Janelle Dietrick has written "Diary of a Cupcake Shop"
Janelle Dietrick used to own a sweet, little cupcake bakery in Petaluma called Bijoux Cupcakes, where she came up with intriguing flavors like Hangover Helper, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Easter Sunrise.
Because so many women came into her shop and asked her what it was like to run it, Dietrick has written an ebook in the form of a one-year diary, “Diary of a Cupcake Shop: Expert Tips and Secret Recipes.”
The book includes 60 of her best-selling recipes, as well as a running commentary about what it’s like to sell happiness that fits in the palm of your hand. From running out of butter to learning how to make small talk with customers, Dietrick takes readers through the peaks and valleys of her journey as a cupcake queen.
With Easter just around the corner, the baker shared one of her customers’ favorite recipes for the season. Her Organic Carrot Cupcakes, nicknamed “Breakfast for Bunnies,” are made with carrots that have been cooked and pureed, for added moisture, then topped with a cream cheese frosting.
The ebook is available for $5.99 on Amazon for Kindle, Kobo and eBookPie. Those who do not have an ereader can download a free app to their computer from https://ebookstore.sony.com/download/.
Organic Carrot Cupcakes
Makes about 18 cupcakes
For the cupcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
¾ cup oil
1 pound organic baby carrots, peeled
For the cream cheese frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 ounces (2 cups) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch fine sea salt
Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Adjust oven rack to center position. Line muffin pan with baking cups.
Steam carrots until tender and puree in food processor. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.
Beat eggs and sugar with whisk attachment for about 5 minutes until thick and pale yellow. Add oil in a stream. Remove bowl from mixer ad fold in dry ingredients by hand in two or three batches. Fold in pureed carrots.
Scoop into baking cups with a ¼ cup ice cream scoop.
Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.
Make the frosting: Cream butter and cream cheese together. Gradually add powdered sugar. Add vanilla and salt. Beat on high speed for about 2 minutes until frosting turns white and you can no longer feel the grains of powdered sugar on your tongue.
Assemble the cupcakes: Frost the cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting. To frost, fit pastry bag with a plain tip and fill about halfway with frosting. Twist the top of the pastry bag closed and push the frosting down into the tip. Squeeze the bag until you force out the air, twisting the top a little bit more. Holding your bag at a 90-degreeangle to the cupcake, start piping in the middle of the cupcake and then go out to the side, then pipe in a swirl, ending in the center. This technique of starting in the center and going out to the side hides that toe of frosting by tucking it under the swirl. Apply a decorating carrot in orange and green frosting, if desired.
