Sunday, May 6, 2012

Jenn McKinlay is our guest!



Please welcome former MLK'er and now our guest, Jenn McKinlay. 

Jenn amazes me. She is the successful New York Times selling author of two series, the Cupcake Bakery Mysteries and the Library Lover’s mysteries.  She also writes under the names Lucy Lawrence and Josie Belle...which, if you can count, means there are possibly four new titles out at any one time!  Her newest release is RED VELVET REVENGE coming in July 2012.  I had the delightful pleasure to read this book! Delicious.

Welcome, Jenn, from Avery. :)

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The Cherpumple!

Writers, I’ve noticed, are an obsessive lot.  We get thoughts stuck in our heads and we become practically non-functional until we have exorcised the ideas that are ailing us, which could be anything from figuring out a particularly challenging scene, a reluctant character or a twisty plot point.  For me, this sort of obsessiveness also spills over into my daily life, which my family has learned to tolerate as one of the perks of living with me.  I like to think I’m teaching them flexibility but probably, they are really learning to humor the crazy lady.

Anyway, my latest obsession is with the cherpumple.  The whattle?  Yes, you heard me right.  The cherpumple.  It is a three layer  -- CHERry pie in chocolate cake -- PUMPkin pie in carrot cake -- apPLE pie in spice cake -- combination that leaves one equally dazzled and repulsed.  It was developed by Charles Phoenix as dessert’s  answer to the turducken (you know the turkey stuffed with a chicken stuffed with a duck).

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Amazing, no?  Now, as much as I wanted to tackle the entire cherpumple, I was mostly obsessed with the cherry-chocolate layer and so, I decided to give it a go.  Charles doesn’t use chocolate as the cake for his cherry pie.  I saw that somewhere else and decided it was definitely the way to go.  My fellow librarian Jordan, the one who  introduced me to the cherpumple, was leaving our library for a promotion.  I decided to make it for her good-bye party.  Needless to say, the pressure was on not to screw it up!

I am happy to report that it was easy peasy just as Charles Phoenix’s video demonstrates.  I baked the pie, Mrs. Smith’s classic cherry, according to the box’s directions the night before and let it cool overnight.  The next day I got out my trusty springform pan and made my cake batter.  I used a boxed mix, Pillsbury Chocolate, not wanting to invest too much time if it proved disastrous.  I put a half inch of batter in the pan then I carefully removed the pie from its aluminum pan and put it in the cake batter.  I poured the rest of the batter over the pie and put it in the oven to bake according to the mix’s instructions.  I set the timer for 35 minutes and then tested it.  It was still gooey on top so I gave it another ten minutes.  Ding!  It was perfect.

Then I made a batch of vanilla buttercream.  One cup of butter, 4 cups confectioner’s sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 3 tablespoons of milk.  When the cake cooled, I carefully took it out of the pan and then frosted it and we were ready to go.


I took the cake to the party and was very nervous to see what it would like when we cut that baby open.   It was also a lot heavier than a standard cake, and I was equally relieved that I didn’t drop it.  Well, I have to say, “SUCCESS!”  The cake set up perfectly around the pie and much to my surprise it was delicious. 


If I do it again, I will serve the cake-pie with ice cream.  The pie part of it seemed to demand it. 


And that, my friends, is the cherpumple.  Well, at least the “cher” part of it.  Someday soon I am going to try the pumpkin and the apple layers, but I do think I will have to work up to putting all three together at once.  It is stunning though, isn’t it?

Thanks for letting me bring my insanity to the Mystery Lover’s Kitchen!    You ladies are the cherpumple  of my eye.   Yes, that’s a good thing.  Happy reading and happy eating!

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Jenn McKinlay is the New York Times best selling author of the Cupcake Bakery mysteries and the Library Lover’s mysteries.  She also writes under the names Lucy Lawrence and Josie Belle. You can contact her via her website: JENN MCKINLAY.

16 comments:

  1. Okay Jenn, I have to admit, this looks so weird! It would never occur to me to try this or that turkey duck thing either. I guess my obsessions run along different lines:)

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  2. This part of the Cherpumple sounds good, but I'm not so sure about the about the rest of it. Cherry & chocolate always work for me. And, if anyone would like to see a picture of Jenn & Avery out for dinner & drinks, check out my blog today, http://www.lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com.

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  3. Wonderful to see you back in the Kitchen, Jenn. That pie-stuffed cake is one hilarious foodie invention. Kudos to you for taking on the challenge. I can't wait to see your pumpkin pie-carrot cake (or apple-spice). Maybe you'll come back for Thanksgiving? :)

    Have a lovely Sunday!
    ~ Cleo

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  4. So, much fun to visit with you and the gals last night, Lesa. That mac and cheese was to die for (yes, bad pun intended - I now have shame).
    It's so great to be back in the kitchen again! Great to "see" you Cleo and Lucy. Someone just sent me a recipe for sugar cookies that look like striped donkey shaped pinatas -- you bake them and then fill them with M & M's. Yes, I'm feeling that same buzz of obsession. Be warned!
    Oh, and yes, the cherpumple is crazy. I had to lift with my knees on one layer, I can't even imagine all three! This layer, though, did taste like a black forest cake! :) Come on, you know you want to try it...

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  5. I've had (but not made) a turducken. It was good with the different stuffings and all but I would never go to all that work since I'm not very good at deboning something and leaving it intact. :-)

    This, on the other hand, sounds like something I could handle. And I like the combinations on the layers. Thanks for the idea!!

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  6. OMG! Out of all the people I know, you are the only one crazy enough besides me to try this. Except you got it right in one shot. I would have screwed it up four times before modest (i.e. decent enough to let it pass and hope people are too polite to comment.)

    You know, you can do this with mini pies and cupcakes. I say, for no apparent reason, in an offhand fashion.

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  7. Jenn, I have to admit this looks so gooey-good that it's scary. Had a great time at Cozy Con with you and Malice and Oakmont...fun times behind, lots of writing ahead. But love those moments! Took a few pictures yesterday and posted them on Facebook. You look as cute as always! :) Hugs,

    Daryl aka Avery

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  8. I see pumpkin pie/spice cake at Thanksgiving. Thank you!!!

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  9. now see, all 3 layers sound great to me....but not together. I would really like to try the apple layer. And I do think Aimee Hix maybe onto an idea for cupcakes for your book Jenn!
    Lori Cimino

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  10. LOL! Aimee and Lori, my friend and I are already debating the mini pie - cupcake option. I'll report back! Harbingerdc and Mare - you must tell us if you try it!
    Daryl, thanks so much for inviting me today. I already miss you and Kate and our shenanigans. I'm just going to have to come to LA soon to get in another dose of mayhem! Maybe when Hannah gets back from the UK and we can rope her in, too!

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  11. My body has gone into sugar shock just imagining what all three layers together would taste!

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  12. Wow! This is much more impressive than pudding in the middle of a cupcake which is about as daring as I get.

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  13. Sue, I can't imagine how you even slice all three at once. Sofie, when we cut it open I broke into a sweat. But it worked!
    I do love odd ball recipes.

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  14. I am completely speechless. A Cherpumple? It's beautiful and very impressive. Doesn't the crust taste weird with cake and icing? Absolutely fascinating!

    ~ Krista

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  15. Genius! I am SO totally going to try this! Thanks for posting!

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  16. Krista, it does! That was the only thing that threw me. I think I'll take the thick rim of the crust off next time. Alan, you're a bold man. Go for it and report back!

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