CupcakeCamp Boston

CupcakeCamp 2011 in the Somerville Patch

2011-09-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

Hundreds of Locals Attend Cupcake Expo in Somerville Wednesday Night

By Clara Ciminelli

On Wednesday night over 770 cupcake lovers flocked to the Center of the Arts at the Armory in Somerville for the second annual CupcakeCamp Boston. Twenty local bakeries and fifty amateur bakers from around the Greater Boston area came out to peddle their delicious wares.

Event founder Elizabeth Ginsburg put it simply: “CupcakeCamp Boston is a free and open gathering of cupcake enthusiasts,” she said. A blogger for FreeFoodBoston, Ginsburg first experienced CupcakeCamp in New York City in 2009 and decided she wanted to bring the event to Boston. Camps are held in various cities across the country, and anyone can volunteer to organize one for their community.

Click to read the full article

It's Here!

2011-04-13T08:16:00.000-07:00

Are you ready? The fun starts at 7pm tonight.

Meet the Amateur Bakers - Jen @ BeantownBaker.com

2011-04-07T12:34:00.000-07:00

How long have you been baking?
10 years

What is your favorite thing to bake?
That's a tough one. I definitely go through phases. Right now I'm on a big layer cake phase, because they're complicated and "special" but I love a great brownie recipe any day of the week!

What is the most challenging thing you've ever baked?
Hard to say... Maybe my first yeast bread just because yeast used to scare the crap out of me.

What is your favorite ingredient?
My homemade vanilla extract

What is your favorite cookbook or recipe resource?
Cooks Illustrated

Do you have a blog? If so what is the URL?
Beantown Baker

How long have you been blogging?
Almost 4 years

What is the one baked good you're know for or would like to be known for?
I think I'm known for my cupcakes (and the snapware container that I carry them in!)

Are you on Twitter? If so, what is your Twitter name?
@beantownbaker

What will you be baking for Cupcake Camp?
Chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes

Feel free to include any additional information about yourself, your baking, your favorite baking story, etc
My Hubby recently took a new job. I ran into his old boss the other day. His old boss said he thinks the group misses my baked goods more than they miss Hubby. I promised not to tell Hubby that story!

Meet the Amateur Bakers - Mindy Langweiler

2011-04-06T21:08:00.000-07:00

How long have you been baking?
About 10 years

What is your favorite thing to bake?
Anything sweet!

What is the most challenging thing you've ever baked?
Baklava...don't think I'll ever get the hang of it!

What is your favorite ingredient?
Sugar!

What is your favorite cookbook or recipe resource?
Hello, Cupcake!

Do you have a blog? If so what is the URL?
Sugar High

How long have you been blogging?
2 months

What is the one baked good you're know for or would like to be known for?
Fun cakes and cupcakes

What will you be baking for Cupcake Camp?
Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Meet the Amateur Bakers - Joyce (aka BCAllegra)

2011-04-06T19:08:00.000-07:00

How long have you been baking?
Since 5th grade

What is your favorite thing to bake?
It changes from month to month - I'm currently into scones! For April, I'll obviously be trying some new cupcake recipes and I'm thinking about desserts for Easter, perhaps even a coconut cream pie?

What is the most challenging thing you've ever baked?
I've been on a mission to conquer cheesecake in the past couple of years - an ancient oven in the past resulted in scorched exteriors and undercooked centers. Recent attempts have resulted in more of a mousse-y texture - I vow to make the firm, silken cheesecake of my dreams this year!

What is your favorite ingredient?
I love almond flavoring as a special ingredient for cookies and glazes

What is your favorite cookbook or recipe resource?
Google! It helps me discover other baking blogs . Obviously, Smitten Kitchen and The Pioneer Woman are also favorites, and locally, Beantown Baker!

Do you have a blog? If so what is the URL?
Boston Chomper

How long have you been blogging?
2.5 years

What is the one baked good you're know for or would like to be known for?
As boring as it sounds, I think I'm really known for my cookies. I like to say I have the repertoire of a really good bake sale mom - my most requested cookies are oatmeal cranberry cookies; cranberry, pistachio and white chocolate chip cookies; ginger hermits; and chocolate chip blondies.

What will you be baking for Cupcake Camp?
Chocolate Black Bottom Cupcakes (old favorite)
Brown Sugar Praline Cupcakes (new recipe)

Feel free to include any additional information about yourself, your baking, your favorite baking story, etc
I've been called the half-Asian Martha Stewart by friends and family.

Actually, it's because of my Korean mother that I was inspired to bake -Simply because she is incredibly bad at it! I say this with love and without blame, realizing that she didn't grow up with American sweets.

I started baking in the fifth grade for class projects. Imagine cupcakes with pyramids on top (in actuality, red hots forming a triangle) to accompany a report on Egypt. Pitiful, I know. Despite this unauspicious start, I did progress to making Swedish nut wafer cookies (from the Fannie Farmer cookbook) for a report on - you guessed it - Sweden!

Fast forward to the present. Baking is such a big part of my life that my then-boyfriend, now-husband proposed with a cake, decorated to match my blog and with the words "Will You Marry Me?" across the top.

So that's me in a nutshell - half-Korean, avid baker, newlywed and blogger!

Meet the Amateur Bakers - Kat Keenan

2011-04-06T17:08:00.000-07:00

How long have you been baking?
3 Years

What is your favorite thing to bake?
Any type of cake with fondant- I make homemade fondant from a recipe that I found online, which uses a bag of marshmallows instead of the gelatin... so the fondant tastes as good as the cake!

What is the most challenging thing you've ever baked?
Baklava- a Mediterranean pastry made of layers of filo pastry dough filled with chocolate, butter, and chopped nuts, or syrup and honey. This recipe was tricky because you had to make sure none of the layer of filo dough ripped... but it ended up turning out great

What is your favorite ingredient?
banana

What is your favorite cookbook or recipe resource?
Hello Cupcakes!

