Today is February 28, 2012. Today is the day that felt a million years away in 2010 when I started writing the Joy the Baker Cookbook. Now, February 28th, 2012 is as close as the present… and we’re living in it!
Today the Joy the Baker Cookbook is officially born into the world. It’s 100 recipes and 100 photos. We’re talking NEW recipes. Things you haven’t seen here on Joy the Baker. Might I humbly suggest you go to the store and stock up on butter and sugar? You’ll need it. You’ll love it.
This book is written and shot by me. Tested and consumed by eager friends and family. Believed in by agent Alison, editor Leslie, cheerleader Michael. This book is made by me for YOU YOU YOU! I know you eat popcorn for dinner. I know you bake brownies for boys. I know you’re just looking for an excuse to make biscuits for every meal of the day…. and I love you I love you I love you!!!
I’m going on a humble book tour as well! I want to meet you!! I want to sign your book!! I want to circle pages of recipes you should make!! And I totally want to come over to bake with you… but that might be difficult. This book tour is funded by Joy the Baker and Co…. which means it’s funded by me… so please understand that if I can make it to your city, I absolutely will. And if I can’t… well… I really wanted to. Thank you for your love and understanding. Check out the Book Tour stops and get excited! Let’s meet and high-five and totally hug it out!
I’ll be at Vroman’s in Pasadena tonight (it’s Tuesday today…) at 7pm. Be there!
If I’m not able to see your smiling face, how about following me on Facebook and on Twitter? I’ll have all sorts of behind the scenes pictures of me being weird and nervous. What could go wrong there?
You can best believe I’ll also be podcasting like a maniac over on the Joy the Baker Podcast at Homefries.
I want you to be everywhere I am! Let’s do it!
Because today is such a wonderfully blessed day, I wanted to share a recipe from the book with you. These cupcakes are an absolute favorite.
Chamomile Cupcakes with Honey Glaze. These are delicate and ladylike… even if you eat six of them you’ll still be the picture of feminine grace. I (sorta) promise.
Cupcakes! Soft and delicately flavored. Reminiscent of late college nights with chamomile tea and one heck of a research paper to write. I can’t tell if the chamomile is more of a fragrance or taste. I’m leaning towards fragrance. That’s what alluring about these little cakes… you’re not sure where you’re experiencing it. It’s dreamy in that way….
And this, my dearheart friends, is how I’d like to formally introduce you to my book… with dreamy cupcakes, honey glaze, and a huge, humbled THANK YOU. Thank you for your love, support, and presence.
Today (like every single day in this world) is a day full of grace. I’m glad you’re in it with me.
Chamomile Cupcakes with Honey Glaze
recipe from Joy the Baker Cookbook (whoa…)
Makes 12 cupcakes
For the Cupcakes:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons dried chamomile (I got mine from tea bags)
1/2 cup milk (I used two percent)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon honey
about 5 tablespoons heavy cream
pinch of salt
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with paper or foil liners and set aside.
To make the cakes: in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pinch of salt, and chamomile leaves. Mix on medium speed until the mixture is slightly coarse and sandy. This takes about 5 minutes.
While the mixture beats, in a small bowl, whisk together milk, egg, and vanilla extract.
Pour half of the milk mixture into the flour mixture. Beat until just incorporated. Pour in the remaining milk mixture, turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and beat for 1 minutes, until well blended.
Divide the batter between the prepared cups. There isn’t a lot of batter so you’ll only fill the cups up half way. You’ll also need to scrape the bowl for remaining batter. This recipe doesn’t waste a drop.
Bake the cupcakes for 17 to 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan to cool completely before frosting.
To make the glaze: in a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, honey, cream, and salt. Whisk until smooth. Use a butter knife to generously spread the frosting atop the cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with just a bit of chamomile tea leaves and arrange on a pretty plate. Cakes will last, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to three days.
Hannah
Congratulations, Joy! Can’t wait to meet you!
Calantha
Congratulations, Joy! Have a blast on your book tour!
Emily
Woo!!! Super excited for you Joy!!! I can’t wait to get the book!!
Jabba
My husband bought your book for me for my birthday. It arrived yesterday and is sitting unwrapped on the front hall table, I can’t wait to crack it open tomorrow!
Sue/the view from great island
Congratulations, Joy! I’ve been participating in the Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and it’s been a blast exploring this amazing cookbook, you did a fabulous job, I’ll be cooking my way through it for some time to come!
Mallory
So happy and excited for you! What an accomplishment. I hope you have a wonderful time on your book tour.
Lauren at Keep It Sweet
You already know I love the cookbook but just wanted to reiterate:-) Gorgeous photos of the cupcakes here and I love the china!
Lori from A Family's Life
I love the idea of these cupcakes! I’m totally going to make them!
Best of Luck with your book, I’ve ordered mine and it’ll be here soon!
Sara {Home is Where the Cookies Are}
So exciting! Congratulations on such a big day. I pre-ordered from Amazon, and can’t wait till it shows up in the mailbox. These cupcakes are beautiful. I got a good chuckle for a moment because I was reading too fast, and I thought at one point you said, “Reminiscent of late college nights with chamomile tea and one hot neck of a research paper writer. . . “. Obviously, I was thinking college, and boys. . . and apparently sexy cupcakes.
Rachel
Congratulations Joy, I hope you sell millions of copies and have a great time on tour – I can’t wait to get my hands on your copy!
Laura
What a Joy!!! Felicitaciones, congratulations, herzliche Glückwünsche! Many ways of saying that I welcomed your new book and will buy it soon. I am so glad I found you. You have made my life glazed with delightful treats.
Jen
Congratulations!! I am so excited to get a copy of your book, and so excited for you and your success! You totally deserve it– for one, you have kept me and mine fed with delicious baked goods for years now. Thank you!
Kathryn
Congratulations Joy! I am so excited and happy for you and I can’t wait to get cooking from the book. Amazon UK is telling me that the book won’t be dispatched for another month here which makes me sad but in the meantime, I’ll have to bake up some of these cupcakes to keep me going!
Tesei
These cupcakes look very tasty but I’m sure the best part of them is having them printed in your own book! How cool is that?! Congratulations!!!
Cristina
I just ordered your book online! So totally excited!