Cupcake Interview: Kelli from Lovescool

Today's cupcake interviewee is our very special guest Kelli Bernard, who runs the fabulous dessert website Lovescool (and will be interviewing your favorite cupcake bloggers on her site very soon). We've raved about her site and are big fans, so please check it out for all your gooey dessert wants and needs (including a Magnolia Bakery review.

On a personal note, after the purchase of all kinds of gooey concoctions, flour, sugar, baking soda, and yummy treats (though the hunt continutes today for unsweetened cocoa powder and vanilla extract), the kitchen is almost ready for the cupcake baking invasion. To many of you, this is no big deal, but for me it's a major undertaking, so I had to let you know. Tomorrow will be the best test. I also got a tip yesterday - if you don't have any toothpicks to dip into your cupcakes to test whether they're done, you can also use spaghetti!

Name: Kelli Bernard
Age: 25
Location: New York City
Occupation: Information Architect
URL: Lovescool - For the Love of Desserts

How often do you eat cupcakes?

My answer may get me expelled from the cupcake club, but I only eat cupcakes every couple months. There are so many delicious desserts I have to give a little attention to them all.

What's the best thing about eating cupcakes?

The colors and massive amounts of frosting. I always eat a cupcake from the bottom up. I also love bringing them to lunch and dinner parties and watching the adults fight off the kids for first pick.

What's your favorite type of cupcake?

Definitely yellow cake with chocolate frosting. I want the thick kind of chocolate frosting, not that wimpy whipped cream stuff. I also love the special coconut meringue cupcakes Magnolia had recently.

What's your favorite place to get cupcakes?

I have to go back to my home town of Los Angeles for this one. A local valley shop named Bea's Bakery serves cupcakes with the best chocolate frosting around. They don't look as beautiful as the New York variety, but they win in taste.

How do cupcakes compare/contrast to other baked goods for you?

They're not quite as rich as my favorite dessert, brownies, but still satisfy my dessert cravings. Since they're individually packed they are somewhat "portion controlled", so I tend to stop at just one cupcake as opposed to a few cookies, brownies, etc.

Is there any innovation you'd like to see made to the cupcake that would improve it for you?

I think it's time that cupcake shops take a tip from Hostess and bring fillings into the picture. I think it would be great to get a cupcake filled with fruit, whipped cream, custard, or chocolate. Andrew (co-author of Lovescool) suggested serving cupcakes without the paper, and I think there's something to that. Why do we have to get through an extra layer before reaching the good stuff?

Do you bake your own cupcakes? Or (even better) have someone who bakes them for you?

I do bake my own cupcakes, and often make the Red
Velvet Cupcakes from the Buttercup Bakeshop cookbook
. For the next IMBB event I'm going to try Alice Medrich's chocolate raspberry cupcakes.

What's your first cupcake-related memory?

My mom would always buy the chocolate cupcakes from Bea's Bakery for family birthdays. 10 birthday cupcakes are much more fun than one big birthday cake.

What's the most fun you've ever had with a cupcake?

Andrew and I went to the Buttercup bakeshop for breakfast just after we moved to New York. I went in and ordered 1 cupcake, figuring I'd have some self control and just try one to start. Andrew (aka Mr. "Eats to Live") ordered 3 and figured we should try a variety to find the ones we like best. I must be hanging out with the right person because thanks to him I tried the red velvet and it has since become my favorite. That was a fun trip to a great cupcake shop.

Any other thoughts on the topic?

Keep up the good work on your site! Thanks.

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