Candace Nelson - The Sprinkles Baking Book: 100 Secret Recipes from Candaces Kitchen

Ive 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 whats really important, giving us a reason to celebrate the simple joys of family and friends with a bite of delicious indulgence and thats why I love it. I always get a kick out of telling people I make cupcakes for a living. Whether its the editor of a national food magazine or a taxi driver, the result is the same: their eyes light up, and they cant 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 mothers 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; Id 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 couldnt 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 bakingand 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 devils food cakeI loved them for the way they could transport me, with one single bite, across oceans to a place that was happily familiar. My nostalgia wasnt necessarily for a different time, but for a different place. The processleveling out the sugar in my moms plastic measuring cups, following a family recipe from a dog-eared recipe card, buttering the Bundt pan, and presenting the finished goods to my familyconnected 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 worlds 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 Ive 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? theyd 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 thingand doing it very well. Customers immediately connected with Sprinkles. I like to think its because they loved our thoughtfully edited offerings and pared-down aesthetic, which felt sleek and welcoming at the same time. Theyd 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 wasnt 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, were 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.