We met Erin at our most recent cupcake meetup at Baked in Brooklyn. She was super friendly and enthusiastic, and was one of our Eat This! contest winners, and showed us some truly gorgeous cupcake photos of her creations on her camera. So here we present an interview with a really huge cupcake fan (okay, you are all probably really huge cupcake fans!), Erin Phraner.
Name: Erin Phraner
Age: 19
Location: New York, NY
Occupation: Student
URL: http://blogs.nyu.edu/blogs/eep247/ny/
What makes you so excited about cupcakes?
Like Magnolia’s new t-shirt says, “Cupcakes make people happy.” There is an air of bliss that surrounds these tiny little treats that can coax out a smile from even the most somber of folks! I consider that to be really special. Maybe part of their appeal is due to their versatility. From simple yellow cake to daring flavor combinations like ginger and honeydew, there’s a cupcake to tickle anyone’s fancy out there. Cupcake fans are dreaming up new flavors every day. How could I not be excited about that?
You bake a variety of desserts; what’s the special appeal of cupcakes?
I’ve always liked to think that I’m a bit of an updated throwback of a woman from the 1940’s or 50’s. I love vintage with a new twist. I feel like cupcakes today are just that! They are nostalgic and yet people keep recreating them to be fresh, imaginative and completely avant-garde. It’s no longer just “the cupcake.” Now, as you flip through cookbooks or such recipes online, there are all of these interesting ingredients to put under the cake, inject into the cake, smear on top of the cake underneath the icing. The sweet little cupcake can now be synonyms with risk taking! But that’s the beauty of it. The cupcake is so petite that you CAN experiment with rather wacky ingredients and not worry about creating seven layer of disasters three hours into your project. They can be cute. They can be sassy. They can be bold. Cupcakes are where it’s at.
Where do you get your recipes?
My recipes come from all over the place. Martha is my idol/life so I try to use many of her recipes. Her recipes create super tasty treats, yet she doesn’t have that many cupcake recipes as compared to her other desserts. Oh, Martha. I do like to search online for recipes as well. That’s where you really find the most flavorful combinations. The Cupcakes by Chockylit blog is my favorite in terms of innovation. I check her site regularly to see what she’s whipping up. I love that there’s a story to go with each cake. The rest of the time, yes, I try to create my own recipes. Sometimes it’s taking a recipe I already have and tweaking it to fit my taste or the ingredient that I have available, other times I start from scratch. My most successful attempt so far is my red velvet cupcake. It’s like my baby now.
What’s your favorite of the cupcakes you’ve made so far?
Oh my goodness, this is such a difficult question. Well, I’d have to start out with my red velvet cupcake. I made it for my aunt’s big 4th of July BBQ and it was the crowd’s favorite. However, recently I made a lemon curd + cream cheese cupcake and an apple spice cupcake with salt caramel and maple frosting that were really yummy too.
Your cupcake photos are especially striking. Do you use any special techniques in creating them?
Luck. I have always been a “point-n-shoot” kind of a gal. Once I started taking pictures of my cupcakes, I just tried to mess around and push as many of the little buttons as possible until it looked right. Now I usually take my photos using the macro or micro (see, I don’t even know what it’s called) feature. Also, I try not to use a flash.
This may sound shamelessly self-promotional, but why do you like Cupcakes Take the Cake so much?
When it’s bitterly cold and raining outside, when everything during the day has gone wrong, when I sit at my desk looking ahead at hours of homework, Cupcakes Takes The Cake can still raise my spirit. Everything about the site is infused with happiness. It is a cupcake lover’s cyber mecca. I think it’s fantastic to hear about all of the new bakeries here in Manhattan, all over the country and all over the world. The external links that are included to those places are so helpful and really work to inspire me to stop studying and get into the kitchen. The links to the other cupcake bloggers as well⎯fabulous idea! What was supposed to be a 5 minute neuroscience break can turn into a 45 minute adventure into the cyber cupcakes realm. I think my point is, there is such a rich amount of information and resources all bundled into Cupcakes Take The Cake. As cupcake lovers yourselves, you know what we want out of a cupcake site and you never cease to deliver!
What’s your favorite cupcake bakery in New York City and why?
Magnolia, and I say that hesitantly because I know so many people find the bakery annoying and their cupcakes dry. In Magnolia’s defense (1) I would wait ANY amount of time for a cupcake, so line or no line the cupcakes are still wonderful for me. (2) I’ve personally never had a bad cupcake from Magnolia. I’ve heard people’s “horror stories” of dry cake, grainy icing or even too much icing (god forbid) but I cannot say that’s ever happened to me. Other than Magnolia, I really love the cupcakes at Babycakes. They’re not too sweet and there are some lovely flavors to choose from. They’re vegan, gluten- and dairy-free so you can even take your food allergy afflicted friends. Some people don’t like the icing because it’s made with honey instead of butter and sugar. However, after our last cupcake meet up I’d have to say Baked is now one of my favorites too, but that’s in Brooklyn. Does that still count?
