INTRODUCTION

EVERYTHING’S COMING UP CUPCAKES!

I’ve lived all over the world, but no matter where I go, the reaction to a perfectly frosted cupcake, irresistibly crisp cookie, or towering layer cake is a smile. Dessert is universal, a reminder of what’s really important, giving us a reason to celebrate the simple joys of family and friends with a bite of delicious indulgence… and that’s why I love it. I always get a kick out of telling people I make cupcakes for a living. Whether it’s the editor of a national food magazine or a taxi driver, the result is the same: their eyes light up, and they can’t wait to share their cupcake opinions with me. Everyone has something to add to the conversation.

Eleven years ago, I set out to create a special place that would allow me to share this happiness with others. Today, more than a decade into the Sprinkles journey, I still marvel at the magical power of a scratch-made dessert and the way it brings people from all different walks of life together in one happy place.

My lifelong love affair with baking began at an early age in my mother’s kitchen, where I watched and learned from her every move, eagerly standing by her side awaiting instructions. She welcomed my help, and I was soon cracking eggs, measuring sugar, and passing flour through her dented aluminum hand-cranked flour sifter on its way into the batter.

I would switch on the flimsy oven light, trying to control my excitement long enough to catch that moment when the baking soda worked its magic, causing the batter to puff and rise. The dim lightbulb and hazy tempered glass did not deter me; I’d press my face right up against the oven door, watching, mesmerized, as the batter ballooned into a perfect dome right before my eyes. I could almost taste that first bite into the sweet shelf of frosting, cold and smooth against the soft cake beneath, still slightly warm because I couldn’t quite wait.

Part of my childhood was spent living with my family abroad, and during those years baking became a way for me to reconnect with the all-American flavors that spoke to my sense of home. While we were living in Asia, my mom showed me how to whip my first egg white, gently separating the eggs and making sure not to break the yolks or allow any bits of shell to make their way into the bowl. We made meringues and angel food cakes, undeterred by the tropical humidity that turned our crisp, fresh-from-the-oven meringues into sticky mounds. It was my first lesson in the very delicate nature of baking—and a handy excuse to eat them faster.

A batch of ooey-gooey chocolate chip cookies, a pan of fudgy brownies, a sky-high slice of devil’s food cake—I loved them for the way they could transport me, with one single bite, across oceans to a place that was happily familiar. My nostalgia wasn’t necessarily for a different time, but for a different place. The process—leveling out the sugar in my mom’s plastic measuring cups, following a family recipe from a dog-eared recipe card, buttering the Bundt pan, and presenting the finished goods to my family—connected me not only to them, but to an American tradition I dearly loved.

I set out to bring these memories to life when it came time to open Sprinkles, the world’s first cupcake bakery, in 2005. I yearned to share my philosophy that dessert should, and could, be a daily indulgence. I worked to create a welcoming oasis that captured the childlike wonder I’ve always derived from the ritual of making desserts, but in a way that reflected my own very particular tastes: fresh and modern, not frilly or fussy, with an aesthetic that would appeal to adults and never condescend to children.

With our understated chocolate-brown facade and tiny neon sign, we were so under the radar on opening week that most customers drove right by, calling in for help with directions before they finally found us. Once they did, it was clear that something unique was happening.

A cupcakes-only bakery? What else do you sell? they’d ask. Although it strayed from the everything-for-everyone mentality that defined many American businesses at the time, I was committed to the idea of doing one thing—and doing it very well. Customers immediately connected with Sprinkles. I like to think it’s because they loved our thoughtfully edited offerings and pared-down aesthetic, which felt sleek and welcoming at the same time. They’d linger for an extra minute to survey every last cupcake flavor, ask questions about our recipes, or introduce themselves to me or my husband, Charles, who was personally manning the register when he wasn’t running out to the bank for change.

We sold out that first day… and have pretty much every day since. I think that one of the reasons we do is because we never forget who we are. At its heart, Sprinkles is still a mom-and-pop shop with me and Charles at the helm. Now, with twenty-two locations and counting, we’re a growing company, and one that also sells house-made ice cream and crazily delicious cookies. But back then, I was baking every Sprinkles cupcake by hand, often through the night, mixing the batter, filling the cupcake pans, frosting row upon row of cupcakes while carrying on conversations with customers in the front.

It thrills me to see just how many people we have touched with our desserts, and the way our employees interact with our amazing customers every day. It may seem old-fashioned, but greeting regulars by name, knowing their favorite flavors, taking orders over the phone, running boxes out to their cars, sneaking in a little surprise when we can—that’s the way we continue to do business every day.

By now there’s an entire generation of kids that has grown up on Sprinkles, who can’t imagine celebrating their birthdays without a dozen of our cupcakes decorated just the way they like. We’re woven into the fabric of communities and families, bringing generations together over cupcakes, cookies, ice cream—and something else that’s a little more intangible but equally powerful. We’ve been part of life-changing experiences; there was the time a guy proposed to his girlfriend with a carefully orchestrated plan involving our staff—and the shiny pink Cupcake ATM outside our Beverly Hills store. In lieu of her regular s’more cupcake, out popped a shiny diamond ring. My favorite part? After she responded with a resounding “YES!” she promptly asked, “Where’s my cupcake?”

Still, it is the everyday moments I love best. On a recent trip to our Dallas store, I couldn’t help but notice a grandmother and her granddaughter, dressed in a pink tutu, sharing a cupcake on one of the benches outside. Sprinkles has a hand in thousands of moments just like that one every day, something that makes me prouder than almost anything else we do.

That’s why I decided to write this baking book. Although we share home-friendly versions of the secret cupcake and cookie recipes from the Sprinkles shops—and some new twists on the favorites—you’ll discover a lot more as you flip through the pages. It’s filled with new American baking classics that I love and make myself—and I believe you’ll reach for again and again. It’s a book you can flip through to find the perfect recipe for every occasion, from a holiday cookie swap to a fancy dinner party.

It was also important to me that every last recipe be eminently doable but still special. Most contain ingredients you can easily find at every supermarket and ask for little more than a little love and attention. The techniques are easy, the results exceptional. There may be a seasonal ingredient here and there, but in most cases you’ll be able to bake what you want any time of the year.

Most important, I want the process of baking to be fun: something you can do with your kids, your friends, other loved ones, or on a quiet afternoon by yourself, when the rhythm of baking brings a happy smile. Because at the end of the day, life is meant to be sweet.

Enjoy!