Sugar Rush

by Donna Kauffman

  “To help with the cookbooks?”

  “To help me breathe,” he said. “Lei, I can’t catch my breath anymore. I feel like I’m paddlin’ water and about to drown anyway. I need you in my life. It was bad the first time you left New York, but now ... I can’t breathe.”

  “I-I just said the same thing. To Charlotte.”

  For the first time, his eyes lit up, and his grin appeared. You’ll let me back into your life!”

  “Baxter, you never really left it.”

  He scooped her up and spun her around.

  “But wait, wait,” she said, laughing, wanting to leap right over the moon with him. “I’m—I don’t understand it all. Are you just going to be here for six months? Because—”

  “No. I have six months clear from the studio. Then I’ll have to tape, which will take about three months.”

  “So, you’ll go back to New York, then.”

  He shook his head. “We’ve rented this beautiful place. In Savannah. Or we will be. They’re in talks with the owners right now. It’s a plantation with the most amazing kitchens, and we’ll film Hot Cakes from there.”

  “The whole crew is moving to Georgia?” She blinked, unable to really believe that.

  “No, no. Some of them will relocate. It’ll be their choice.”

  “Carlo?” she asked, thinking it would be cruel for her to get Baxter only for Charlotte to lose Carlo.

  “That’s up to him, but I don’t anticipate he will, no. He will always have a place at Gateau if he wants it.”

  “Good, good, so”—she could hardly think straight—“so ... when?”

  “Is two weeks too soon? We have postproduction and I still have promotion to do. I’ll have to do that in the future, too, by the way, so I’ll be gone some of the time, especially when a new season starts, but maybe by then you can get someone to run the shop here so you can come along, and—”

  She grabbed his face and kissed him. Then she jumped up and wrapped her legs round his waist and kissed him again.

  He held on tight. “Is that a yes?” he said, breathless himself as he spun her around.

  “Yes! Yes, yes, yes. I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t believe this solution just fell into place.”

  “I might have nudged it a bit.”

  She looked at him. “The cookbooks? Your idea?”

  He shrugged. “I might have suggested them as an idea, to my agent, who might have shopped the idea around a bit while I was on the road.”

  “You’re bloody brilliant.” She made him laugh with her accent. “Wait, you’re willing to uproot—aren’t you going to miss New York? What about Gateau?”

  “Gateau stays mine. It will always be mine, as long as it remains in business. But it has been running without me for some time now. I can keep track from here as easily as I can anywhere. The brownstone will go on the market. I won’t miss it. And I’ll be back there often enough, for meetings, for marketing, and for Gateau when needed.”

  “But that’s not the same as living in the city, the energy, the vibe—”

  “You’re my energy. I’ve learned in the past few months that I can live without the city. As I’ve shared with you, the trip around this country has opened my eyes to so many things, things I’ve never experienced, never even knew existed. And yes,” he added dryly, “some I wish I still didn’t.”

  He let her feet slide to the floor, then pulled her into his arms. “But one thing I did see that really made an impression on me was how much every single shop owner I worked with valued their home, their family, their community, above all else. And it was because of that foundation that they thrived.”

  “But you’ve thrived, too, Baxter.”

  “Commercially, yes. But in here”—he pulled her hand to his chest, placed it over his heart—“I haven’t. I know what you have here. I’ve seen it. I’ve lived it. Even in the brief time I was here, I was coming to care about people here. I missed them.”

  “Your crew is like family.”

  He shook his head. “I care a great deal about the people who work for me. But, other than a handful, very few stay working for me for long. Not because they don’t want to, but it’s a very transient business. You know that from your time in the city. Hopefully some of those who have been with me since the start of the show, and some even from before, at Gateau, who followed me to the show, will be willing to come down here. I have to think that maybe they’ll find it a more rewarding place to raise their families, or start one. I don’t know.” He caressed her face. “All I know is that my family, my foundation, is you. And I want to build on that. I want to see what we can do together. I already know I don’t do well without you. I love you, Leilani.”

  “I love you, too.” Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but they were happy tears. The happiest. “I can’t believe this. I get the cupcakes, and I get the guy.”

  Epilogue

  “Franco, just—no. You can’t put those in the front of my shop. Those are so completely ... inappropriate.”

  “But I found the pans in your very own kitchen, ma chérie.”

  “He did,” Alva offered. “At the last bitchy bake.”

  “Charlotte—” Lani started.

  Charlotte lifted her hands. “I do not control him. I am not his keeper.”

  “They were your cake pans,” Lani reminded her.

  “I think we ought to put them in the front case,” Alva said. “Shake things up a bit. Only, you can’t use that white frosting,” she told Franco. “Shouldn’t it be pink? You know ... fleshy-colored?”

  Lani thought she was going to swallow her tongue. “Okay, you know, I don’t mind having Cupcake Club at the shop, since we’ve kind of outgrown the cottage kitchen, but I’m making a new rule. What is made in Cupcake Club—”

  “Stays in Cupcake Club,” they all recited together, but not all sounded equally enthusiastic about it.

