Unique Cupcakes : An Interview with Bizymoms Top Blogger 2010 Recipients The Cupcake Queen

Unique Cupcakes

The Cupcake Queen's odyssey began by pledging to make 52 different cupcakes in a single year. Might sound like quite a leap, but for me it meant the birth of 52 Cupcakes, complete with weekend baking stints and a blog detailing my quest. Since first tackling celebrity chef Ina Garten’s coconut cupcakes back in April 2004, I have become a captive of confections, pint-sized decorations and trendy paper liners. For better and for worse, I share my exploits online each week. I dove into the world of marshmallow hi-tops, Vermont maple frosting and malted milk cake batter, and it’s all documented at http://52cupcakes.blogspot.com.

1. What do you think makes your blog special in its genre?

I think my 52 Cupcakes blog is different because when I started it I did not know how to bake. I chose to make a different cupcake every week for 52 weeks. It was a personal challenge that I made to myself. The other special part of my blog is my dog Layla. Layla is photographed with almost every cupcake that I have ever made for the blog. She is very patient during the photo shoot and a great dog; sometimes she gets a tiny bit of cupcake as her reward!

2. Why do you like cupcakes so much?

I love cupcakes because they make people happy. They always put a smile on peoples' faces when I bring them into work. Also, they can be easy to make and also very difficult, depending on what the recipe is.

3. What gets you inspired to come up with unique and delicious cupcakes?

Now that I am confident with my baking, I try all sorts of new recipes that I make up myself. Last night I made dark chocolate espresso cupcakes. Delish! I think about what flavor I would like to try and just do it. I like to use Bailey's Irish Cream or other liqueurs in my cupcakes.

4. What tips can you give our readers on the art of making delicious cupcakes?

You have to have the freshest ingredients you can find. Old baking soda or baking powder can cause a disaster. Also, an ingredient I never forget is fun! You have to have fun. If you do, your cupcakes will be great!

5. If one of your blog readers follows your recipes to the letter and doesn't end up with the intended result, what can they do? What type of help can you give them, if they contact you?

I have blog readers all the time that ask me why certain things happen when they bake cupcakes. Maybe the cupcakes didn't rise or didn't taste good. I always try to work with them to see how they did the recipe.

6. How do you come up with various unique cupcake decorations?

The thing I love most is to decorate the cupcakes. When I look around, anywhere, I think about what would look good on or with the cupcakes! Recently I found the cutest Hello Kitty cat that I haven't used yet. I also like to make scenes on my cupcakes with little tiny people. They are the most fun because they tell a story.

7. Can you recommend some of your few personal favorite cupcake recipe books to our readers?

One of my most favorite cupcakes is the Chocolate Ancho Chile Cupcake. Start off chocolaty and then end up hot! I also love the Billy's Vanilla Vanilla Cupcakes. It's the best cupcake recipe I've ever found. I also like to use the cupcakes from the Cake Doctor's book. Her recipes are based on cake mixes and then you make lots of additions to them. Some of them are awesome!