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As you walk through the streets of Neopia central, a strange sensation overtakes your stomach. You feel the need for something sweet….something fluffy….something delicious...

Your nose leads you to a rarely-traveled collection of shops, and as you turn a corner, you notice a magnificent wide window with a display full of the most tantalizing cupcakes you have ever seen in your virtual life. You briefly notice a sign that reads "The Cupcakery," and without a moment's hesitation, you enter the little shop, mouth watering.

You pause at the front counter and rest your hands on the glass, where you marvel at the hundreds of delicious confections lining the room, just out of your reach. Though neat and tidy, the shop appears to be deserted. However, you can smell freshly baked cupcakes coming from the kitchen.

You quickly step back from the counter as a white Scorchio enters the main shop from the kitchen. He's wearing an equally white apron, where he wipes batter from his paws. "Can I help you?" He asks, in surprised voice, clearly not expecting anyone. "Oh! You must be guest. Here for that 1:00 baking lesson, right? Follow me into the kitchen and we'll get started right away."

About the Cupcakery

The Cupcakery is a strictly all-cupcake confectionary. We don't do puddings, pies, or cookies. Just cupcakes. Why? Why because, cupcakes are the best treat in all of Neopia! They're the perfect amount of light, fluffy cake and creamy frosting for any time of day.

-Aalabaster, head confectioner at the Cupcakery

MENU: - Aalabaster - Berry Cupcakes - Pomegranate Cupcakes - Galaxy Cupcakes - The Cupcake-o-Pedia - Original Recipes - Frosting - The Kitchen Drawer - The Golden Cupcake - Leave -

The Cupcakery opened shop a few months ago when Aalabaster's owner, lumnatii, discovered that he had a certain knack for concocting cupcakes, and his brother, Gavrelo, had a certain knack for handling money. In an attempt to prevent herself from eating the hundreds of cupcakes that Aalabaster would bake each week (and to keep Gavrelo's paws off her stock investments), she gave the brothers a small fund to start their own business. It's been expanding slowly but surely ever since, and most of the Cupcakery's advertising gets out through the mouths of its many satisfied customers.

About Aalabaster

Species: Scorchio
Colour: White
Age: 24392 hours
IQ: 123
Occupation: Confectioner
Location: Neopia Central
Favorite cupcake flavor: Chocolate
Icing of Choice: Vanilla cream cheese icing

The scorchio hands you an apron after you've finished scrubbing your hands in the kitchen sink. "Alright," he says cheerfully. "Let's get started.

Hang on! You're old enough to work alone in the kitchen, aren't you? Make sure you always have parental supervision, or permission from you parents, at least, before you start using up all their eggs and flour."

Berry Cupcakes

r87 [Rare]- A mix of different berries, this cupcake is topped with blue berry frosting and purple sprinkles.
The first cupcake we'll learn how to make today is the simple berry cupcake. Well what are you waiting for? Preheat that oven to 350 degrees...

2 cups flour	3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder	1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt	1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil	2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups fresh berries

Preheat oven to 400°F. Oil cupcake tins or place cupcake papers in the tins. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine and make a well in the center. In another medium bowl, whisk the milk, oil and eggs. Mix well and pour into the well. Stir just until blended. Fold in the berries. Spoon equal amounts of the batter into the paper cups, filling them about three-fourths full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes and serve warm or cool on a wire rack.

As you turn to place the last tray of berry cupcakes in the oven, you catch sight of a little winged petpet scurrying around the kitchen, picking ingredients off of the counter and flying them back into the cupboard. This is Steven, my GX-4 Oscillabot, Aalabaster says, chuckling as he notices your startled face. I painted him faerie so he could get around the kitchen easier. Steven flies up to you and wipes some batter off your face.

He's quite useful, and he doesn't eat the cupcakes when you leave him alone in the kitchen.Aalabaster wipes his paws on his apron again. Now, let's get started on the next recipe.

Pomegranate Cupcakes

r79 [Uncommon]- Lashings of Pomegranate juice have been blended into the muffin mix for a truly distinctive flavour.
If you like you can hide a few pomegranate seeds in the center of the cupcakes for a refreshing surprise. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes.

