A SEAL's Delight: Bell Island Cupcakes Series, #1

By Jennifer Lowery

 

When bake shop owner, Natalie Baker loses her twin brother in the line of duty she processes her grief by starting a charity called Cupcakes for Warriors. Donating delicious cupcakes to those who put their lives on the line as a thank you for their service and sacrifice. When Navy SEAL, Aiden Callahan walks into her bakery to pick up an order she recognizes him immediately from one of her donation drop off's. Hard to forget tall, dark and moody with the haunted blue eyes that makes her heart do summersaults. Tripping over her own two feet and spilling his order all over him doesn't bode well for her self-esteem, but it does lead both her and Aiden down a path they never expected. Soon, they are bonding over buttercream frosting and chocolate cupcakes, neither of them realizing that with each cupcake they create, they are healing their broken souls. But, will it be enough to last forever?

 

This is the first book in my new series, Bell Island Cupcakes, which features Navy SEAL's and the bakers who love them. This is a novel with recipes so I hope you enjoy reading and baking some delicious cupcakes!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jennifer Lowery
• Release date: Dec 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201815868

Book preview

Introduction

This is the first installment in my Bell Island Cupcakes series. It’s a short read meant to introduce the series. The future books will be full-length novels. I hope you enjoy reading Aiden and Natalie’s story and be sure to bake up Natalie’s chocolate cupcakes with chocolate Italian meringue buttercream! The recipes are included at the end of the story especially for you.

Happy Reading & Baking,

Jennifer

1

Natalie Baker held a pink mixing bowl to her chest with one arm while she stirred flour, unsalted butter, sugar and eggs together. The delicious scent of vanilla filled her nose, making her smile. She used three kinds of vanilla in her Vanilla Bean cupcakes. The first, her very own secret recipe Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract. The second, a rich, aromatic vanilla bean paste made with Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans. The third, her homemade vanilla sugar. She steeped leftover vanilla bean pods in sugar for weeks before using it in her favorite recipes.

She kept bottles of her homemade vanilla on the shelves lining the back wall behind the counter. The floor-to-ceiling white shelves with cupboards below held the antique rose colored glass bottles with pretty pink and white labels. She also kept clear jars of her homemade vanilla sugar on the shelves, also with a pretty pink and white label and delicate twine bows tied around the top.

Her Vanilla Bean cupcakes were a best-seller. It was a simple cupcake. No frills, no extra’s. Just a vanilla sponge topped with a vanilla Italian meringue buttercream. The only kind of frosting she used in her bake shop except for cream cheese or mascarpone which she used on her Italian ricotta and carrot cake cupcakes.

She was known for her frosting. People came from all over to taste it. It had taken her some time to perfect her recipe and when she did it put Bell Island Cupcakes on the map. She, herself, loved it. American buttercream made with butter and powdered sugar was much too sweet for her taste. The texture was heavier than Italian meringue, although it was much easier to make. Italian meringue required precise measurements and a process of making a sugar syrup on the stove and adding it slowly to whipped egg whites. It takes practice and patience but is so worth the extra work.

Natalie pulled the wooden spoon through the batter a couple more times before setting the bowl on the marble countertop. She’d chosen a nice gray and white color that made the kitchen feel clean and classy. A nice workspace to bake cupcakes in.

Of course, she’d gotten a great deal, too, considering her father owned a marble setting business. He’d helped her pick out the perfect pieces and set them himself. With the help of her brother.

Her hand stilled, batter sinking in around the wooden spoon. She stared down at the counter, remembering the pride on her brother’s face as he ran a hand over the finished product. He’d been so pleased with the results. His smile had been the first they’d seen in a long time.

It seemed like yesterday he’d been in the shop helping her dad. Hard to believe it had been thirteen months ago. Thirteen long months of grief and heartache.

The Navy hadn’t given them many details as her brother had been a Navy