Announcing the Explorers on the Quest for the Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake

Over 500 of you volunteered to join me on the Quest for the Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake.  Working my way through the list and narrowing it down to just 50 was a tremendously difficult task. Your comments have made me laugh, get enough warm fuzzies to make a giant quilt, and want to give all of you a huge group hug.

The team that I selected has a wide range of backgrounds.  Some have only baked cake mixes before, some are from-scratch bakers who are regularly called upon to bake cupcakes for family and friends, while still others are pastry school students, professional bakers, and cupcake shop owners who sell either out of their homes, farmers' market stands, or brick and mortar shops.  Some have a favorite chocolate cupcake recipe already that they plan to compare this one against.  Others have tried a few and haven't found a favorite.

What the Explorers all have in common is a passion for cupcakes and an excitement about working together to find a recipe that everyone can share!

Once the Cupcake Project Explorers decide on an Ultimate Chocolate Cupcake recipe, I will post it on Cupcake Project with confidence that you'll love it!

The Explorers are:

The Cupcake Project Explorers Are...

I was honored/humbled/awed/floored/thrilled that almost 700 of you volunteered to be Cupcake Project Explorers - a huge thank you to everyone who volunteered!  Narrowing it down to 50 was a nearly impossible task.  I've assembled a diverse team of cupcake enthusiasts with a wide range of skill levels.

Quest for the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake - Call for Explorers

Over the years, many of you have asked me for the ultimate vanilla cupcake recipe.  Each time - although you couldn't see it - my face turned the color of the logo below and my heart sunk as I responded, "I don't have one."  I've been so busy developing unique, funky, off-the-wall cupcake recipes that I never took the time to work on a vanilla cupcake recipe.  I felt like a gymnast who could do a double flip, but had somehow missed learning how to do a cartwheel.  That is changing now!

As those of you who have been following along on the Cupcake Project Facebook page already know, I recently began a quest for the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake recipe.  I've researched, baked, and baked, and baked, and in the end created what I believe to be the Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake recipe.

So, Where's the Recipe?