  “All” on that particular evening consisted of Charlotte, Franco, Alva, Dre, and the latest addition to their club, Riley Brown. Former food stylist for a Chicago based foodie magazine whom Lani had caught rearranging her displays a few weeks before. She wasn’t exactly sure how that had led to Riley joining Cupcake Club, but she’d long since given up trying to control her life.

  It had been ten months since Baxter had made her the happiest woman on earth, a favor she did her absolute best to return every single day. Carlo had opted to follow Baxter, which had led to Charlotte following Carlo. They were living together in Savannah, where Charlotte was the one who’d started a catering business, a very successful one at that. And now that it was blistering hot, Charlotte was actually a happy camper. The suffocating heat and humidity reminded her of the better parts of her childhood in New Delhi that she’d kind of forgotten—which surprised Lani, even as she was grateful for it.

  Production assistant Brenton had also followed Baxter south, bringing his committed partner Franco with him. Franco, unlike Charlotte, hated the heat and humidity with every fiber of his very big and very swarthy being, and told everyone and anyone who would listen to him complain about it. But he was head over heels in love with his partner, so they made it work—and traveled back to New York whenever possible. Franco was also Charlotte’s business partner.

  Collectively they were turning Lani’s life into a chaotic scramble all over again, but in the best of all possible ways. Her shop was flourishing. The Hot Cakes season featuring Cakes By The Cup had aired and she was definitely reaping the benefits. Baxter had just finished his first cookbook, after breaking to film season four. It had taken longer than he’d anticipated, but everyone was excited about the result. He was presently in New York to discuss layout and cover art and choose photos from the bazillions that had been taken during the testing phase.

  Lani had recently talked with him about maybe using Riley to style the food for his next book. As she was already in Sugarberry, it seemed easier than having someone come in from Atlanta or New York every time they wanted
to shoot another batch. Lani had looked up Riley’s former work, and it was amazing. She just wasn’t sure if Riley would do it. She wasn’t sure yet what Riley’s story was, but she knew it would come out eventually. Cupcake Club would worm it out of her at some point.

  “What do you think, Mademoiselle Alva?” Franco’s French accent was always set on THICK whenever he baked with Alva. She simply adored him and didn’t quite understand about the whole fake accent thing—which made it all the more amusing.

  “A bit pinker, dear.” She glanced at him. “Or browner, maybe?” She frowned, then shrugged. “It’s been a while.”

  “Some things you don’t forget,” Franco shot back with a wink.

  Alva smiled privately; a little twinkle came out. “Pinker then,” was all she said.

  “What on earth are those?”

  Baxter! Lani spun around, then dashed across the kitchen and jumped into his arms.

  He caught her tight and kissed her soundly. “I missed you, my luv.”

  “You’ve been gone two whole days,” Charlotte commented.

  “You kiss Carlo like that at the end of every day, ” Franco commented.

  Charlotte just smiled a private smile, much like the one Alva had given.

  “I think it’s refreshing,” Alva said. “If you’re young, and in love, there’s no reason to hide it. Welcome home.”

  “Thank you,” Baxter said. “It’s good to be home.”

  Home, Lani thought, knowing it was the full and utter truth. “I thought you weren’t due back until late tonight.”

  “Got an early flight, thought I’d surprise you. Say, those really are—”

  Lani steered him away from the worktable. “What happens in Cupcake Club—”

  “Stays in Cupcake Club!” Everyone else in the room raised a spatula, pastry bag, whisk, or cupcake in solidarity.

  “It’s true,” Lani told him. “And you really don’t want to know, anyway.”

  “Maybe I do. But right at the moment—” He scooped her up in his arms. “Can you all make do without your fearless leader for a few hours?”

  Another salute of raised pastry bags and hand mixers was his answer.

  “Brilliant.”

  Lani started to put down her pastry bag on the nearest surface she could still reach, but Baxter stopped her. “No, bring that with you.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

  Her cheeks went flame red, but the rest of the room cheered.

  “And what happens at the Dunne house, stays at the Dunne house,” Lani warned.

  “But you will tell us, dear, how that frosting turns out, won’t you?” Alva asked.

  “Now, now. We never pipe and tell,” Baxter said. “And Franco? Definitely go darker pink.”

  Lani was still laughing as Baxter carried her out the back door.

  Want to bring home some of the sweetness of Cakes By The Cup? Try Donna Kauffman’s original recipe for Gingerbread Cupcakes.

  2 cups all-purpose flour

  1½ teaspoon baking powder

  1 teaspoon baking soda

  1 tablespoon ground ginger

  2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

  teaspoon nutmeg

  Pinch of salt—as little as possible, up to ¼ teaspoon (to taste)

  ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

  ¾ cup brown sugar

  2 large eggs

  ½ cup molasses (unsulfured)

  1 cup water

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners.

  2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a separate bowl and set aside. (Note: I’m not as keen on salt beyond the barest flavor enhancement, so I use closer to teaspoon, but others have liked it with a bit more. So add salt to taste, up to ¼ teaspoon.)