2 cups all-purpose flour	2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt	1 1/2 sticks of butter
1 cup sugar	2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract	1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup concentrated pomegranate juice	fresh pomegranate seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in one bowl, set aside. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add vanilla extract and milk, plus half the flour mixture. Mix together until combined. Add the pomegranate juice and other half of the flour mixture, mix together until combined.

Pour batter into prepared cupcake pan and place a few fresh pomegranate seeds on the center of each one, letting them sink a little into the batter. Bake in oven for 22 minutes. Let cool completely before topping with Pomegranate Frosting.

Baking Tip: All theses "cups" and "tsp." labels confusing you? If you're from another world, you can search for baking conversions online to find your alien measurements that correspond to the Cupcakery's recipes.

Galaxy Cupcakes

r92 [Very Rare] **GOURMET**- This cupcake almost crackles with energy.
What the description doesn't tell you is that here at the Cupcakery galactic cupcakes have a hidden swirl of color inside!

foil cupcake liners	star sprinkles (white or assorted)
assorted food coloring	3 cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder	1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cups unsalted butter	1 ¾ cups sugar
2 eggs	1 ¼ cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cupcake pan with the foil liners. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. In a separate, larger bowl, cream the butter. Gradually add the sugar, creaming until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat well after each addition. In a small bowl, combine the milk and vanilla. To the butter mixture, add about one quarter of the flour mixture and mix well. Add about one quarter of the milk mixture and mix well. Continue alternating the flour mixture and milk mixture, beating after each addition until smooth. Divide the batter into 3 or four smaller bowls, depending on how many colors of food coloring you want to use. Color each one differently, the amount of food coloring depends on how bright you want the colors (we make them pretty bright). Gently spoon the different colors into the tins--do not mix them together in the tins, let them sit on top of one another inside the tin. This way the cupcake will be multicolored when you bite into it! Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched and a toothpick comes out cleanly when insterted. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes, then turn the cupcakes out of the tins and onto a rack to finish cooling completely. Frost with Galaxy Cupcake Frosting and top with star sprinkles.

Decorating Tip: Wait until cupcakes are COMPLETELY cool to frost them. If you don't, the icing will melt right off and you will be left with a big mess.

Cupcake-o-pedia

As you wait for the last batch of galaxy cupcakes to cool, you notice a neat little book shelf in the corner. One large volume in particular catches your eye and you pull it off the shelf.

Neopia's Most Expensive Cupcakes
These cupcakes are for admiring, not eating!

Puntec Cupcake-r98 [Ultra Rare]
Approx. 1,000,000 NP
Small sections of Puntec Fruit are blended into the cake mix and the icing to make this tangy treat. If puntecs are so cheap, why are puntec cupcakes so expensive?

Artichoke Cupcake-r99 [Super Rare]
Approx. 2,500,000 NP
Great for Neopet birthday parties! While the Cupcakery doesn't usually endorse "healthy" cupcake options, this delicious artichoke-flavored delight is just the thing if you have a couple million to spare.

Snowager Cupcake-r101 [Special]
Approx. 4,500,000 NP
A delicious cupcake that looks amazingly like a little Snowager. The craftsmanship on the delicate sugar Snowager topping this cupcake is divine; he looks cute enough to eat!

White Aisha Cupcake-r101 [Special]
Approx. 6,000,000 NP
This White Aisha Cupcake is only available if you have a White Aisha rare item code from the Neopets Plushie Giveaway! This cupcake is *way* overrated. It's not even a gourmet food. The Cupcakery has better confections at a millionth of the price!

Gross Cupcakes
Why would anyone want to eat these? Why??

Feathery Cupcake-r84 [Uncommon]
Approx. 18,000 NP
Caution: Feathers for decorative use only. Do not eat. What's the point of a cupcake if you can't eat it?

