Sweet bakers; Fancy treats to brighten the day.

AuthorRettig, Julia Quinn-Szcesuil Photography By Tom
PositionMagazine

Byline: Julia Quinn-Szcesuil Photography by Tom Rettig

When it comes to sweet goodies, everyone, it seems, has an opinion. Mounds of fluffy frosting perched atop a dense chocolate cake, gooey fillings of sugar and nuts, cookies chock full of chocolate chips or crunchy nuts, or even the perfect piece of candy represent the good things in life for many of us -- celebration, family and friends. Fancy treats raise even the most mundane day to something special. Whether you bake at home, buy your treats from someone, or a little of both, these bakers know just what you are looking for.

CocoBeni Confections

When Mary Beth Benison debated changing careers, the bliss that comes from simple things like mixing flour, butter and sugar and turning them into an endless combination of cupcakes was appealing.

"Cupcakes have so much versatility,'' she says. "They are fun and creative.''

A longtime baker, Benison noted with interest the increasing popularity of the old-fashioned cupcake. Long a staple of birthday parties and backyard picnics, the common cupcake was fast-tracking to a flavor-packed gourmet staple. In a now-or-never leap, she opened CocoBeni Confections in Northboro in October 2011.

Customers like the low-risk adventure of trying small portions of new flavors. Families, she says, have fun choosing cupcakes to please everyone or an assortment to split. And gender lines are pretty specific. "Women like more frosting and men like more cake,'' says Benison.

Flavor preferences come in waves and are often seasonal. Customers clamor for Mud Pie with its cookie bottom supporting a double chocolate chip cake, chocolate ganache and chocolate buttercream and a flourish of crushed Oreo cookies. But trends, like the current uptick in salted caramel flavors, also influence people who want to sample something they normally wouldn't.

Home bakers, says Benison, can experiment boldly. "Have fun with the flavors and different combinations,'' she says. If a flavor appeals to you, try it out in a cupcake, using frosting, filling or cake to bring in your favorites. "Try different combinations you wouldn't think of,'' she says. "Don't be afraid to try what you like.''

Benison's inventory includes 10 constants like Almond Joy (almond cake with chocolate ganache, coconut buttercream, and an Almond Joy piece), carrot cake (a nut- and raisin-free version with carrots, coconut, pineapple and a cream cheese frosting), or s'mores (a graham cracker bottom, buttermilk...

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