It's Raining Cupcakes (15 page)

W
hen we arrived at our hotel, I called Dad and then Grandma to let them know the flight went just fine. Mom brought along a special compact disc Aunt Christy had sent her for people afraid of flying. She played it during both the takeoff and the landing to help her relax. It seemed to work. The rest of the time, she browsed cooking magazines,
looking for inspiration for new cupcake flavors.

As for me, I felt nervous and excited and a hundred other things, so I didn't know what to do with myself. Mostly I just looked out the window and tried to enjoy every minute of the flight. I loved it when we took off—it didn't scare me at all. As we flew higher and higher, I watched the buildings and roads get smaller and smaller. Eventually, it looked like a town for dolls—everything was so tiny. But my favorite part was approaching New York and seeing the Statue of Liberty from the plane. I got all teary-eyed, and when I looked at Mom, she was right there with me. Incredible.

The cab ride to our hotel was a different story. I swear I almost peed my pants! There were cars everywhere, and lots of honking going on. Our driver didn't speak English very well, so we couldn't understand much of anything he said, even though he talked to us almost the entire time. I wanted to tell him to be quiet and just drive. I kept grabbing Mom's leg when he'd slam on his brakes or squeeze in between two cars in another lane. I should have asked Mom for her relaxation CD.

Finally we made it to our hotel in one piece. Mom and I were superexcited, because the magazine had put us in a hotel right in the middle of Times Square.

“Do you think we'll see anyone famous?” I asked her.

“That would be fun, wouldn't it? But just think, Isabel, after you win that baking contest,
you'll
be the one who's famous!”

Every time she mentioned the contest, my stomach felt like I was on another cab ride. I told myself I didn't care if I won or not. It didn't really matter, because I'd gotten to take a great trip, and that was the best prize of all. Still, part of me did want to win, because it'd be something I'd remember forever. And also because I knew Mom hoped to get some free publicity out of the deal.

We had Friday afternoon and evening to do whatever we wanted, and then early Saturday morning a car would pick us up and drive us to the bake-off. Saturday night we would attend a fancy banquet, where the grand prize would be awarded to the winner. Then Sunday we'd be on our own again, to do more sightseeing before we flew back home Monday morning.

After we got settled into our hotel room, which was small but nice, we headed right out to our first stop—St. Valentine's Cupcakes. Out of all the things we planned on seeing and doing, I think the cupcake shop made Mom the most excited.

We got directions from a man at the front desk, then we went outside and started walking. Just like I imagined, the street felt like one big beehive, buzzing with people. Almost everyone walked fast, so Mom and I found ourselves hurrying too, even though we had no reason to. I could just imagine Sophie there, making fun of the way everyone walked, and then going slow on purpose just to be different and annoy people.

The cupcake shop looked like something from a TV show. I knew it would be beautiful—but
wow
. First of all, the place was huge, like five times the size of our little shop. Round tables were surrounded by lovely chairs with deep red seat cushions and high chair backs made of brass with a heart shape at the top of each one. The walls were painted a shiny gold color, and different heart-shaped paintings hung
on them. The glass cases that displayed the cupcakes went from one end of the room to the other end and wrapped around in a big L shape. I couldn't believe how many cupcakes there were to choose from!

The line went all the way out the door, and shortly after we arrived, it made its way down the sidewalk.

“See,” I told Mom, “people get just as excited about cupcakes as they do about brownies.”

She smiled as she looked at a menu she had picked up from a stand by the door. “What kind are you going to get?”

I shrugged. “I don't know. How do you even choose?”

“I'm going to get the Lucky Lemon-Lime. Figure we can use all the luck we can get for tomorrow.”

The lady behind us leaned in and smiled. She was about Mom's age, with warm brown eyes. She wore a red knitted hat with a cute little bow just above the brim. “I'm getting a dozen of those for a party tonight, along with a dozen of the Dr. Seuss. They're all wonderful, but those two flavors are my favorite.”

“There's a cupcake called the Dr. Seuss?” I asked. “What's it made out of? Green eggs and ham?”

That made her laugh. “I don't really know. They keep it a secret. But trust me, it's fabulous!”

When we reached the counter, I decided to try the Dr. Seuss. We also ordered some tea, which came in the most adorable little teapot I'd ever seen, in the shape of a white rabbit.

We took a seat, and Mom bit into her cupcake. “Mmmm, Isabel, it's magnificent. Try yours.”

I started to peel the paper off. “Maybe we should have come here after the bake-off. My s'mores cupcakes are going to seem so ordinary now.”

Mom stopped chewing, and her eyes got big and round. “Isabel. Don't you know? Didn't she tell you on the phone?”

“Know what? What do you mean?”

“Honey, you aren't baking cupcakes tomorrow. You're baking chocolate tarts.”

I blinked my eyes. I blinked them again. Did I hear her right? No, I couldn't have.

“What?” I asked. “What are you talking about?”

