
Crave
Cupcakes, Cakes, Cookies, and More from an Iconic Bakery
TouchWood Editions (Publisher)
Published on 19. June 2025
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-1-77151-452-1 (ISBN)
Description
A Globe and Mail Bestseller
"Family recipes like these, whether theirs or from others that have been given to them over the years, are at the heart of their bakeries - and now, book." -National Post
Crave brings 70+ recipes for all things sweet from the founders of the Prairies' famous bakery.
Growing up on the family farm near High River, Alberta, sisters Carolyne McIntyre Jackson and Jodi Willoughby were surrounded by talented bakers, including their mother, grandmothers, and aunts. In the twenty years since the pair launched their business, Crave has become famous across the Prairies and beyond for its delicious, beautifully decorated cakes, cupcakes, and cookies, and the pale blue Crave box itself synonymous with special events. To celebrate the bakery's twentieth year in business, Carolyne and Jodi share over 70 of their favourite sweet recipes with home cooks.
The book features stunning recipe photography and anecdotes about the bakery's beginnings, its loyal staff and customers, and the milestones as its grown to six locations. With detailed how-tos on filling and decorating, stocking a desserts-ready pantry, and key kitchen tools, Crave includes chapters dedicated to cupcakes and cakes, cookies and bars, pies (including the ultimate pie pastry), loaves, and recipes lovingly adapted for gluten-free and vegan diets. You'll find recipes for
Homestyle Banana Cupcakes
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Raspberry Sour Cream Pie
Zucchini Pecan Loaf
Farmer's Butter Sauce
Coconut Custard
and Crave's famous buttercream icing in all its mouth-watering variations!
"Family recipes like these, whether theirs or from others that have been given to them over the years, are at the heart of their bakeries - and now, book." -National Post
Crave brings 70+ recipes for all things sweet from the founders of the Prairies' famous bakery.
Growing up on the family farm near High River, Alberta, sisters Carolyne McIntyre Jackson and Jodi Willoughby were surrounded by talented bakers, including their mother, grandmothers, and aunts. In the twenty years since the pair launched their business, Crave has become famous across the Prairies and beyond for its delicious, beautifully decorated cakes, cupcakes, and cookies, and the pale blue Crave box itself synonymous with special events. To celebrate the bakery's twentieth year in business, Carolyne and Jodi share over 70 of their favourite sweet recipes with home cooks.
The book features stunning recipe photography and anecdotes about the bakery's beginnings, its loyal staff and customers, and the milestones as its grown to six locations. With detailed how-tos on filling and decorating, stocking a desserts-ready pantry, and key kitchen tools, Crave includes chapters dedicated to cupcakes and cakes, cookies and bars, pies (including the ultimate pie pastry), loaves, and recipes lovingly adapted for gluten-free and vegan diets. You'll find recipes for
Homestyle Banana Cupcakes
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Raspberry Sour Cream Pie
Zucchini Pecan Loaf
Farmer's Butter Sauce
Coconut Custard
and Crave's famous buttercream icing in all its mouth-watering variations!
Reviews / Votes
"Their debut cookbook serves up a slice of that sprinkle-topped magic. It features the tried-and-tested recipes they've been using to bake from scratch every morning for over 20 years, including the one that sparked their dream, Chocolate Cake With Crave-olicious Buttercream Frosting . . ." -Elle Canada"Family recipes like these, whether theirs or from others that have been given to them over the years, are at the heart of their bakeries - and now, book." -National Post
"Sisters Jackson and Willoughby, cofounders of the Crave baked good brand, offer up 70 foundational dessert recipes in a debut that is as practical as it is mouthwatering. Baking fundamentals are at the heart of the collection, with step-by-step photo instructions for filling pastry bags and decorating layer cakes or cupcakes. . . Novice bakers are in good hands with this enthusiastic, user-friendly guide." -Publishers Weekly
"A celebration of the bakery's 20th anniversary, Crave proves that you can make some of the tastiest, prettiest layer cakes, cookies and more right at home." -Elle Gourmet
"The book not only stands as a document of the goods that have made it onto Crave's shelves over the years, but also as a history of the co-founders' family recipes." -Calgary Herald
