I believe they are even going to participate in my “Ask the Baker” series (which I’m SOOOO excited for!).

Jubilee has a great thing on their hands… and I see such amazing things for their future!

And… because my camera died the last time I was in their shop, I didn’t get a chance to take pictures of their cute outdoor and indoor seating!

Front Porch

Front Porch

Back Porch

Back/Side Porch

Back Porch

]]> http://javacupcake.com/2010/08/javacupcake-jubliee-love/feed/ 0 http://javacupcake.com/2010/08/guest-blogger-sylvia-of-a-baked-creation-shares-her-mouth-watering-reeses-pieces-cupcakes/ http://javacupcake.com/2010/08/guest-blogger-sylvia-of-a-baked-creation-shares-her-mouth-watering-reeses-pieces-cupcakes/#comments Wed, 04 Aug 2010 02:37:27 +0000 JavaCupcake http://javacupcake.com/?p=2661 JavaCupcake Note: This is a guest blog post from Sylvia of A Baked Creation.  She has so many amazing recipes that look so good I want to crawl thru my computer and EAT THEM!  hehe You can also find her on Twitter!

REESE’S Pieces Cupcakes

…and chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes.

I think you know how to do the math here! To create your REESE’S Pieces cupcakes, use your favourite chocolate cupcake and the peanut butter frosting below.

Peanut Butter Buttercream
(Makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes)

250g of cream cheese
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
4 cups of icing sugar
2/3 cups of peanut butter

1. Make sure your cream cheese and unsalted butter are at room temperature. Leaving it out for 1-2 hours will work too.
2. Using a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter until combined.
3. Add in 2 cups of icing sugar, mix well. Add the remaining 2 cups of icing sugar and mix until combined. This way the icing sugar doesn’t fly out of your bowl!
4. Finally, add in the peanut butter and mix until the buttercream is smooth. Pipe the frosting onto your cupcakes and top with a REESE’S Pieces.

If you also live in Ontario, we hope you had a yummy Simcoe Day!

Please introduce yourself.  Tell us a little bit about what you do in the cupcake world and how/when you got started.

Hi, I’m Liz, the Hoosier Momma over at Hoosier Homemade. I have enjoyed baking most of my life, and within the last couple years, have started creating cupcakes. I host Cupcake Tuesday every week on my blog, where other bloggers can share their creations too. If I’m not baking, you can find me on Twitter or BlogFrog.

Bakery Start-Up Questions

What type of tools, gadgets, and gizmos are necessary for fantastic cupcake production?

I don’t have a bakery, just my blog. But I love Wilton products for baking cupcakes, their tins are really nice. Their bags, tips and sugars are great too!

Recipe/Ingredients & Baking Questions

Where do you purchase all those fun different sprinkles you use to decorate your cupcakes with?

I get most of my sprinkles from Wilton. I also buy lots of candy from a local candy store, Albanese Confectionery.

How do you get your cupcakes all the same size?

I use a measuring cup for the batter, and sometimes a ladle.

I love buttercream… what’s your favorite recipe for it?

I’m a Buttercream fan too!

Inspiration Questions

Did you always have a passion for baking?

Yes, most of my life.

What inspires you the most? Love of cupcakes or love of making things people enjoy?

Love of making things people enjoy!

How do you come up with new, creative ideas for decorating cupcakes?

I’m inspired by What’s New Cupcake? book.

Fun Questions

What’s your favorite part of cupcakes?

Decorating…for sure

Photos by: Hoosier Homemade

This Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcake comes from the newly remodeled and re-branded Jubilee Cupcakes & Vintage Candy in Tacoma, WA and is a Valrhona dark chocolate cake filled with a homemade peanut butter and topped with peanut butter buttercream, crushed peanuts and  fleur de sel.

To. Die. For.

Photo:  Jubilee Cupcakes webpage

(Thanks Bakerella for this photo!!)

Last week at Jubilee Cupcakes in Tacoma, WA, I found the matching Mini sizes Cupcake Measuring Spoons! I had NEVER seen these before, so I scooped them up! They even have a little cupcake hook to hang them on! Jubliee had the big ones for sale too!! So excited to use them!!

I looked on Amazon and they sell them for $12.99.  What a great gift these would make!!!  (Amazon says there is only 1 left… so hurry!!)

I also found a TON of other places that sell them… thy this link! Happy Shopping!

This past weekend, Jubilee Cupcakes & Vintage Candy opened and I paid Patti and her new shop another visit! WOW! I thought the shop was cute before, but it’s 100 times better now!  The focus of the shop is definitely on the cupcakes now with some amazing vintage candy too!  There is more seating and the shop is less cluttered with non-cupcake stuff.  The candy is a perfect addition to the shelves of the store, adding a magical feel to the shop.

Oh… and remember the Ganz Cupcake Measuring Spoons I got a while back?  Jubilee sells them!!! They’ve also got a second set of those cupcake measuring spoons in TINY sizes… Dash, Pinch, and Smidgen!  Of course, I picked up a set!

Let’s have a little tour of their shop… my camera died before I could take more pictures of the outside and upstairs seating areas… so know, there’s more to the shop than just these pictures!

I can’t have cupcakes anymore… but I let Emme get one.  Triple Chocolate with a Hello, Kitty topper!  (ps… I had a little taste…. so MOIST and chocolately.  Emily wanted seconds! hehe)

Don’t forget all the toppers and goodies to go on your cupcakes!

And now on to the CANDY!!!  They had taffy and gum and all kinds of old time candy that you can’t find in the grocery stores!

Party supplies too!  (And I also heard that Jubilee is also selling Bella Cupcake Couture!)

Another great addition to Jubilee…. CAKE SPY!!! Yup. Jessie’s got her little Cuppie for-sale at this shop!  Emily wanted me to pick her up one of everything! hehe We love Cuppie and Jessie!

So, I’ve gotta say…. this shop is a great addition to the South End.  With Indulge in Sumner not re-0pening after their fire and only one other (not-to be named, and not as good!) cupcake shop in Tacoma, Patti has got a great brand on her hands to expand!  She told me she plans to expand Jubilee all across the South end of the Sound in the coming years.  I am super excited for her and wish her success!

If you’re in Tacoma… make Jubilee a MUST SEE destination!

Where you can find more info about Jubilee Cupcakes & Vintage Candy:

On the web

Facebook

Twitter

Please introduce yourself.  Tell us a little bit about what you do in the cupcake world and how/when you got started.

Sabrina, The Immortal Bakery, Seattle Washington, private cupcake baker to anyone who wants something delicious, homemade and different!  I’m the new kid in the cupcake block, but a baker who has had more kitchen time than many with shops. I love baking, it’s what my life is aside from my husband and sons.  I make flavors that other cupcake bakeries haven’t done yet or look to for inspiration for their own flavors. If it’s a bit wild we’ve done it. If it’s a flavor recreation (Like Orange Creamsicle) then we’re your place.

The Immortal Bakery Facebook Fan Page-  http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Immortal-Bakery/170824986991?ref=ts

Bakery Start-Up Questions

What was the biggest challenge in starting your bakery/baking business?

Trying to get customers without a physical location. It seems to be the only drawback so far in my cupcake world!

Any business tips you can share that has made your bakery a success?

Variety, never be afraid to try something  new. If nothing else you learn your strong suits and know what ingredients you should proceed with caution around.

How much time did you spend planning before you decided to take the steps to make your bakery a reality?

I had been dreaming of a bakery since I was about 20 years old, although I had thought it would be a cookie bakery since that was what I thought was my strongest ability. Little did I know cupcakes would be something I would be known for.

How much time does it take to run your business?  More or less than you anticipated?

Much less time, originally I thought I would be baking from dawn til dusk, being a custom made to order cupcake baker allows me to spend more time with my family and work activities around my baking schedule.

What type of tools, gadgets, and gizmos are necessary for fantastic cupcake production?

The hand mixer, without it I would be nothing. Many bakers love their stand mixers, I am old school in this belief. The hand mixer allows me the control I need and the feel to know when my batter is perfect! I adore my hand mixer.

Recipe/Ingredients & Baking Questions

What do you consider to be the perfect cupcake? What flavors and textures would it have?

A moist cake, deep with flavor and layers to the flavor topped with a frosting made not too sweet but sweet enough to carry the cake. Never too much frosting and always a frosting & cake complimenting each other!

How many times do you have to “re-do” a recipe before you get it right?

