[Ninja Baker] Cupcakes

[Ninja Baker]

Freed from the pages of Bobby Flay's Throwdown! cookbook. Auntie Em's red velvet cupcakes.

With the Declaration of Independence in 1776, revolutionary thought ricocheted around the world. 1789 saw the storming of the Bastille in France. And in 1796 Amelia Simms introduced to the readers of American Cookery, the concept of baking a cake in small cups. AKA. Cupcakes!

The Marthas and Abigails of the period must have breathed a sigh of relief. I bemoan the lack of a convection oven and the need to turn my pans around at midpoint to ensure even baking. But America’s foremothers’ hearth ovens’ heating systems presented a bigger headache. The reduced baking time of the cupcake, removed the distress of seeing half burned, half mushy cakes.

Centuries later, a parade of creative variations has popped up in homes and pastry shops. Cupcakes today connote petite princess bites of baked perfection. Always pretty. No matter what big bad things may lurk in the scary world, a cupcake sighting brings relief. Am I alone in this feeling?

The heart smile appears whether cruising supermarket aisles or strolling into Sprinkles in Beverly Hills. The local Ralphs – just like Disneyland – ensure their establishment is permeated with baking smells. They must pump intoxicating essences to grab customers by the nose.

Sprinkles, where Hollywood starlets flock for their cupcakes, according to the all-knowing People and US magazines, doesn’t need any clever marketing gimmicks.  There is always a line outside of their Beverly Hills store. My husband, David, – a good ol’ Jersey boy – couldn’t get over the fact that people actually wait in line for a cupcake! “You can buy one at Ralphs!” (The $3.50 for each Sprinkles experience was unfathomable, too.)

At any rate, when Dallas, Texas pals, Dawn and Sandra came to town, we dove into a six-pack Sprinkles sampler. Here’s the Ninja Baker and friends review.

* Red Velvet

Sprinkles’ bestseller was Dawn’s fave.

Compared to Bobby Flay’s Throwdown! recipe for this Southern classic (courtesy of Auntie Em’s, the Bev Hills version is airier and fluffier. “Sort of like the difference between a cake doughnut and a soft one,” said Dawn. 

David is mesmerised by his computer while yours truly is bewitched by a box of Sprinkles.

She’s right. 

David, staunch defender of the Ninja Baker swears my homemade Auntie Em’s version with cream cheese frosting is better. (Sprinkles top their delectable cakes with buttercream.)

* Black & White

Sandra loved Sprinkles’ second most popular cupcake. A fudge lover’s dreams come true. 

* Peanut Butter Chocolate

Sandra liked the PB too. Although not adverse to chocolate, the cacao dosage made my teeth hurt. 

Fellow Sprinkles taste-testers and friends, Sandra and Dawn.

Unlike the magnanimous, bold Miss Sandra, I liked the simple - some might say boring…

*Vanilla on vanilla

(With -  you got it - vanilla sprinkles. You can also get a

 v on v with a trademark Sprinkles dot) 

*Ginger Lemon

Neither Dallas friends were fans. However, this Ninja Baker loved how the spices were subtle. Kind of like a perfect pick me up ginger-lemon tea in cake form. Topped off with a thick layer of buttercream.

*Pumpkin

We all agreed on this delight. The pumpkin flavor was strong. But it didn’t punch you in the stomach. Rather than your typical cream cheese frosting, Sprinkles opts for buttercream. Three thumbs up!

*Doggy

A tiny cake made with wheat flour, egg and honey are also available for Fido. The “frosting” is hardened yogurt.  

The friendly blonde behind the counter swore that her dog loves them. The fellow next to her chimed in, “They’re for humans, too. I eat them all the time!"...As fancy and Beverly Hills designerish the cake might be, the Ninja spirit slipped away when faced with the idea of consuming food for a dog! Also, my stomach was pretty full with the goodies created for Hollywood’s goddesses.

Sugar shock can be a side effect of sampling too many of les petit gateaux. Hard not to succumb when birthday cake frosting atop moist light cake beckons. One does think twice, though, before chomping into a creation from the Cupcake Café in New York. Displayed on the shelves are dozens of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers – in mini cake form! Violets and other flora appear on their cupcakes. Instead of baking sugar and butter, I almost expected lavender and rose scents to trail the trays.  Next time you’re in New York, after the Guggenheim, go to the Cupcake Café! 

Ninja Baker Recommended Recipes for the Domestic Goddess:

For the domestic goddess whose purse snaps shut with the thought of a trip to Beverly Hills, California for a pricey Sprinkles cupcake, see the recipes below. The homemade creations will bring heavenly scents into your kitchen and have your family smiling.

Auntie Em’s Owner/Chef, Terri Wahl’s

Red Velvet Cupcakes:

(From Bobby Flay’s Throwdown! The recipe is also available online.)

FOX TV crew pals have special ordered my rendition of Auntie Em's red velvet cupcakes.

Auntie Em’s cream cheese concoction compliments the not-too-sweet red velvet cake. This is a replica of what I imagine a 1950s Southern homemaker might have baked for dessert. Or a church fundraiser. 

Another homerun winner is Dana Angelo White’s

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins:

The mini-muffin tin is a perfect way to produce guilt free pleasure. Organic flours, soymilk and other products for the health conscious are star ingredients. Although chocolate chips are involved…And when I make them, I whip up dark chocolate frosting to pipe onto the mini-cakes. Ah well, health-shmealth, no one can quibble that dark chocolate adds panache to a good-for-you banana cake.

Cheryl Day’s Old-Fashioned Cupcakes with Martha Stewart’s Lavender Icing:

From Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes

(The lavender recipe is also available online at marthastewart.com.)

Your next Alice in Wonderland tea party needs these lovely little wonders. The dance of light cake and lavender icing will have everyone grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

Ninja Baker Note: Ms. Stewart can undoubtedly frost 24cupcakes with the measurements in her recipe. However, for the rest of us mortals, I highly recommend making a recipe and a half. In other words, 4 and a half cups of powdered sugar, ¾ teaspoon of lavender etc. 

(Dried lavender can be purchased from Penzeys Spices or Surfas.)

Cupcakes, besides being tasty, are stress busters.  If you mess one up in the decorating process, who cares? Another cupcake canvas awaits your magical Matisse artistry….Ah, sweet freedom.

Wishing you fancy-free flights of creativity.

                                                             The Ninja Baker

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Posted By Ninja Baker to Ninja Baker at 2/23/2011 12:08:00 AM