Cupcake interview with Karen Tack and Alan Richardson of Hello, Cupcake! plus recipe

Corn on the Cob cupcakes from Hello, Cupcake! Click here for the recipe at marthasteart.com



We are so excited about next Wednesday's Hello, Cupcake! cupcake decorating party (though we apologize to those Jewish readers observing Passover for scheduling it during Passover - and speaking for myself [Rachel] will say that I'll be there but won't be eating any cupcakes).



Karen Tack and Alan Richardson have created one of the most fun cupcake books I've ever seen with Hello, Cupcake!: Irresisibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make. From simple faces you can make with candy to more elaborate constructions involving multiple cupcakes, these are fun, colorful and super creative. They have all sorts of updates and fun stuff going on at their blog which is an offshoot of their main site. They are also about to go on a book tour; click here to see their tour dates. They just appeared on The Martha Stewart Show during Cupcake Week and joined us at our March 2008 Meetup at Martha's Country Bakery and, of course, super excited about cupcakes. Read on for their insights into creating the book, cupcake decorating and general cupcake fun.

Name: Karen Tack
Age: 45 young years old
Location: Riverside, CT
Occupation: Food stylist
URL: http://hellocupcakebook.com
karen@hellocupcakebook.com

Name; Alan Richardson
Age: 152 years old
Location: Irvington, NY
Occupation: Writer / Photographer
URL: http://hellocupcakebook.com
alan@hellocupcakebook.com

How long have you been baking and where did you learn to bake?

Karen: I have been baking for as long as I can remember. My sister Kim was the baker in the family. I didn’t have the patience and would get bored. We would make some of the desserts when my parents entertained. Although I can remember making a cake that was on the cover of Bon Appetit magazine. It took us all day to make, Daquoise, buttercream and ganache! We were so proud when we finished. I can’t remember if it tasted good, but I wish I had a slice of it now.

Alan: Every time I bake cupcakes I try to get too fancy and make some dry gourmet homemade farm cake. The last time my nephew bit through the frosting and into the cupcake and said "Uncle Alan, this cake tastes like corn bread." I grew up in the South, you know. I guess I honed my baking skills on corn bread.

How did you two meet and then join forces to come up with Hello, Cupcake!?

Karen: Alan and I met on a cookie shoot for Ladies Home Journal. It was when I was just beginning to freelance. It was a huge spread of cookies that I had worked on with another stylist, Carol Prager. He took the cookies and seemed to know exactly where he wanted to place them. The shot looked so great that I have it in my portfolio to this day. And that was almost 17 years ago! Yikes!

After that, I fell into styling more of the silly cakes and Alan and I were paired together for those jobs. What I love about Alan is that even though we were shooting a phone cake or a cake the shape of a number, he would always take it very seriously and do his best, not just save it for the more gourmet recipe shots. And he enjoys it. He isn’t the type of photographer that will settle for fine, he has to get in there and give you his opinion, even if you don’t like what he has to say. And in the end you get an incredible image.

I had always wanted to do a book with Alan. It was only natural that when the decorated cupcakes were becoming more popular that he and I should do a book!

Alan: When I met Karen, I remember frosting and cookies and a lot of laughing. We have so much fun working together I think we knew from the start that we would be working together until our cupcakes got stale.

Can you tell us more about the process of creating the cupcakes for the book and putting it all together? How long did it take? Which parts were the most fun and the most challenging?

Karen: We started years ago, I mean like close to 4 years ago. Before cupcakes even became the hot new thing. But both being freelance, it was hard to carve out time to get a proposal together. He was in the city, my boys were really little and we both worked. In fact, the Westie cupcake in the book was the first shot that we did for the proposal all those years ago.

Once we got going, it really only took us 7 months to shoot. That was in between working with our freelance work as well.

Alan: Karen and I have a great working technique. I go to her house, we have breakfast, talk about life, think about what we can have for lunch, and somewhere in there start doodling and throwing around ideas we have been dreaming up since our last shoot date. Karen always has cupcakes in the freezer so she pulls out a few. With our doodles in hand, frosting gets tinted, we try this candy, that candy. We discuss props, I choose a camera angle and take a quick photo to test the look.

