Saturday, February 26, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Lasagna Cupcakes
Come on! Lasagana cupcakes?
Article found at The Wall Street Journal
You thought the cupcake craze would just fizzle out? No chance. It's just moving away from sweet and into the direction of the savory.
At Trader Joe's in New York, they're selling frozen turkey meatloaf muffins, topped with spinach and mashed potatoes, which, by all accounts, are particularly good. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, the entertainment industry's latest obsession is lasagna cupcakes.
Lasagna cupcakes, or individual lasagnas in the shape of cupcakes, are the creation of Heirloom-LA, a catering company based in Eagle Rock, a town near Silverlake. About 18 months ago, Matt Poley, a partner in the company, said a parent had requested macaroni and cheese for a children's party, "but doesn't a big dish of macaroni and cheese look so unappealing?" he asked on a recent visit to his kitchen. "So we made individual macaroni and cheese, and we realized we could do this with every type of lasagna."
Dan Steinberg for The Wall Street Journal
Chefs prepare a batch of lasagna cupcakes.
"The truth is," Mr. Poley went on, "it's kind of hard to dog on a lasagna cupcake. As long as they aren't scalding hot, you can eat them with your hands. In fact, we encourage it. You might get some spillage, but not a lot."
The lasagna cupcakes are so great "because they're all corners, they're a wall of crust," said Jenni Konner, a television writer, who has regularly served and seen them at parties around town. "And I hate the cupcake trend."
On a recent afternoon, Mr. Poley demonstrated how to make an artichoke lasagna cupcake. The pasta is cooked from scratch with eggs and flour; then it goes into a pan, and is cut into sheets. Three sheets, about half the size of a ruler, are placed in a cupcake dish, crossed inside the pan. Three layers of mozzarella cheese, béchamel cream sauce, artichoke, some wild arugula and a little parmesan cheese are added. Then the pasta is folded over, and "there you go, that's a lasagna cupcake," he said.
Dan Steinberg for The Wall Street Journal
A tray of lasagna cupcakes ready for the oven.
Mr. Poley makes the lasagna cupcakes in all different sorts of flavors. A dozen of them are standard, including the mac and cheese, a Bolognese and one with short ribs. Others depend on the season.
"It's all market driven," said Mr. Poley, who is working on a cookbook tentatively titled "Animals and Cupcakes.
"When corn rolls around, we'll make them with corn. Or sweet peas. It's really hard to do pumpkin year-round. Maybe we'll come back from a party with some pork ribs that went uneaten and make some barbecue pork rib lasagna cupcakes. That's where our beef stroganoff idea came from. We just lasagna cupcake'd it."
![[SCENE4]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uHexpfyvsThtfLdNPBLf18AN7zuAkL7l7omz6Scq4ejdT8OIJUg3xPBoxveU7XKRMIIZffOYFfMOD_3N6myMxWDZx9en3UmQC8YCLedOaANJPiIdHCgbLzB1K4OX27cq_cLlL6VZ-6V1mg097UkJkEm9o=s0-d)
Dan Steinberg for The Wall Street Journal A platter of the finished cupcakes.
Dana Fox, the screenwriter of "Couples Retreat" and "What Happens in Vegas" had lasagna cupcakes at her wedding in Virginia. "Brides aren't supposed to eat, but I couldn't stop," Ms. Fox said. "They're uniformly delicious. If you thought a beet lasagna cupcake was disgusting, you'd be wrong. This just in: it was delicious, too."
Mr. Poley said that Heirloom sold about 10,000 lasagna cupcakes in December. At the moment, his catering kitchen—which has 15 people making lasagna cupcakes, as well as new offerings like tamales and pizza bread pudding —can produce 200 to 300 a day. The cupcakes are available in freezers around the city of Los Angeles and for mail order to—yes, New York City—in frozen packs at the company's website.
“Cupcake Wars” Is Pitting Vegan Cupcake Against Vegan Cupcake
I love "Cupcake Wars." Vegan against Vegan. This should be interesting. Let the fighting begin. I am not out of line saying that , am I? It is a Cupcake war.
Article found at ecorazzi
by Erin La Rosa
“Cupcake Wars” Is Pitting Vegan Cupcake Against Vegan Cupcake
So, now it’s time to meet the competitor!
On March 8th C’est La V Bakeshop and owner Kim Garr will get a chance to show off their scrumptious product and help demonstrate that being vegan doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the good things in life (aka cupcakes).
The Los Angeles based bakery has featured all natural, organic, and vegan baked goods since 2009, and has been featured at the Veggie Pride Parade, WorldFest, the Animal Acres’ Gala and the Hollywood Farmers’ Market. But Garr’s sweet treats are also a favorite of Hollywood A-listers, and have graced the sets of shows like HBO’s Entourage.
