Baker's Block Spring 2010 Newsletter

Baker's Block No.1 Spring Issue April 21, 2010

an extentioN

Johnny Cupcakes' Freshly Baked Tees - Baked Blogger Bakerella - Sublime Doughnuts - more!

table of contents 03 edge perfection

frozen food worth buying 04 camicakes reviewed 05 sublime doughnuts reviewed 07 sun in my belly reviewed 09 spring fever: meal plan 13 baked blogger: bakerella 15 what we made 19 freshly baked tees: johnny

cupcakes

cover: camicakes right: sun in my belly 01 BAKER'S BLOCK

cover photo : lyn larson

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Edge Perfection

C a miC a ke s Sweetness is to be had at this “cupcakery” in buckhead

Love brownies? Who doesn’t?! If you specifically love the edge pieces of brownies, Baker’s Edge has made the perfect pan. The pan’s patented sidewalls also improve baking performance by circulating heat evenly to the pan’s middle, where food typically takes longer to bake. The batter will settle evenly throughout the pan during baking, so every serving will be baked to perfection at exactly the same time.

The pan is 9’’x 12’’ so it’s perfect for box mixes. The pan is available at Bakersedge.com for $34.95.

Frozen Food Worth Buying Macarons are a Parisian delight. The delicacy is quite elusive in the States, mainly being available in New York City and L.A. Ordering from those bakeries is usually costly, considering that the macarons have to be overnighted when ordered.

Starbucks offered a limited amount of special edition macarons in December of 2009, but I read that they weren’t that phenomenal anyways.

Colleen texted me one day and told me that she read on the blog, Not So Humble Pie, that Trader Joe’s sold macarons. So we were set: we definitely wanted to try these macarons. After classes one day,

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Sure

we ventured to Trader Joe’s on Monroe Drive. It didn’t take us very long to find them. After some browsing throughout the store, we made our purchase and dove right in. We decided to try the chocolate first. We were very pleased. Although, the texture of the center filling was a little chewy, but we didn’t mind it. The vanilla was next, and they were superb. The vanilla was definitely better than the chocolate, but again, both worth the $4.99 for a dozen. So if you need your French fix, go to Trader Joe’s and grab some Brie, a baguette, espresso, and some these excellent macarons and you’ll be set!

Photos: Baker's Edge, carol gillot

it’s pure sugar and butter. No, there is no way to justify it as a health food. And, yes, it $2.50 for a single cupcake.

But here’s the deal: Everyone who walks into CamiCakes has a smile.

Everyone. I triple-dog-dare you to take a look at the rows of perfect cupcakes and not smile. The only thing that might furl you brow is the daunting task of choosing just one.

So don’t. Get a dozen.

mother’s advice that it’s best to do one thing really well and equipped with her Mama’s knack for baking, Andra launched CamiCakes™, which is named for her daughter Camille.”

With that big smile and pink bow in her hair, I bet she can do just about anything.

There are classic flavors, but I particularly enjoyed some of the more whimsical ones: Sweet potato; The Elvis (banana and peanut butter frosting on a chocolate cake); Pineapple toasted coconut; CinnaSwirl (this one I could smell when I walked in. Or was it the sweet potato?); Chocolate raspberry almond cream; and Lemon drop.

I got to meet both Andra and Cami when I stopped in one Friday evening at the Buckhead location. Andra never stopped cleaning the entire time I was there, which makes you feel good about the store’s sanitation! And Cami The bio on the CamiCakes website has recently lost her front two says it all. “It was the Easy Bake baby teeth, though it hasn’t slowed Oven that inspired a little girl, her down. She showed me her Just one was enough to satisfy my Andra Hall, to become an avid latest dance steps and told me she sweet tooth, but if you need more, baker. Armed with her Grand“could make a hundred cupcakes!” a dozen costs $28.

Photo: Kathleen lynch article: beth robinette for examiner.com

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The

which pastries he personally recommends most. He is a pastry school graduate, specifically of the Culinary Institute of America’s Baking and Pastry Arts program, with a serious love for the doughnut. The “indie” feel to his shop is an essential part of what separates it from other doughnut and What with all the health crazes pastry shops. In fact, you can and fad diets out there, it seems almost taste the passion that goes Americans are afraid to “treat into their doughnuts. themselves,” if even once in awhile.