I’ve been very lucky with this department, about 20 of my flavors I’ve gotten right the first go. My chocolate has been the toughest of the bunch, I set standards HIGH when it comes to classic flavors. Vanilla took a few months to tinker with to perfection, but I’ve gone through and made around 10 or 12 different chocolate recipes. I’ve always felt I could do better, I could just get a better cake if I tried harder. I’m really pleased with my chocolate cake now. Hard work paid off!

What is your favorite cupcake recipe?

Well, favorite to me is two ways. Favorite to bake would be my banana cupcake. I love that lil guy. When he’s baking it’s such an amazing smell and the recipe is one that is engraved to memory from doing it so much. My favorite to eat? My S’mores cupcake! The cake coupled with the frosting and the graham cracker. I can’t stop eating them!

How much is made from scratch and how much is purchased pre-made?

The only thing I purchase are the ingredients, the butter, the sugar, the jam is homemade but bought from a vendor (Johnson Berry Farm) at Pike place. I make my own Dutch apple filling/Apple bacon filling, but I do try as much as possible to do what I can to give my cupcakes the homemade just like Mom/Grandma feel to them.

What is the recipe for a foolproof cupcake batter? Just a perfect basic recipe that can be doctored with extras to suit any taste.

A thick batter is always one that is a great baking batter, I’ve found that the thinner the batter the easier it is to have something go wrong with it. I can’t really say one batter is better than another but most vanilla recipes can be doctored to make various flavors from it with just a few basic additions.

Where do you purchase all those fun different sprinkles you use to decorate your cupcakes with?

I tend to shy away from sprinkles or froo froo on my cupcakes. Many people can do anywhere and have a fancy cupcake these days. The real challenge is finding a plain, classic and clean looking cupcake. That’s what I gravitate towards when I used to buy cupcakes from others, stores, etc before baking cupcakes myself. I feel that too much added on top takes away from the flavor and the clean design of the cupcake itself.

How do you get your cupcakes all the same size?

Never, but that’s what makes them fun! People can have uniform cupcakes at most shops but I love that mine do offer a variety in way of size. I know people like having more frosting on one, a little more cake on another, each dozen of cupcakes ordered from me offer that to people. They’re just like people, each one is different in a way. Keeping things different is definitely what The Immortal Bakery is all about.

Do you have a Vegan Chocolate cupcake recipe?

Yes, yes I do. Do I use it often, no, no I do not. I’m all about full flavor, full fat, full everything. I made the recipe for one vegan friend, I’ve made it a couple times, it’s a great one but it’s not something I’ve ever been interested in baking full time.

Do you have a delicious recipe for a trans-fat-free cupcake?

Cupcake and fat free are two words that in the same sentence confuse me. Going out on a limb here and being blunt, anything in moderation as long as it’s not a health risk (like with diabetes) or an allergy is perfectly fine. Many people these days expect a miracle with baking. Many do not understand there is not a 20 calorie cupcake that tastes like a 200 calorie cupcake. It does not exist and something will always be missing from it. Full flavor, rich ingredients and great depth is what makes the cupcake perfect. Subtract any of that and it’s not my cup of tea. I have to say no, no I do not nor will not have a trans fat free cupcake.

What is the best cocoa to use?

Hershey’s because when you add other ingredients to it, it holds up amazingly.

I love buttercream… what’s your favorite recipe for it?

Your basic powdered sugar, butter, milk and extract or jam are the perfect combination for me! Buttercream is everything!

How do you make the icing just the right sweetness?

That’s a pretty big secret that I have to keep to myself right now. I’ve got something I use in our frosting that I’ve not seen many bakers of today use, but actually was something my grandmother and Nanny were the ones who taught me to always incorporate into a frosting.

How do you get great control of a pastry bag and make those mile high swirls of perfection on top of each cupcake?

I don’t use a pastry bag, I prefer Ziploc bags with my pastry tip on them, it gives just enough resistance for me to do our signature rose tops!

Inspiration Questions

Did you always have a passion for baking?

I have, since I was very little. I would sit and watch my Nanny and mother bake and always would be so excited when I was asked to help. I started with the standard Nestle Toll house cookie recipe, the next year I concurred a Swedish Cherry pie and a Pumpkin Jelly Roll for Thanksgiving dessert. I was hooked on baking from the youngest memory I have.

What inspires you the most? Love of cupcakes or love of making things people enjoy?

My family inspires me, since my boys were born they’ve had home baked goodies. I always felt that extra time was well worth it and worth making the memories for them to remember. Second it’s seeing people happy. I love watching people eat our cupcakes and the expressions that come onto their faces. Especially when they try a flavor they’ve never had before like our Pad Thai or Maple bacon!

Where do you get new ideas for new cupcake and icing flavors?

Life, and through remembering things I enjoy eating. Maple bacon was obvious to me, my husband and I love dipping our bacon in syrup when we have pancakes. He gave me the inspiration for the Pad Thai when I was trying to come up with new flavors. Pad Thai is something our oldest son absolutely loves. I love a great pork loin with apple, hence where our Apple bacon got its start. Life though, childhood and what makes me feel happy eating.

How do you come up with new, creative ideas for decorating cupcakes?

I’m not really big on decorating; I find that too much takes away from the cupcake. Too much time spent on what it looks like and never enough time spent on the flavor itself is a problem I have with some bakers these days. Clean, classic and full of flavor. That’s my frosting decorating motto.

With the internet and easy availability of so many recipes and decorating ideas, how do you come up with new and unique recipes that someone else hasn’t already done?

Being a baker who has had quite a few of my flavors taken, it’s not an easy thing. Right now we’ve got the first Pad Thai cupcake out there. I know eventually many bakers will try their hand at that. It makes me happy they’re inspired by something  we did first but it’s also hard since I’ve had multiple flavors that were signatures (such as our Maple Bacon) taken as quickly as new menus were posted up.  I just try to stay ahead of flavor trends and sometimes not even listen, just go with my gut and create a delicious product that others aren’t doing.

Fun Questions

What’s your favorite part of cupcakes?

Seeing people eat them!

How can you be around all that yummy and not eat it all up?

Remembering that I’d like to keep the figure I have!

Would you bake me a cupcake that wouldn’t make me gain any weight please?

Our banana cupcake is one of the lower calorie ones, as long as you ate one or two I don’t think you’d gain any weight! I’d be more than happy to create something for you.

Do you ever get tired of the site or smell of cupcakes?

Never, why get into a business where you are tired of them. I sometimes get physically tired, but never tired of the cupcakes. They’re innocent in the war for sleep. Haha.

Can I live in your kitchen and be your personal taste tester?

My kitchen isn’t too terribly big, would a walk in closet and trips to the kitchen be okay? And yes please, sometimes I worry my sons say “YUM” just so mom gets the cupcakes out of their room. Haha.

Thanks to Sabrina of The Immortal Bakery for the photos!!!

Please introduce yourself.  Tell us a little bit about what you do in the cupcake world and how/when you got started.

I’m Porche Lovely and I own Lovely Confections Bakery.  We are located in Denver CO at 1489 Steele St. Unit C.

Our website is www.LovelyConfectionsBakery.com

Our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/LovelyConfections

And you can find us on Twitter @Cupcakes_Denver!

Our focus is on making the finest, artisan cupcakes using organic, local and natural ingredients.  We are an eco-friendly company.  We use sustainable packaging, and we compost and recycle too.  We use compact florescent light bulbs and were able to reduce our electric bill by 50% when we switched.

We also donate as much as possible to non-profits because we want to be an integral part of our community.

Bakery Start-Up Questions

What was the biggest challenge in starting your bakery/baking business?

The biggest challenge was finding a location that was already a food service establishment (to minimize expenses) and finding the best source of funding.

Any business tips you can share that has made your bakery a success?

Make your business unique.  Give customers a compelling reason to visit your bakery.

How much time did you spend planning before you decided to take the steps to make your bakery a reality?

I started writing my business plan in March 2007.  I finished it and got a loan commitment that summer and then started shopping around for location.  It took me until December 2007 to sign the paperwork on my location.  I was so surprised it took that long!  We opened the first week of February 2008.  The biggest hold-up was waiting for the oven to arrive.

How much time does it take to run your business?  More or less than you anticipated?

There isn’t enough time in the day to run a small food business.  I closed the bakery for Thanksgiving weekend last year and those were the first real days off I’ve had since I’ve opened.  That’s right, I went almost 2 years without a full day off.  I haven’t had one off since then!  Twelve to fourteen hour days are the norm.  Longer days make appearances regularly.

What type of tools, gadgets, and gizmos are necessary for fantastic cupcake production?

A good oven that bakes evenly, a good mixer, ice cream scoops and piping bags.

Recipe/Ingredients & Baking Questions

What do you consider to be the perfect cupcake? What flavors and textures would it have?

