Check It Out:

The cupcake craze has taken America by storm! Upscale cupcake bakeries are flourishing, despite the economic downturn.

Cupcake aficionados are writing blogs and joining cupcake clubs. Brides are choosing cupcake towers over the traditional tiered wedding cakes.

Restaurants are adding cupcakes to their dessert menus.

We just can’t seem to satisfy our cravings for these perfectly packaged, decadent little cakes.

Don’t want to pay a small fortune for designer cupcakes? Then bake them yourself! Whimsically decorated, home-made cupcakes also make fabulous, but affordable holiday gifts.

Pop over to the Newport Beach Public Library and treat yourself to one of these inspirational gems:

“Hey There, Cupcake! 35 Yummy Fun Cupcake Recipes for All Occasions” by Clare Crespo: Culinary writer Clare Crespo presents 35 wildly creative cupcakes based on 10 master cake recipes and six recipes for frosting.

Learn how to bake and decorate trompe l’oeuil cupcakes that resemble bears, fried eggs, clocks, burgers, volcanoes, balls of yarn, sushi and more!

“Cupcakes: Over 100 Recipes for Luscious, Easy-To-Prepare Cupcakes, Frostings, and Toppings” by Ceri Hadda: If you want to serve cupcakes that will appeal to a more discriminating adult palate, look no further than this handy little guide. Impress your guests with espresso-chocolate chip cupcakes, Grand Marnier ouncecakes, rum raisin cupcakes, cuppuccinos, wintertime sacher cupcakes, and other delectable concoctions.

“Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule” by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero: The authors enthusiastically share their inspired, no-fail cupcake and frosting recipes that are sure to please vegans and omnivores alike.

This primer also gives troubleshooting tips and advice on selecting dairy-free ingredients, which baking tools to use, and how to artfully decorate cupcakes.

“Cupcakes from the Cake Mix Doctor” by Anne Byrn: Don’t have time to make cupcakes from scratch? Most of the 135 recipes in this book start with a commercial cake mix and ingredients you probably already have on hand. Even better, these recipes yield delicious cupcakes that taste home-made. Whip up a batch of tiny cakes to celebrate holiday festivities, birthdays, weddings and other special occasions.

“Hello, Cupcake!: Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make” by Alan Richardson and Karen Tack: Renowned food photography team, Richardson and Tack, demonstrate how to design innovative cupcakes with simple ingredients and dime-store candies. Even novice bakers can easily follow the user-friendly instructions accompanied by large, detailed color photographs. Let your cupcake imagination run wild as you create mini-cakes in the shapes of sunflowers, snow globes, bagels and lox, corn-on-the-cob, butterflies, and other clever motifs.

“Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes: 175 Inspired Ideas for Everyone’s Favorite Treat” by Martha Stewart: Martha Stewart and her team of savvy editors present 175 irresistible cupcake ideas in this recently published guide. Cupcake aficionados everywhere will appreciate the colorful clip-art and templates for decorating, step-by-step photographs and imaginative packaging ideas. Recipes range from traditional favorites (red velvet cupcakes, banana-pecan cupcakes, and German chocolate cupcakes) to more elaborate confections (tiramisu cupcakes, Boston cream pie cupcakes, and candied sweet potato cupcakes).

Yes, it’s true — the best things in life really do come in small packages!

CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public Library. All titles may be reserved from home or office computers by accessing the catalog at www.newportbeachlibrary.org. For more information on the Central Library or any of the branches, please contact the Newport Beach Public Library at (949) 717-3800, option 2.