by Sheryl Berk
“Which means you’ll be much more careful with her now—especially since I’m giving her to you to keep.”
“Take it.” Jenna nudged Marisol again.
Kylie nodded. “Marisol, we could really use someone to shoot pictures for our new PLC website.”
Marisol beamed and pointed her camera at the cupcake club for one last shot from the cruise. “Say ‘cupcake!’” she said with a click!
The first prez would have flipped over these flavorful cupcakes!
Cherry Cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (I prefer Plugrá), room temperature
4 egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
10 ounces (1 jar) maraschino cherries, finely chopped
2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice (leftover from the jar)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. In the large bowl of an electric mixer set on high speed, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
3. Reduce to low speed, and slowly add the egg whites one at a time. Add the vanilla, and mix until combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, beating at low speed for approximately two minutes until the batter is smooth.
6. In another small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and cherry juice. With the mixer on low, slowly add this mixture to the batter in the large bowl.
7. Add the chopped cherries, mixing slowly until they are blended into the batter.
8. Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full with the batter. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
9. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely, about 15 minutes, before frosting.
Pink Perfection Frosting
Here’s how to make a cotton candy–colored shade of icing to top off your cherry cupcake.
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 to 6 drops red food coloring
Directions
1. In a bowl combine sugar, butter, and salt. Beat until blended.
2. Add the milk and vanilla, and beat for an additional three to five minutes, or until smooth and creamy.
3. Add 4 to 6 drops of red food coloring. (Six will give you more of a bubble gum color, while 4 will be more pastel.) Mix until fully blended, then frost your cupcakes. Can you say “Yum”?
A rich yet delicate chocolate cupcake that feels fancy!
White Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes
6 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
2/3 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick), room temperature
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. Ask a parent to help you melt the white chocolate, either in a double boiler or (the easy way!) in a microwave oven. Set your microwave at 50 percent power so you don’t scorch the chocolate. Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds, then remove and stir. Careful! The bowl will be hot. Continue heating in 30-second intervals, stirring as needed, until the melted chocolate is smooth and creamy.
3. In the large bowl of a mixer, cream the sugar and butter together on low speed to combine, then on high until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
4. Reduce the speed to low, and slowly add the eggs one at a time.
5. Beat in the melted chocolate.
6. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
7. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and vanilla.
8. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and the milk mixture, alternating between them until the batter is smooth and creamy. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is combined.
9. Fill the cupcake liners about three-quarters full with the batter. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
10. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely, about 15 minutes, before frosting.
Chocolate Ganache
9 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
Directions
1. Ask an adult to help you, since this requires heating the chocolate and cream on a stove top. Place the chocolate into a medium bowl.
2. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Watch carefully; it will boil fast!
3. When the cream has come to a boil, pour it over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth.
4. Let the ganache cool slightly, then pour it into a large bowl.
5. Dip each cupcake top into the ganache. Make sure the chocolate coats the entire top. (It may take more than one dip.) You can then add sprinkles, colored sugar, or any other decorations your heart desires! Personally, I love ripe, fresh raspberries!
Your friends will be “green with envy” when you whip up this recipe!
Pistachio Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 box instant pistachio pudding (I used Jell-O)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 egg white
1/2 cup milk
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk or mix flour, baking powder, salt, and instant pudding together until well combined.
3. In the large bowl of an electric mixer set on high speed, cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and vegetable oil.
4. With the mixer on low, add in the eggs and egg white, one at a time.
5. Add in the flour mixture and milk, alternating between them. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure all ingredients are combined. The batter should be smooth and creamy.
6. Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter. Bake for 18–20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
7. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely, about 15 minutes, before frosting. I like to use a basic vanilla buttercream (see the recipe for pink perfection frosting on page pages 95 and 96) and add a few drops of green food coloring to give it that real pistachio feel. If you’re going for a pirate theme, why not add a skull-and-crossbones flag that you color, cut out, and tape to a toothpick? Just insert it in the frosted cupcake, and yo-ho-ho, you’re ready to go!
Vinny Buzzetta was one of the very first cake masters I interviewed for my Carrie’s Cupcake Critique blog. Vinny also baked cupcakes for one of my Halloween parties and created oozing eyeballs and blood on them. So cool! What’s even mo
re impressive is that he has been baking professionally since he was a teenager and was boss of his own biz before he was even twenty-one. After graduating from high school, he attended the French Culinary Institute of NYC and graduated from the classic pastry arts program.
