What's Up, Doc?

We couldn't be prouder to be featured as the special guest of honor in the new cookbook, "Cupcakes Inratables." This book is part of a series called "Les Délices de Solar" which covers a variety of dishes from burgers to macarons and cheesecakes to rillettes. Some of the other contributors to the series -- les invités prestige -- as we are called include pastry genius, Gontran Cherrier, Michelin-starred Jacques Le Divellec, and our favorite burger joint, Happy Days Diner!!! In the cupcake book, you'll find our famous carrot cake cupake recipe.

Cupcakes Inratables is available on amazon, at FNAC, and in bookstores across France.

Spring Fever

I don't know about your little corner of the globe but in Paris, the mercury is rising, the flowers are in bloom, the natives are starting to bare it all and Spring has sprung here in the most romantic city in the world. For me, Spring usually signals a return to simple living -- time spent outdoors, cultivating my window boxes (this year I am growing basil, parsley, mint, tomatoes and cucumbers), clearing out the clutter and stuff accumulated over the long cold winter hibernation....and of course, simple eating.



One of my favorite things about living in Paris is the abundance of open-air markets you find in every area of the city. If you plan on visiting Paris in the Spring, I highly recommend a tour of your local market. In addition to the colors and aromas of all the fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, fish and flowers, you'll be entranced by the sounds of the vendors hawking their goods like auction house callers -- "Les Fraises, les Fraises, les Gariguettes. Une barquette 4 euros, 3 barquettes pour 10." This list is certainly not exhaustive (in fact, my two local markets in the 17th don't appear) but this will give you a good idea on where to start if you want to experience the markets first-hand.



I've been baking lots of Spring flavored cupcakes recently using the freshest produce I can find at my local market -- guess Paris cupcake fans are also feeling the Spring fever! Like my Berry Berry Good cupcake (available in raspberry or strawberry). This is a vanilla cake with a simple strawberry buttercream.



My I Love You Honey Bunny carrot cake cupcake with the obligatory tangy cream cheese frosting is always a crowd-pleaser.



Lemon Tart pairs a moist vanilla cake with a fresh lemon buttercream.



And here's a flavor combination I'll be taking with me to next week's Shopping & Bubbles. If you happen to be in Paris, please do stop by for free cupcakes and champagne and tell me what you think. The Sweet Thai O' Mine pairs a coconut sponge cupcake (thanks to my friend, Leah, for the delicious recipe) and a lime zest/Malibu buttercream (thanks to my friend, Peg, for suggesting lime!).



Last but not least, here's my best-selling Storm cupcake (chocolate cake with vanilla bean buttercream) dressed up as a sheep. These were for a 30 year-old's birthday party. I have no idea why they requested sheep - I guess it's a private joke -- but it made me feel Spring-y nonetheless!



For Every Occasion, a Cupcake. Mark this one a refreshingly sweet way to savor the return of Spring!

RELATED POSTS:
* Party Cupcake Ideas
* Cupcakes Take The Cake

Beach, Bags, Bubbly & More

We're heading out this weekend for a short sejour at the sea. My husband's boss said "Take the days or you'll lose them" and who was he to protest? I won't be taking any orders until 20 April so if you try to get in touch, know there may be some delay in my reply.

Before I go, I want to tell you about a private shopping event I will be participating in from 6-8 May called Shopping & Bubbles being organized by MARIEluvPINK. I met Marie last week and I can't wait to see the group of designers she has rounded up for this sale; she is a true fashionista and has excellent taste. She tells me there will be bags, shoes, vintage accessories, etc. for sale at a beauty salon in the Marais she is taking over for 3 days. Did I mention there will be champagne? And cupcakes of course on opening night! Watch this space for more details as they come.



I was in a bit of a fog today as I prepared the cupcakes shown thanks to my son and his first sleepover date last night. We hosted and though I did my best to get the boys in bed at 8:30 promptly, there were several hours of giggling, footsteps through the house, bathroom visits, requests for food, water and much more that went on til the wee hours of the night. It wasn't until I got the bright idea of separating them in different bedrooms that we are all able to finally get some shut-eye. Lesson learned though I think it will be a while before we try that again.



These are some cupcakes made for a customer's godson. His name is Martin and he just turned 5. They are Cookies & Cream cupcakes (chocolate cake and Oreo buttercream drizzled with melted white chocolate) and I Love You Honey Bunny (carrot cake) cupcakes. I decorated them with melted white chocolate covered in rainbow non-pareils and formed into hearts, number 5's and the letters of Martin's name.
For Every Occasion A Cupcake. These are my sweet way of bidding adieu to you all while we take off for some R&R.

