From the harried hipsters rushing in and out of sauna rooms in hot pursuit of sugary treasure, to the anxious bakers quickly trying to unload the fruits of their painstaking labor onto any remaining bar space, the East Village’s Happy Ending club was a frenzy of activity last Friday. The “what” was Cupcake Camp NYC, the “who” was a mass of people, comprised of bakers who hailed from all over the country and “eaters,” most of whom were local Manhattanites. In my personal experience, it was one of the most hectic, claustrophobic and confusing events I have ever attended. I am pretty certain the experience was the result of one enormous and collective sugar rush. Needless to say, I couldn’t get my cupcakes out of their carriers and onto their displays, fast enough. I actually opted against unloading my 4-tiered “cupcake tower,” and chose to leave my “Chunky Monkey Cupcakes” in their respective container. (I later regretted this decision when the same container was stolen… not cool.) Because of the pace at which I had to unload my goods, this meant that any photos had to also be taken with great speed. Unfortunately I wasn’t quick enough to get my camera out of my purse and was only able snap some pictures with my Blackberry. Thank you so much to Kelli Iassogna who was able to get a real picture for me!
Despite the fact that the evening was not quite what I expected, I did have a good time and met some fantastic people! Not only did I get to chat with Jennifer Appel (founder of Magnolia Bakery and Buttercup Bake Shop), but I also got to swap baking tips with the incredibly sweet Jennifer Ross, author of The Icing on the Cupcake. Meeting those two was totally awesome, but I would be remiss if I did not mention the awesome little cakes that I got to eat and admire!
First off, Kelli Iassogna’s “Samoa Cupcake” was hands-down, the best one I tried all night and basically just outrageous! Her friend Jodie brought a “Thin Mint Cupcake,” also delicious. Someone made a “Vanilla-Spiced Cupcake with Maple Frosting” that was really great, and I bit into an incredibly rich “Chocolate-Orange Cupcake,” but don’t know who made either of those. Anny of annycakes.com, made some of the most beautiful and ornate cupcakes I have ever seen and understandably ran out, before I was able to eat one.
If you like what you’ve read so far and want to know more, click below for pictures of the NYC camp and information on the upcoming Cupcake Camp New Haven!
Lauren
I apologize for the poor quality of these pictures but I really did my best!
Here are my “Bellini Cupcakes” right before they left for the city.
Vanilla cake with icing made from peach puree, pear juice, fresh raspberries and powdered sugar. Yum!
These are my “Chunky Monkey Cupcakes;” banana cake with my “Spiced Peanut Butter Buttercream,” chocolate chunks and each topped with a slice of fried banana. Disregard all of the mail/papers on my kitchen table! So embarrassing!
The pretty little cupcakes at their final destination…
Ladies and gentlemen: New York legend, Jennifer Appel.
The fabulous Jennifer Ross.
After a car ride home of e-mails and brainstorming, Kelli and Jodie have decided to organize a CT edition of Cupcake Camp, right here in New Haven!! So cool, right? The plan is to pull off a more organized and interactive event!! The ladies are currently looking for a poster designer, sponsors, bakers and all-around cupcake lovers! Check out the website here, and register for your FREE tickets today!
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Fortunately in the midst of all the insanity, I got a chance to visit my amazingly talented friend Alice (more on her, very soon), in the West Hartford area. Not only did we have a seriously delicious lunch at Besito, but she also took me to visit a diary farm in Simsbury, where I had the most incredible American ice cream that I have ever tasted. I do not use such praise lightly and Tulmeadow Dairy Farm, has without a doubt, made it to the to the number one spot of my top three. (The Inside Scoop, formerly Brickley’s in North Kingstown, RI is now #2 and Mike’s Ice Cream In Hood River, OR is #3.) When I tell you this place took the joy of eating ice cream to an entirely new level, it literally took the joy of eating ice cream to an ENTIRELY new level! It was deliciously creamy and rich while still tasting so very fresh, similar to an Italian gelato.