And now for some personal questions…
How often do you eat cupcakes?
Every two weeks perhaps.
What's the best thing about eating cupcakes?
They're so small you can have more than one and try different flavors!
What's your favorite type of cupcake?
A cupcake appropriate sized one! I hate cupcakes that are like mini bread loaves; they’re supposed to be dainty. Red velvet is my favorite. However I also fancy chocolate, fruit, and nut flavors. Currently due to the season, I’m craving pumpkin and apple cupcakes.
How do cupcakes compare/contrast to other baked goods for you?
They have personality.
Is there any innovation you'd like to see made to the cupcake that would improve it for you?
I would really like to see another cupcake pan come out that isn’t quite as large as the normal size but not as small as the mini cupcakes. A “petite” cupcake pan perhaps.
Also, I’d love more improvements on disposable cupcake transportation. Martha just came out with a cupcake carrier in her new craft line at Michaels. The only problem, there is no Michaels in New York City. I’m always looking for cheap yet chic ways to carry cupcakes to parties or event, or when I’m giving cupcakes as gifts. We need something stylish, something study and something affordable.
Do you bake your own cupcakes? Or (even better) have someone who bakes them for you?
I’m a perfectionist so I have to bake my own. However, I do appreciate a quality cupcake crafted by someone else. As long as it’s not from a box or the icing hasn’t been scooped out of a tub.
What's your first cupcake-related memory?
My first cupcake memory was one of my birthdays as a toddler. I was born in the middle of the summer so my family had a big party out on my grandparents’ gorgeous boat. My mom made vanilla cupcakes in ice cream cones and decorated them with frosting and sprinkles. My cousins and I all squashed together around one side of the galley’s table. My mom placed this huge tray of cupcake ice cream cones in front of me. I just remember my complete wonder of having a cupcake IN an ice cream cone. There’s old photographs of my cousins and I all digging in, cupcake crumbs everywhere, icing all over us as we’re setting in our little bathing suits. Those were the good ‘ole days.
What's the most fun you've ever had with a cupcake?
I remember for a different birthday of mine, my mother and I made beach scene cupcakes for me to take into my class. It was so much fun using all of the candies and decorations to create something to share with everyone. To be honest, those cupcakes rocked⎯best cupcakes of the whole year, I was told by my classmates.
Recently, my cousin Isabelle celebrated her second birthday. All of her friends came over and they had a cupcake decorating party in the backyard. Of course, she covered her cupcake with mounds of candy and decorating gel, to the point where the adornment looked just as hefty as the cake itself. It looked like a Muppet had just exploded on her cupcake. Nonetheless, she just sat there with this gigantic smile on her face, so satisfied. It completely brought me back. It was really fantastic.
Name: Erin Phraner
Age: 19
Location: New York, NY
Occupation: Student
URL: http://blogs.nyu.edu/blogs/eep247/ny/
What makes you so excited about cupcakes?
Like Magnolia’s new t-shirt says, “Cupcakes make people happy.” There is an air of bliss that surrounds these tiny little treats that can coax out a smile from even the most somber of folks! I consider that to be really special. Maybe part of their appeal is due to their versatility. From simple yellow cake to daring flavor combinations like ginger and honeydew, there’s a cupcake to tickle anyone’s fancy out there. Cupcake fans are dreaming up new flavors every day. How could I not be excited about that?
You bake a variety of desserts; what’s the special appeal of cupcakes?
I’ve always liked to think that I’m a bit of an updated throwback of a woman from the 1940’s or 50’s. I love vintage with a new twist. I feel like cupcakes today are just that! They are nostalgic and yet people keep recreating them to be fresh, imaginative and completely avant-garde. It’s no longer just “the cupcake.” Now, as you flip through cookbooks or such recipes online, there are all of these interesting ingredients to put under the cake, inject into the cake, smear on top of the cake underneath the icing. The sweet little cupcake can now be synonyms with risk taking! But that’s the beauty of it. The cupcake is so petite that you CAN experiment with rather wacky ingredients and not worry about creating seven layer of disasters three hours into your project. They can be cute. They can be sassy. They can be bold. Cupcakes are where it’s at.
Where do you get your recipes?
My recipes come from all over the place. Martha is my idol/life so I try to use many of her recipes. Her recipes create super tasty treats, yet she doesn’t have that many cupcake recipes as compared to her other desserts. Oh, Martha. I do like to search online for recipes as well. That’s where you really find the most flavorful combinations. The Cupcakes by Chockylit blog is my favorite in terms of innovation. I check her site regularly to see what she’s whipping up. I love that there’s a story to go with each cake. The rest of the time, yes, I try to create my own recipes. Sometimes it’s taking a recipe I already have and tweaking it to fit my taste or the ingredient that I have available, other times I start from scratch. My most successful attempt so far is my red velvet cupcake. It’s like my baby now.
What’s your favorite of the cupcakes you’ve made so far?