  3. To prevent the cake from getting too heavy from overmixing (which, I have learned—possibly the hard way—activates the gluten in the flour, creating cakes that are dense and, well, let’s just say not the lightest or most moist; however, as paper weights, they’re fabulous, not to mention, they smell real nice), use this trick I learned from my TV boyfriend, Bobby Flay: rather than using an electric mixer, whisk the dry ingredients (step 2) together by hand. In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and the melted butter, along with the eggs and molasses, all at the same time until just blended. Do not overwhisk. (Unless, of course, you’re short a few sweet-smelling paper weights.)

  4. Alternate adding water and the sifted flour and spice mix to the wet ingredients, whisking gently each time, until just blended. The batter should be smooth with a bit of a whipped texture from the eggs being whisked.

  5. Divide the batter evenly into the 12 cups. Now, you know I hate doing this kind of math. So I will just tell you that I used an ice cream scoop, the kind with the squeezy handle (technical term alert!) and put a scoop in each cup. Using that method, instead of 12, my batches make about 15. Your batter mileage may vary.

  6. Bake 18–20 minutes. Cake should spring back to the touch, or you can use the clean toothpick test. Or both. Just don’t burn them. I started checking around 15 minutes, but mine always took closer to 20.

  7. Allow to cool in the pans, on wire racks, for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pans, and let cool the rest of the way on wire racks before frosting. If you’re like me, there might be one or two fewer cupcakes to frost by the time this important step is over. Of course, if you’re a purist and dedicated baker, won’t you want to do a taste test before diluting the pure gingerbread flavor with creamy rich frosting? See?—that’s what I thought!

  Cinnamon Mascarpone Frosting

  8 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

  ½ cupbutter, at room temperature

  ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

  1½ cups powdered sugar

  ¼ cup heavy cream

  Cinnamon (ground fresh, if you have a grinder)

  I tried many different versions of mascarpone frosting and discovered I really liked the ones that included butter, and the ones that included heavy cream, but couldn’t find one that included all of it, so ... voilà!—my own version. It might be a wee bit on the rich side. But then, isn’t that frosting law?

  1. Gently mix the cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar together. Make sure both cheese and butter are soft so you don’t have to overblend to make it smooth. If you overblend, the mascarpone can curdle. (Again, I won’t reveal exactly how it is I know this, but let’s just say, I’ve heard rumors ... possibly emanating from my own kitchen.)

  2. Whisk the cream until it holds a peak. Don’t whisk until you get stiff peaks, as it will make the frosting a bit too frothy and whipped in texture.

  3. Stir the whipped cream into the cheese and sugar mixture until just blended. It should be a smooth, thick, creamy frosting. If possible, use immediately. Otherwise, refrigerate, but bring back to room temperature to use later. You may want to stir slightly to regain the creamy texture. Again, don’t overstir, as the cheese can still curdle.

  4. Grind or sprinkle cinnamon on top of the frosting as desired. Keep refrigerated when not being devoured.

  5. Enjoy!

  Red Velvet Cupcakes

  2½ cups flour

  ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  1 teaspoon baking soda

  ½ teaspoon salt

  2 cups sugar

  1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

  4 eggs, at room temperature

  1 cup sour cream

  ½ cup buttermilk

  1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring

  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 30 muffin cups with paper liners. (Super cute paper liners, of course.)

  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, then set aside.

  3. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to cream the butter with the sugar until lig
ht and fluffy. This takes about 5 minutes (which is like a light year in holding-an-electric-mixer-time, so set a timer).

  4. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until assimilated. (Yes, I’m asking you to Borg your eggs.)

  5. Mix in sour cream, buttermilk, food color and vanilla. (Note: Don’t have buttermilk, or tired of getting this huge container for just a cup in a recipe? Just add 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice per cup of milk, stir, let sit for 5 minutes, then use as directed in recipe. Or get powdered buttermilk and use according to package directions—that’s what I do!)

  6. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just, you know, Borg’d. Do not overbeat (because, as we learned from our TV boyfriend, Bobby Flay, we don’t want our gluten activated). Of course, if Bobby Flay wants to activate my gluten ... well ... that’s another story.

  7. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup full.

  8. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until cupcakes reach clean toothpick doneness.

  9. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans to cool the rest of the way before frosting.

  Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

  1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

  ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, softened

  2 tablespoons sour cream

  2 teaspoons vanilla

  1 16-ounce box confectioners’ (10x) sugar (approx. 3½ cups)

  1. Cream together the softened cream cheese and butter, the sour cream, and the vanilla until light and fluffy (approximately 3–4 minutes on medium speed).

  2. Gradually blend in the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth.

  3. Frost the cupcakes, pour a tall, cold glass of milk ... and be prepared to have a Cupcake Moment. Just sayin’.

  Can’t wait to get back to Sugarberry Island and the Cupcake Club? You’re in luck! Sweet Stuff will be in stores next month. Here’s a taste to whet your appetite.