Do you have a blog? If so what is the URL?
Kat Eats Cake

How long have you been blogging?
only 3 weeks

What is the one baked good you're know for or would like to be known for?
Cake pops!!!
Little bit size cake balls rolled up, covered in chocolate, and placed on a stick YUM

What will you be baking for Cupcake Camp?
Chocolate Oreo cupcakes- filled with a creamy marshmallow filling
Decorated with Oreo sunflowers

Feel free to include any additional information about yourself, your baking, your favorite baking story, etc
Im a 16 year old amateur baker:
Here is another one of my creations- "Cookie Dough Filled Cupcakes"
Chocolate chip cookie dough cake, filled with egg-free cookie dough, topped with brown sugar frosting, and a giant chocolate chip cookie

Meet the Amateur Bakers - Nina Colon

2011-04-06T15:08:00.001-07:00

How long have you been baking?
1 Year

What is your favorite thing to bake?
Apple Crisp, It's so delicious and comforting and makes the entire house smell absolutely amazing.

What is the most challenging thing you've ever baked?
Crusts, something about the delicate nature of the butter and flour and trying not to have everything stick but also not too dry is a bit challenging but so amazingly worth it when you get it right.

What is your favorite ingredient?
Butter!

What is your favorite cookbook or recipe resource?
I love The Silver palate cookbook.

Do you have a blog? If so what is the URL?
Kitty Cupcakes

How long have you been blogging?
About three months or so.

What is the one baked good you're know for or would like to be known for?
Chocolate Croissants. Once I've mastered them, that is. ;)

What will you be baking for Cupcake Camp?
I'm bringing traditional cucpakes, Red Velvet Cupcakes, Vanilla Bean Cupcakes, and Chocolate Peanutbutter Cupcakes.

Meet the Amateur Bakers - josiebean

2011-04-06T02:44:00.000-07:00

How long have you been baking?
all my life :)

What is your favorite thing to bake?
cupcakes! of course. but also regular cakes, cookies, brownies, and the occasional pie.

What is the most challenging thing you've ever baked?
homemade apple pie. not the actual filling, but just that damn crust. when i finally put it all together it came out amazing, though. hard work does pay off!

What is your favorite ingredient?
alcohol!

What is your favorite cookbook or recipe resource?
Google is a wonderful haven of new recipes

Do you have a blog? If so what is the URL?
what's on the scene, josiebean?

How long have you been blogging?
on and off for like, 3 years?

What is the one baked good you're know for or would like to be known for?
i'm honestly not the best baker, and to be truthful i wouldn't even call myself the biggest cupcake fan (i know, huge gasp). however i do love the way cupcakes look and all the creative spins you can put in making them. thus, my love for making baked goods and trying out new recipes for cupcakes would probably be my forte.

Are you on Twitter? If so, what is your Twitter name?
@josieboston

What will you be baking for Cupcake Camp?
probably my Kahlua cupcakes with a Kahlua infused chocolate ganache and/or my devil's food cupcakes with a hidden Reese's pb cup inside and homemade pb frosting.

Meet the Amateur Bakers - Tata Treats

2011-04-06T00:44:00.000-07:00

How long have you been baking?
3 years

What is your favorite thing to bake?
Cupcakes of course! I also love to make pasta.

What is the most challenging thing you've ever baked?
Well once I made this really hard Italian pasta meal with my family it was a lot of fun!

What is your favorite ingredient?
Chocolate

What is your favorite cookbook or recipe resource?
The Hello Cupcake Series

What is the one baked good you're know for or would like to be known for?
CUPCAKES :)

What will you be baking for Cupcake Camp?
My famous Boston Creme Cupcake

Feel free to include any additional information about yourself, your baking, your favorite baking story, etc
I run a small local cupcake business in the Boston suburbs. I'm 11 (turning 12 the day after cupcake camp) and I have always loved baking pastries. My grandmother is a cake decorator and has always been an inspiration to me. My family has helped me every step of the way. My future will definitely be in baking. My business is called Tata Treats (my last name is Tata) and I can't wait to come to Cupcake Camp.

Meet the Amateur Bakers - Cara

2011-04-05T22:44:00.000-07:00

How long have you been baking?
As long as I've been eating

What is your favorite thing to bake?
Regular ol' chocolate chip cookies. Can't beat the dough! Unless you add oatmeal, of course. I'll go with oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

What is the most challenging thing you've ever baked?
Probably the chocolate cupcakes with champagne buttercream I made for a friend's engagement party. Sounds easy enough, but I'm very picky about my chocolate cake and wanted to get it just right. (There's a lot of not-very-good chocolate cake out there.) If you asked my husband, he'd say the Bailey's chocolate mousse cake we made for St. Patrick's Day one year. This was before we owned a stand mixer, and the poor guy went through a tough workout whipping that mousse!

What is your favorite ingredient?
chocolate

What is your favorite cookbook or recipe resource?
Epicurious and Eating Well

Do you have a blog? If so what is the URL?
Cara's Cravings

How long have you been blogging?
4 years

What is the one baked good you're know for or would like to be known for?
The brownies I make for Passover, which are made with almond meal instead of flour - they're incredibly rich and delicious. Not only the best Passover brownie ever, but quite possibly the best of any brownie, ever!

Are you on Twitter? If so, what is your Twitter name?
@carascravings

What will you be baking for Cupcake Camp?
Bailey's Mint Chocolate Chip (mini) Cupcakes

Feel free to include any additional information about yourself, your baking, your favorite baking story, etc
Fitness and healthy food are staples in my life, and most of the recipes on my blog are original, healthy recipes utilizing wholesome, clean ingredients and bold flavor combinations. I love to eat, and it's my mission to show the word that eating healthfully doesn't need to be boring! But, I also have a huge sweet tooth - probably the biggest one you'll ever meet. When I bake, I don't mind going all out with real sugar, butter, etc - but I only do it on special occasions, when I have the opportunity to share with others. This is why I'm happy to be participating in Cupcake Camp.

Meet the Amateur Bakers - Sara N

2011-04-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

How long have you been baking?
6 years

What is your favorite thing to bake?
Anything with the word "cake" in it. Cupcakes and cake are my specialty.

What is the most challenging thing you've ever baked?
I do a lot of amateur cake decorating and made the Shrieking Shack from the third Harry Potter book for a friend's birthday. While the actual cake was simple, the detail that went into making the cake look like a creepy building was a challenge! But the hard work paid off. I submitted a photo of the cake to the WB to be printed on a Harry Potter mug and they loved the image so much, they're showcasing it in the Harry Potter museum on set in LA!