Not a Royale with Cheese

Many years ago, a friend gave me a wonderful carrot cake recipe from her grandmother that was passed down from her grandmother and so on. I've tweaked it a bit so it yields a moist, deliciously rich cake stuffed with nuts, carrots and cinnamon. Like all good Americans, I really LOVE carrot cake - though am mostly prone to the cream cheese frosting the cake serves as a vehicle to consume. Last time I was in the US visiting my mom, I made an almost daily trip to her local Publix to get a slice of their yummy carrot cake. It's no wonder I put on about 5 pounds in the 10 days I was there!



When I had an order recently for a New York-themed breakfast meeting, I was delighted when the customer asked for one of the flavors to be carrot cake. It had been a while since I had an opportunity to use this recipe. For the other half of the order, we bandied about a take on the Black & White, mini cheesecakes with a cherry or blueberry topping, coffee cakes and a few other inspired combinations but apparently the mention of blueberry got a wide round of approval from her colleagues so that was that. The Broadway Blueberry Swirl was born : a blueberry studded vanilla cupcake with blueberry and light hints of lemon swirled buttercream.



I had to go to a local Italian store for the Philadelphia cream cheese that goes in the carrot cake frosting 'cause it's not too easy to find here and I paid through the nose, but it was so worth it. I could eat this stuff straight from the bowl. I was so inspired that when asked to donate some recipes to an article being published about cupcakes in the weekly online edition of L'EXPRESS, I couldn't resist but contribute this one. (I'm going to repost the recipe below in English because truth be told I was under the gun with the publication deadline looming and rather than measure out the ingredients from American to French weights, I did some quick conversions with the help of some online sources and am fearful that they may be a bit funky).

The inspiration for the carrot cake name...well, I didn't need to look much further than one of my favorite action films. I'm sure I don't need to remind you of this scene:

The Young Woman scans the restaurant....She sees all the PATRONS eating, lost in conversations. The tired WAITRESS, taking orders. The BUSBOYS going through the motions, collecting dishes....A smiles breaks out on the Young Woman's face.

YOUNG WOMAN
Pretty smart.
(into it)
I'm ready, let's go, right here,
right now.

YOUNG MAN
Remember, same as before, you're
crowd control, I handle the
employees.

YOUNG WOMAN
Got it.

They both take out their .32-caliber pistols and lay them on
the table. He looks at her and she back at him.

YOUNG WOMAN
I love you, Pumpkin.

YOUNG MAN
I love you, Honey Bunny.

And with that, Pumpkin and Honey Bunny grab their weapons,
stand up and rob the restaurant....

PUMPKIN
(yelling to all)
Everybody be cool this is a
robbery!

HONEY BUNNY (I'm deleting the line cause it's fraught with expletives and really not appropriate for a cupcake blog!)

(okay, cue music: Misirlou by Dick Dale)


I Love You Honey Bunny Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Makes 14-16 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups carrots (about 3 medium-sized)
1 cup walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

- Mix the sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla in a bowl.
- Add flour that has been pre-sifted with salt, cinnamon, ginger, salt and baking soda.
- Mix in one at a time, carrots, nuts, coconut and raisins until well-incorporated.
- Fill cupcake papers about 2-3rds full and bake for 20 minutes in a 350/180 degree oven. Cupcakes may take up to 35 minutes to bake but you want to start checking for doneness around 20 minutes by inserting a toothpick in the center of the cupcakes. They are ready when the toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from tins and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting (this should be enough to frost @18 cupcakes):
4 ozs. Philadelphia cream cheese (or a "fromage frais a tartiner" that is low in salt - I like the Monoprix brand for its taste and consistency)
1 oz. unsalted butter
3 cups powdered sugar
half a vanilla bean

- Let the butter and cream cheese warm to room temperature (this is important - otherwise, the frosting will not be smooth.
- Whip with an electric mixer and add in the vanilla (separate the bean using a sharp knife and then lift them out with the point).
- Mix in sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you reach the desired consistency and taste.
- Frost and enjoy!




RELATED LINKS:
L'EXPRESS: Cupcakes : dévorez-les tous!
I Love You Honey Bunny, une recette adaptée par Little Miss Cupcake

**Update March 4** I had such good feedback on these cupcakes from my client that I decided to enter the recipe in the March IC:E Nuts & Seeds challenge. Voting will begin no later than Sunday, March 29 at 8 p.m. at NO ONE PUTS CUPCAKE IN A CORNER, and will be open through Friday, April 3 at 12 noon. I am competing to win:
Our March ETSY PRIZE-PACK is from artists:

* A Bunnycake Easter Plushie by DOGBONEART,
* A whimsical piece by CAKEASAURUS
* as well as a pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES
* a collection of all new printed cupcake liners, 200 in all from Sweet Cuppin' Cakes Cupcakery,
* PLUS, IronCupcake:Earth can not forget our good friend, CAKESPY, who is now going to be doing a piece for our winner each month until further notice - sweet!

Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, JESSIE STEELE APRONS ; TASTE OF HOME books, a t-shirt from UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM. Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers. And as a special thank you, we would like to once again thank DIANAEVANS.