Sprinkling Sweetness One Cupcake at a Time #TheSprinklesBakingBook #Giveaway

“Life is meant to be sweet,” says The Sprinkles Baking Book author, Candace Nelson. With her coast-to-coast Sprinkles cupcakes franchise, Candace has sweetened the lives of countless customers. Including Disney fans who are familiar with the Sprinkles Cupcakes sold at The Happiest Place on Earth.

Sprinkles Cupcakes opened its doors for the first time in 2005 in Beverly Hills, CA. Sprinkles Ice Cream came along in 2012. Both stores sell delectable cookies. A frequent visitor to the Beverly Hills store, a decision of which cupcake to buy never gets easier. Intensifying the situation is Sprinkle’s chocolate chip cookie. (Peanut butter and oatmeal cookies are also options.)

The fantabulous recipe for the store’s chocolate chip cookie is revealed in The Sprinkles Baking Book. Sprinkles has mastered the art of the soft cookie. I attempted to replicate the deep chocolaty chip cookie. The perfection purchased at Sprinkles was not achieved. However, the flavors were familiar and heavenly. Next time, I’ll try for larger scoops of dough. Perhaps I’ll come closer to the Sprinkles cookie sold in Beverly Hills.

I also made the chai latte cupcakes from The Sprinkles Baking Book. Here I found greater success. Sprinkles chai latte cupcakes transcend American spice cakes with tantalizing Asian accents. The texture of the cake, the crumb was identical to Sprinkles Cupcakes. Yay! The chai latte frosting was fantastic, too. A more generous dollop will top the cupcakes next time. In my haste to try the recipes, I missed the page where Candace Nelson shows how to frost cupcakes Sprinkles style.

Besides practical tips, The Sprinkles Baking Book has beautiful photographs. The kind that inspire. The sort that motivate me to make every single one! Candace Nelson’s training at Tante Marie’s professional pastry program in San Francisco is evident.  Her explanations of how to make divine desserts are clear. She is an expert. No wonder her opinion on Food Network’s Cupcake Wars was revered. (Fun fact: Previous to the food world, Candace Nelson was an investment banker!) 

The Sprinkles Baking Book is sorted into 13 neat chapters. Here’s an alternative way to navigate the book.

There’s No Place Like Home Sprinkles

“Part of my childhood was spent living with my family abroad,” says Candace Nelson. “During those years baking became a way for me to reconnect with the all-American flavors that spoke to me sense of home.”

So well said! Baking from the Boys and Girls Betty Crocker Cookbook in Tokyo connected me to Nona. (Summer days in Colorado were spent with my grandmother who was a maestro in the kitchen.) Americana at its best is on full display in The Sprinkles Baking Book. Oh, yes and childhood comfort foods.

• Peanut Butter Chip Cupcakes, Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars, Peanut Butter Pretzel Banana Cake (perfect for Elvis fans!) Peanut Butter & Grape Nuts Cookies (So looking forward to making this cookie combo.)
• Mrs. Fields-Inspired Chocolate Chip Cookies Cakes plus variations of the classic chocolate cake and chocolate chip cookie
• Yellow Birthday Cake with Chocolate Frosting (My husband’s childhood favorite.)
• Cinnamon Sugar Cupcakes
• Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes, Blueberry Buckle, Strawberry Shortcakes…
• and so much more!

Globetrotting Sprinkles

Candace credits her love (and recipe) for pavlova to her “friends from Australia and New Zealand.” She also adds interesting tidbits of history: “Pavlova (was) named for a famous Russian ballerina whose visit Down Under caused quite a stir.”

Besides, pavlova the Sprinkles owner’s international savvy shines through in:

• Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake
• Ricotta Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
• Nutella Rice Krispies Treats
• Date-Honey Sesame Bars…and so much more!

Sparkly Celebrity Sprinkles

You know you’re established in the Hollywood scene when:
Barbara Streisand calls for an order of her favorite cupcakes to bring to Oprah.
Reese Witherspoon shares her Grandma Draper’s Sour Cream Cake with
Praline Frosting.
And Michael Strahan’s Mom’s Butter Cake recipe is handed over…and so much more!

California Conscious Sprinkles

Is it gluten-free, vegan, raw, sugar free, dairy free, clean??? Questions heard on a daily basis in LA-LA Land. No wonder the Sprinkles owner had her movie star pals contribute healthy AND scrumptious recipes.

• Julia Robert’s Banana Hemp Heart Muffins
• Jessica Alba’s “I’m in Love with the Coco”
• Vegan Carrot Birthday Cake & Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
• Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Grain-Free Cinnamon Apple Cake…and so much more!

Besides the beautiful photos, recipes and practical tips, The Sprinkles Baking Book is full of fun stories. Couples who got engaged in front of her Beverly Hills store; family anecdotes; and Candace’s work with celebrities and charities. This is definitely a book for bakers and anyone who loves Sprinkles Cupcakes! Click here for The Sprinkles Baking Book giveaway AND the scrumptious Sprinkles Chai Latte Cupcake recipe.

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