Both should have flavor!  I don’t like cake and buttercream that just tastes like sugar.  Yes, sweet is good but give me flavor too!  Our cupcakes tend to be more dense than others, especially places that use cake mix.  The buttercream too is a bit more substantial because we use a lot of butter.  I love butter.

How many times do you have to “re-do” a recipe before you get it right?

It took me the longest to develop by Red Velvet cupcake recipe.  I use a natural food dye so that took some time figuring out how to use correctly.  I tend to wing it a lot of times, especially weekend flavors.  Thankfully I’ve been baking long enough that I have a good feel on how to make things work.

What is your favorite cupcake recipe?

My carrot cake recipe!  And the coconut, vanilla, and chocolate too.  It’s hard to pick!

How much is made from scratch and how much is purchased pre-made?

1000% scratch made!  We grate carrots, zest lemons, make our caramel sauce, ganache, etc..  We also make our own fondant.  I’ve even colored my own sprinkles.

What is the recipe for a foolproof cupcake batter? Just a perfect basic recipe that can be doctored with extras to suit any taste.

Hmm….  We actually have different recipes for the different flavors.  I don’t just put coconut in the vanilla cake.  Or lemon extract in the vanilla cake to make lemon.  When you bake from scratch, the technique can be just as important as the recipe.   Like I said above, make your cupcakes your own.  Make them unique so my foolproof recipe won’t help. 

Where do you purchase all those fun different sprinkles you use to decorate your cupcakes with?

A fabulous wholesale company who shall remain nameless.

How do you get your cupcakes all the same size?

Ice cream scoop.

Do you have a Vegan Chocolate cupcake recipe?

No- I love butter and eggs.

Do you have a delicious recipe for a trans-fat-free cupcake?

Simple- don’t use hydrogenated shortening.

What is the best cocoa to use?

I prefer a 22-24% cocoa powder.

I love buttercream… what’s your favorite recipe for it?

Start with any good butter and flavorings and you’ll have a great buttercream.  I won’t share my recipe though.

How do you make the icing just the right sweetness?

I’ve found sweetness to be subjective.  Some people think my buttercream is perfect and some think it is too sweet.  Some think my chocolate buttercream is too chocolately!  (Who knew there was such a thing.)  And others love it because it isn’t too sweet.

How do you get great control of a pastry bag and make those mile high swirls of perfection on top of each cupcake?

Don’t overfill your bag and hold it from the very tippy top.  If you do, it’s like writing with a four foot long pencil.  It just won’t work.  The stronger your hands get the more you’ll be able to fill a bag.

Inspiration Questions

Did you always have a passion for baking?

Yes!

What inspires you the most? Love of cupcakes or love of making things people enjoy?

Both.  I have a deep love for the craft and science of baking.  I’m a big nerd so the chemistry of it all is fascinating.  Baked goods are magic.  They can turn peoples’ days around and make a good day a great one.

Where do you get new ideas for new cupcake and icing flavors?

Everywhere!  What are new, interesting flavor combos that aren’t currently a cake but could be?

How do you come up with new, creative ideas for decorating cupcakes?

We have a signature look for most of our cupcakes.  We do make custom cupcake fondant toppers though.

With the internet and easy availability of so many recipes and decorating ideas, how do you come up with new and unique recipes that someone else hasn’t already done?

I think the most important thing is that you are unique in your area.  Surf around the internet for inspiration, read books and magazines and then put your own spin on it.  This is why it is important to be unique.  Being unique allows you to put your spin, touch, etc. on something that you saw someplace else.

Fun Questions

What’s your favorite part of cupcakes?

All of it!

How can you be around all that yummy and not eat it all up?

It is a business.  Remember that!  The business’ job is to make money.  Yes, we make people happy with cupcakes and it is wonderful but you have to make money.  The reason you can’t eat it all up as the bakery owner is that it (your cupcakes) is your profit margin.  Your profit margin keeps you in business.  Your profit margin is your paycheck.

Would you bake me a cupcake that wouldn’t make me gain any weight please?

Julia Child said “Everything in moderation, including moderation.”  Seriously though, with a balanced diet and exercise a cupcake isn’t going to make you gain weight.

Do you ever get tired of the site or smell of cupcakes?

No, but a lot of these days I can’t smell how yummy the bakery is.  It just smells ‘normal’ to me.

Can I live in your kitchen and be your personal taste tester?

If customers come in at the right time, they are my taste testers.

All photos courtesy of the Lovely Confections website.

The exterior of the cupcake shop was really neat.  They had big windows so you could see inside to all the cupcakes and the happenings of the store as well as some tables with fun umbrellas and decorations on them.  On a hot sunny day, Saint Cupcake would be a fun place to grab a cupcake and a drink and enjoy the outdoors.

Upon entering Saint Cupcake, I was flooded with a sea of pink!! Pink walls, pink decorations… everything was sweet, fun, cute and pink! This shop would be a little girls dream!  The shop had a small interior, some bar seating and a few tables and chairs and a case loaded with cupcakes!

On one wall, they had this huge mural with the “Story of Saint Cupcake” written on it! So fun!

What I loved about this shop was their huge assortment of mini cupcakes!  There were TONS of them!  I love it when shops have so many mini’s to choose from… it makes me want to order as many as I can!!

So we picked our 4 mini cupcakes and headed out!  I couldn’t wait to try these little yummies!! We didn’t eat them right away though because this was our third stop that day and we were getting cupcaked out!  So, we saved them for later at the hotel.

Oh, and I couldn’t pass up taking a picture of their delivery truck! So cute!

Unfortunately, the cupcakes didn’t survive the heat in our car or my daughter.  Emily stacked the adorable Saint Cupcake box into the soft sided cooler and all the cupcakes were smushed by the time we got to our hotel… so I have no pictures of the cupcakes we chose.   I was so angry… tried to piece together the cupcakes, but didn’t take any pictures of them.  They however, still tasted DELICIOUS!

Saint Cupcake’s website has tons of pictures if you want to see more of their cupcakes!!  This shop is definitely a sweet spot in Portland and I’d recommend it to anyone looking to get cupcakes or host a little girls party!

I was really excited to stop into Sweetpea because their name is special to me.  My husband, who was home on leave from Iraq while we were in Portland, calls me his Sweetpea.  :)  So needless to say, I really didn’t care what Sweetpea Baking Company had in terms of cupcakes, I was just happy to be there with my husband! hehe

As we walked into Sweetpea, we could immediately tell that this bake shop was unlike your typical cute, sweet cupcake store.   Sweetpea is more urban, earthy, more natural with an organic feel.  Perfect match for their vegan cupcakes!  They had a very chill, industrial vibe and I was liking it!

We get up to the counter and find a small selection of cupcakes to choose from along with some other baked goods.  We each pick our cupcakes and then sit down with a big glass of water to enjoy them.  It was quite warm, muggy, and overcast in Portland that day.

I chose the Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcake. It was a very moist, yet dense cupcake with a whipped pb frosting topped with a chocolate piece.  It was full of flavor and the pb/choc combo was to die for!  This cupcake was definitely Vegan, I could taste the grittyness of the natural ingredients.  It wasn’t your typical fluffy, made with real butter and all that yummyness, but it was still good.  If you’re a Vegan, these cupcakes are a great choice for you!

My husband picked the black bottom cupcake (which I didn’t try) but he had the same reaction I did to mine.  He could tell it was Vegan, not being a bad thing, but said it was also really tasty!

My daughter had the vanilla with chocolate frosting.  She ate it all up… so I’m assuming she thought it was delicious! hehe

Overall, I had a really great time at Sweetpea.  I’d definitely come back there if I was in the neighborhood and I’d definitely recommend it to my Vegan friends in the market for an excellent Vegan cupcake!  Sweetpea was also serving up some other Vegan baked goods, but we didn’t try any.  Next time, I’ll branch out and try one!

Thanks Sweetpea for a great visit!!! You were an excellent addition to our Portland Cupcake Crawl!

]]> http://javacupcake.com/2010/07/portland-cupcake-crawl-sweetpea-baking-company/feed/ 0 http://javacupcake.com/2010/07/july-2010-cupcake-of-the-month/ http://javacupcake.com/2010/07/july-2010-cupcake-of-the-month/#comments Sat, 03 Jul 2010 00:30:58 +0000 JavaCupcake http://javacupcake.com/?p=2525 This month’s Cupcake of the Month comes from Food Network’s Cupcake Wars winner Chef Chloe Coscarelli and is her “Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake” cupcake – 100% Vegan!