What is your favorite ingredient?
High quality vanilla extract

What is your favorite cookbook or recipe resource?
SmittenKitchen.com

Do you have a blog? If so what is the URL?
Chomp Zone

How long have you been blogging?
A few months

What is the one baked good you're know for or would like to be known for?
I'm definitely the "cake girl."

Are you on Twitter? If so, what is your Twitter name?
@saranoonan

What will you be baking for Cupcake Camp?
"Hamburger cupcakes (don't worry, they're meat free!). This is a combo of vanilla cupcakes and chocolate cupcakes stacked in burger form. Complete with frosting condiments.

Meet the Amateur Bakers - Michelle

2011-04-05T18:35:00.000-07:00

How long have you been baking?
5 years

What is your favorite thing to bake?
I love to bake cookies, especially decorated sugar cookies, and my favorite, the chunky Lola cookie from Flour.

What is the most challenging thing you've ever baked?
Doughnuts, hands down. I was always afraid of frying anything, and by making doughnuts, I conquered my fear.

What is your favorite ingredient?
Vanilla Extract

What is your favorite cookbook or recipe resource?
Organic and Chic: Cakes, Cookies, and Other Sweets That Taste as Good as They Look

Do you have a blog?
Savory Favorites

How long have you been blogging?
About 1 year

What is the one baked good you're know for or would like to be known for?
I am definitely known for baking cupcakes, though no specific kind. My friends at work are always asking what I will bring in next to share, but are always asking for cupcakes.

Are you on Twitter? If so, what is your Twitter name?
@michellet11

What will you be baking for Cupcake Camp?
Pancake cupcakes with Maple Bacon Frosting

Meet the Amateur Bakers - Erin from The Sweetest Times

2011-04-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

How long have you been baking?
About 2 years

What is your favorite thing to bake?
Everything! Cupcakes and cakes are probably my favorite - I love frosting! But cookies are fun too, and less time consuming!

What is the most challenging thing you've ever baked?
Chocolate Espresso Souffle - it did NOT turn out well :)

What is your favorite ingredient?
Can I name 2? Chocolate and Peanut Butter!

What is your favorite cookbook or recipe resource?
Joy of Cooking and The Pioneer Woman

Do you have a blog?
The Sweetest Times

How long have you been blogging?
2 months!

What is the one baked good you're know for or would like to be known for?
I don't think I am known for any outside of my family, but I'd like to be known for cupcakes (I'm a little obsessed, if you haven't noticed)!

Are you on Twitter? If so, what is your Twitter name?
@SweetestTimes

What will you be baking for Cupcake Camp?
Girl Scout Thin Mint Cupcakes

King Arthur Comes Home: Back to Boston for Cupcakes

2011-04-04T11:10:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, CupcakeCamp Boston has partnered with King Arthur Flour this year to put on a show-stopping event. Enjoy today's guest post from King Arthur Flour editor and recipe developer Susan Reid. Be sure to check out Susan's baking and cupcake-decorating demo next Wednesday at CupcakeCamp.

You may or may not know that King Arthur Flour is the oldest flour company in America. The company started on Boston’s Long Wharf in 1790. That’s when a guy named George Washington was the country’s president. It’s also before there were such things as cameras.

At that time, it wasn’t uncommon for the flour available (all of it was imported; the Midwest wasn’t quite settled yet) to be “stretched” by additions of things like ground bone and chalk. Yuk.

Horse-drawn wagon with barrels for flour being loaded on the wharf in Boston.

Flour was sold in 196 pound barrels, or in fractions thereof.

In case you’re wondering, at these prices, a 5 pound bag of flour would cost you $.17.

The company was founded on the principle that people would be willing to pay a few pennies more for quality and purity they could trust; we still live by that principle every day, 221 years later. The company is 100% employee-owned now, so everyone you deal with at King Arthur has a stake in making sure you’re happy with our product and with us.

Allow me to introduce myself: I’m Susan Reid, and my job at King Arthur Flour is to edit, write, and manage the circulation for our paid baking newsletter: it’s called The Baking Sheet.

I work in our test kitchen, where my efforts range from the sublime

to the humbling.

I do demonstrations and television and video appearances from time to time.

On April 13th, I’ll be throwin’ down about cupcakes at CupcakeCamp Boston. I’ll show you some groovy decorating ideas, we can talk about flavors, frostings, flours, technique, and any other baking problem or question you have on your mind. I did some cupcake calisthenics today to warm up. I started with my favorite coconut cake recipe, which uses our coconut milk powder. I baked some of the batter in our zebra cupcake papers, and some “commando.”

I was planning to make a top that echoed the pattern of the paper when the cupcake was done. So, black and white, coconut and chocolate, here we go. Once the cupcakes were cooled, I used some of our Super Simple Chocolate Frosting to stick a naked mini cupcake upside down on top of one of the big bases.

I took another mini cupcake and used a pastry tip to cut it into a tapered top.

Time for a frosting swirl.

And some more….

Now for the crowing glory: I believe decorations should be tightly linked to the flavors involved; since the cupcake is coconut, I reached for some of our large flake coconut to make zebra stripes above as well as below.

There she is. A towering, tasty treat. There will be more where this came from at the Armory next week. For King Arthur, it’s back to the beginning, near the place where it all began for us more than two centuries ago. Hope to see you there.

Meet the Bakers: VCVC Cupcakes

2011-04-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

I've got another bakery to introduce you to today. Today's Meet the Baker profile is featuring VCVC Cupcakes. VCVC Cupcakes is based in Melrose, MA and Cathy is more than happy to work with people to customize their cupcake order.

Cathy brought me a dozen cupcakes to taste. I got coconut creme, peanut butter me up, and
pumpkin butterscotch with pumpkin rum buttercream. The cupcakes came in a brown box with a VCVC Cupcakes sticker on the top. I like the pink and brown logo - so cute!

As you can see, the coconut creme cupcakes had a beautiful fondant flower on the top of each cupcake. The cupcake and frosting weren't overly coconuty. It was more of a subtle coconut cupcake, which I appreciated.

The pumpkin flavor had a strong flavor of rum in the frosting. I love rum so I really enjoyed it. Sometimes when alcohol gets added to frosting, the flavor get dilluted by the sugar.