Tentacle Cupcake-r89 [Rare]
Approx. 600 NP
This chocolate cupcake is topped with tentacles. YUMMY! Hmm, chocolate and calamari, what an interesting combination…

Crunchy Snot Birthday Cupcake-r180 [Retired]
Approx. 1,000 NP
This special cupcake was baked just for Neopets third birthday! For the record, nothing like this would ever be found in the Cupcakery.

Olive Cupcake-r70
Approx. 1,000 NP
For cake lovers that will try absolutely anything. Boy, do they mean anything.

Dung Berry Tonu Cupcake-r77 [Uncommon]
Approx. 6,900 NP
Ummm sure... a tasty dung berry cupcake decorated to look like a Tonu... The things they let those chefs on Mystery Island come up with! Really, this should be classified as a health hazard!

Healthy Cupcakes
Aalabaster's personal philosophy is that all cupcakes are healthy. However, here is a list of the "healthy" cupcakes in Neopia for the few who disagree with him.

Asparagus Chocolate Cupcake-r91 [Very Rare]
Approx. 38,000 NP
An amazing combination of two great flavours. You can't go wrong with asparagus and chocolate!

Artichoke Cupcake-r99 [Super Rare]
Approx. 2,500,000 NP
Great for Neopet birthday parties! How can you expect to eat healthy when it's so expensive?

Cabbage Cupcake-r95 [Ultra Rare]
Approx. 91,000 NP
A bizarre healthy treat formed mainly out of cabbage. The Cupcakery has not been quite daring enough to try this recipe out yet.

Carrot Cupcake-r76 [Uncommon]
Approx. 3,700 NP
Delicious carrot cake topped with frosting and two carrots! The Cupcakery has a special on Cybunny Day: One free carrot cupcake for every cybunny customer with the purchase of one or more cupcakes!

Cupcake Facts
• Another name for cupcake is a fairy cake.
• The first cupcake introduced to Neopia was the Olive Cupcake.
• The term "cupcake" is traced back to 1821.
• Cupcakes were originally baked in individual clay cups.
• Everybody likes cupcakes.

Baking Tip: If you find that you don't have enough batter to fill all the cupcake tins, fill the empty ones with water before you bake so you're cookware doesn't burn.

Cupcakery Original Recipes

As Aalabaster experiments in the kitchen constantly, he's come up with a few recipes for his favorite, original cupcakes. Maybe he'll have his own recipe book published soon…Remember, you can't find these cupcakes anywhere else in Neopia!

The Aalabaster
An all-white cupcake, flavored and garnished with coconut. This recipe makes 20 cupcakes

3/4 cup butter	1 1/4 cup of sugar
3 eggs	1 cup canned coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract	2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt	1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup of sweetened coconut, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and cream till light and fluffy again, scraping down the sides halfway through to ensure even mixing. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds each to ensure mixing. Be sure to scrape down the sides after each egg to ensure even mixing. Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in one bowl. In another add 1 cup of a well shaken can of coconut milk and a teaspoon of vanilla. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix, then add 1/2 of the wet ingredients. Continue alternating with the wet and dry mixtures, ending with the dry. Stop mixing once just as the ingredients become incorporated; do not overbeat. Fold in the coconut. Scoop into cupcake papers about one half to three-quarters of the way full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, rotating the pan after the first 15 to ensure even baking. Be sure to check with a toothpick to see if the cupcakes are done. If the toothpick comes out of the cupcake clean, then they're ready. Allow the cupcakes to cool for a minute or two in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Top with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting and enjoy!

Lumnatii's Chocolate-Zucchini Cupcakes
Aalabaster doesn't usually let his owner, lumnatii, anywhere near the kitchen, but when she ~~accidentally~~ knocked a cup of grated zucchini into his bowl of chocolate cupcake batter, he recognized her stroke of genius.

1 ½ ounces of melted unsweetened chocolate	3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour	1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups grated zucchini	1 cup vegetable oil
1¾ cups packed brown sugar	1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Instead of melted chocolate, cocoa powder can also be used. Follow the directions on your cocoa powder box to make the right amount. You can also use any leftover chocolate chips you might have lying around. Just toss em in a bowl and melt them in the microwave (or you could mix them in whole, if you prefer).