If you are one of these Americans, Besides having a delicious this pastry shop just may help you selection, Sublime Doughnuts is change your mind! commendable for its comfortable and inviting atmosphere. At many Unlike its major competitors of the tables, you’ll find the works (and here I’m thinking of two in of entertaining authors whose particular with misspelled intent is to educate you on names), Sublime’s doughnuts are distinctive dessert. Some of the continually fresh. And although books are intended for children, you’ve likely heard this many while others are clearly aimed at times over, no matter what flaadults. Since it’s likely that some vor you choose, it’s guaranteed or even most of your family will to be delectable! enjoy them, these works of both fiction and nonfiction have Among Sublime’s highly unusual definitely found their rightful place selections are the Caramel Apple in Sublime Doughnuts.

Fritter; the Chocolate Wild Berry Fritter; the Red Velvet Fritter; Sublime is also quite notable and the Dulce de Leche. Each for its “doughnut art,” which is has a distinctive, exceptional prominently displayed on the wall flavor that you certainly won’t adjacent to the cashier’s counter. In find at your neighborhood baked all honesty, most of it has to be seen goods chain or supermarket. Also to be believed. One way you might recommended is the A-town describe it, however, is “the result Cream, so named because of its of Picasso, Matisse, and Munch instantly recognizable shape (and after a bakery binge.” Once you set the fact that it’s exclusive to ATL). foot inside the shop, the metaphor will be much more obvious.

At present, the owner, Kamal Grant, is one of the few Like any great doughnut shop, employees laboring in the of course, Sublime also has kitchen, putting in the hours and the excellent coffee. And what’s a ingredients to make Sublime delicious doughnut without a cup Doughnuts the rare treats that of java on the side? they are. You’ll also likely see him up front frequently, greeting Sublime’s prices, too, are hard to customers and expounding on beat. Selections like the Dulce de Free Online Dictionary defines “sublime” as: “Characterized by nobility; majestic,” or “Of high spiritual, moral, or intellectual worth.” For this doughnut shop in Midtown Atlanta, these definitions do apply!

Sublime Doughnuts Pastry chef kamal grant is providing atlanta with some unconventional doughnuts

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Photos: globalyp.net blog, kathleen lynch

article: eric pudalov for associatedcontent.com

Leche, Raspberry Filled Heart, and Hot Cross Bun are available for a mere $1.25. If you prefer dark chocolate on your Raspberry Filled Heart, that’s an additional 25 cents, but don’t most of us have a quarter to spare? Plus, if you order a dozen or more doughnuts, you’ll be given a 15% discount!

There are only a couple of stipulations: 1) For requests of over two dozen, or specific flavors, you must give 24 hours notice.

2) The doughnut selection is “subject to change depending on supply and/or mood,” according to Grant.

Doughnuts are “food for the soul.”

If you’re going to splurge, you might as well splurge on Sublime.

So, all you Atlanta residents, stop by this splendid spot at 535 Tenth Street (near Georgia Tech) the next time you want to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Ahem...and don’t tell the other doughnut dealers I said so.

WIN A DOZEN FROM BAKER’S BLOCK! EMAIL YOUR NAME AND NUMBER TO CONTEST@BAKERSBLOCK.COM. TWO WINNERS WILL BE SELECTED AND TREATED TO A TRIP TO SUBLIME ON US! LOCAL ENTRIES ONLY PLEASE. ONE ENTRY PER PERSON. ENTRY DEADLINE IS MAY 15. *Far left, clockwise: A box of Sublime doughnuts, the unlikely exterior, artwork in Sublime, and SCAD-Atlanta student Dylan Fagan enjoying a Chocolate Wild Berry Fritter and coffee.

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SUN IN MY BELLY

B

reakfast and particularly brunch are extremely popular in Atlanta. On any given weekend morning/early afternoon, it’s completely the norm to see long waiting ques outside of popular pancake-slinging hot spots. Atlanta is overflowing with these weekend eateries that are doing quite well. To name a few: Gato Bizco, Highland Bakery, Social, Stone Soup Kitchen, Radial, Original Pancake House (not to be confused with IHOP), Ria’s Bluebird, Thumb’s Up Diner and Flying Biscuit. The Flying Biscuit is the perfect embodiment of what most Atlantans and tourists alike would consider an ideal weekend brunch stop and it’s undeniable when one drives by on a Saturday morning.