The peanut butter me up cupcake is for the serious peanut butter lover. It had a half of a peanut butter cup on the top of the cupcake and whole peanut butter cup baked into the chocolate cupcake. And of course, the frosting was a peanut butter buttercream.

VCVC Cupcakes can be found at their website, on Facebook, or at their blog. Be sure to check them out at Cupcake Camp on April 13th.

And, check this out! VCVC Cupcakes is on Eversave - $18 for a dozen creative made-to-order cupcakes from VCVC Cupcakes ($36 value). Click here to get in on the deal.

Meet the Bakers: Cupcake Mojo

2011-03-31T18:01:00.000-07:00

Today I'm going to introduce another one of the professional bakers who will be attending Cupcake Camp. Today's Meet the Bakers feature will highlight Cupcake Mojo. Cupcake Mojo is a mother-daugther duo who call themselves Cupcake Queens who are obsessed with cupcakes. They are from Weymouth, MA and are hoping to open a shop soon.

As I mentioned, Cupcake Mojo is a family operation. Even their name has some meaning. The initials CM for Cupcake Mojo just happen to be the same as their names, Christina and Maureen. CM supports local events and charities in need and love the joy baking cupcakes brings to people.

I had the opportunity to taste some of their cupcakes. Maureen dropped off some of the Strawberry Margarita and Nana's Whoopie Cakes. Be sure to check out their extensive list of flavors on their website.

The cupcakes came in a white bag with a Cupcake Mojo sticker on it. The handles were tied together with a few pieces of different colored ribbon. I was impressed with the packaging. Once I took the cupcake containers out of the bag, I found two clear plastic containers of 6 cupcakes each. Each container was sealed with another Cupcake Mojo sticker. I like the clear containers because you can see what you're getting in to.

My mom and I headed out to dinner shortly after Maureen dropped off the cupcakes. We didn't end up tasting the cupcakes until the next day. Since the cupcakes sat out on the counter, the strawberry margarita frosting melted a little bit. It was still delicious.

My mom and I sat down to try the cupcakes and we were both really impressed. The strawberry margarita cupcake definitely tasted like a margarita. The frosting was great. I could have just eaten that frosting with a spoon!

The Nana's whoopie cake had a LOT of frosting on top of a fluffy chocolate cupcake. It was also really tasty.

Cupcake Mojo is growing and will cater to specific needs. Check them out at www.cupcakemojo.com, on Twitter @cupcakeMoJo, or on Facebook. Be sure to check them out at Cupcake Camp on April 13th.

King Arthur Flour and Lovin' Spoonfuls, Two Great Partnerships

2011-03-24T10:21:00.001-07:00

We are very pleased to announce that this year CupcakeCamp Boston is partnering with two wonderful organizations. First, are thrilled to have King Arthur Flour as the official sponsor of CupcakeCamp Boston 2011. Any home baker will recognize King Arthur Flour as the gold standard when it comes to not just flours but just about any ingredient needed for baking. King Arthur Flour is deeply rooted in New England culture and we could not ask for a better partner. King Arthur Flour will be on hand at the event with tips, treats and prizes. You can look forward to a guest post next week from the folks at King Arthur with more details about the company and what you can expect from them at CupcakeCamp.

And because we are all about giving back, all proceeds from the event will benefit Lovin' Spoonfuls, an organization that works to collect unused food from Boston restaurants and grocery stores and deliver it to people in need. While CupcakeCamp is a free event, we are asking every attendee to donate $5 to be given to Lovin' Spoonfuls. CupcakeCamp is committed to supporting Lovin' Spoonfuls in its mission to eradicate hunger in Massachusetts.

Meet the Bakers: Mix Bakery

2011-03-24T05:58:00.000-07:00

A little over a year ago when planning the first CupcakeCamp, I discovered a Boston-based business called Mix Bakery. The creator of Mix Bakery, Kelly, enthusiastically replied that she'd be happy to come, and showed up at the event with the most amazing vanilla cupcakes and s'mores cupcakes. Throughout the year, I've been able to sample more Mix Bakery creations at birthday celebrations and events and each time I try them serves to reaffirm that these are some of the best cupcakes in Boston.

For Kelly's Meet the Baker profile, I thought it would be fun to take a peek behind the scenes and see what goes into making these much-loved cupcakes. I was thrilled when Kelly agreed to have me spend a morning baking up some cupcakes in her kitchen.

Kelly's classic varieties are delicious, but one my favorites that she makes is the s'mores cupcake, and she set about making that one first. One of the primary reasons I am so obsessed with the s'mores cupcake is because it has a graham cracker crumb crust. Graham cracker crust are one of the best dessert components ever created, and adding one to a cupcake is sheer genius.

Kelly whipped up a chocolate cake batter to go on top of the graham cracker crust and put these cupcakes in to bake. While the cupcakes baked, we moved on to more fun projects...

Frosting. In addition the s'mores, Kelly had on her agenda the peanut butter cup cupcake and a chocolate cupcake with salted caramel buttercream. Kelly and I share an intense love for caramel, especially salted caramel. Kelly had prepared a salted caramel sauce earlier in the morning so that it had time to cool. She added the caramel to a traditional buttercream mixture to make the caramel frosting. I probably could have eaten a bowl full of this frosting. I may or may not have.

Throughout the morning, I learned several things about Kelly's recipes, techniques and ingredients. One particularly fun fact: Kelly purchases whole vanilla beans in bulk and makes her own vanilla extract. Any baker will know that vanilla is an essential ingredient, and not just in vanilla-flavored desserts. It is small touches like these that make a significant difference in the final product.

After the cupcakes had cooled, we got to work assembling the three different kinds, but not before having a little fun with experimentation. I was curious about filling the cupcakes with caramel.

This was a beautiful sight to behold. We filled two cupcakes with the caramel sauce and topped one with the caramel buttercream and one with the fluff frosting that tops the s'mores cupcakes. Verdict? The one topped with caramel buttercream was, dare I say, caramel overload. The one topped with fluff frosting though was delightful.

Don't think that this experimentation is exclusive to those who visit her kitchen. Kelly will make pretty much any confection you request, though I would say it is wise to stick with the prescribed varieties. Kelly has worked to perfect them and it shows. The cake itself is wonderful--chocolatey but not intense. It is incredibly moist and is one of the few chocolate cakes that was moist and flavorful enough that I would happily eat it on its own.