Photo courtesy of Chef Chloe’s blog.

I chose this cupcake because of my own personal life changes and desire to find healthier alternatives to my favorite dessert, cupcakes!  Chloe bakes only 100% vegan masterpieces using the finest of ingredients!

For the recipe to this cupcake and to read all about Chef Chloe’s other delicious Vegan creations, make sure to visit her website and blog!

Today’s topic! Cupcakes for weddings! Wedding season is upon us and the different ideas brides have for what they want is amazing! It all comes down to how they are frosted.  At Wink we have had requests for traditional style cupcakes, to ones that are roses or topped with fresh berries! From white buttercream to light pink rolled in coconut!

And so I leave you this fabulous Monday with some photos of cupcakes to temp your taste buds and just a sampling of what Wink can do for weddings.

*All Photos Copyrighted and Belong to Wink Cupcakes – unauthorized reuse is prohibited.

Photo Credits – Heather Baker Photography

Please introduce yourself.  Tell us a little bit about what you do in the cupcake world and how/when you got started.

Sarah Smallwood, Owner and Baker at Life is Sweet in Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.

http://www.lifeissweetni.com/

http://twitter.com/LifeIsSweetNI

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Belfast/Life-is-Sweet/198174293954?ref=ts

I grew up in the kitchen as my mom’s little helper and a passion for baking stuck with me.  Just about everything I know is through experience (trial and error) and research.  After attending a baking demo last summer, I couldn’t help but wonder why I wasn’t baking professionally.  It very quickly went from spontaneous idea to a business plan in the works (with endless support from my husband!).

Life is Sweet is a home-based baking company specializing in American desserts.  A large part of my business is cupcakes, but I also do whoopie pies, Hello, Dollies, cookies, brownies, cheesecakes, etc…and my menu is ever-growing.  As an American expat, I bring the wonders of the American baking tradition to those in Northern Ireland.

Bakery Start-Up Questions

What was the biggest challenge in starting your bakery/baking business?

Even without a rented space, there are a lot of start-up costs.  The list of things you need, things you would never have considered, takes on a life of its own.  Baking supplies, not just the ingredients but cake pans, fondant cutters, gum paste, glitter, it’s all quite expensive and it can be a long time before you start to earn all that back, and make a profit on top of it.   It can be quite daunting, and sometimes discouraging.

Any business tips you can share that has made your bakery a success?

My business is still so young and new, but from my current position, according to things I’ve already experienced in the field, I’d definitely say to always try to be distinctive. There are so many bakeries out there.  Of course offer the classics everybody loves, but be creative when devising flavours and designs.  Set yourself apart one way or another.

Also, relating to costs, don’t feel like you have to have a formal website, flashy logo, business cards, flyers, stickers, custom packaging, etc right off the bat.  It is very easy to get caught up, seeing what competitors have and trying to match them, thinking if you don’t have all of those resources up front you won’t succeed.  But I say determine what you think is absolutely essential and expand as needed.

Recipe/Ingredients & Baking Questions

What do you consider to be the perfect cupcake? What flavors and textures would it have?

Cupcake perfection for me means chocolate, salted caramel, and fresh fruit; cake that is moist with a compact crumb but is soft and not dense; slightly more (buttercream) icing than cake.

How many times do you have to “re-do” a recipe before you get it right?

There is no standard number of re-dos.  I find my recipes using fresh fruit in the batter require a lot more testing to get the right ratios to achieve both a delectable texture and distinctive flavour.

How much is made from scratch and how much is purchased pre-made?

I use as little packaged materials as possible.  Batter, mousses, curds, frostings, caramels,…it’s all made by me.  I do not use pre-made sugar flowers or figures.  Toppers of this sort are handmade in my kitchen.

How do you make the icing just the right sweetness?

Be patient.  If making quick/American buttercream, add the (sifted) confectioner’s sugar slowly and allow time for it to be absorbed by the butter and milk (or whatever liquids/flavouring you’re using).  Taste it through the process and stop adding sugar when it meets your taste.  If you’re afraid your frosting isn’t thick enough, a good trick is to whip it on high for a few minutes to incorporate air rather than adding more sugar.  The result is a light and fluffy buttercream, rather than an overly-sweet, gritty one.

How do you get great control of a pastry bag and make those mile high swirls of perfection on top of each cupcake?

Practice makes perfect.  You don’t need to make a batch of cupcakes to practice your technique.  Make a small batch of frosting, any kind, and pipe with various tips on a convenient surface.    You can add the icing back to the bags and reuse to test other techniques.  The more practice you have, the easier you’ll find it to keep your hand steady and get consistent swirls, flowers, etc.

Inspiration Questions

Did you always have a passion for baking?

These days, with the business, it’s becoming more of an obsession and compulsion rather than a simple passion, but definitely.  I’ve always loved seeing all the ingredients come together in the bowl.  My favourite part though is the decorating, it’s a great creative outlet, if sometimes frustrating and exhausting!

Where do you get new ideas for new cupcake and icing flavors?

Simply, I think of desserts or flavour combinations I enjoy elsewhere and try to translate them into cupcake form.  Right now, I’m working on Peach Green Tea and Spumoni cupcake ideas. Random designs, seasons, and even colours serve as inspiration sometimes as well.

Fun Questions

What’s your favorite part of cupcakes?

I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a frosting fiend, but I love when all components of a cupcake – moist cake, fluffy, creamy frosting, and maybe even a yummy surprise centre! – meld and you’re hit with an incredible taste and texture experience.

Do you ever get tired of the site or smell of cupcakes?

Yes!  When I’ve been on my feet all day and can’t fathom doing anything but putting my feet up and vegging out.

All photos courtesy of Sarah Smallwood.

Ok not to beat a dead cupcake so to speak but today I am going to talk about Cupcake Wars on the Food Network.  I have only watched one episode but after that one I can only assume that it’s not getting any better.

Upon the first couple of minutes it was clear that the format of the show was the tried and true “Iron Chef” … but the table of ingredients the contestants had felt less exciting. I mean make a savory cupcake … ok… your choices are bacon, maple etc etc etc. WOW my choices are either a seafood item or a flavor combination that everyone does.   Which one will I choose!?
Hoping for all hope that it’s going to get better I keep watching… did anyone else notice the assistant on the winning team was actress Maureen Flannigan?… http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0281234/ I honestly for the next five minutes was googling her, is she in the cupcake business now? Why is she there? Why is she confused? Is she a stand in?

Ok… round one, underwhelmed… round two, even more unimpressed and then round three…

Make 1000 cupcakes and a display…  Both displays where original, the tier was classy… the golf course was cheap… the fact that it won was amazing.  Also does anyone believe it was made in the time allotted, painted and then dried? A little TV magic maybe… but what I couldn’t get over was all the crying and yelling.  I mean its CUPCAKES. I can understand TV stress and pressure but really?!

So my blog today as you can tell has been building and become more of a rant.  I’ll probably find myself watching more episodes but so far, Cupcake Wars was more of a backyard brawl.

Post by: Lisa Gagnon of Wink Cupcakes – Seattle, WA

Thanks to Two Parts Sugar for the photo!

I decided to get creative with a few of them… tossed in cinnamon sugar and topped with a glaze and sprinkles!

Java Cupcake’s Cake Doughnuts

Adapted from “Janet is Hungry”
Makes approx 12 donuts with holes

1 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
4 ¼ cups flour (plus a little more if dough is sticky)
1 ½ bottles Canola oil or two inches in your pot (you can also use peanut oil or your favorite frying oil)

Large metal or cast iron pot
Oil thermometer

Cinnamon Sugar
Sprinkles

Glaze
Combine:
2 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup whole milk
½ tsp vanilla

1. In a large bowl mix the sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.

2. Add eggs, milk, vanilla and melted butter. Beat well.

3. Sift the flour. Add 1 cup at a time until incorporated. Add up to ¼ cup more flour if the dough is sticky.

4. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for one hour in refrigerator.

5. Remove dough from the refrigerator and begin heating about 1-2″ of oil to 360F in the pot.

6. Working half the dough at a time, roll it out on a floured surface to about 1/2″ thickness.

7. Use whatever cutter (cookie cutter, doughnut cutter) you have to cut circles about 3 inches wide… I used a big plastic cup from my cabinet. For the center hole, I used a skinny shot glass, about an inch wide. These both worked perfectly! You can use whatever size you have in your kitchen.

8. Using tongs or a wire basket type spatula, gently place the doughnuts in batches into the hot oil. I did mine three at a time. They will sink to the bottom at first then rise to the top.