This eatery in the Kirkwood area of Atlanta offers fresh fare in an eclectic setting.

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article: blog - the food abides

Lines practically flow out into the street and cause quite the scene like little lemmings lining up to jump off the breakfast cliff. It’s so extremely popular, that in the last 2 years the Flying Biscuit has become franchised. But this eatery is far from Atlanta’s best offering.

They have pretty good food at the Biscuit, but it’s not crave-worthy at all. In factm most Atlanta foodies find the actual biscuits for which the restaurant is named deplorable.

Enter: Sun In My Belly.

they squeeze it themselves, but if they don’t, I want to know who their supplier is because it was simply the best orange juice I’ve ever had. For breakfast, I ended up ordering the Kirkwood which comes with, “Softly Scrambled Eggs with Herbed Boursin Cheese, Honey Glazed Bacon, and a Buttermilk Biscuit.” I kind of chuckled to myself when I read that the eggs were “softly scrambled.” I mean, how many ways can you scramble eggs? Last time I ever find comedy when I see a description of egg preparation on a menu. The eggs are so soft and tender and the boursin cheese is so subtly flavorful. It’s egg perfection. The honey bacon is wonderful as well. In addition to being glazed in honey, it has a spice rub on it instead of the typical pepper that you’ll normally find on a slice. While slightly dry on the exterior, the square biscuit was very tasty and a different rendition on what is commonplace in southern morning fare.

I had been wanting to try SIMB for a good year and a half after reading a review that mentioned their “Honey Bacon.” While the location near Agnes Scott and Kirkwood isn’t particularly convenient , we finally decided to hit it up one Saturday after some morning tennis. We got there at about 9 am and there wasn’t a soul in sight! I’m not even slightly exaggerating about the waits at the aforementioned restaurants, so to come to a new one and not have to wait for breakfast was an Our experience wasn’t unexpected and pleasant surprise. perfect however. Kins’ BLT’s bread was stale. The service here was The restaurant is comfortable pretty atrocious. They were not and fairly pretty, for lack of a crowded when we showed up. better term. There are streaming In fact, I think we were the strips of paper dangling above the only ones in the place. The dining area in all different colors waitress was friendly but just so which is a simple, but appreciated unforgivably slow in element of their decorating. Side all respects.

She was note: Kins pointed out that if you trying to take care of the entire look at the paper abstractly it most dining room before going back certainly looks like a hamburger. to the kitchen or cash register.

Regardless, I really enjoyed my I started out with some OJ which meal, but I know they have a repuis served in a mason jar and it was tation of poor service there and out of this world. I don’t know if hopefully they can fix it because it is the best breakfast in Atlanta.

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Raspberry Beer Cocktail from Southern Living

Crispy Ginger Lime Chicken Thighs from Cooking Light

Prep: 5 min.

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Prep: 10 minutes Total: 20 minutes Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients * 3/4 cup fresh raspberries* * 3 1/2 (12-oz.) bottles beer, chilled * 1 (12-oz.) container frozen raspberry lemonade concentrate, thawed * 1/2 cup vodka Preparation 1. Using the back of a spoon, mash raspberries in a bowl; transfer to a pitcher. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Serve over ice.

Ingredients * 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh

ginger * 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice * 2 teaspoons curry powder * 4 scallions, minced * Coarse salt and ground pepper * 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Directions 1. Heat broiler, with rack set 4

inches from heat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside. In a small bowl, combine ginger, lime juice, curry powder, scallions, 1 teaspoon salt, and teaspoon pepper.

2. Arrange chicken on prepared baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Gently loosen skin from each piece of chicken. Dividing evenly, rub ginger mixture under skin.

3. Turn thighs, skin side down, on baking sheet. Broil about 5 minutes. Flip thighs, skin side up, and continue to broil until skin is crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thighs (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes more. Serve chicken drizzled with pan juices.

Spring Fever!

The perfect meal plan for a gorgeous spring night!

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Photos: Young doo moon, leo druker

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Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Baby Artichokes from Cooking Light Prep: 10 minutes Total: 40 minutes Yield: 8 servings Ingredients * 6 cups water * 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice * 2 pounds baby artichokes * 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil * 1 1/4 pounds small red

fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise * Cooking spray * 1 tablespoon butter * 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley * 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind * 1 teaspoon kosher salt * 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 425째.

