Sugar and Spice by Sheryl Berk

popular muffin, the apple walnut muffin. When I thought about what everyone loves about this muffin, I created a cupcake using the same flavor profile of tart apples and cranberries with the warm spice combination of an apple pie. Perfection!
    Carrie: You’ve judged The Next Great Baker for Cake Boss—I know, because I was one of the kids helping judge that episode! In your opinion, what makes a great cake?
    Bobbie: I had so much fun as a judge on The Next Great Baker . The bakers and decorators that competed on the show came with a huge variation in skill levels. Some were better bakers, and some were better at decorating with no baking skill at all. For me, a cake is all about taste and texture, but of course you want the cake to be beautiful. In the end, you are eating a cake after all. To make the amazing sculptural cakes for the show, you have to use fondant and other ingredients that may not taste great but provide the structure you need for a large cake.
    Carrie: Magnolia has a really great way of frosting its cupcakes. Can you share your secret?
    Bobbie: There really are no secrets to the famous Magnolia swirl. It takes hours to learn the technique, which is a ten-step process. The right type of buttercream, the right texture, and of course, the right tools will set you on the right path. Then it’s just hours of practice. I compare our process to Olympic training. We make it look easy in the end because we are fast and consistent, but there are hours of practice behind what we make look so easy.
    Carrie: How many Magnolia stores are there?
    Bobbie: There are five in NYC, one in Chicago, and one in LA. We have eight stores in the Middle East, and one each in Japan, Moscow, and Mexico City. In 2015 we have about another eighteen stores planned to open.
    Carrie: How can we get some of those Magnolia recipes to bake at home? Do you have a cookbook?
    Bobbie: The original owner of Magnolia Bakery, Allysa Torrey, has three books. The most recent one is called The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook . You can find it at www.magnoliabakery.com or your favorite bookstore.
    Carrie: Thanks so much, Bobbie!

    Me, my camp bestie Ally, and Magnolia Bakery’s Bobbie Lloyd

    Bobbie Lloyd

Many thanks to our family, the Berks, Saps, and Kahns! Jason: you always wanted a boy to be in PLC… We gave you Herbie! Brad: our new robotics whiz of an advisor was inspired by you (minus the red hair!).
    Many thanks to Carrie’s TDS teachers and friends! Ms. McNally, Ms. Murphy, Ms. Rathbone, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Danenburg: hope you get a kick out of your “names” in the book ;-) What a great year it’s been in seventh grade!
    To our good friends at East Coast USA Pageants/East Coast Starz (http://eastcoaststarz.com/) for making Carrie feel beautiful and confident. You helped her find her voice, just like Lexi! You were our first pageant and will always have a special place in our hearts. Lauren Handler, Stacie Fitzgerald, Elizabeth Percy, and Mr. Tim, hugs and sprinkles! Now you’ve all been immortalized in the Cupcake Club! Lilly and Paige: you are the sweetest! We’ll be seeing you starring on Broadway and the big screen one day soon…
    Kim Gravel and the gang at Pageant Place (Amy, Allisyn, Miss Jo): You have the biggest hearts and the biggest crowns! We love you all and Kim of Queens . Kim, you are ah-may-zing . There is nothing you can’t do! We believe in you!
    Hannah Stark: Carrie is so glad she found her “sister.” Harleigh is for you! You are such an incredible, caring, loving, brilliant, sweet soul. We know your Barbie Mama is proud of you. We are too! Your faith is incredible.
    Amaryllis “Lilly” Rodriguez: our fave American Idol contender, pageant queen, and coach. You are such a star! Can we say we knew you when…?
    To Jennifer Curfman: We promised and here it is—your very own shout-out and your very own character (Miss Jen)! You have done the most amazing job