We did indulge in one more curiosity. When you have fluff frosting and peanut butter frosting, what logically follows but... a Fluffernutter! This one did not disappoint.

The final product: s'mores, peanut butter cup, and salted caramel topped chocolate cupcakes.

If you live in Boston and are in need of cupcakes, or are just struck with a craving, I cannot recommend Mix Bakery highly enough. I have loved every cake and frosting combination I have tried. What's more, Kelly is happy to deliver any order placed. I dream of the day when Mix Bakery has its own shop and I can pop in for a cupcake any time I like. Until then, I will wait patiently (or not so patiently) and order from Kelly at every possible opportunity. Whether you already know the fabulousness that is Mix Bakery or you have yet to have the pleasure, you will get to enjoy them in less than a month at CupcakeCamp.

Mix Bakery
http://www.mixbakeryboston.com/

Meet the Bakers: Cupcakory

2011-03-09T09:48:00.000-08:00

Allow me to introduce you to another one of the professional bakers coming to CupcakeCamp: Cupcakory. Cupcakory is currently Boston’s only cupcake truck and on any given day you can find owner Diane doling out cupcakes to eager customers from the window of her truck.

I first tried Cupcakory last summer at SoWa and was blown away by a certain chocolate and salted caramel cupcake. As a little preview of what she plans to bring to CupcakeCamp, Diane provided me with four flavors, one of which was the famed chocolate with salted caramel buttercream.

The choclate cake is light and fluffy, not at all dense. The frosting, conversely, is insanely rich–buttery, salty and sweet. The combination of the rich caramel frosting and the mild and fluffy chocolate cake is perfect.

The nutella cupcake has the same moist and springy chocolate cake, topped with a nutella buttercream frosting. The nutella flavor is very mild, so don’t order it expecting a dollop of pure nutella. It is a smooth buttercream with just a hint of chocolate and hazelnut flavor.

A new one to me was the vanilla-vanilla. Diane did not initially offer this flavor, but after customers made numerous requests for it, she decided to try her hand at it. She said she experimented for a while until she found the perfect recipe and I can personally attest to its quality. Vanilla cupcakes are hard to execute because there are no other strong flavors to mask any flaws or inconsistencies in the cake. This was a perfect pure butter cake with an airy but substantial crumb. The top firm and lightly chewy with perfectly caramelized edges.

The fourth cupcake was a lemon cake with lemon frosting. If you are looking for a sugary and tangy lemon bar in cupcake form, this is not for you. The frosting was subtly sweet and flavored with grated lemon zest, which you can see in the photo if you look closely. I almost want to call this a lemon-infused cupcake.

Diane prides her business on using almost all New England products, and organic where she can. The flour is unbleached, the eggs (organic), buttermilk, and butter are all New England based, with the milk and cream coming from Massachusetts. Any fruit is either local or organic, sometimes both. She uses quality ingredients and it definitely shows in the end product. Be sure to follow Cupcakory onTwitter for updates on where the truck is parked.

Cupcakory
http://www.cupcakory.com/

Meet the Bakers: Cakeology

2011-03-01T07:50:00.000-08:00

This is the latest installment in a series called Meet the Bakers of CupcakeCampin which I profile the talented professional bakers who will be present at CupcakeCamp this year. Today, I am introducing you to Victoria of Cakeology. I met Victoria last fall at the New England Dessert Showcase. Her mini red velvet cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting were delightful. The addition of lemon was nothing short of genius.

You might also recognize her as the most recent winner of Cupcake Wars on Food Network, where she beat out three other professional cupcake bakers. It is also possible you’ve seen her colorful delivery van somewhere around town, emblazoned with Cakeology’s mascot, Bruce the panda.

Victoria and I met up on a gray slushy afternoon so that she could hand off a dozen of her cupcakes to me. The box contained three flavors and I was excited to see that one of the three was the magnificent red velvet with lemon cream cheese frosting. The other two were Boston Cream Pie and Chocolate Mint.

I, of course, dug into the red velvet first. The cake was extremely moist, with that perfect textural balance of fluffy inside and a top that is firm and just short of crisp. The cocoa flavor was subtle, which was fine by me, as the bright lemon cream cheese frosting is really what makes this cake.

I have never been fond of Boston Cream Pie, mostly because I often find the custardy pastry cream filling to be vile. Enter Cakeology’s Boston Cream Pie cupcake.

Victoria’s pastry cream was like the lightest, most delicate vanilla bean pudding you could imagine. Flecks of real vanilla bean were visible throughout. It was fluffy as opposed to goopy. The cake was golden and buttery, with the same moist interior and firm top as the red velvet. A thin layer of dense chocolate ganache was sweet and decadent and stood out against the lighter cake and filling.

I was hesitant about the chocolate mint because it is not always my favorite flavor combination. I was intrigued at first bite, and I found that I liked it more and more as I made my way through the cupcake. The cake was a mellow chocolate, not particularly dense or rich. It was speckled with small chunks of dark chocolate throughout which added nice textural variation. The frosting really stood out, with a strong and cooling mint flavor. I found it to be less sweet than mint components usually are in desserts. I ended up liking it quite a bit and I liked that it was different than your standard chocolate-mint confection.

Cakeology offers 36 flavors, divided into six categories including Boozy, Fruity, and Old Skool. I am particularly keen on trying the Earl Grey & Honey cupcake, the Banana Fudge, the Key Lime Pie, and several more. For now, you can order Cakeology’s cupcakes online and they will arrive at your door via bright yellow van. And be sure to look for Victoria at CupcakeCamp. Or, better yet, just look for a life-sized panda and you’ll know you’re in the right place.

Cakeology
http://www.cakeology.com/

Meet the Bakers: We Make Cupcakes

2011-03-01T06:32:00.000-08:00

Back in September when I tabled at the New England Dessert Showcase, I met dozens of enthusiastic cupcake bakers and eaters who were excited for the next CupcakeCamp. Two that I met that day told me about their fledgling cupcake business, named We Make Cupcakes and that they were eager to show their cupcakes at CupcakeCamp Boston 2011.