2. Combine 6 cups water and lemon juice in a large bowl. Cut

off stem of each artichoke to within 1 inch of base; peel stem.

Remove bottom leaves and tough outer leaves, leaving tender heart and bottom. Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise. Remove fuzzy thistle from bottom with a spoon.

Place artichokes in lemon water.

3. Combine oil and potatoes; toss well. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425째 for 15 minutes. Drain artichokes; add artichokes to potatoes, tossing to combine. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until tender. Place vegetables in a large bowl. Toss with butter and remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze from Betty Crocker Prep: 15 minutes Total: 30 minutes Yield: 44 cookies Ingredients Cookies: * 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour * 1 teaspoon baking powder * 1 teaspoon salt * 1 stick unsalted butter, softened * 2 cups sugar * 2 eggs * 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese * 3 tablespoons lemon juice * 1 lemon, zested Glaze: * 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar * 3 tablespoons lemon juice * 1 lemon, zested

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BAKER'S BLOCK

Photo: michael porter

Directions Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cookies: 1. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated.

Add the ricotta cheese, lemon Photo: betty crocker

juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine.Stir in the dry ingredients.

3. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets.

4. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges.

Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze: Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth.

Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.

Pack the cookies into a decorative container.

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Baked Blogger: Bakerella I don’t know if anyone out there agrees with me but some of the most fascinating shows on television are the Food Network’s baking challenges and Ace of Cakes. I could sit and watch them for hours, actually, I already do that. I’m not even close to being any sort of chef or baker; my impatient habits lead me to seriously microwave just about everything. However, I have a huge amount of admiration for people who do create these edible works of art. So, this week’s column is dedicated to my new favorite web blog: Bakerella.

Bakerella.com was created by Angie Dudley, a baker from Atlanta, Ga. whose ‘‘Cupcake Pops’’ were featured on the Martha Stewart Show last April.

She started her blog about a year ago to learn more about baking after taking a class in 2007.

I find that inspiring for us nontalented bakers and decorators like myself because her creations look incredibly professional for someone who has only been at it for a year.

This is definitely a website to check out if you love to bake, want to bake or like me, don’t even bake at all! Who knows? I’m a little inspired to get some ingredients and bust something out on my own right now.

with cherry pie filling.

Refrigerate. Enjoy!

Go to Bakerella.com, to check out pictures of the recipe for clearer instructions. **From right, clockwise: mini cherry cheesecakes, cake pops, cherry pie pops, and a screen capture of Bakerella’s blog.

Either way, you’ll be craving a little something sweet after visiting her blog, I’m off in search of a cupcake right now.

In the meantime I’ll leave you with her recipe for Super Easy Mini Cherry Cheesecake. I’m a sucker for anything with ‘‘mini’’ in the title, get used to it:

process. Updated almost weekly, you can expect to find delicious recipes for cakes, pies, cupcakes, cookies and everything you can imagine within the realm of sweetness. Using recipes from books, family members or just ones she cooks up in her head, Bakerella tests it all out.

testing out the newest addition to the baking world, Break n’ Bake cupcakes. They actually look delicious and might be right up this impatient girl’s alley.

The recipes range from sweet and simple to pretty wacky, such as chipotle chocolate cupcakes. In the midst of all the experimental Dudley’s blog is dedicated to Some of my favorite creations baking, Bakerella also has fun testing out different recipes she’s made are her tattoo cupcakes giveaways for users who comment that she finds, complete with for Mother’s Day, pink panda on the site such as cookbooks, beautiful pictures of her creations cupcakes and Oreo Kiss treats. decorating sprinkles and cupcake and witty commentary about the I also enjoyed her foray into

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themed shirts. Overall, it is a fun website that will keep you wondering about what she’s going to make next, at least that’s what I’ve been doing with my free time.

article: Carrie Widder for The Vista of university of san diego

Ingredients: 2 packages (8oz.) cream cheese, softened to room temperature 3/4 cup sugar 3 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla 1 tablespoon lemon juice Vanilla wafers 2” aluminum mini baking cups Cherry pie filling Instructions: Place a vanilla wafer in each mini baking cup.