9. Once they rise, wait about 20 seconds then flip them over. Flip them a couple more times as they cook. They should take about 3 minutes to cook and will be a golden brown.

10. Remove from the oil and set them on paper towels to drain excess oil and to cool.

11. Repeat the process with the donut holes.

12. At this point you can either roll the donuts in cinnamon sugar or you can dip them in glaze and decorate with sprinkles or you can just enjoy them plain!

Granted this is a new series and they are still working out all the kinks… but COME ON Food Network!!!  To me, it seemed as though Cupcake Wars was just like any other food competition show with cupcakes tossed in as the main attraction.  You could have substituted any novelty food in this show and it wouldn’t have made any difference.  There was nothing special about having cupcakes as the center piece of this show!  I expected spectacular challenges and even more spectacular cupcakes!  What we got were cupcakes that (no offense to any of the participants) could have been created in my home kitchen.

Now… I do understand that they had limited time to prep and bake… but as professional cupcake bakers, I just expected more.  More cupcake, more elaborate decorating, more pizazz in presentation.  For example, during the decorating challenge of the SeaWorld episode, the bakers (oh by the way, they called them cupcake makers, instead of what they are… bakers! That errked me!) needed to include an element of SeaWorld into their cupcakes.  Two of the bakers produced cupcakes with the whale from SeaWorld on top… but, they were very poorly made, elementary looking, and lacked in detail.  (I’m sorry I can’t produce pictures of these whales… I’ve searched the internet looking for pictures or video from last night’s episode, but can’t find any.  If they ever turn up, I’ll update this post.)  Now, if it were me…. I would have produced a cupcake with a whale that looked like this cupcake by New York Cupcakes in Bellevue, WA.

Another thing I didn’t really like with the show was the unreasonable expectations the bakers faced in regards to time.  The final challenge had them create 1000 cupcakes, build a display and put it all together in 2 hours.  Is that really even physically possible?? The time factor may be the biggest reason I was disappointed with the cupcakes… there wasn’t enough time to create those “WOW” cupcakes I was looking for.  *sigh*

I’m going to give the show a chance… I really am.  I will keep watching it and keep hoping that it improves.  Maybe by the time Season 2 rolls around (if there is a season 2) they’ll have gotten a clue and changed up the format.

From the Food Network Website:

It’s cupcake vs. cupcake in Food Network’s tastiest competition yet! Each week onCupcake Wars, four of the country’s top cupcake bakers face off in three elimination challenges until only one decorator remains. The sweet prize: $10,000 and the opportunity to showcase their cupcakes at the winning gig. Whether a special Ace of Cakes anniversary celebration, a star-studded magazine party or an A-list celebrity golf tournament, these Cupcakes Wars really heat up. Candace Nelson (owner of Sprinkles Cupcakes) and Florian Bellanger (chef and co-owner of online macaroon company MadMac) serve as permanent judges with a third rotating judge each week, and Justin Willman hosts.

June 13 9:00pm ET/PT  (Season Premiere) “George and Ann Lopez Charity Golf Tournament“

Sweet! (WINNER!) (Orlando, FL)

Sugar Cupcakery (Milford, OH)

Southern Girls Desserts (Los Angeles, CA)

Becker’s Bakery (Manhattan Beach, CA)

June 15 9:00pm ET/PT  ”SeaWorld Birthday Bash“

Dollhouse Bake Shoppe (WINNER!) (Santa Monica, CA)

Milk (Los Angeles, CA)

Daddy Cakes (Topeka, KS)

Sweet Bakery & Cafe (Ellicot City, MD)

June 22 at 9:00pm ET/PT ”Match Making Party”

Chef Chloe Coscarelli (Los Angeles, CA)

Crushcakes Cupcakery (Santa Barbara, CA)

Cupcake Nouveau (Coral Gables, FL)

Cups (La Jolla, CA)

June 29th, 9:00pm ET/PT “Ace of Cakes 100th Episode Celebration”

The Coffee Shop (Gilbert, AZ)

Cupcake Charlies (Mashpee, MA)

The Perfect Circle Cupcakery (Orange, CA)

Sweet E’s Bake Shop (Los Angeles, CA)

July 6th, 9:00pm ET/PT “Survival of the Fittest”

Lulu’s Cupcakes (Scotsdale, AZ)

Whodidly Cupcakes (Santa Barbara, CA)

Cupcakes & Co (Burbank, CA)

Smallcakes (Overland Park, KS)

July 20th, 9:00pm ET/PT “Cupcakes for a Cause”

Suite 106 Cupcakery (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)

Kara’s Cupcakes (San Francisco, CA)

Ivey Cake (Franklin, TN)

For Heavens Cakes (Thousand Oaks, CA)

July 27th, 9:00 pm ET/PT “Film Festival Face-Off”

Sweet Arleen’s (Westlake Village, CA)

Red Velvet Stefanie (Los Angeles, CA)

Bee Sweet Bakery Cupcakes (New Orleans, LA)

Mr. Cupcakes (Clifton, NJ)

August 3rd, 9:00pn ET/PT “Classic Cupcake Challenge”

Molly’s Cupcakes (Chicago, IL)

La Provence Patisserie Cafe (Beverly Hills, CA)

Cupcakes (Scotsdale, AZ)

Jazzy Cakes (Sherman Oaks, CA)

Please introduce yourself.  Tell us a little bit about what you do in the cupcake world and how/when you got started.

Hi, I’m an American who grew up in Southern Virginia, has lived in 3 continents (NorthAmerica, Europe & Asia) and eaten at almost every cupcake place in between!  Currently residing in the Netherlands (Holland), I started my cupcake business after becoming a stay-at-home mom who was craving good cupcakes.  There are NO (other than my own) good cupcakes here in Holland!  I was looking for something creative & lucrative to do with my spare time.  “Alice in CAKEland” aka “AliceinCUPCAKEland” was born in October 2009…

www.aliceincupcakeland.com

www.twitter.com/aliceincakeland

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Netherlands-Holland/Alice-in-Cakeland/156056398983

(sorry i dont have any good photos of me!?!? ….booo! but here’s a good photo of my cupcakes and oven!)

Bakery Start-Up Questions

What was the biggest challenge in starting your bakery/baking business?

Setting up a website in both English & Dutch!

Any business tips you can share that has made your bakery a success?

Study your competitions carefully…find their weaknesses and don’t do the same.

How much time did you spend planning before you decided to take the steps to make your bakery a reality?

About 2-3months

How much time does it take to run your business?  More or less than you anticipated?

Definitely more! I eat, sleep, breath cupcakes….what to do next, things to improve along w/ the baking, social networking (twitter is worth every minute I spend on it), replying to potential customer emails and order taking etc….

What type of tools, gadgets, and gizmos are necessary for fantastic cupcake production?

Ah! There are 2 kitchen gadgets I would not live without …not sure I want to share my secrets though!

Recipe/Ingredients & Baking Questions

What do you consider to be the perfect cupcake? What flavors and textures would it have?

The cake should be moist, fluffy.  The icing should be airy and light yet packed with flavor and its sweet all around!

How many times do you have to “re-do” a recipe before you get it right?

This varies.  The icings I get them right after 3-4 attempts.  My cake I’m still working on!….its yummy but I feel it could be better.

What is your favorite cupcake recipe?

My new deep dark chocolate cupcake i call “New Moon”……oooooowwww weee its SWEET!

How much is made from scratch and how much is purchased pre-made?

Oh its all from scratch!

What is the recipe for a foolproof cupcake batter? Just a perfect basic recipe that can be doctored with extras to suit any taste.

Yeah someone share that answer with me, please!  I’m a perfectionist so each flavor has its own recipe….not really one flavor fits all kind of cupcakes here.

Where do you purchase all those fun different sprinkles you use to decorate your cupcakes with?

The good ol’ USA! (import them into the Netherlands!)

How do you get your cupcakes all the same size?

Very carefully!  I need to establish more of a methodology to this but this is where my right brain takes over and I just eyeball it.

Do you have a Vegan Chocolate cupcake recipe?

Not yet but it’s in future plans!

Do you have a delicious recipe for a trans-fat-free cupcake?

To my knowledge, butter is a saturated fat.  And trans-fat is not found in saturated fats only in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated (quoting wikipedia here).  (Someone please correct me if I’m wrong!) Therefore, going back to the question, my cupcakes are trans-fat free!  (Sorry not sharing the recipe)

What is the best cocoa to use?

That’s a secret!……hehehehhe

I love buttercream… what’s your favorite recipe for it?

Butter, sugar, and milk……then add the added flavor chocolate, berry juice etc….

How do you make the icing just the right sweetness?