Oh my goodness, this is such a difficult question. Well, I’d have to start out with my red velvet cupcake. I made it for my aunt’s big 4th of July BBQ and it was the crowd’s favorite. However, recently I made a lemon curd + cream cheese cupcake and an apple spice cupcake with salt caramel and maple frosting that were really yummy too.
Your cupcake photos are especially striking. Do you use any special techniques in creating them?
Luck. I have always been a “point-n-shoot” kind of a gal. Once I started taking pictures of my cupcakes, I just tried to mess around and push as many of the little buttons as possible until it looked right. Now I usually take my photos using the macro or micro (see, I don’t even know what it’s called) feature. Also, I try not to use a flash.
This may sound shamelessly self-promotional, but why do you like Cupcakes Take the Cake so much?
When it’s bitterly cold and raining outside, when everything during the day has gone wrong, when I sit at my desk looking ahead at hours of homework, Cupcakes Takes The Cake can still raise my spirit. Everything about the site is infused with happiness. It is a cupcake lover’s cyber mecca. I think it’s fantastic to hear about all of the new bakeries here in Manhattan, all over the country and all over the world. The external links that are included to those places are so helpful and really work to inspire me to stop studying and get into the kitchen. The links to the other cupcake bloggers as well⎯fabulous idea! What was supposed to be a 5 minute neuroscience break can turn into a 45 minute adventure into the cyber cupcakes realm. I think my point is, there is such a rich amount of information and resources all bundled into Cupcakes Take The Cake. As cupcake lovers yourselves, you know what we want out of a cupcake site and you never cease to deliver!
What’s your favorite cupcake bakery in New York City and why?
Magnolia, and I say that hesitantly because I know so many people find the bakery annoying and their cupcakes dry. In Magnolia’s defense (1) I would wait ANY amount of time for a cupcake, so line or no line the cupcakes are still wonderful for me. (2) I’ve personally never had a bad cupcake from Magnolia. I’ve heard people’s “horror stories” of dry cake, grainy icing or even too much icing (god forbid) but I cannot say that’s ever happened to me. Other than Magnolia, I really love the cupcakes at Babycakes. They’re not too sweet and there are some lovely flavors to choose from. They’re vegan, gluten- and dairy-free so you can even take your food allergy afflicted friends. Some people don’t like the icing because it’s made with honey instead of butter and sugar. However, after our last cupcake meet up I’d have to say Baked is now one of my favorites too, but that’s in Brooklyn. Does that still count?
And now for some personal questions…
How often do you eat cupcakes?
Every two weeks perhaps.
What's the best thing about eating cupcakes?
They're so small you can have more than one and try different flavors!
What's your favorite type of cupcake?
A cupcake appropriate sized one! I hate cupcakes that are like mini bread loaves; they’re supposed to be dainty. Red velvet is my favorite. However I also fancy chocolate, fruit, and nut flavors. Currently due to the season, I’m craving pumpkin and apple cupcakes.
How do cupcakes compare/contrast to other baked goods for you?
They have personality.
Is there any innovation you'd like to see made to the cupcake that would improve it for you?
I would really like to see another cupcake pan come out that isn’t quite as large as the normal size but not as small as the mini cupcakes. A “petite” cupcake pan perhaps.
Also, I’d love more improvements on disposable cupcake transportation. Martha just came out with a cupcake carrier in her new craft line at Michaels. The only problem, there is no Michaels in New York City. I’m always looking for cheap yet chic ways to carry cupcakes to parties or event, or when I’m giving cupcakes as gifts. We need something stylish, something study and something affordable.
Do you bake your own cupcakes? Or (even better) have someone who bakes them for you?
I’m a perfectionist so I have to bake my own. However, I do appreciate a quality cupcake crafted by someone else. As long as it’s not from a box or the icing hasn’t been scooped out of a tub.
What's your first cupcake-related memory?
My first cupcake memory was one of my birthdays as a toddler. I was born in the middle of the summer so my family had a big party out on my grandparents’ gorgeous boat. My mom made vanilla cupcakes in ice cream cones and decorated them with frosting and sprinkles. My cousins and I all squashed together around one side of the galley’s table. My mom placed this huge tray of cupcake ice cream cones in front of me. I just remember my complete wonder of having a cupcake IN an ice cream cone. There’s old photographs of my cousins and I all digging in, cupcake crumbs everywhere, icing all over us as we’re setting in our little bathing suits. Those were the good ‘ole days.
What's the most fun you've ever had with a cupcake?
I remember for a different birthday of mine, my mother and I made beach scene cupcakes for me to take into my class. It was so much fun using all of the candies and decorations to create something to share with everyone. To be honest, those cupcakes rocked⎯best cupcakes of the whole year, I was told by my classmates.
Recently, my cousin Isabelle celebrated her second birthday. All of her friends came over and they had a cupcake decorating party in the backyard. Of course, she covered her cupcake with mounds of candy and decorating gel, to the point where the adornment looked just as hefty as the cake itself. It looked like a Muppet had just exploded on her cupcake. Nonetheless, she just sat there with this gigantic smile on her face, so satisfied. It completely brought me back. It was really fantastic.
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