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Let’s Celebrate, Cupcake! (Winners Announced)

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WhatsNewCupcakeWhat’s New, Cupcake? author Karen Tack and I go back a long way.  In fact we both got our start in the Cook’s Magazine test kitchen (long before it morphed into Cook’s Illustrated). It was the late 80’s and Maggy and Sharon were just toddlers. Karen’s two nearly grown sons–Erik and Liam–were still very future.

At the magazine Karen and I both loved to cook, but I was drawn to writing while Karen realized she had the food styling gene.  We were both at Cook’s when it folded, and she and I spent the summer of 1990 joyfully unemployed.

For a time we went our own ways. I moved to Restaurant Business Magazine and then Cook’s Illustrated while Karen honed her skills as a first-rate food stylist. All those gorgeous cookies and cakes you see on national magazine covers. They’re likely her work.

Early nineties, our paths crossed again when Karen worked with me on my Cook’s Illustrated articles which ultimately became The Perfect Recipe. By then I had moved to Pennsylvania, so Karen, along with her adorable dog, Scout (that’s him on the cover of her first book,Hello, Cupcake!) would make the two-hour journey from Connecticut. We worked intensely long and hard on her three-day visits, and by the end we usually had a pretty perfect recipe to show for it. That’s when I got to know Karen really well.

Then Erik was born and he started making the weekly trip with Karen and Scout.  Erik was such a good baby. He mostly let us do our thing. Karen cooked while I documented our work. Occasionally he’d end up on my back in a baby sling while I was at the computer.

Good things always come to an end. Eventually the trips became cumbersome and complicated, so Karen and I had to part again. These days we don’t see one another nearly enough, but when we do we always pick back up where we started.

Thank you, Karen, for what you’ve done for me over the years. And thanks for sharing your talent and humor in Hello, Cupcake! and now What’s New, Cupcake?.

To celebrate Karen’s success, we’ve got five copies of What’s New, Cupcake? to give away. Simply tell us your favorite cupcake flavor. (If you haven’t already noticed, mine’s chocolate peanut butter!)

Deadline is this Sunday, May 16th at 6:00 PM ET. (Shh! Maggy’s birthday.) We’ll announce winners no later than 6:00 PM ET on Monday, May 17th.

Winners are:

#5 Margaret

#12 Laura

#41 Heather Bonner

#65 Ken Davis

#99 Kelli B

who have all been notified. Congratulations you five and thank you all for playing!

About Pam Anderson

Pam Anderson considers herself Every Cook. A New York Times bestselling author, she has been cooking nearly everyday for over 30 years. With seven published books, she brings satisfying recipes and sage advice to both novice and veteran cooks. Whether you’re on a quest for the perfect brownie, wanting to get dinner on the table effortlessly, hoping to entertain more simply, attempting to shed pounds permanently, or looking to eat delicious meatless, Pam can help. AARP’s official food expert, she is a chef contributor at Runner’s World magazine. Pam is former Executive Editor of Cook’s Illustrated magazine. Her food articles have appeared in many food magazines. She teaches cooking classes across the country and appears frequently on TV and radio. She currently is blogging at her new site, Copper House Events.

100 Comments

  2. Stephanie Schiltz says

    Carrot cake! I like to fool myself into thinking I’m eating healthy! Thank you for the opportunity to win “What’s New , Cupcake”. Stephanie-Oh

    Reply

  4. Vicky says

    My favourite is a toffee cupcake, served in a red-and-white-striped tub-style cupcake wrapper, topped with toffee popcorn. It looks like a little tub of popcorn, but no! It’s cake. Genius.

    Reply

  11. susan says

    I never like to be typical, but to be honest, I’m in the chocolate camp — and that’s why I’m making Pam’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes very soon!!

    Reply

  12. Laura says

    Lemon filled with lemon curd and topped with a lighly lemon buttercream. You can never have too much lemon! 🙂

    Reply

  13. Rose in Ohio (@RoseMillsOhio) says

    My cupcake-making friend makes beautiful, fresh-tasting key lime cupcakes with lightly browned meringue on top, and they have won my heart.

    Also love Karen Tack’s “Hello, Cupcake!” and it looks like she’s got another winner with “What’s New Cupcake?” Keep ’em coming!

    Reply

  16. Melissa Eimers says

    Hmmm….not so much favorite cupcake flavor but I like any cupcake that tastes good with butter cream icing! 😉 I guess my favorite is vanilla or lemon for the cake part.

    Reply

  18. Catherine says

    It’s an out-of-the-box mix, but I love those funfetti cupcakes, with vanilla cream cheese icing (store-bought funfetti icing is also great). What do they put in there to make those confettis??

    Reply

  20. Cathy says

    I’m not good with absolute favorites so my top two would be chocolate and red velvet, although I do love white cake with butter cream frosting. Like I said…

    Reply

  29. BeckiReve' says

    As the mother of a five-year-old, I’ve developed a fondness for “Dora the Explorer’s” favorite—chocolate with pink (cherry) frosting.

    Reply

  35. Diane says

    I am palin and simple – a really good vanilla cupcake with chocolate icing. So many memories enjoying one as a child!

    Reply

  41. Heather Bonner says

    Chocolate all the way! I am dying to try more chocolate cupcake recipes with chocolate frostings. Never tried peanut butter frosting but it sounds SO good!

    Reply

  43. Wanda B says

    any cupcake baked by a grandchild with their mommy. My 3 yr. old grandgirl loves to point to the photos of which cupcakes she wants to make. I buy HER cupcake books :o)

    Reply

  47. Allyson says

    I’m a new convert to Vanilla cupcakes– all my life I have been chocolate, chocolate, chocolate– I like the visual of white cake,white frosting and then a bright pop of sanding sugar.

    Reply

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