Lots of milk.

How do you get great control of a pastry bag and make those mile high swirls of perfection on top of each cupcake?

Talent? )

Inspiration Questions

Did you always have a passion for baking?

Yes but i had suppressed it thinking I’d never be successful at it.

What inspires you the most? Love of cupcakes or love of making things people enjoy?

I love making yummy, creative, pretty things….they happen to be cupcakes that makes people happy.

Where do you get new ideas for new cupcake and icing flavors? How do you come up with new, creative ideas for decorating cupcakes?

Researching what other people around the world are doing!

With the internet and easy availability of so many recipes and decorating ideas, how do you come up with new and unique recipes that someone else hasn’t already done?

Luckily there’s a huge gap in the cupcake market here in Europe which leaves everyone here with plenty of opportunity to bake & sell “new & unique” flavors.

Fun Questions

What’s your favorite part of cupcakes?

The icing!

How can you be around all that yummy and not eat it all up?

I do eat it all up!  But i also drink lots of water, do bikram yoga and do not eat anything fried, do not eat bread or any other “bad” stuff.  And I only eat good veggies/good foods after 6pm!  It’s not what you eat, it’s how much you eat at what time!  Eating a pizza at noon then staying active all day is probably better than eating a pizza then going to bed 3 hours later.

Would you bake me a cupcake that wouldn’t make me gain any weight please?

Yes, just eat it for breakfast and stay active the rest of the day!

Do you ever get tired of the site or smell of cupcakes?

Never!

Can I live in your kitchen and be your personal taste tester?

You’ll have to fight my husband for that position

All photos courtesy of Alice in Cakeland.

I am a fan of the cupcake swag; anything with a cupcake on it has to be cute right?  So today cupcake friends I am going to show you my favorite items and point you in the direction to wear you can find them! Get it, WEAR… hehe, yes I am a dork.

For anyone who attended Seattle’s first cupcake camp I was rocking my Custom Made for Cupcake Camp Cupcake Headband! I am a HUGE fan of Esty and I posted a request online and was lucky enough to meet Arbie.  She custom made this wonderful piece for me and let me tell you, it’s heavy but she hid clips under the bow and cupcake cup so when it’s in, it is IN! http://www.arbiegoodfellow.com/ or http://www.etsy.com/shop/Londonxox

OK NEXT! For Liz’s birthday (our pastry chef at Wink) I was trying to think of something fun to get her … other than the ROCKING cake I made her! Onward to Esty I go to search CUPCAKE and up pop’s kids wear… lucky for me, this kids wear comes in ADULT SIZES!  Meet the Cupcake Mafia Hoodie… super comfy, super cute felt cutouts! I bought two (one for me and her!)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/35838423/cupcake-mafia-bp-hoodie-sweatshirt

Keep in mind if you order an Adult size – they run LARGE! I kind of swim in mine.

Looking for an awesome custom made site for toppers, wraps and birthday items! I have had great luck with http://www.etsy.com/shop/Joosycardco.  She is SUPER nice and makes such quality products.  My favorite thing I have bought from her cupcake toppers that have jewels attached to them, plus they are totally reusable if you’re careful with them.

Happy Cupcake Shopping!

Post by: Lisa Gagnon of Wink Cupcakes – Seattle, WA

We pull up to the shop nestled in a quaint neighborhood shopping center and can immediately smell the cupcake goodness coming from the bake shop.  A sign for story time greets us as we make our way into the bright, fun filled cupcake shop!

Immediately, I notice the decor of the shop… a little bit retro, a little bit modern… a lot fun!! The bright blues just popped against the bright white walls.

Ooohhh the cupcakes!!! They had so many to choose from! The first thing I noticed was that Bliss had their mini cupcakes displayed right next to their regular size cupcakes… this is something that most of the cupcake shops in Seattle don’t do.  So, I was surprised to see a complete assortment of mini’s!  Also on the menu was a selection of gluten-free cupcakes!  The very kind girl behind the counter told us they had been asked to serve some and they are slowing getting more popular and hope to expand their selection when demand increases!  How awesome is that?

We chose 4 mini’s to sample.  Rainbow bliss, Mocha bliss, Vanilla bliss, and Chocolate Chip Mint bliss.   All of them excellent… moist and the buttercream was smooth and full of flavor!

I loved this little shop so much, that my husband bought me a Bliss Bake Shop t-shirt that says I <3 Cupcakes on the front!  The people at the shop were so great to chat with, there was even a little play area for the kids to hang out while Moms enjoy their cupcakes.

I also should mention that Bliss also serves ice cream, cookies and makes milkshakes!  My husband got a mocha ice cream milkshake and he said it was one of the best he’s ever had! Yay for Bliss milkshakes!

You can find Bliss on Facebook and Twitter so make sure to follow them… and stop by their shop the next time you’re in Portland!  It’s a must visit Pacific Northwest destination!

Please introduce yourself.  Tell us a little bit about what you do in the cupcake world and how/when you got started.

My name is Jamie, I operate the site mybakingaddiction.com. My blog started on a whim almost two years ago when I was suffering from summer boredom. I teach school full time, so I have the summers off and I am usually going a little stir crazy by mid-July. Within in the past couple of years, I have watched my blog grow and have enjoyed every minute of it. I adore my readers and always get so excited to read their comments, opinions and ideas.

I love being in the kitchen cooking and baking delicious recipes for my friends and family. Since starting my blog, I have ignited my passion for photography…especially of food. I love being behind the camera and trying new techniques in an effort to perfect my skills and take my photos to another level. I dream of baking and photographing for a living…hopefully one day it will turn into a reality!

If you want to connect with me, you can check out my blog at www.mybakingaddiction.com

Follow me in on twitter: www.twitter.com/bakingaddiction

Hook up with me on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/My-Baking-Addiction/380020751696?ref=ts

Or Subscribe to my feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/mybakingaddiction

Bakery Start-Up Questions

What was the biggest challenge in starting your bakery/baking business?

I do not own a bakery at this time, but it is definitely a dream of mine.

Recipe/Ingredients & Baking Questions

What do you consider to be the perfect cupcake? What flavors and textures would it have?

I adore Dorie Greenspan’s Perfect Party Cake recipe for cupcakes. If has an amazing texture and crumb. Top it off with delicious lemon buttercream and I am in heaven!

How many times do you have to “re-do” a recipe before you get it right?

It all depends on the recipe. I am pretty good at following an existing recipe, but if I am attempting to adapt or create an original recipe, it can take multiple attempts to get it right.

How much is made from scratch and how much is purchased pre-made?

I would say 90% of everything I bake is from scratch.

What is the recipe for a foolproof cupcake batter?

Just a perfect basic recipe that can be doctored with extras to suit any taste.

Where do you purchase all those fun different sprinkles you use to decorate your cupcakes with?

I mainly purchase my items from: shopbakersnook.com bakeitpretty.com

How do you get your cupcakes all the same size?

I use the OXO large cookie scoop to measure my batter.

What is the best cocoa to use?

I love me some Scharffen Berger Cocoa.

I love buttercream… what’s your favorite recipe for it?

My fave is featured on this blog post…the cupcakes are pretty amazing too! http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/guinness-cupcakes/

Inspiration Questions

Did you always have a passion for baking?

Yes, my nana had me baking and cooking at a very early age.

What inspires you the most? Love of cupcakes or love of making things people enjoy?

I love cupcakes, but I find true pleasure in baking for people. Baking often evokes fond memories and I love hearing childhood stories from friends and family that involve food, smells, and flavors.

Where do you get new ideas for new cupcake and icing flavors?

I get inspiration from everywhere!

Fun Questions

What’s your favorite part of cupcakes?

The frosting…definitely the frosting!

How can you be around all that yummy and not eat it all up?

I always take a taste…everything in moderation is key!

Would you bake me a cupcake that wouldn’t make me gain any weight please?

LOL, I would love to develop this product, I’d me rich! You’ll be the first to know if it ever happens!

Do you ever get tired of the site or smell of cupcakes?

Yes, if I have a ton of them to do for an order or an event…I get cupcaked out!

Can I live in your kitchen and be your personal taste tester?

You sure can, I can set up a futon next to my oven!

All photos courtesy of My Baking Addiction.

Well my name is Lisa Gagnon; I am the General Manager for Wink Cupcakes (located at 1817 Queen Anne Ave N Seattle).  I love cupcakes! I love all things cupcake! I came into my job by fate… after almost 10 years working for Starbucks and then a brief blip at an environmental company; it is now all cupcakes all the time.  I was a client of Wink Cupcakes; I would send cupcakes to friends (better than flowers!) and order large batches for the office.  I grew to know Deanne Ederer Emmons the Owner of Wink and over time we developed a friendship.  Soon I was the Office Manager/Website and Social Media Manager and as Wink grew my role changed into what it is now.  I am very thankful for this role and experience, everyday is a new challenge and couldn’t ask for anything more.