Spoon approximately 3 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture over each wafer. Makes about 4 dozen.

Bake at 350 degrees farenheit for 15-20 minutes. Let cool and top Photos: bakerella

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WHAT WE MADE

We made inticing treats from our favorite blogs, baking sites, and cook books and featured them on our radio show, the original Baker’s Block.

Here are three of our favorite recipes from the previous quarter!

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Sigrid’s Carrot Cake from blogger The Pioneer Woman Prep: 20 Minutes Total: 1 hour, 10 Minutes Servings: 12 Ingredients Cake: * 2 cups Sugar * 1 cup Vegetable Oil * 4 whole Eggs * 2 cups All-purpose Flour * ½ teaspoons Salt * 1 teaspoon Baking Soda * 1 teaspoon Baking Powder * 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon * 2 cups Grated Carrots

Photo: The pioneer woman

For Icing: * 1 stick Regular Butter, Softened * 1 package (8 Oz) Cream Cheese * 1 pound Powdered Sugar * 2 teaspoons Vanilla * 1 cup Pecans, Chopped Finely

soda and cinnamon. Add to first mixture and combine. Then add carrots and mix well.

Directions:

3.Pour into a greased and floured (Baker’s Joyed) pan (bundt, sheet cake, 9 x 13 pyrex) and bake until done, 25 to 50 minutes, depending on the pan you use.

Cool completely.

Cake:

Icing:

1. Mix together the sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl.

1. In larger bowl, cream butter and cream cheese. Add sugar and vanilla and blend, then mix in the nuts. Spread on cooled carrot cake.

2. In another bowl sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking

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Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bars from blogger Brown Eyed Baker Prep: 20 minutes Total: 50 minutes Yields: 32 squares

*¼ cup peanut butter, for drizzling (optional) *¼ cup pretzels, crumbled, for topping (optional)

3. Spread the batter evenly in the pan and press it down evenly with a spatula. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool completely.

Directions: Ingridients: *2 cups all-purpose flour *1 teaspoon baking soda *½ teaspoon salt *1½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature *1 cup light brown sugar *½ cup granulated sugar *2 large eggs *2 teaspoons vanilla extract *12-ounce bag bittersweet (or semisweet, if you prefer) chocolate chips *1½ cups mini pretzel twists, coarsely chopped *¼ cup chocolate chips, for drizzling (optional)

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies from blogger Two Peas and Their Pod Prep: 20 minutes Total: 40 minutes Yields: 45 cookies Ingridients *1 1/4 cups all purpose flour *1/2 tsp. baking soda *1/2 tsp. baking powder *1/2 tsp. salt *Pinch of fresh nutmeg *Pinch of all spice *1/2 tsp. cinnamon *4 T unsalted butter, at room temperature *1/4 cup sugar *1/2 cup dark brown sugar *1 egg *1 tsp. vanilla

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.

2. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt. Using a mixer, beat the butter and both sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs and the vanilla extract. On low speed, beat in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.

Stir in the chocolate chips and pretzel pieces.

4. In separate sandwich size baggies, melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Cut off a small corner on each bag and drizzle the chocolate and peanut butter over the top of the bars. Sprinkle the extra crushed pretzels on top. Let set and then cut into squares.

Check out what else we made on the SCAD-Atlanta Radio blog!

A Baker’s Block website will be up in June 2010!

*1/2 cup applesauce 4. With the mixer on low, add in *1 apple, diced (I used Granny the applesauce and diced apple.

Smith) Mix until well combined. *1 1/4 cup oats-not quick cooking 5. On low, slowly add in the flour *3/4 cup cinnamon chips mixture. Don’t over mix. Mix just until the flour mixture disappears.

Directions: 6. Stir in the oats and cinnamon 1. Preheat the oven to 350 dechips. Drop rounded tablespoons grees. Line a cookie sheet with a of the cookie dough onto the Silpat or parchment paper. cookie sheet. Place the cookies 2 inches apart.

2. In a large bowl add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, 7. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let the nutmeg, all spice, and cinnamon. cookies cool on the cookie sheet Whisk until combined. for a couple of minutes. When set, transfer them to a cooling rack.

