Middle grade cupcake novel Confectionately Yours by Lisa Papademetriou

Today on bookstore shelves there's a new addition to the middle grade children's fiction world of cupcake-themed novels, with Confectionately Yours: Save the Cupcake! by Lisa Papademetriou. It's about Hayley, a 7th grader who loves making cupcakes, and she makes some very creative ones, and friendship, and popularity, and how growing up can tear old friends apart (and bring them back together). It even covers gluten-free cupcakes, and has a side plot about a girl being ignore and sometimes made fun of for not being able to eat gluten (not to worry, she's a feisty, strong character, and Hayley surprises her by making her a gluten-free cupcake and concludes that it's pretty easy to do!). I enjoyed the book and felt like it was realistic, touching on things like Hayley's mom looking for a job (they've moved back in with Hayley's grandmother while she searches), her sister's invisible friend, the general ups and downs of middle school and how cupcakes can brighten someone's day.

The book also has recipes for various cupcakes: Spicy Mexican Chocolate "Hotheads" (they use cayenne pepper and are filled with chocolate ganache), Shoot the Moon cupcakes (with green tea frosting), Apple cupcakes, French Toast cupcakes, Heartsick Puppies (you have to read the book), Gluten-free chocolate cupcakes, Freak-Outs (chocolate cupcakes with 8 cloves of garlic in them!). It's also available as a Kindle ebook. Book two in the series is called Confectionately Yours: Taking the Cake! and will be out in September.

9-year-old author Carrie Berk has coolest book party ever, complete with chocolate fountain, custom book cover cupcakes and cupcaketinis, for debut novel Peace, Love and Cupcakes

We'll have more about 9-year-old debut author Carrie Berk, who blogs about cupcakes at Carrie's Cupcake Critique and her new novel, the first in a series, Peace, Love and Cupcakes, about a group of little girls who form a cupcake club at their school, start a cupcake business, fight bullies and have fun baking, decorating and learning about each other. It was written along with her mom, Sheryl Berk, and will officially be on sale Tuesday, April 3rd, in print and ebook form. And of course there are cupcake recipes at the back of the book, including one for ecolicious cupcakes and others that play a role in the plot.



Here are a few snapshots from tonight's amazing book party at Dylan's Candy Bar in Manhattan; it is a dream space and was set up with a chocolate fountain where you could get Peeps, marshmallows, Rice Krispie treats, pretzels, strawberries or bananas dipped in it, a cupcaketini cocktail, which had Frangelico, Bailey's and Kahlua (adults only, obviously) and adorable custom mini cupcakes courtesy of Georgetown Cupcake, which managed to replicate the book cover exactly, with glitter! So much fun and if you have little kids, check out Peace, Love and Cupcakes; the next novel, Recipe for Trouble will be out in November. You can also follow Carrie on Pinterest as well as @CBCupcakeCritic on Twitter and on Facebook. Congratulations on a sweet party and a sweet book!


9-year-old author and cupcake blogger Carrie Berk


red velvet cupcakes and glitter peace sign lava fudge mini cupcakes by Georgetown Cupcake


Peace, Love and Cupcakes mini cupcake by Georgetown Cupcake


chocolate fountain - I want to have my next birthday party (um, my 37th) here!




yes, my chocolate-covered Rice Krispie treat was as delicious as it looked


bonus: there was plenty of hot, gooey chocolate to dip my mini cupcakes in!


the very strong cupcaketini, complete with whipped cream