At Wink we try to make each cupcake a custom experience for each person.  Our shop is set up so you can watch your cupcakes being made from our “Cupcake Command Center” and we allow people to mix and match their flavors.  Let me tell you we have had some interesting requested flavor combinations! Hazelnut with Coconut Cream Cheese Icing, Lemon with Chocolate Buttercream! Whatever your heart’s desire we will whip up.  I must admit I get in trouble when I watch Food Network because I am convinced that you can make anything into a cupcake!

I will leave you with a funny story that can only remind you of the movie “Parent Trap”…

I have an identical twin sister and prior to working for Wink, for our birthday I ordered cupcakes to be delivered to Lori at work.   I ordered a jumbo Guinness and red velvet minis! Our birthday rolls around (July Babies woooo!) and I find Deanne waiting for me at my office when I return from lunch with a jumbo Guinness and red velvet minis!  I am now CONFUSED.  Deanne is laughing because during the time I had ordered “surprise” cupcakes for my twin, she had ordered cupcakes for me and the exactly the same flavors I had picked out. Deanne had to play top secret cupcake agent making sure neither of us found out! Nothing like a little cupcake twin action!

Hopefully we now can call each other pals and I will live up to the wonderful posts from Betsy.  Next week… Cupcake SWAG … cute or toothache?

Please introduce yourself.  Tell us a little bit about what you do in the cupcake world and how/when you got started.

My name is Rhienn Davis and I’m a professional cake snob.  I’ve always been a food person and baking sprang naturally from that beginning.  I’m also somewhat creatively inclined. I spent years in various careers (horse trainer, media- maven, book keeper, etc.) struggling to find a job that would stimulate both the creative and the analytical sides of my brain.  The entire time I was making cakes for friends.  That turned into friends of friends.  Then friends of friends of… you get the idea.  It was time to get serious.  My (unflappable, amazing, and unbelievably patient) husband gave me the final push to go out and start a business.  So I did.  Look Cupcake was born.  We have a commercial kitchen in the lower Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle.

We’re also all over the interwebs:

http://www.lookcupcake.com

http://www.lookcupcake.blogspot.com

http://www.flickr.com/look_cupcake

http://www.facebook.com/lookcupcake

http://www.twitter.com/lookcupcake

Bakery Start-Up Questions

What was the biggest challenge in starting your bakery/baking business?

Initially – figuring out the seasonality and the busy/slow cycle timing.  Because we specialize in custom wedding and event displays our business is very seasonal.  It took time to level things out.  It was feast or famine at first.

Any business tips you can share that has made your bakery a success?

I think unwavering commitment to quality has been the key for us.  We don’t make your average, every day cake/cupcake and we know that it’s not for everyone… and we’re OK with that.  We put that out there in every marketing message, every conversation and every.single.order that goes out our door.

How much time did you spend planning before you decided to take the steps to make your bakery a reality?

Years and years and years of baking.  About six weeks of actively starting the business (paperwork, permitting, etc.)

How much time does it take to run your business?  More or less than you anticipated?

More time than you ever have.  Always.  There are always fifteen things you just didn’t quite get to today.  It consumes your every waking moment and way more of the sleeping ones than you’d like it to.

What type of tools, gadgets, and gizmos are necessary for fantastic cupcake production?

Dishers (ice cream scoops) are invaluable, lots of spatulas, a scale and piping bags.

Recipe/Ingredients & Baking Questions

What do you consider to be the perfect cupcake? What flavors and textures would it have?

A moist buttery cake with a fine crumb, a pocket of delicious filling and topped with smooth, creamy, not-too-sweet buttercream.  That’s the magic formula.

How many times do you have to “re-do” a recipe before you get it right?

Sometimes the first try is magic, sometimes you tweak for months.

What is your favorite cupcake recipe?

Something tells me giving out my favorite cupcake recipe PROBABLY wouldn’t be a very savvy business move on my part.

How much is made from scratch and how much is purchased pre-made?

EVERYTHING is made from scratch.  I’m an evangelist about this.  We house make everything… right down the the fruit purees and salted caramel.

What is the recipe for a foolproof cupcake batter? Just a perfect basic recipe that can be doctored with extras to suit any taste.

Find an awesome yellow cake recipe and a magical chocolate cake recipe and you can make just about anything happen from those two bases.

Where do you purchase all those fun different sprinkles you use to decorate your cupcakes with?

We don’t use sprinkles very often.  The majority of our decorations are hand made.  You can get awesome, natural sanding sugars and such from India Tree.

How do you get your cupcakes all the same size?

Dishers (ice cream scoops)

Do you have a Vegan Chocolate cupcake recipe?

Yes and it’s spectacular.

Do you have a delicious recipe for a trans-fat-free cupcake?

We don’t use trans-fats in any of our products.

What is the best cocoa to use?

We use Pernigotti cocoa.  It’s from Italy and has a very high fat content.

I love buttercream… what’s your favorite recipe for it?

We use Swiss Meringue buttercream.  Once you go to a European meringue based buttercream, there’s no going back.

How do you get great control of a pastry bag and make those mile high swirls of perfection on top of each cupcake?

Practice.  Lots and lots of practice.  Don’t be afraid to try new things with different tips.  You may find something gorgeous you wouldn’t have discovered had you stuck to the “norm.”

Inspiration Questions

Did you always have a passion for baking?

Yes.

What inspires you the most? Love of cupcakes or love of making things people enjoy?

Love of making things people enjoy.  We do a lot more than just cupcakes.

Where do you get new ideas for new cupcake and icing flavors?

Most of our flavor inspirations come from genres of food and/or drinks that we love.  Mojito, anyone?

How do you come up with new, creative ideas for decorating cupcakes?

See above.  There are no rules.

With the internet and easy availability of so many recipes and decorating ideas, how do you come up with new and unique recipes that someone else hasn’t already done?

Everything has been done.  You just have to put your own twist on things.  It’ll drive you MAD if you get caught up in worrying about other people copying your ideas.

Fun Questions

What’s your favorite part of cupcakes?

No need to dirty a dish to have great cake!  Just peel and eat.

How can you be around all that yummy and not eat it all up?

I eat more cake scraps than I care to admit.   Thankfully, chef coats are cut generously!

Would you bake me a cupcake that wouldn’t make me gain any weight please?

Would that be worth it?  I mean, the naughty indulgent aspect of it is half the fun, right?

Do you ever get tired of the site or smell of cupcakes?

I haven’t yet.

Can I live in your kitchen and be your personal taste tester?

How are you at scrubbing cake pans?  Maybe we could work out a trade.

All photos courtesy of the Look Cupcake blog and website.

Make sure you put Wink on your list of places you MUST VISIT on your trip to Seattle this summer! Their cupcakes are TO. DIE. FOR.

Photos courtesy of Wink Cupcakes Blog

With that said… this will be JavaCupcake’s last post until June!  To tide you over until then… check out the great posts of JavaCupcake past!

Here are some links to get you started!

Index of all recipes posted on JavaCupcake

Our amazingly successful “Ask the Baker” Series

Reviews of cupcakes and cupcake shops

Recipes and articles by Guest Bloggers

Novelty Cupcakes – Creative cupcakes and some cupcakes that you can’t eat!

Photo by: Clane Gessel Photography

]]> http://javacupcake.com/2010/05/rest-relaxation/feed/ 3 http://javacupcake.com/2010/05/ask-the-baker-jessie-oleson-of-cakespy/ http://javacupcake.com/2010/05/ask-the-baker-jessie-oleson-of-cakespy/#comments Tue, 04 May 2010 15:04:50 +0000 JavaCupcake http://javacupcake.com/?p=2262 JavaCupcake Note: This is the sixth post in the “Ask the Baker” series featuring interviews with bakers and bakery owners! Click here to see the complete list of bakers being interviewed.  This is the last interview until June! My husband is coming HOME and “Ask the Baker” will be taking a break!

From the CakeSpy website:

Cakespy.com is a Dessert Detective Agency dedicated to seeking sweetness (literally) in everyday life. We do this by writing about bakeries, conducting baking experiments, and picking the brains of bakers and food artists, and finding awesome products for lovers of baked goods.