I had the opportunity to sample the tasty creations of We Make Cupcakes this weekend and they are quite delicious. I cannot wait for you all to try them at CupcakeCamp. Though if you would prefer to not wait until then, I highly recommend placing an order with them sooner.

I met up with Everett and Christina on Saturday morning to chat and pick up the cupcakes. I had made no flavor requests but was hoping for either pumpkin, carrot or red velvet, with lots of cream cheese frosting. They must have read my mind because they showed up with a box containing both pumpkin and red velvet in addition to chocolate with chocolate ganache and vanilla with vanilla frosting.

I dug into the pumpkin first. This one ended up being my absolute favorite. The cake on its own is incredibly moist, airy and intensely pumpkin-flavored. I could taste actual pumpkin as opposed to just spices. The cake completely held its own and I would be more than content to eat the cake as is. Not that I would turn down cream cheese frosting. The frosting was smooth, fluffy, and nicely sweet. This cupcake was delicious on all accounts.

Next up I tried the red velvet. The cake texture was very different than the pumpkin, which I expected since they are two very distinct flavors. The red velvet was more dense and less moist than the pumpkin. To me, this sort of texture is appropriate for the tangier buttermilk flavor of the red velvet cake. I almost liked the cream cheese frosting better when paired with the less sweet red velvet because the flavor contrast was more apparent. Verdict? Also very good.

The chocolate cupcake was topped with a rich, fudgey ganache that could be its own dessert. I am not always fond of ganache as a cupcake topping. If the cake is very dense, the ganache can be overkill. Thankfully, We Make Cupcakes makes an excellent chocolate cake. It is very moist and fluffy with a pleasant chocolate flavor. The ganache was a smooth, rich counterpart.

The vanilla cupcake was not your typical vanilla cupcake. The cake had a very subtle sweetness and a hearty texture that somewhat reminded me of a corn muffin. The smoothness of the Swiss buttercream frosting was a nice accompaniment to the substantial cake.

We Make Cupcakes makes several other flavors that I am excited to try, namely the Lemon, the Snickerdoodle, and definitely the Roasted Banana with Honey Cinnamon Frosting. Many thanks to Everett, Christina and Megan for allowing me to sample their creations. It was truly a treat. We Make Cupcakes can fill cupcake orders for any occasion. To see the full list of flavors and to inquire about ordering, check out their website.

Register to Bring Cupcakes!

2011-02-28T04:50:00.000-08:00

As you may already know, anyone, professional or amateur, is free to bring cupcakes to CupcakeCamp. If you are an amateur baker and would like to bring cupcakes, please read the instructions and complete the registration form here.

If you are a professional baker or bakery and would like to bring cupcakes, please email cupcakecampboston@gmail.com

Save the Date for CupcakeCamp 2011!!!!

2011-02-25T04:41:00.000-08:00

We are very excited to announce this year's date and location. CupcakeCamp Boston 2011 will be held on April 13th at the Center for Arts at the Armory. Mark your calendar! We are also very excited to announce that the wonderful and generous sponsor of CupcakeCamp Boston this year is King Arthur Flour. We are thrilled to have them working with us.

We will have much more info very soon, including the baker registration form. You can find all the latest news and information right here on the blog and be sure to follow us on Twitter. Can't wait to see you all there!

In the meantime, check out this video of last year's CupcakeCamp.

Video of CupcakeCamp 2010

2011-01-10T08:51:00.001-08:00

Want to relive the awesome times had at CupcakeCamp Boston 2010? Take a look at this great video!

Become a Fan of CupcakeCamp on Facebook!

2010-11-29T18:25:00.000-08:00

CupcakeCamp Boston is now on Facebook! Become a fan!

It's been a while since you heard from us, but we'll soon be gearing up for CupcakeCamp Boston 2011. Like us on Facebook to stay up to date on news and announcements.

THANK YOU!!!!

2010-04-18T16:59:00.000-07:00

In addition to all of the talented bakers and enthusiastic eaters, CupcakeCamp Boston would not have happened without a group of amazing people who helped out in myriad ways. Without further ado, an enormous thank you to:

Erin Wetherell and Rob Foley

Christine Liu

Gerry from PA's Lounge

Emily Silver and Sean Lewis-Faupel

Leah Edelman

Mark Orlowski

Anita, Lisa and Jen

Alex Boroda

David Garabedian

Linda Hetzer and Michael Ginsburg

CupcakeCamp Boston would not have happened without you and I hope that you will all be a part of CupcakeCamp Boston 2011.

Raffle Winners!!

2010-04-18T15:11:00.001-07:00

The CupcakeCamp raffle winners have been drawn! Congrats to Ashley M., Becky M., Lanni I., Susan P., Kathy C., David G., Elena M., and Maryanne M. A special thank you to Mix Bakery, Couture Cupcakes, Sweet, Treat Cupcake Bar, Cherry Bomb Bakery, Party Favors for donating gift certificates to the raffle, and to Johnny Cupcakes for donating T shirts.

Congrats again to the winners. Proceeds from the raffle will be donated to CitySprouts, a non-profit organization that develops and maintains school gardens in Cambridge. Read more about them here.

The Bakers Behind CupcakeCamp Boston

2010-04-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

This post is dedicated to the amazing bakers without whom CupcakeCamp Boston would not have happened. An enormous thank you to Kelly Paszamant of Mix Bakery, Michele Moore of Couture Cupcakes, Eric Bertelsen of Sin Cupcakes, Amy Humphrey of Cupcake Fetish, Adie Sprague of Treat, Kerri Delaney of Babycakes, Colin Cunningham of Cherry Bomb Bakery, Deb Flanagan of Sugar Bakery, Renee McLeod of Petsi Pies, Nick Peruzzi of Sweet, Mary Lynn and John of Party Favors, Charles of Fiore's, George Montilio of Montilio's, Liz O'Neil of Sadie's, and John Milone of Fratelli's.

Below is a list of the bakeries and businesses that you sampled last night, along with their websites, should you want to contact them and try more of their cupcakes!