Once we see it on the computer screen, we can tell immediately if we are on the right track. Then it is often back to the drawing board. We change the frosting color, change the candy, change the scale of everything, and somewhere in there by the end of the day we have a new project for the book. Sometimes two. Some projects pop right out of one of our heads and it is done, but others take more time, like our cat cupcakes. We worked on them three separate days. In the end they looked pretty great but the ones from the first two days were really frightening, like alley cats on crack.

You offer tips in the book on everything from filling cupcake cups, spreading frosting, dipping, edging, and using multiple cupcakes for designs. Which of these causes people the most trouble?

Karen: I think that frosting and piping are the most troublesome for people. I am not the best at making a smooth surface myself, so I hope that the tips I give in the book will help people feel more confident. Remember, it is a cupcake. Have fun.

Alan: I was scared of piping until Karen made me do it so many times that I got pretty good at it. You get a feel for the frosting in the bag and how much pressure to use, when to pull and when to stop. After a while it is just natural. I think choosing a cupcake project is probably the hardest thing.

You say at the start of the book, "All this is easy: honest. Forget the complicated pastry techniques and expensive decorating supplies." Why was it important to you to use easy-to-find ingredients for these recipes?

Karen: So people will make these projects. I think that in some cases shopping for the ingredients may be the most difficult part of the project. We hope that we have given enough info so that people will use what they can find or something that they like better while making the cupcakes.

Alan: Our editor was stumped when she was looking for green apple licorice to make the scallions for the bagel and lox cupcakes. I told her to try the gas station and she rolled her eyes; this was before she knew I was serious. Two days later she sent me a note saying she had sent her assistant out to look for the green licorice. She didn't have to look long because she found it at the candy counter while she was filling up with gas! The point is folks mostly shop at grocery stores, convenience stores, big drugstores, and sometimes gas stations. Most of us don't have time to go online or make an excursion to the baking supply store every time we want to decorate cupcakes for a party.

Which ingredients or extras come up most often in the book?

Karen: Besides frosting, we use a lot of marshmallows, M&M’s, jelly beans and fruit chews.

Alan: Cupcakes, we use a lot of those. And we always find a cool way to use those little shiny candy coated sunflower seeds. They are really small and colorful.



You have some "surprise" cupcakes that look like everything from a bagel and lox to a TV dinner to spaghetti and meatballs. How do you come up with those kinds of ideas?

Karen: Alan and I love to laugh, joke and play tricks. April Fool’s Day is our favorite holiday. Since we were not developing ideas for a specific client, we just came up with ideas that made us laugh. I mean, really, why else would you make a TV dinner cupcake??? Just for a laugh. In fact, it had started out as a bucket of chicken and Alan started talking about TV dinners, the peas and carrots, mashed potatoes…and that was that.

Alan: You should see all the things we tried to make into cupcakes. Karen likes to quip that her favorite time to dream up new and crazy cupcake ideas is while she is driving to NYC in her car. She claims her brain goes blank and the crazy cupcake concepts start to flow. If you drive I-95 south into New York, watch out! For me it is a challenge to think of what should never be made into a cupcake and then try to figure out how to make it anyway.

Which recipe is the easiest to make, one you'd recommend to a novice baker?

Karen: There are many that are so simple: Corn on the Cob, The Flag, Spaghetti and Meatballs, or What a Hoot are just a few.

Alan: I wouldn't start with the Big Top Circus. Maybe the Popcorn.

There's obviously a very kid-like feel to Hello, Cupcake! At what age would you suggest parents start baking/decorating cupcakes with their kids? Do you have any tips for including kids in the baking process?

Karen: I know that there is a kid element, but it is for adults too. It really depends on the child. If you have everything set out for them to create, you would be surprised what they come up with. I teach kids at the elementary school and they make great cupcakes and love to cook in general. We even have a friend with a 3-year-old that loves to help in the kitchen. We should encourage kids to cook. It may be messy, but the memories and learning far outweigh the cleanup.