The Cakespy crew is comprised of several Cake Gumshoes throughout the US, and is headed up by Head Spy Jessie Oleson. Jessie O is a freelance writer and illustrator, whose writing appears on DailyCandy.com, and has a weekly column on Serious Eats, and who has illustrated for various companies including Microsoft, iPop, All-Mighty, Taylored Expressions, and is a regular contributor to Taste of Home.

CakeSpy Headquarters is in Seattle, Washington.

Photo credit: Erica Daking, All-Mighty Clothing

You can find CakeSpy all over the web!

CakeSpy.com
Flickr
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Recipe/Ingredients questions

What do I consider to be the perfect cupcake?

Vanilla buttery cake with pink buttercream. Basically, the cupcake character I draw all the time. I draw what I want to eat! Constantly!

How many times do you have to re-do a recipe?

I am guilty of being a little bit ADD with baking — I get bored. I like to mix it up, so I will rarely do a recipe more than 2x.

My favorite cupcake recipe?

I love the basic cupcake recipe from Magnolia Bakery’s cookbook – but I love to mix up the frostings.

Where do you purchase all those fun different sprinkles you use to decorate your cupcakes with?

The Home Cake Decorating Supply Company! And Bake it Pretty, online!

How do you get your cupcakes all the same size?

eh…They’re maybe not always all the same size, but I imagine that measuring out your batter carefully would be the key here.

Do you have a Vegan Chocolate cupcake recipe?

As a matter of fact I do! It’s the avocado cake that I found on Joy the Baker. It’s vegan but also the most decadent chocolate cake I’ve possibly ever come across. Here: http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2009/07/vegan-chocolate-avocado-cake/

Do you have a delicious recipe for a trans-fat-free cupcake?

um…I don’t think so! Maybe that vegan one is though?

What is the best cocoa to use?

I know that some people get all fancy, but I actually like Hershey’s Special Dark.

I love buttercream… what’s your favorite recipe for it?

My favorite way to do it is usually sans recipe – start out with 2 sticks of butter at room temperature, creaming it until fluffy, and then adding confectioners’ sugar and a dot of vanilla (and whatever flavorings etc) until it’s reached a desired consistency.

How do you make the icing just the right sweetness?

I taste it as I add in the sugar – it is easy to add too much. I love sweetness but too much is too much!

How do you get great control of a pastry bag and make those mile high swirls of perfection on top of each cupcake?

Still working on that one!

Inspiration questions:

Did you always have a passion for baking?

I absolutely did–my mom says that my first real word (other than mama and dada) was “chocolate” after tasting frosting for the first time. Yeah!

What inspires you the most? Love of cupcakes or love of making things people enjoy?

What inspires me? Love of making things people enjoy. I like eating other people’s baked goods better than eating my own!

Where do you get new ideas for new cupcake and icing flavors?

The internet, silly! Isn’t that what it was made for?

How do you come up with new, creative ideas for decorating cupcakes?

Um, definitely Hello, Cupcake (the book) and their new follow up!

With the internet and easy availability of so many recipes and decorating ideas, how do you come up with new and unique recipes that someone else hasn’t already done?

I just don’t google it. Because if I have an idea and google it, someone has probably already done it. But if I don’t, I can at least pretend the idea was mine and have my own spin on it.

This and more original CakeSpy artwork can be found for sale at cakespyshop.com.

Fun questions:

What’s your favorite part of cupcakes?

The part where the frosting and cake touch. Magical!

How can you be around all that yummy and not eat it all up?

I do eat it up though.

Would you bake me a cupcake that wouldn’t make me gain any weight please?

I can draw you one!

Do you ever get tired of the site or smell of cupcakes?

N.E.V.E.R. When I met a girl who made custom perfume once, I asked her if she could make me smell like a freshly baked birthday cake, so does that answer your question?

Can I live in your kitchen and be your personal taste tester?

OK! You have to clean the dishes though. Sorry.

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Note from Betsy about Jessie:

Jessie recently bought the Bluebottle Art Gallery in Seattle and have transformed it into her very own CakeSpy Shop!!! This weekend is the GRAND OPENING of the shop and I couldn’t be happier for Jessie!  For more details of the opening, visit the event page on Facebook!

Photo Credit: Jessie Oleson of CakeSpy

I had the pleasure of meeting Jessie for the first time at Trophy Cupcakes when Rachel of Cupcakes Take the Cake came into town.  It was my first ever cupcake meet-up and it was a blast!! Jessie was as sweet in person as she is online and I was thrilled to be able to have an opportunity to chat with her.  My daughter, Emily, absolutely adores Jessie’s art and her famous Lil’ Cuppie!

Rachel from CTTC, Jennifer Shea owner of Trophy Cupcakes, Jessie Oleson of CakeSpy, Unknown, Betsy Eves of JavaCupcake

Jessie and my daughter at Cupcake Camp Seattle

Knowing Jessie has been such a pleasure.  I never realized what a blessing it would be to someway be involved in the cupcake community… And although I’m a newbie, Jessie has made me feel completely welcomed and appreciated for what I do.  Thank you Jessie for being a kind, welcoming, strong woman who inspires me to do better and be better! You are truly a rare gem in this world Jessie and I am proud to know you!

Photo & Cupcakes by: kellysweetrewards

Photo & Cupackes by: All you need is Cupcakes!

Photo & Cupcakes by: Perfect Cakes

Photo & CakePops by: My Lollicakes

Photo by: StillaTulsaGirl Caps by: CupcakeCaps.Com

Photo & Cupcakes by: Cupcakes by Mary

Baseball Cupcake Liners sold on Amazon

Photo & Cupcake by: jdesmeules

Photo & Cupcakes by: Layers of Love

Photo & Cupcakes by: ClaresCupcakes.Co.Uk

Photo & Cupcakes by: marksl110

Photo by: Bagel Me!

Photo & Cupcakes by: Sugar Diva

Photo & Mini Cake by: Cupcake Envy

Why you ask am I blogging about the farmers market?? Well… they had CUPCAKES!!

The Last Bite had a table full of baked yummies, including cupcakes! She had two packs of vanilla on vanilla cupcakes which I just had to try!  I asked for a business card and told her I’d be reviewing her cupcakes for JavaCupcake.  She told me the owner of The Late Bite has a commercial kitchen out of her home where she bakes custom cakes and takes orders for weddings, etc.

From their website:

“A graduate from the Seattle Culinary academy which honored her with the “Most Outstanding Pastry Chef” award for 2003, Krissie is truly passionate about making cakes and bringing joy to people’s special occasions. She began her love of baking as a child but went on to attend the University of Washington’s Business School. After years of baking at home while raising her three children, she decided to take the advice of so many of her friends and start her own business. She enrolled at The Seattle Culinary Academy where she spent two years “fine-tuning” her pastry skills. Finally she is doing what she always dreamed of! This excitement definitely comes through in every one of her creations.  Krissie has been creating delicious and elegant desserts as owner of “The Last Bite” since 2003.”

The cupcakes were a vanilla cupcake with a white frosting. They looked super yummy at the market and I couldn’t wait to get home to try them! With first bite, I noticed how smooth the frosting was… a lot smoother than I expected.  But unfortunately, the frosting wasn’t very good.  It had a Crisco like taste and was not sweet.  The Crisco flavor was so over powering, it actually gave me an upset stomach and I was forced to scrape off the frosting so that I could taste the cake part.

The cake was slightly dry and crumbly, but there was a lot of it.  Sometimes the cake part can be light and airy, but these weren’t.  They were thick and yet full of flavor and quite good.  I could definitely taste the vanilla in them, which was a good thing since the frosting tasted to horrible.  I’d like to taste other cupcakes from The Late Bite, but from their website it looks as though they specialize in cakes and wedding cakes.  If I see them at the market and there is another flavor, I’ll try it again.

Cupcakes for Dogs!

Also at the farmers market was a dog treats vendor who makes all natural yummies for your canine friends! And yes, she makes cupcakes too!  Organic Dog Treat Bakery makes all natural, organic cupcakes for your dogs!  Not only can you enjoy your cupcakes from the market, your pet can too!!

These cupcakes come in two sizes, Pupcakes and Mini Pupcakes.

From their website, these treats are made with: Organic Oat Flour, Sweet Potato, Egg, Sunflower Oil, Water, Vitamin E and C Powder Frosting: Fat Free Cream Cheese.

Wowzers! What an awesome treat for your pup!  Unfortunately, I don’t have any dogs, but there were plenty of happy customers in the pictures on their website!

These mini size pupcakes are perfect for your little lap dogs and puppies while the regular size pupcakes are a super treat for your big dogs!

Make sure to check them out online, they also make their own dog bones (all organic) and will ship them to you!