valentine's day Cupcake Baker of the Week: Charlene Jaszewski (Cake Pops!)

 

We've got it on photo evidence, folks. Proof of a real (sweet) visitor from outer space...or perhaps, Manhattan's Upper West Side. She's even got alarmingly cute antennae, made out of a pair of homemade cake pops! *

Getting down to Earth again, this is one serious baker, with or without antennae. Charlene Jaszewski believes in using the best ingredients possible to create treats that can be a pleasure to look at, play around with (see photo exhibit A), and most importantly, taste.

In her own words, "most attention is paid to making the outside cute, rather than making the insides delicious." Charlene opts to pass on the cake mix and canned frosting route, and instead focuses on the flavors and textures inside her simply decorated cake pops.

See below for photos of a festive Eggnog Rum Cake Pop, and discover a magical (really!) creation called “Mangle bread.”

* Cake pops, a "mashup of cake+frosting" rolled into a ball and then coated and decorated, were popularized by Bakerella (whose book signing was the theme of our recent CTTC meetup).

Name: Charlene Jaszewski
Website: www.treatbeat.com
Location: Upper West Side, NYC

1. How did you get into cupcake baking?
I have been baking since I was a wee girl. My gramma encouraged me – she baked everything under the sun from her dusty old Wisconsin church cookbooks (which I inherited!) It’s weird that I got the baking gene because my mom can barely make toast.

2. Do you have a signature cupcake (cake pop)?
I am kind of addicted to dark chocolate things.

3. What kind of cupcake do you plan to bake next?
I’m heavy into testing cake pop flavors at the moment. I came up with a not-too-boozy eggnog rum cakepop for the holidays and I’m testing a pumpkin cream cheese flavor next. I’m also trying to update/improve something my gramma made called “mangle bread.” White cake, frosting, almond, coconut and some magical flavors inside.

4. Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere. I might taste something at a market and then go home and make my own version of it, tweaking it. I miss the Greenpoint Food Market, where every month people could test out their treats before making a go of it officially. It was so fun to see what people would come up with. And I also still find interesting recipes in those old church cookbooks.

5. Describe a memorable (funny/disastrous/life-changing) cupcake baking moment you've had.
The day I walked into a bakery and asked for a cup of frosting and no cupcake, and they gave it to me!

6. Give one piece of cupcake advice for other bakers out there.
Quality ingredients make the difference between average and amazing desserts. My greatest delight as a baker is seeing people make that “MMMMMM” face when they eat my goodies.

Use butter, use real vanilla, use as high quality chocolate as you can afford.

valentine's day

Thanks, Charlene! Stay tuned for next week's Cupcake Baker of the Week. Leave us questions, feedback, and suggestions in the comments below. If you would like to nominate someone to be featured, e-mail us at cupcakestakethecake@gmail.com with "Hey Melissa! Check out this Cupcake Baker!" in the subject title.