She smiled. “I saw that tart recipe sitting on the counter. And the jam tarts in the garbage can. They looked incredible. So I made a batch myself, in the shop's kitchen one day. Isabel, they were truly out of this world. I ran out and got a copy of the magazine, found the address, and mailed the tart recipe for you, just in time to meet the deadline.”

“But, but—” It was hard to find the words as my brain tried to understand what she was saying. “You mean I submitted two recipes? Is that even legal?”

“The entry form said you could enter up to three.”

“But how do we know the tart recipe won?” I asked.

She reached into her purse and pulled out the papers I had given her to complete. “It says right here, in the letter they sent with the paperwork.”

I followed her finger and read the very last line of the letter. “We are looking forward to meeting you as well as Isabel, and tasting her delicious chocolate jam tarts!”

“I'm sorry, sweetie,” she said. “I was wrong to make you feel like you had to enter a cupcake recipe. I get so wrapped up in my own stuff sometimes, I forget what's really important.”

I didn't have time to say anything. The lady with the red hat came by our table, carrying her boxes of cupcakes. “What do you think?” She looked at my cupcake with no bites taken out of it. “What? You haven't tried it yet? Well, go on, try it!”

I reached down and took a bite. First I tasted chocolate. Then I tasted something sweet and crunchy. Jelly beans! But there was something else I couldn't quite figure out.

I sat there chewing and thinking. “I know. Bananas! Chocolate, jelly beans, and bananas. It's so good! It's like they threw a bunch of stuff into a bowl, not sure how it would turn out, and surprise, it turned out fantastic!”

My mom looked at me, and then up at the lady, and said, “I need to remember that cupcake when I'm worrying about whether or not things are going to turn out okay.”

She laughed and said, “You and me both. Where are you ladies from, anyway?”

“Willow, Oregon,” Mom said as she reached into her purse and grabbed a business card. “I own a
cupcake shop there, as a matter of fact.”

The lady took her card. “Wow, you've come a long way, haven't you? Well, enjoy your trip!” She waved and disappeared into the hive of buzzing New Yorkers with her boxes of scrumptious cupcakes.

“You know, Isabel,” Mom said as I took another bite of my cupcake, “I brought along one of my It's Raining Cupcakes T-shirts. I was going to wear it tomorrow, but maybe it'd get more attention if you wore it. What do you think?”

I smiled. “Sure. I can do that.”

When we got back to the hotel, I bought postcards in the gift shop.

Dear Dad,

Here's a list of things New York has taught me:

1. Have a tissue ready when you see the Statue of Liberty for the first time.

2. Go to the bathroom before you get into a cab in New York City.

3. Cupcakes can be like people. Sometimes a little different, but still good.

Love, Isabel

Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour

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cup granulated sugar

¹
/
₂
teaspoon baking soda

¹
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cup butter or margarine

¹
/
₃
cup water

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 egg, lightly whisked

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cup buttermilk

Frosting

¹
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cup unsalted butter, softened

1
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cups powdered sugar

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teaspoon vanilla

1 7-oz. jar marshmallow cream

4 graham cracker squares

15 Hershey Kisses

Preheat oven to 350°. Line muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, and baking soda together with a whisk. In a saucepan,
melt the butter/margarine with the water and cocoa on low heat. When completely melted, remove from heat. Whisk egg in a separate bowl and add to flour mixture, along with the melted butter/margarine mixture, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer on low until smooth.

Fill cupcake liners half full. Bake 18—20 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

For frosting, beat softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add marshmallow cream and mix. Spread on cooled cupcakes with knife.

Use a food chopper to finely chop graham crackers, or break into pieces and put in a plastic bag and roll over them with a rolling pin. Set aside.

Unwrap candy kisses and place one on top of each cupcake, then sprinkle graham cracker crumbs across the top.

Makes about 15 cupcakes.

Cupcakes

3 medium or 2 large Granny Smith apples

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cup water

cinnamon and sugar mixture

1
¹
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cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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teaspoon nutmeg

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teaspoon ground cloves

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teaspoon salt

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cup granulated sugar

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cup firmly packed brown sugar

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cup canola oil

2 eggs

Frosting

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened

¹
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cup unsalted butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350º. Line muffin tins with cupcake papers.

Peel, core, and cut apples into small, bite-size pieces. Place in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Add water and generously sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Microwave on high 3 minutes, check and stir, and repeat 3 to 4 times, or until apples have softened to a chunky applesauce texture.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together flour, soda, powder, spices, and salt and set aside. In the mixing bowl with the applesauce, add sugars and oil and whisk together. Whisk eggs in separate bowl. Add to apple mixture and whisk together. Add the flour mixture to the apple mixture slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined.

Fill the muffin tins about three-quarters full. Bake 20—22 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

For frosting, beat cream cheese and softened butter together with a mixer until smooth. Mix in
vanilla. Add powdered sugar and mix until creamy. If you have a pastry bag, you can pipe frosting onto the cupcakes.

Makes about 18 cupcakes. These are best eaten the day they are made.