Cake Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Mix the eggs and sugar in a large bowl with a whisk or electric mixer (handheld) until they become pale and frothy. Blend oil and chocolate into the egg mixture. In a smaller bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then stir flour mixture into egg mixture until just blended. The batter will probably appear a little dry, which will be remedied now when you add the zucchiini to the mixture. Line 12 muffin tins with cupcake papers, then, using an ice-cream scoop or spoon of your choice, ladel in the batter. Bake for 20 minutes or until cakes pass the toothpick test. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before touching! Remove the cakes from the pans and let them cool. These cupcakes are delicious without icing or paired with the Cupcakery's Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Shenkuu-Inspired Green Tea Cupcakes
These exotic cupcakes are flavored with the finest green tea and are 100% vegan.

1/2 cup yogurt	2/3 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract	1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon almond extract	1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder	1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 teaspoons of matcha tea powder	1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar

For the vegan version, use soy yogurt and rice milk instead. Matcha tea powder (the green tea flavor), can be difficult to find (not to mention expensive), but Aalabaster says it's well worth it. Make sure you don't buy powdered green tea drink mix with pre-added sugar.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Add the yogurt, milk, vanilla, oil and almond extract together in a large bowl and whisk together to blend in the yogurt.

Sift the dry ingredients right into the bowl with the wet ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, matcha powder, salt and sugar. Line 12 muffin tins with cupcake papers, then, using an ice-cream scoop or spoon of your choice, ladel in the batter. The tins should be about 2/3 of the way full with batter. Bake for 20 minutes or until cakes pass the toothpick test. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before touching! Remove the cakes from the pans and let them cool COMPLETELY before you add the Green Tea Frosting

Frosting Recipes

Pomegranate Frosting
Ingredients:

1 stick butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp concentrated pomegranate juice

Directions:
Cream butter until fluffy. Add half the powdered sugar along with the milk, mix until combined. Add the rest of the powdered sugar, the vanilla bean seeds or extract, and pomegranate juice and beat until fluffy. Add more sugar or milk if needed for the right consistency. Frost cupcakes, and top with more pomegranate seeds. Back.

Galaxy Cupcake Frosting

1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 cups powdered sugar
lots of blue food coloring

Directions:
Beat the butter until it turns into a cream. Add the milk, the vanilla syrup, the food coloring and 2 cups of sugar. Add enough food coloring for the mixture to be a dark blue. Beat it until it gets fluffy. Then you can add more sugar until it gets as sweet as you want. Back.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:

1/2 cup of butter (1 stick)
8 oz of Philly cream cheese (1 package)
1/2-1 cup of powdered sugar
1/4 cup of sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:
Cream the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes. Scraped down the sides and bottom. Slowly add the powdered sugar, taste as you go adding more sugar until you have reached the desired sweetness. Fold in the coconut. Spread onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle on a bit of extra shredded coconut on top and serve! Back.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/3 cup half-and-half cream or milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

Directions:
Cream the butter in a small bowl. Blend in the cocoa powder, vanilla, confectioners sugar, alternating with the cream. Beat with an electric mixer, until the desired texture is achieved. Back.

Green Tea Frosting
Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
4 teaspoons matcha powder
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Sift together confectioner's sugar and matcha powder. Set aside. Using a heavy duty mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on medium speed for 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add sugar/matcha gradually. Once all of the sugar/matcha is mixed in, increase speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes more. Frost your green tea cupcakes, and viola! Back.

The Kitchen Drawer

Sometimes people will leave things lying around, so Steven picks them up and puts them here...

The Golden Cupcake

So you think YOUR site is amazing, eh? Is it amazing enough to to display this precious golden cupcake? Neomail lumnatii to find out. (She'll say yes, we just want to keep track of who's taking them ;D)
Update: I've been getting a lot of requests for the golden cupcake, so please don't ask me to write the HTML code for you. It's extremely easy to look up how to code a link and an image ;)

Award Winners:

Come Back Again Soon!

Well, that was quite an experience. You look down at the case of sweets tucked under your arm and wonder how many cupcakes you have already eaten. Oh, well, a few more can't hurt!