Following that, he opened up The Cake Artist, a custom cake and cupcake shop on Staten Island, and filmed a reality series, Staten Island Cakes. He’s now a freelance cake artist and has done many different pastry projects, including work with Daffy’s, Bergdorf Goodman, Ralph Lauren, the New York City Ballet, and more. He promises me that he’s looking for a space to open a new bakery in NYC. (Hurry up! Please!)
Carrie: Vinny, what makes the perfect cupcake?
Vinny: In my opinion, the perfect cupcake first and foremost has to be delicious and moist. Of course, an aesthetically pleasing cupcake is great, but if it’s dry and tasteless, then what’s the point? The perfect cupcake should be sweet and buttery and light as a feather, topped with delicious, flavorful cream. Any artistic decorations are just a plus!
Carrie: You’re known for your amazing cake decorating, and your cupcakes are works of art as well. What’s the coolest cupcake topper you’ve ever done?
Vinny: Recently, a friend of mine launched a new baby product called Baby Soothe, an infant massaging device, and she hired me to re-create it in sugar on top of cupcakes for her launch party. Over the years I’ve done many different cupcake toppers, but this one I certainly enjoyed. I think her product looked better in sugar than in real life! I was thrilled to help a good friend out.
Carrie: What are your fave flavors of cupcakes? What are the most popular ones you sell?
Vinny: In all honesty, I love them all! I have the biggest sweet tooth and couldn’t turn down any flavor. If I had to pick just one, it would have to be something chocolate. Chocolate anything! I’ll admit I am a total chocoholic! As far as the most popular, my Oreo cupcakes are killer. They’re the number one cake and cupcake flavor requested.
Carrie: How did you first start baking and decorating cakes? Who taught you?
Vinny: I’ve always had a passion for baking and desserts, ever since I can remember. My first mentor was Carol Frazzetta of Carol’s Cafe on Staten Island. I started taking classes at her restaurant when I was just fourteen! From there she hired me to be a pastry sous chef in her kitchen. I would assist her in baking desserts for the restaurant. I really developed a solid foundation for desserts with her. She taught me so much and really inspired me to become who I am today. As far as cakes go, I am really a self-taught designer. Although I attended culinary school, I just learned the basics there. I remember always watching Food Network Challenge from a young age and learning by trial and error from that. Somehow it worked!
Carrie: You started out really young as a pastry chef with your own biz. What advice do you have for kids who want to grow up to own their own bakeries?
Vinny: My advice to all young kids aspiring to be a pastry chef is do it! Don’t let any obstacles come in your way and stop you. I’ve had many trials and tribulations over the years, and I never let anything get in the way of my passion. From fighting my parents to go to culinary school to opening up my first business. I persevered and pushed until I reached my goals! I love what I do and wouldn’t want my life any other way! Chase your dreams and turn them into a reality.
Many thanks to all our family and friends who make “Cupcake” possible:
The Kahns, Berks, and Saperstones, as always, for their love and support. Daddy and Maddie: love you to the moon and back!
Our supersweet agents, Katherine Latshaw and Frank Weimann from Folio Lit; our great team at Sourcebooks Jabberwocky: Steve Geck, Kate Prosswimmer, Alex Yeadon, Elizabeth Boyer.
All of our Cupcake Club fans who come to every signing, preorder, and race to bookstores the day the next book is out, and share their enthusiasm for the series with us! Hugs and sprinkles!
Sheryl Berk is the New York Times bestselling coauthor of Soul Surfer. An entertainment editor and journalist, she has written dozens of books with celebrities, including Britney Spears, Jenna Ushkowitz, and Zendaya. Her daughter, Carrie Berk, is a renowned cupcake connoisseur and blogger (www.facebook.com/PLCCupcakeClub; www.carriescupcakecritique.shutterfly.com; Instagram @plccupcakeclub) with over 105K followers at the tender young age of twelve! Carrie cooked up the idea for the Cupcake Club series while in second grade. To date, she and Sheryl have written eleven books together (with many more in the works!). Peace, Love, and Cupcakes had its world premiere as a delicious new musical at New York City’s Vital Theatre in 2014. The Berk ladies are also hard at work on a new series, Fashion Academy, as well as its musical version—Fashion Academy: The Musical, premiering October 2015 in NYC.