"Whether readers have visited a brick-and-mortar Crave bakery in Alberta, Canada, or simply drooled over the bakers' cupcakes, cakes, cookies, breads, bars, and loaves on social media, this book will satisfy their cravings for more festive creations. . . a bit like Candace Nelson's iconic The Sprinkles Baking Book but feels slightly more accessible, with less celebrity name-dropping and more affordable ingredients that still measure up, and with lovely end products that shine a light on pantry staples and childhood favorites like Twix bars. . . this book is a perfect gateway into baking for new bakers and is essential reading for anyone looking to add new layers to their baking game." -Library Journal
"For home bakers to professionals alike, this cookbook is an absolute gift! Not only do Carolyne and Jodi share an insider's peek behind the curtain of their bakery, but also offer a wealth of baking knowledge, tips and tricks, and broken-down recipes for each and every element that goes into their pastries and cakes . . . This book radiates comfort, love, and creativity, and is sure to bring smiles and happy bellies to all." -Sophie Kaftal, author of Kitten and the Bear Cookbook
"Discover indulgence with Crave's new cookbook! Packed with delightful recipes, tips, and creative decorating ideas, this book is your ultimate guide to baking some of my all time favourite desserts!" -Ashley Fraser-Sexsmith, owner of Chatty Girl Media
"This new cookbook from the creators of Crave Cupcakes makes me SO excited! It's a fun, unique, informative and gorgeous cookbook-I also love all the decorating tips. Thanks so much to sisters Carolyne and Jodi for creating such a masterpiece, I can't wait to start baking!" -Shelley Adams, author of the Whitewater Cooks series
"The kindness, beauty, and sheer generosity shared on the pages of Crave is exactly what Carolyne and Jodi bring to life every day. I'm thrilled to not only celebrate 20 years of their Crave-licious success but to also see these tremendous Canadian businesswomen contribute to our national food story." -Karen Anderson, author of Eat Alberta First
"In their first cookbook, the Prairie Queens of Cupcakes, sisters Carolyne McIntyre Jackson and Jodi Willoughby, are letting us in on their secrets, including recipes for their never-before-published signature buttercream frosting!" -Linda Garson, Editor-in-Chief, Culinaire Magazine
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Victoria
Canada
Product notice
Paper over boards
Illustrations
full colour
Dimensions
Height: 259 mm
Width: 188 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
930 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-77151-452-1 (9781771514521)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Carolyne McIntyre Jackson, co-founder of Crave Cupcakes, started her career with Safeway, before embarking on her entrepreneurial journey with her sister Jodi, establishing Crave in 2004. Carolyne lives with her husband Tony and son Oliver in Calgary, Alberta.
Jodi Willoughby, co-founder of Crave Cupcakes, worked as a clinical director at a high-risk pre-school before teaming up with her sister Carolyne to establish Crave in 2004. Jodi lives with her husband Chris and sons Mac and Griffen in Calgary, Alberta.
Jodi Willoughby, co-founder of Crave Cupcakes, worked as a clinical director at a high-risk pre-school before teaming up with her sister Carolyne to establish Crave in 2004. Jodi lives with her husband Chris and sons Mac and Griffen in Calgary, Alberta.
Content
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
Ingredient Staples
Essential Tools
A Few How-Tos
How to Fill a Pastry Bag
How to Pipe Buttercream Frosting onto Cupcakes
How to Ice a Two-Layer Cake
How to Add Filling to a Layer Cake
How to Pipe Buttercream Details onto Cakes
How to Fill a Cupcake with Filling or Buttercream
How to Dip and Drizzle Cookies
A Homemade Pantry
Graham Cracker Crumbs
Chocolate Cookie Crumbs
Brown Sugar Crumb Topping
Farmer's Butter Sauce
Toffee Sauce
Milk Chocolate Ganache
Dark Chocolate Ganache
Raspberry Jam
Vanilla Custard
Coconut Custard
Chocolate Custard
Browned Butter
Caramel Filling
Caramel Sauce
Crave's Famous Buttercream Frostings
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
Browned Butter Buttercream Frosting
Coffee Buttercream Frosting
Mix-in Buttercream Frostings
Variations
Crave-o-licious Buttercream Frosting
Vava Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Mint Buttercream Frosting
Cookies and Cream Buttercream Frosting
Caramel Buttercream Frosting
Toffee Pecan Buttercream Frosting
Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting
Cupcakes and Cakes
Chocolate Cake with Crave-o-licious Buttercream Frosting
Vanilla Sheet Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Confetti Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Apple Cake with Caramel Buttercream Frosting
Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Banana Caramel Cupcakes with Browned Butter Buttercream Frosting
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
Cookies and Bars
Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Oatmeal Milk Chocolate Toffee Cookies
Double Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Peanut Butter with Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
Confetti Cookies
Snickerdoodle Cookies
Gingersnap Cookies
S'more Cookies
Red Velvet Cookies
Valentine Cookies
Auntie Louise's Gingerbread Cookies
Pecan Sandwich Cookies
Vanilla Thumbprint Cookies with Milk Chocolate Ganache (or Raspberry Jam)
Grandpa Starling's Shortbread Cookies
Twix Bar
Salted Nut Bar
Triple Chocolate Brownie
Magic Cookie Bar
Date Bar
Pies
The Ultimate Pie Pastry
A Few Pastry How-Tos
How to Roll Perfectly Flaky Pastry
How to Line a Pie Plate with Pastry (Single-Crust Pie)
How to Blind Bake a Pie Crust
How to Make a Double-Crust Pie
How To Line a Cupcake Tin with Pastry
Raspberry Sour Cream Pie
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Butter Tarts
Chocolate Banana Cream Pie
Coconut Cream Pie
Loaves
Lemon Poppyseed Loaf
Banana Chocolate Loaf
Marble Loaf
Raspberry Crumb Loaf
Zucchini Pecan Loaf
Gluten-Free and Vegan Cupcakes, Cakes, and Cookies
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Vava Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gluten-Free Confetti Cookies
Vegan Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Vegan Chocolate Frosting
Vegan Vanilla Frosting
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Vegan Confetti Cookies
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Ingredient Staples
Essential Tools
A Few How-Tos
How to Fill a Pastry Bag
How to Pipe Buttercream Frosting onto Cupcakes
How to Ice a Two-Layer Cake
How to Add Filling to a Layer Cake
How to Pipe Buttercream Details onto Cakes
How to Fill a Cupcake with Filling or Buttercream
How to Dip and Drizzle Cookies
A Homemade Pantry
Graham Cracker Crumbs
Chocolate Cookie Crumbs
Brown Sugar Crumb Topping
Farmer's Butter Sauce
Toffee Sauce
Milk Chocolate Ganache
Dark Chocolate Ganache
Raspberry Jam
Vanilla Custard
Coconut Custard
Chocolate Custard
Browned Butter
Caramel Filling
Caramel Sauce
Crave's Famous Buttercream Frostings
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting
Browned Butter Buttercream Frosting
Coffee Buttercream Frosting
Mix-in Buttercream Frostings
Variations
Crave-o-licious Buttercream Frosting
Vava Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Mint Buttercream Frosting
Cookies and Cream Buttercream Frosting
Caramel Buttercream Frosting
Toffee Pecan Buttercream Frosting
Brown Sugar Buttercream Frosting
Cupcakes and Cakes
Chocolate Cake with Crave-o-licious Buttercream Frosting
Vanilla Sheet Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Confetti Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Apple Cake with Caramel Buttercream Frosting
Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Banana Caramel Cupcakes with Browned Butter Buttercream Frosting
Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes
Cookies and Bars
Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Oatmeal Milk Chocolate Toffee Cookies
Double Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Peanut Butter with Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
Confetti Cookies
Snickerdoodle Cookies
Gingersnap Cookies
S'more Cookies
Red Velvet Cookies
Valentine Cookies
Auntie Louise's Gingerbread Cookies
Pecan Sandwich Cookies
Vanilla Thumbprint Cookies with Milk Chocolate Ganache (or Raspberry Jam)
Grandpa Starling's Shortbread Cookies
Twix Bar
Salted Nut Bar
Triple Chocolate Brownie
Magic Cookie Bar
Date Bar
Pies
The Ultimate Pie Pastry
A Few Pastry How-Tos
How to Roll Perfectly Flaky Pastry
How to Line a Pie Plate with Pastry (Single-Crust Pie)
How to Blind Bake a Pie Crust
How to Make a Double-Crust Pie
How To Line a Cupcake Tin with Pastry
Raspberry Sour Cream Pie
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Butter Tarts
Chocolate Banana Cream Pie
Coconut Cream Pie
Loaves
Lemon Poppyseed Loaf
Banana Chocolate Loaf
Marble Loaf
Raspberry Crumb Loaf
Zucchini Pecan Loaf
Gluten-Free and Vegan Cupcakes, Cakes, and Cookies
Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Vava Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
Gluten-Free Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gluten-Free Confetti Cookies
Vegan Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Vegan Chocolate Frosting
Vegan Vanilla Frosting
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Vegan Confetti Cookies
Acknowledgements