White Plains Hotel's Sweet Treats to Benefit Children's Hospital

At luxury hotels like The Ritz-Carlton Westchester in downtown White Plains, the "ladies and gentlemen" who work their take pride in making sure that even the smallest of details are done well - right down to the cupcakes that are served to guests.

As the hotel celebrates its fifth anniversary in White Plains, The Ritz-Carlton is using its gourmet cupcakes as a way to help support the community.

Hotel general manager Jeffrey Dziak says the pastry chefs at The Ritz-Carlton's Crème de la Crème Sweets have created a new cupcake - a "Pot of Gold" cupcake - that will be sold all year, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla.

The "Pot of Gold" cupcake is a chocolate stout cupcake filled with Jameson ganache, topped with Bailey's frosting, chocolate tuile and edible gold leaf. Price: $5.

While the cupcake is new, Dziak said the idea of sharing the proceeds from cupcake sales is not new at the hotel.

In 2010, The Ritz-Carlton began its Cupcakes That Care program. The program takes the sweet treats and gives them a dual purpose: satisfying the sweet tooth and raising money for local non-profit organizations that have been hand-picked by the hotel's staff. The cupcake flavors and the designated charity change each season. 

Fall: 
White Chocolate Maple Cupcake 
Sweet and Tart Cranberries Baked into a Maple Infused Cupcake 
Topped with White Chocolate Buttercream 

Winter: 
Mochachino Caramel Cupcake 
Decadent Chocolate Cupcake filled with Caramel Sea Salt 
Topped with Mocha Caramel Buttercream 

Spring: 
Strawberry-Rhubarb Cupcake 
Strawberry Rhubarb Cupcake 
Topped with Citrus Buttercream 

Summer: 
Pineapple Upside Down Cupcake 
Pineapple Cupcake 
Topped with Brown Sugar and Rum Buttercream Finished with a Candied Cherry 

Who makes the cupcakes? Jacqueline Wong and Samantha Cohen

Jacqueline Wong, Culinary Supervisor and Lead Cake Decorator 
Culinary Supervisor and Lead Cake Decorator, Jacqueline Wong executes her creative and artistic talents by constructing beautiful wedding cakes, exciting seasonal cupcake flavors and designs, and gorgeous, unique specialty cakes for any occasion. Jacqueline graduated with an Associates Degree in Specialized Technology from the Le Cordon Bleu Program in Pastry Arts at Pennsylvania Culinary Institute. She began her culinary journey in 2003 as a baker at The Lighthouse Inn in West Dennis, MA and then expanded her repertoire at The Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, VA as a Pastry Chef until 2008. She now shares her incredible talent and creativity at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester where she creates delicious and lasting memories for our guests.

Samantha Cohen, Lead Baker 
Lead Pastry Cook, Samantha Cohen is a creative and passionate pastry chef with years of practical experience in pastry production. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Johnson & Wales University with a Bachelor of Science in Baking and Pastry Arts. Beginning her career as a Pastry Assistant at Cocoa in Larchmont, NY where she assisted in the production of sophisticated chocolate confections, Samantha then became a Pastry Cook at Emily Shaw’s Inn at Pound Ridge and at BLT Steak in White Plains, where she prepared all dessert items on the menu, as well as creating new ones for weekly inspirations. She is now expressing her talents at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester by creating incredibly delicious and beautifully executed desserts for any occasion.

The Ritz-Carlton Westchester features 146 luxury rooms, a spa with rooftop pool and fitness center, a lounge, and 10,000 square feet of meeting and special event space, including a 500-person ballroom.  In addition, the hotel offers BLT Steak, located on the ground floor and Restaurant “42,” on the 42^nd floor.