Alan: My 10-year old-niece Anna is great in the kitchen because she has been cooking with me for years. Now she writes me notes about cupcake projects we should do in the next book. My only rule of thumb is to try to get things organized before we start; it is hard to keep them off their video game if you have to run down to the basement to find the cupcake pan. But I even like to take them shopping for the ingredients. When I can't find the right candy for a project, I describe how it has to look. Kids really know their candy and it doesn't take them long to find a substitute.

You're about to embark on a nationwide book tour. What can people expect from the events you'll be doing on the tour?

Karen: We will be demonstrating how to decorate, but we want them to get their hands dirty. That is the best way to learn. Do it yourself. So make sure to bring an apron and your creativity!

Alan:Think Willy Wonka. Be prepared for anything.

There are so many adorable cupcakes in here, I have trouble picking a favorite, though the slumber party ones are big contenders. Which are your personal favorites?

Karen: Gosh, that is one of the hardest questions. Here are my top 3: Corn on the Cob, Shark Attack, and The Nutcrackers. Although it may change tomorrow.

Alan: I think the Movie Popcorn has to be my favorite. So unexpected, so easy, and so much fun. Tastes good too.

Why do you think cupcakes have become so popular lately?

Karen: They are delicious! They have always been popular. But now you can find them in hundreds of flavors. And they are not just for kids! Dinner parties, weddings, or just for a snack.

Alan:I am really a sucker for food I don't have to share. I think it is all about the individual size. And of course the built-in paper holder, no washing plates and forks.

What's next for you after the Hello, Cupcake! tour?

Karen: Alan and I have some ideas. We are even better friends after this whole process and want to work on another project. Any suggestions???

Alan:I am pretty sure there are more cupcakes in our future. A lot more cupcakes.

And now for some personal questions…

How often do you eat cupcakes?

Karen: Well, whenever I bake a batch I just have to test one…and I make cupcakes often.

Alan:I cannot lie, I only eat them when they are in front of me. That's pretty much all the time these days.

What's the best thing about eating cupcakes?

Karen: Once you peel back the paper liner, it is that first bite with some of the frosting and some cake that is my favorite. I am sure that everyone has their own style to eating a cupcake.

Alan: Picking off all of the gobs of candy we have piled on top and eating it. After that the frosting. I usually leave some cake at the bottom because there isn't any candy or frosting left to eat with the cake.

What's your favorite type of cupcake?

Karen: I love a vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting. I know that sounds dull, but when you get it right it is the best.

Alan:I love a good spice cake. It can be almost as sweet as the candy.

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

Karen: I have always loved small things. There is something magical about having a cupcake. It is this small cake, just for you, you don’t have to share, no utensils are required, and it isn’t too much.

Alan: Offer me a slice of seven layer cake and a cupcake from the same recipe and I will always take the cupcake. I think the desire to have your cake all to yourself is just an animal thing. I notice my dog likes to take treats to her bed where she can enjoy them in privacy.

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

Karen: Nope, I think it is pretty much perfect!

Alan: I think frosting the top and the bottom would be a great innovation. Papers would have to be invented so the cupcakes could rest on their sides.

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

Karen: I am the baker. I have my own process: my Ziploc bag, liners and ovens. I can pretty much bake blindfolded.

Alan: I bake, but that's not the fun part. I get excited when the frosting and the candy is opened.

What's your first cupcake-related memory?

Karen: I can remember a neighbor’s birthday party when I was a kid. They had red clown cupcakes with the plastic clown head stuck into the top. You know what I’m talking about? Well, I think I ate 3 of those things with all that red frosting. Let me just say, it wasn’t pretty…

Alan: I grew up as an Air Force brat in Japan and can't honestly remember eating cupcakes before we moved back to the states. My first experience with a cupcake was with Little Debbie's in my Aunt Clara's country store in Carthage, Mississippi. My cousin and I would sneak them along with an RC or a NEHI and hide in the deep store shelves while we devoured them.

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

Karen: Working on Hello, Cupcake! with Alan Richardson.

Alan: I think the most fun I ever had with a cupcake was trying to brainstorm a cupcake pictogram with Karen one afternoon. Her two sons, Eric (12) and Liam (10), joined in and the gross and off-color boy humor really started to fly. The results were hysterical but we are saving them for a future project where butts and nose picking are more appropriate.

