A Sweet (and salty) Spring

As quickly as corn syrup, sugar and a little water can transform into a sticky sweet caramel - poof! Spring is over. It passed so quickly and alas, I was post-free. Of course I haven't been sweets-free. In fact, there have been several tasty adventures over the past few months: a new love (aka recipe) became an old friend, dozens of cupcakes were pumped out for Seattle's first Cupcake Camp, I met the famous Johnny Cupcakes and checked several bakeries off the list during a recent trip to New York City. 


Here's a re-cap of my sweet (and salty) Spring:
Sweet? Check. Salty? Check. This cake has quickly shot to the top of my go-to cake list. While it is a labor of love (I'm averaging 4 hours!) the look, taste and praise is worth the constant focus of watching sugar caramelize. I've made this cake for a dinner party, an Easter brunch and a 40th birthday party - all to rave reviews. Whomever coined the phrase "that takes the cake" has not tried this one because I'm not sure who could take this! The boys from Baked share this recipe beautifully in their cookbook Baked: New Frontiers in Baking but of course Ms Martha had them on her show and shared the recipe here! 


7 hours in line...2 cupcakes. I've been a fan of t-shirt entrepreneur Johnny Cupcakes for a few years now - even shelled out $40 for a black cotton tee simply for the words: Make Cupcakes Not War. (How could you resist that mantra?) When I heard that Mr Johnny Cupcakes himself was hitting the road for a Suitcase Tour I marked the date on my calendar and cleared my schedule. By the time he made it to Seattle, word had traveled about the 8 hour waits, the fans camped out overnight, the craziness that was following Mr. Cupcakes. I admit, I was a little turned off by the hype but I guess it got the best of me because there I was, standing in line with the best of them...in hour 6, still no cupcakes. I was amazed at the following Johnny Cupcakes has created and the fact that people would stand in line for over 24 hours for t-shirts! (Heck, I was one of them. But let's be honest, I really just wanted a Johnny Cupcakes-branded cupcake from Trophy Cupcakes.) So, with the sun down and the temperatures headed down as well, I finally made it in the door to peruse the tiny selection of tees. I loaded up on stickers (they're so fun!) picked out the special Suitcase Tour tee and last, but certainly not least, bought two lovely cupcakes. Cupcakes with an edge. Was it ultimately worth it? Not really. Were the cupcakes amazing? Most definitely. Judge for yourself...check the video of Johnny Cupcakes in Seattle. 


Calling all campers! When I heard about Seattle's first Cupcake Camp (via @bellacupcakec) I knew it the kind of camping I could do - no sleeping bag or bug spray required. I immediately signed up to bake and donate 48 cupcakes. Enlisting some help from my dear friend Celeste, we gathered our ingredients and set aside our Friday night for some wine and lots of baking. We used a favorite recipe from the Barefoot Contessa...I call them "Fork and Knife Cupcakes." Rather than skimping on the serving and making minis, we produced full-fledge individual cakes. Dense cakes more fitting of a large mug rather than a "cup." When the big day finally came, we loaded up our creations and brought them bright and early to an event space in South Lake Union. We had no idea what to expect or what to do. One thing that was clear...we had arrived at the cupcake mecca. Tables and tables of beautiful creations. Smiling faces. Sugary air. While it was crowded and there were lessons-learned that I'm sure they'll apply to next year's event, it was a unique and tasty event - and one that I will most certainly participate in again next year. Maybe next time as a competitor! 


I heart New York. On a springtime trip to NYC, my sister, some of our friends and I packed our weekend visit with brunch, cocktails, shopping and bakeries! A favorite from the weekend? Brooklyn-based, One Girl Cookies. What can I say? They had me at the Pumpkin Whoopie Pie with ricotta cream cheese filling. (By the way, mark my words - I think the Whoopie Pie is the new cupcake.) One Girl Cookies is a beautiful store brimming with glorious petite cookies (so that you can enjoy two bites of this, two bites of that, oh, and two bites of that one too!) with lovely names like "Lucia" and "Sadie." It's the classic cookie...with class. It's girly and dainty and sinful at the same time. Their touch isn't only in their baked goods but of course the packaging as well. Each box comes complete with a vintage family photo. It's like you can smell the fresh baked cookies coming from their grandmother's kitchen...and right into your hands. A perfectly perfect stop in an otherwise less than perfect weekend. 

Makin' Whoopie...pies.

A dessert hamburger? A BFO (Big Fat Oreo)? Part cake? Part cookie? Dare I say...the new cupcake!?

"Whoopie Pies" have been a favorite sweet of mine since, well, long before I even had my first cupcake. Growing up in Maine they were regular fare at birthday parties, fancy restaurants, road side cafes and even gas stations. Heck, there's even a Whoopie Pie Festival! New Englanders claim them as their own, but according to Food Historians (and the wiki-gods) Amish women would bake these (known as "hucklebucks" at the time) and put them in farmers' lunchboxes. When farmers would find these treats in their lunch, they would shout "Whoopie!"

This baked good consists of two round-shaped mounds of chocolate (sometimes pumpkin) cake with a sweet, sugary, creamy frosting sandwiched between them. Simply put, this is a serious dessert! 