Babycakes

http://www.babycakesshop.net/

163 Beale Street
Quincy, MA 02170
(617) 773-4458

Cherry Bomb Bakery

http://www.cherrybombboston.com/

379 Washington Street

Brighton, MA, 02135

(413) 824 8769

Couture Cupcakes

http://www.couturecupcakesboston.com/

Cupcake Fetish Bakery

http://www.cupcakefetishbakery.com/

Fiore's

55 South Street

Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

(617) 524-9200

Fratelli's

http://www.fratellispastryshop.com/

25 Broad St

Quincy, MA 02169
617-328-7855

Mix Bakery

www.mixbakeryboston.com

Montilio's

http://www.montilios.com/

638 Adams Street

Quincy, MA

(617) 472-5500

Party Favors

http://www.partyfavorsbrookline.com/

356 Beacon Street
Brookline, MA 02446-3201
(617) 566-3330

Petsi Pies

http://www.petsipies.com/

31 Putnam Avenue

Cambridge, MA 02139

(617) 499-0801

Sadie's Designer Cakes

http://www.sadiescakes.com/

419 Hancock St

Quincy, MA 02139

(617) 770-CAKE

Sin Cupcakes

http://www.sincupcakes.com/

Sugar Bakery

http://www.sugarbakery.net/

1884 Centre Street
West Roxbury, MA 02132
(617) 327-8427

Sweet

http://www.sweetcupcakes.com/

49 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 247-2253

Treat Cupcake Bar

http://www.treatcupcakebar.com/

1450 Highland Ave

Needham, MA

And a few pictures of some of the fantastic bakers who made it out to CupcakeCamp.

CupcakeCamp Boston - A Success!

2010-04-16T20:01:00.000-07:00

CupcakeCamp Boston took place last night and it was a huge success!! The line of cupcake eaters started forming well before 7pm, and stretched down the block. Luckily everyone got in and there were plenty of cupcakes to go around. Thank you to everyone who brought cupcakes to share and everyone who came to enjoy the cupcakes!

The final tally is...

470 cupcake eaters and approximately 3,000 cupcakes!

We hope you enjoyed CupcakeCamp. It was nothing short of a pleasure to put this event together and see all the happy and satisfied attendants. We look forward to planning the next CupcakeCamp Boston. I received a lot of comments last night along the lines of "This is amazing, will it happen again?!" and "Wow, this should happen every week!" The truth is, CupcakeCamp happens because of the enthusiasm and generosity of all the participants. As long as you guys keep wanting to share your cupcakes and celebrate them, CupcakeCamps will keep happening.

Be sure to check out the flickr pool and add any photos that you took last night.

Below are a few, courtesy of Michael Ginsburg.

View the rest here (soon to be added to the pool).

Become a fan of CupcakeCamp Boston on Facebook to get updates about future CupcakeCamp events.

Once again, thank you to everyone who came out last night. Coming up tomorrow: raffle winners, thank yous and shout outs to all of the phenomenal bakers.

CupcakeCamp Boston in the Globe!!!

2010-04-14T20:06:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it, CupcakeCamp Boston was in the Boston Globe today!!!

She takes the cupcake

Elizabeth Ginsburg is the organizer of Boston CupcakeCamp, which will feature 70 amateur bakers and at least 10 to 15 professional bakers, bakeries, and caterers. (Yoon S. Byun/Globe Staff)

By Courtney Hollands

Globe Staff / April 14, 2010

What’s small, crowd-pleasing, and frosted all over? A cupcake, of course. Get your fill of these sugary confections at CupcakeCamp tomorrow night at P.A.’s Lounge in Somerville. The informal gathering started in San Francisco in 2008, and has since spread to Montreal, Philadelphia, and even Adelaide, Australia. The CupcakeCamp concept is simple: Amateur and professional bakers make cupcakes to share, and attendees eat them. Elizabeth Ginsburg, 23, knew she had to organize one in Boston after nibbling her way through New York’s inaugural camp last spring. We chatted with the Porter Square resident and self-described foodie (she tweets @FreeFoodBoston) about the event and cream cheese frosting.

Read the full article here.

Fratelli's Pastry Shop

2010-04-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

Fratelli's Pastry Shop, with locations in Quincy and Weymouth, will be joining in the cupcake fun.

Their tagline is "Our Family Bakes For Yours" and do they ever! Their desserts include cheesecakes, mini pastry, tortes, cookies, and more.

Check out Fratelli's website and read their rave reviews on yelp.

Fiore's Italian Bakery Has Joined the Bandwagon

2010-04-09T15:59:00.000-07:00

Fiore's Italian Bakery, located in Jamaica Plain just south of Boston, will be donating cupcakes to CupcakeCamp. Fiore's offers a wide array of baked goods, but they are particularly well known for their vegan selections, including cupcakes, scones and pizza.

Read what people have to say about Fiore's here.

Mix Bakery

2010-04-09T13:33:00.000-07:00

Mix Bakery is a boutique bakery specializing in personal-sized treats. You can find owner Kelly Paszamant in her home studio in Boston’s South End baking custom orders--from crazy cannoli cupcakes to classic vanilla/vanilla (her personal favorite). Mix will be bringing oh-so-tasty s’mores cupcakes to CupcakeCamp, but check out the pictures below for a few other treats in the Mix collection.

Registration Extended! And a Raffle!!

2010-04-09T04:33:00.000-07:00

I have two pieces of news for all you CupcakeCampers. First, the deadline for cupcake registration has been extended!!! You now have until Monday, April 12th to register to bring cupcakes to CupcakeCamp Boston. Complete the registration for here.

And more exciting news, we at CupcakeCamp Boston have to decided to host a raffle during the event. You can enter to win one of several gift certificates good for a dozen cupcakes at several local cupcake shops. I'll have more details for you soon, including the specific shops donating the gift certificates.

See you all next Thursday!!

Couture Cupcakes

2010-04-07T07:34:00.000-07:00

Couture Cupcakes is our latest addition to CupcakeCamp Boston. Couture Cupcakes is a boutique cupcakery operated by self-proclaimed "Cupcakeista" Michele Moore. Michele started Couture Cupcakes in 2009 as a passion project to satisfy her friends' sweet tooth (and hers). Couture Cupcakes creates custom-ordered cupcakes ranging from Irish Car Bombs to the signature S'mores cupcakes and changes menu offerings seasonally.

Michele will be bringing along her signature S'mores cupcake, along with Creamsicle and Banana Cream Pie cupcakes.

You can learn more about Couture Cupcakes on their website or on their Facebook page.