Do you have anything else to add?

Karen: This book was such a great collaborative experience for the two of us. Alan was in the kitchen designing, spreading, cutting and eating just as much as I was. And I got to work with him on the props, the art directing, and the photographs. It was like we got the chance to do each other’s jobs and I think that is what has made this cupcake book so much fun.

Alan: When I was writing it was a challenge for me to put into words all of the fun I felt while working with Karen creating the cupcake designs and making the photographs. I am really happy when I hear from folks that they get a real sense of joy from the book, both the photographs and the text. That makes my day.

"Corn on the Cob" and “Spaghetti and Meatballs” and "Slumber Party", from HELLO, CUPCAKE!: Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson. Copyright © 2008 by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Recipe for Slumber Party cupcakes courtesy of Hello, Cupcake!



SLUMBER PARTY

A slumber party is a dream for the kids but can be a nightmare for the parents. The drowsy tots on board these cupcakes may be the only ones sleeping, so serve with glasses of warm milk to ease the party into dreamland.

Makes 6 sleepyhead cupcakes

6 vanilla cupcakes baked in white paper liners
1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting
Orange, yellow, and green food coloring (available at baking supply stores or see Sources, page 229)
1/2 cup chocolate frosting
6 marshmallows
2 small pink jelly beans (Jelly Bellys)
2 each light pink, dark pink, yellow, orange, blue, purple, and green fruit chews (Starbursts, Laffy Taffys, Airheads)
6 mini vanilla wafers
Pink and red heart decors
2 bear-shaped graham crackers (Teddy Grahams)
Red sprinkles

1. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the vanilla frosting into a small ziplock bag, press out the excess air, and seal. Tint 2 tablespoons of the vanilla frosting each with the orange, yellow, and green food coloring and spoon into separate small ziplock bags. Press out the excess air and seal the bags. Place the chocolate frosting in a ziplock bag, press out the excess air and seal.

2. Spread the top of the cupcakes with the remaining 1 1/2 cups vanilla frosting and smooth. Cut the marshmallows in half lengthwise. Place 1 marshmallow piece, lengthwise and cut side down, on the lower half of one of the cupcakes. Place another marshmallow piece crosswise, cut side down, near the top edge of the cupcake to make the pillow. Repeat with the remaining 5 cupcakes. On one of the cupcakes, press the jelly
beans into the frosting at the bottom edge, just below the end of the marshmallow, to make the feet.

3. Working with 2 like-colored fruit chews at a time, heat them in the microwave for 2 to 3 seconds to soften. Press the fruit chews together and roll out on a sheet of wax paper to 1/16 inch thick. Cut a 2-inch square from all but the purple fruit-chew piece and a 2-by-1/2-inch strip from the scraps. Using craft scissors with a decorative edge, cut along one side of each strip to make a zigzag blanket edge. Press contrasting colors of fruit chew squares and strips together to make the blankets with borders. Cut a 3/4-by-1 1/2-inch rectangle from the rolled-out purple fruit-chew piece. Cut a 3/4-inch square from the scraps of the yellow fruit chews and place on one side of the purple fruit chew. Fold the purple fruit chew over the yellow to make a book.

4. Snip a 1/16-inch corner from each of the 5 bags with the frostings. Pipe a dot of frosting on the marshmallow pillow and add the vanilla wafer, flat side down. Using the orange, yellow, or chocolate frosting, pipe hair along the top edge of each wafer. Pipe the children’s eyelids or eyebrows with chocolate frosting and the eyes with a dot of vanilla frosting, then a dot of chocolate. Pipe a dot of vanilla frosting for the mouths and add the pink or red heart decors. Pipe the teddy bear’s eyes and mouth with chocolate frosting. Pipe a tiny dot of vanilla frosting for the bear’s nose and add a red sprinkle. On the cover of the book, pipe a ghost with vanilla frosting and writing with chocolate frosting.

5. Press the blankets over the marshmallow bodies and pipe decorations on top with the colored frosting. Attach the teddy bear cookies and the book with a dot of frosting.