Some of her specialty cupcakes include the “Candy Cane Joe-Joe,” which is cookie, cupcake, and candy cane all in one, and the spicy pumpkin cupcake with cream cheese frosting. Delicious!
You can check out more of Garr’s yummy creations at her food blog, C’est La Vegan, and even get a personal lesson on how to live the best vegan life you can with her “Vegan 101” video series.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Is Pie the New Cupcake?
The people are getting bored and restless ... they need a new treat for their sweet tooth. Is Pie the new cupcake? If history is any indication, cupcake shops may always be around, there will always be a loyal following,but the frenzied trend may abate. Think of yogurt shops - in the early 80's, they were popping up all over the place and then, they fizzled. Will this happen with Cupcakes? I believe so. By the way, yogurt shops are back ... big time.Article at Los Angeles Times
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Is pie the new cupcake?
January 15, 2011 | 10:53 am
Cupcakes became so popular over the last few years that upscale bakeries sprang up across the nation to offer them in red velvet, mocha and chai latte. A fan site featured pictures of cupcake tattoos on aficionados. But new versions of the all-American favorite — pie — are increasingly popping up at bakeries and restaurants. Pie has replaced cake at some weddings. There are pie happy hours and pie shooters served in shot glasses. Read more in today's Business section.
Photo: A banana-cream "Simple Pie" is displayed alongside "Cutie Pies" at Simplethings Sandwich & Pie Shop in Los Angeles. Credit: Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times
To all things cupcakes!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Cupcake conversation leads to a new career
This is an amazing story: From unemployment to owning a cupcake business. I was not aware of such a program. This program should have been implemented in all of the states. We don't hear enough about these life changing programs.
Cupcake conversation leads to a new career
Woman opens her own business after entrepreneur 'boot camp'
Nanaimo's Medina Mayes never dreamed a conversation about cupcakes with her employment counsellor would lead to her opening her own business in the city's downtown core.
Mayes, owner of Fitzwilliam Street's A Wee Cupcakery, was unemployed after working a series of jobs, ranging from being a yoga instructor to a furniture saleswoman, and was looking for direction in her life when her counsellor suggested she participate in a federally funded program to help those collecting employment insurance establish their own businesses.
The 10-week self-employment program is offered through Business Works on Skinner Street, a subsidiary of the Ethos organization which has eight federal contracts to offer the program in B.C.
Mayes attended a two-week "boot camp" in which she and other budding entrepreneurs are taught about what's involved in starting their own business and how to develop a business plan.
She then spent the next eight weeks developing her plan with the assistance of program instructors and it was approved by a panel, consisting of local business people and program coordinators, which allowed her to open her business while still collecting topped-up EI benefits plus financial assistance from Business Works.
"I'm celebrating my first year in business on Jan. 20 and I'm just so pleased and excited that Nanaimo has embraced the cupcake craze that I hoped it would when I started," Mayes said Thursday while preparing her sweet treats as customers dropped by looking for their favourite snacks.
"It's pretty scary to start your own business, especially when you're unsure just how to go about it, but collecting EI proved to be a saving grace for me. Business Works taught me how to do it and saw to it that I had an income for much of my first year in business. I had a dream and they helped me make it a reality."
Jamie Lawlor, co-ordinator of the program, said about 300 people collecting EI from the central Island region have participated in the program since it was established in Nanaimo four years ago, and about 85% of those who received approval from the panel to begin their businesses have proven successful.
RBarron@nanaimodailynews.com 250-729-4234 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 250-729-4234 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
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To all things cupcakes!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Festive Birthday Cupcake Cones: More Frosting Equals Better!
Cupcakes and ice cream cones make a delicious combination.
Festive Birthday Cupcake Cones: More Frosting Equals Better!
Article at Making Life Delicious
I made these superfun treats for my daughter Kate’s 9th birthday. I was inspired by Kim Ima, proprietor of The Treats Truck in NYC. A cupcake contained within an ice cream cone is nothing new, but Kim took it to a whole new level by incorporating more evenly-distributed frosting.
My philosophy is that cake exists primarily as a frosting delivery system, so I was most excited by her innovation. Want to know how she did it? 
At my 9-year old daughter’s request, I made two kinds of cupcake cones…yellow cake with chocolate frosting and yellow cake with vanilla frosting. These classic birthday combos were a huge hit with the 8- and 9-year-olds at the party. However, this delicious new cake-to-cone method could be used for many different cake, frosting and filling combinations from the simple to the sophisticated. Pick your favorite and go to town.