Over the weekend, my friend and fellow New Englander, celebrated her 40th birthday. To treat all of the party goers, I made a batch of Whoopie Pies, this time using a creamy peanut butter frosting in the middle.  They were a huge hit with the mostly west coast crowd. I used a Martha Stewart recipe but have to believe there's a more authentic/down-home one out there - sorry Martha! And speaking of more authentic/down-home items...here are some Whoopie-centric sites to learn more about these "wicked" good treats! 

- Wicked Whoopie Pies in Richmond, Maine

- Labadie's Bakery in Lewiston, Maine

- The World of Whoopie Pies

Just for the "Helvetica" of it!

I just adore the internet! It enables me to connect with people like that * (insert snap!), it allows me to connect with my family and friends (or ex-boyfriends!) on a whim and provides me with endless amounts of inspiration and wants. Today's want?? Helvetica Cookie Cutters from Beverly Hsu. 

These creations combine two of my favorite things - cookies and type design. Helvetica, a tried and true typeface that has stood the test of time is the perfect pair for this classic treat. You could send a sugar cookie love letter! Make your resignation letter a bit more bearable or simply say "hello!" a little sweeter! 

Beverly Hsu...these are simply wonderful! I hope to one day add them to my cookie cutter collection!

Now...what would I spell....hmmmmmm....

Daily Dose of Martha

For the past 10 days, I've been receiving some daily (and delicious) inspirations from Martha Stewart. Her "Cookie of the Day" e-mails arrive in my inbox and provide a sweet nudge towards the kitchen. One glance at her Chocolate-Orange Espresso Thins, one mention of her Cigarettes Russes, one sentence into the description of her Mocha Madeleines and I'm ready to call it a day and head home to begin the baking. If you're looking for some new delights or a new twist on old favorites, Martha's Cookie of the Day provides a seemingly endless list of sweet inspirations. Which one will you bake tonight?

A Salty and Sweet 2009

2009 was a big year for me. I bought my first home, I traveled to Italy with a great friend and I made some fantastic new friends that I'm sure will carry over into 2010 and years to come. 
2009 was also the year that I fell in love with the rich and decadent flavor: salted caramel. Salted Caramel was the "it" flavor of 2009. My favorite cupcakery, Cupcake Royale does it best in the cupcake department while Molly Moon's nails it with ice cream. (In fact, I think that is where I first encountered the flavor.)
So to send 2009 out in sweet and savory style (and to serve as a New Year's Day treat!) I decided to tackle the Barefoot Contessa's recipe for Fleur De Sel Caramels. 
Thankfully my dear friend Chris continues to replenish my Reflets de France's Fleur De Sel supply because this was the perfect ingredient for these tasty morsels. The recipe was easy to follow and at the end I was amazed - I just made my own caramels! (Pat on the back me!) The only hitch I came into was that when removing the chilled caramel from the pan, the parchment paper did not come off easily. I was picking it in little shreds for some time. (Not fun.) I would advise using a touch more oil when initially coating the paper. 
These caramels are super impressive but surprisingly easy! If only all things followed that same mantra!
So with that I say goodbye to 2009. It was a sweet one, with hints of salt mixed in. Just like my favorite flavor. 

"Fork-and-Knife-Cakes"

Grab your knife and fork - these cupcakes are worth doing the dishes!


Allow me to set the stage. It's an office-mate's birthday and you decide to present them with a treat inspired by their favorite doughnut, a Top Pot "Feathered Boa."


The typical reaction? A muffle of sounds (their mouths filled with golden cake) and then "What makes these so good?!"


Simple answer? 6 sticks of butter, 5 eggs, 2 packages of cream cheese, confectioners sugar...and on and on. 


She's no Paula Dean but Ina Garten has mastered the art of taking butter and transforming it into heaven. 


Dense, moist, rich...hefty. These cupcakes are best enjoyed with a fork and knife. 


The Barefoot Contessa's Baking Line carries the mixes but I recommend trying them from scratch. They're fairly simple and are far more flavorful! Try it for yourself!

Meet "Bert" - My Sexy New Roomate

Other than the sacred Kitchen Aid Mixer (moment of silence), an oven is the prized possession of any baker. Last week I purchased my first home after falling (hard) for a professional 30-inch dual fuel range and oven named Bert...short for Bertazzoni. 


If ovens can be described as sexy then this one is smokin' hot. Bert has it all. A balanced air-flow fan convection to provide even heat distribution for single and multi-level roasting and baking, without flavor crossover. (Flavor crossover? Who knew?!) It features a wide-area infrared gas grill, true European convection through a third ring heating element, a powerful electric grill and even has a "triple-glaze door" to ensure low-temperature external surface. See? I told you. Sexy.


As with most overtly sexy creatures, I'm a bit intimidated. Each night this week I've come home and basically just gawked at Bert - rather than used him. I've turned on a burner or two (okay all of them) and have flipped on the fan, springing the hood to life. I've tickled the knobs and adjusted the burners. However, I've yet to place a single cake pan or cupcake tin in his lovely hands. I must break the seal. I must muster the courage and befriend the sexy beast. I mean, it's only fair. To let Bert sit unused would just be rude!So here I sit, like an awkward teenager planning for the weekend's "prom night," planning my first move.  


This could be the weekend where Bert gets lucky. 

I'm hoping to try Martha's Candied Hazelnut Cupcakes and her Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.

To steal a line from the fine Mr. Marvin Gaye, Bert...let's get it on! (And go easy on me - it's my first time.)