3. In the bowl of a mixer combine the butter and sugars until smooth. Add in the egg and vanilla. Mix until combined.

Photo: two peas in their pod

Photo: brown eyed baker

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Y L H S E R F ED K A B S E E T

KES IS A C P U SS YC JOHNN SWEET SUCE NY G PA FINDIN OWING COM GR IN HIS

At

of Liberty holding a cupcake; just 27 years old, Marilyn Monroe with a tiny Johnny Cupcakes is still as cupcake-shaped mole; and the much of a prankster as he is an cupcake-and-crossbones motif that entrepreneur. has become the store’s signature design. At $40 to $70 a piece, the He made his first buck selling tees are selling like, well, hotcakes. whoopee cushions in junior high.

And the guy who’s most surprised So it’s not surprising that, when it is Johnny himself. came time to open his own store, on Boston’s Newbury Street, Johnny WORD-OF-MOUTH SENSATION set it up like a well-laid trap: He planted a giant dough machine in His real name is John Earle. And the window, and made sure the in a serious moment, he’ll tell you glass bakery cases and stainlessthis whole enterprise started as a steel cooling racks were visible joke: After a friend gave him the from the street. All day, hungry nickname “Johnny Cupcakes,” passers-by come in asking for cuphe made a T-shirt for laughs. Alcakes. most immediately, people started asking for one, and Earle started And, all day, Johnny tries to conprinting more and selling them -tain his amusement as he explains first to friends from the back of his he has no cupcakes for sale. car, and then to strangers on the Internet. He was clever enough Instead, his baker’s racks hold to give them to some musicians brightly colored T-shirts, each when he was traveling with his with the image of a cupcake where band, and when a few showed up you’d least expect it: the Statue

*Johnny outside of the Newberry Street store before a line launch.

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Photo: limite magazine

article: tovia smith for npr

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“PEOPLE COME IN AND THEY’RE LIKE, ‘I DON’T GET IT.’”

wearing them on MTV and VH-1, “Johnny Cupcakes” was officially hot. By the time word spread online that Earle was opening a store on Boston’s chic Newbury Street, more than 500 people lined up around the block to get in.

Kaplus, so much so that he invited Earle to speak to his entrepreneurship class. He says Earle’s “brazen” decision to open up on Boston’s hippest, hottest shopping strip is exactly what he needed to do to build his buzz and his brand.

“It’s just got this really big cult following that keeps growing and growing,” Earle says of his T-shirts’ viral-marketing success. “They’ll buy one of everything. And every time I’m here, people will ask to get their picture taken with me. They’ll ask for my autograph. It’s just word of mouth.

It’s unbelievable.”

“You’ve got to shake your head and say, ‘Wow. This is just amazing,’” Kaplus says. “There is a certain cache that he is building that has people saying, ‘Wow. This is really something.’ But it all starts with saying, ‘You know, listen, I have the chutzpah to put this on a shirt and say it’s something.’ You know, like, it isn’t just soap, or whatever.”

Earle may have pulled it off espe‘JUST A CUPCAKE’ cially well, Kaplus says. “But isn’t almost everything that way?” He As his business emerges from the observes, “Until you’ve done it, underground, Earle is trying to you’re really faking it until you keep his shirts sought after by make it.” making limited editions.

“People want what no one else has,” he says. But he’s the first to admit a little shock at how quickly people have bought into this whole cupcake thing, and how many want to see his designs as more than they really are.

“People come in and they’re like, ‘I don’t get it,’” Earle says, “and there’s nothing really to get about it. It’s just a cupcake. It is what it is. It’s just cupcakes.”

SOME CURRENT JOHNNY CUPCAKES DESIGNS ON THE NEXT PAGE! >>>

It makes one wonder if the whole phenomenon is not just a little like “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Is Johnny Cupcakes on Newbury Street because his shirts are so hot? Or are his shirts so hot *From left, clockwise: the because he’s on Newbury Street? suitcase that Johnny began selling his tees from, the L.A. store, The whole thing intrigued Babson the Newbury Street store, College business professor Glenn wand the Hull store.

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Photos: johnny cupcakes, limite magazine

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TEES IN JOHNNY CUPCAKE’S BAKE SHOP

FIND THESE TEES AND MORE AT JOHNNYCUPCAKES.COM 23 BAKER'S BLOCK

Photos: johnny cupcakes