Festive Birthday Cupcake Cones
Print-Friendly Recipe
YELLOW CAKE
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CHOCOLATE AMERICAN BUTTERCREAM
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled to lukewarm
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large pinch of kosher salt
- 1-2 tablespoons whole milk
VANILLA AMERICAN BUTTERCREAM
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large pinch of kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons whole milk
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar
OTHER
- Ice Cream Cones (I used Baskin & Robbins)
- Sprinkles
To make the Yellow Cake portion of the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a half-sheet pan (13″ X 18″) and then line it with parchment paper. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, combine the self-rising flour, all-purpose flour and kosher salt. In another small bowl, combine the whole milk and vanilla extract. You will be adding the flours in four parts alternating with the milk/vanilla mixture and beating well after each addition. Flour, milk, flour, milk, flour, milk, flour. Got it?
Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until the top springs back when lightly touched, about 20-22 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool.
Mmmmmm. Now its time to make frosting. Yeah!
If you are making the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting…Beat the butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and continue to beat. Then add the powdered sugar, vanilla, a big pinch of kosher salt and about 1 tablespoon of whole milk. Beat until spreading consistency, adding an additional tablespoon of whole milk, if necessary.
If you are making the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting…Beat the butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add 3 cups of the powdered sugar, vanilla, a big pinch of kosher salt and about 2 tablespoons of whole milk. Then add an additional 1-2 cups of the powdered sugar (depending on how sweet you like it). Beat until spreading consistency, adding an additional tablespoon of milk, if necessary.
To assemble these cupcake cones, put a scoop of frosting and in the bottom of the cone. Tap the bottom of the cone to pat down the frosting. 
Transportation of these cupcake cones is a challenge. Once filled, they are top-heavy. So if you need to travel with them, I suggest doing so in a popover pan.
To all things cupcakes!
Cupcake Wars' Candace Nelson Shares a Favorite Recipe
Let’s be honest – you taste cupcakes for a living. How did you get that job and how can we get it too?
Nelson: [laughs] If someone had told me when I was growing up that I would have the job of cupcake judge wherein I would be made to sit for hours and taste people’s cupcakes, I would have said, “That’s impossible!” What’s funny is we have a lot of kids who watch the show and a lot of them say to me “I want to do that when I grow up.”
And what do you tell kids who say that they want to have your job?
Nelson: This generation of kids is growing up watching the Food Network, they have an interest in cooking and being in the kitchen and I say “Keep it up!”
So what is the sweets policy in your house?
Nelson: I try to do my recipe development when my 3 year old is at school or on a play date. My whole philosophy for kids and for everyone is moderation, so for him it’s still considered a treat which it should be, particularly at his age.
With a huge business and two kids, how are you staying sane during the holidays?
Nelson: Planning is key. I always have some sort of cookie dough in my freezer. That’s the wonderful thing about baking–you can freeze things and bake them off, not anything we do that at our store, but in my personal life I’ve found that it can be a life saver.
Do you have any nutrition rules for your kids?
Nelson: Broccoli is a staple in our household and there’s no desert unless the broccoli is eaten. Charles and myself, we lead very healthy lifestyles. I do believe in enjoyment in life too. That was part of the inspiration for Sprinkles, making this thing that someone might buy at the supermarket and eat really quickly and not think anything of because it wasn’t special, to make it special and make it with good ingredients and make it beautiful so that if you had one, it would satisfy you and you would take care eating it and you would eat less ultimately.
–Interview by Christina Couch
Cupcake Wars airs Tuesdays at 9pm on the Food Network.
Candace’s Peanut Butter Cupcake Recipe
CAKE
Ingredients:
* 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
* 1 tsp baking powder
* ¼ tsp salt
* 6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
* ¾ cup smooth all natural peanut butter, at room temperature
* ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
* ½ cup sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* ½ cup whole milk
* 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine milk and vanilla in small bowl. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in bowl. Beat butter and sugars in mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and blend until smooth. Slowly mix in peanut butter. Add half the flour mixture and blend slowly. When fully incorporated, add milk mixture. Continue to blend slowly. Add remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Add chocolate chips and fold in by hand. Scoop into 12 lined baking cups and bake for about 22 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly touched and the edges are golden brown.
FROSTING
Ingredients:
* 6 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
* 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup creamy peanut butter, natural (or if you want a smoother look, go not-natural)
* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup whole milk
Directions:
Combine sugar and salt in bowl. Combine milk and vanilla in bowl. Beat butter and peanut butter in mixer until smooth and creamy. Alternately add sugar and milk mixture until fully incorporated. Add additional milk for a softer consistency. Frost on top of cooled cupcakes.
To all things cupcakes!
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