Brighton Will Soon be Home to Cherry Bomb Bakery

2010-04-06T17:47:00.000-07:00

CupcakeCampers will get a sneak peak at one of Boston's newest cupcake shops. In late April, Cherry Bomb Bakery will be opening in Brighton Centre. With a 50s retro vibe, Cherry Bomb aims to offer large and small scale catering, and in house seating and eating in a fun and funky atmosphere complete with full coffee service. They hope to be 30-40 percent vegan and offer a vegan version of any cupcake on the menu. Cherry Bomb has a long list of inventive cupcake flavors that includes Ginger Bread Pudding, Piña Colada, S'mores, Toffee Carrot Cake, Pecan Sandie, Tiramisu, Canoli, and Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

Sin Cupcakes

2010-04-06T15:17:00.000-07:00

Sin Cupcakes, based in Malden, MA, bakes treats that are decadent and delicious, and avoids the "sweet and cute" image commonly found in cupcakes. Says owner Eric Bertelsen, "The history of my business goes back to when I was a kid baking with my grandmother. She had a way of creating amazing cakes without ever following a recipe or measuring the ingredients. She had a knack for baking, and I believe that you’ll find that I inherited her talent." CupcakeCampers will be happy to sample the Ultimate Sin (Red Velvet), the Aztec Demon (Chocolate with chili and cinnamon), and the Innocent Angel (white cake with buttercream frosting).

Whoa Baby! Babycakes Cupcakes Will Be At CupcakeCamp

2010-04-06T14:48:00.000-07:00

Babycakes bakery of Quincy, MA will be gracing CupcakeCamp Boston with a selection of their delectable cupcakes. CupcakeCampers will be able to sample their Vanilla Vanilla, Chocolate Chocolate, Snowball, and Chocolate Caramel cupcakes, among others. Owner Kerri Delaney opened the shop in 2007 and has been making Boston area sweet tooths happy ever since.

Sadie's Designer Cakes and Pastries

2010-04-05T08:03:00.000-07:00

Sadie's Designer Cakes and Pastries, located on Hancock Street in Quincy, will be sending cupcakes to CupcakeCamp. Sadie's offers a wide assortment of pastries at their shop, in addition to elaborate custom made wedding cakes, and of course, cupcakes. Owner Liz O'Neil is happy to participate and says to everyone coming to CupcakeCamp, "Have fun!"
Read more about Sadies here.

CupcakeCamp Welcomes 53 Year Old Boston Institution, Montilio's

2010-04-05T04:35:00.000-07:00

Montilio's of Boston is coming to CupcakeCamp! Located in Quincy, the bakery was established in 1947 and specializes in French and Italian cakes and pastries as well as world-class wedding cakes. In the past 50 years, Montilio's has provided cake for several momentous occasions, including the inaugural balls of Presidents Kennedy, Reagan, and Bush. Montilio's was even served to Pope John Paul at the Vatican, and President Kennedy's wedding cake was baked by Ernest Montilio himself. Read more about the impressive history of Montilio's here.

We are so happy to welcome George Montilio and the rest of the Montilio's team.

Sweet!

2010-04-02T08:57:00.000-07:00

Sweet is coming to CupcakeCamp! Sweet cupcakes are baked fresh each morning with the finest quality ingredients. Awarded Boston's Best Cupcakes in 2009 by the Improper Bostonian, Sweet welcomes cupcake enthusiasts to taste their carefully handcrafted delights in a wide variety of flavors - including daily favorites and seasonally-inspired creations, Sweet often serves up more than 15 flavors at both locations, Boston's Back Bay and the heart of Harvard Square. Cupcake Campers will be able to sample their signature Red Velvet, Sweet Cake, and Dark Chocolate, as well as some cheerful new Spring flavors!
Visit their website to learn more.

Get a sneak peek at Treat at CupcakeCamp

2010-03-23T18:38:00.001-07:00

A sweet new addition is coming to Needham this Spring. Treat Cupcake Bar will be opening in May right in Needham Center, just a few miles outside of Boston. They're coming to CupcakeCamp and rumor has it they're bringing Red Velvet cupcakes and Chocolate cupcakes. Sounds delicious! Below are pictures of their scrumptious Bailey's cupcake and carrot cupcakes. Read more about Treat on their Facebook page.

Sugar Bakery of West Roxbury is coming!

2010-03-10T06:17:00.000-08:00

Have you tried the cupcakes from West Roxbury's Sugar Bakery? Well, you will soon! They've confirmed their attendance at CupcakeCamp. They're bringing as many as 20 different kinds of cupcakes!!! Any special requests? Flavors include Caramel, Lemon, Reverse Boston Cream Pie, Mallomar, and Fluffa Nutter.
Read more about Sugar Bakery here

Petsi Pies is coming to CupcakeCamp Boston!!

2010-03-04T17:55:00.000-08:00

Some of your favorite bakeries in Boston will be coming to share cupcakes. Petsi Pies, home of the signature Coconut and Whoopie Pie cupcakes, as well as their stellar Red Velvet and Carrot cupcakes, has confirmed their attendance. We're so excited they will be joining us!

Petsi Pies has a location on Beacon St. in Somerville and on Putnam Ave in Cambridge.

Read more about Petsi Pies here and follow them on Twitter, @PetsiPies and @PutnamPetsiPies.

Announcing CupcakeCamp Boston!!!!!

2010-03-03T19:30:00.000-08:00

CupcakeCamp Boston has arrived!!! Please join us Thursday April 15th, 2010 at 7:00pm at PA's Lounge in Union Square, Somerville. Join the facebook event at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=340782659428&ref=nf CupcakeCamp is a free and open gathering of people who enjoy cupcakes. Attendees are encouraged to bring cupcakes, but it is not required. If you are interested in coming and/or bringing cupcakes, please complete the registration form here http://bit.ly/b1pekG Please email questions to cupcakecampboston@gmail.com. Stay tuned for more news and announcements. Hope to see you there!

CupcakeCamp Boston coming soon!

2010-01-11T11:22:00.000-08:00

CupcakeCamp Boston is coming this February! We will need plenty of cupcake bakers, volunteers, and eaters. If you have suggestions for a venue or would like to host it, email cupcakecampboston@gmail.com

In the meantime, check out pictures from last year's Cupcake Camp in NYC here.