CakeSpy

Look To The Cookie: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Timeline

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:56:00 +0000

Oh, Chocolate Chip Cookie. Ever since you were discovered by accident by Ruth Wakefield in the 1930's, you've taken the nation by storm, claiming our affections and our appetites. But while much has been made of your discovery, pinpointing your progress from regional specialty to worldwide superstar is a little bit harder. And so, dear cookie, in an effort to get to know you better, I've created a timeline in an effort to see where you've been and where you're going. In short, Chocolate Chip Cookie, this is your life:

1930: Ruth Wakefield moves into the Toll House, which was originally constructed in 1709 as a haven for road-weary travelers, where passengers. Here, passengers paid toll, changed horses and ate much-welcomed home-cooked meals”. The 1930s incarnation (sans toll) was quite similar. (Source: verybestbaking.com)

1934: Could this be a wrinkle in the story of the cookie's invention? According to foodtimeline.org, the Hershey's 1934 Cookbook contains a recipe for "Chocolatetown chip cookies" (p. 75) that includes a 12 ounce package of Hershey's Baking Chips. Here's a link to the book.

1937: According to verybestbaking.com, this is the year Ruth made the One day, while preparing a batch of Butter Drop Do cookies, a favorite recipe dating back to Colonial days, Ruth cut a bar of our NESTLÉ Semi-Sweet Chocolate into tiny bits and added them to her dough, expecting them to melt.
Instead, the chocolate held its shape and softened to a delicately creamy texture. The resulting creation became very popular at the Inn. Soon, Ruth's recipe was published in a Boston newspaper, as well as other papers in the New England area. Regional sales of the NESTLÉ Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar skyrocketed.

1937-39: Somewhere in this period, Ruth approaches Nestle and they reach an agreement wherein she receives free chocolate or life, and they get to print her recipe on the back of their semi-sweet chocolate bar (at the time, scored chocolate bars were used for the chips in the cookies).

1939: The chocolate chip cookie is featured on the Betty Crocker radio program “Famous Foods from Famous Places”. This propels the cookie from regional treat to national phenomenon. (Source: Betty Crocker's Cooky Book)

It is also this year that in an effort to make the cookies easier to bake, Nestle debuts their Semi-sweet chocolate morsels.

1940’s: The cookie’s popularity is cemented as it is commonly sent in care packages to soldiers during the war years: an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that “when the boys in service are asked about the kind of cookie they’d like to get from home, this kind still rates high…it is not just designed for packing and boxes and shipping; it will be just as welcome to the home folks who frequent your table…and by those who like to find something in that cookie jar when they lift its lid”.

1948: According to etymonline.com, the phrase "Smart Cookie" is first documented this year.

1955: General Mills files the first known patent for dry cookie mix.

1957: According to etymonline.com, the phrase "that's how the cookie crumbles" is first documented this year.

1959: Lemon chips (lemon-flavored morsels in the style of chocolate chips) are introduced, and all of a sudden hybrids of chocolate chip cookies involving flavored morsels begin to abound; peanut butter, white chocolate, toffee and more follow. All of a sudden, the chocolate chip cookie's family expands.

1963: Chips Ahoy! Makes their supermarket debut.

1966: The original Toll House is sold to a family who tries to turn it into a nightclub; a bakery down the block continues baking the cookies based on the original recipe.

1969: The Cookie Monster (at this point unnamed) makes his debut on the first episode of Sesame Street.

Also this year, Hershey’s introduces their own morsels, the “Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips”

1971: The first Starbucks opens. I don't know about you, but I tend to believe that their bakery offerings were the inspiration for a lot of coffee shop bakery cases, so this would ultimately impact the chocolate chip cookie!

1975: Per Wikipedia, a failed agent decides to open what is believed to be the first chocolate chip cookie-specific store: Famous Amos. Today, there is a sign commemorating the first Famous Amos store in Los Angeles, located at West Sunset Boulevard and North Formosa Avenue in Hollywood.

1977: Ralston debuts Cookie Crisp Cereal.

Also this year, the first Mrs. Fields store opens in California and is said to have debuted the first cookie cake.

Also this year, Great American Cookies opens in Atlanta, GA.

Also this year (what an eventful year for cookies!) there is a lawsuit involving chocolate chip cookies which gets settled in NYC.

1979: A large amount of chocolate chip cookie-specific shops start opening in NYC.

1980: Per Wikipedia, the Chipwich, an ice cream sandwich made with chocolate chip cookies and extra chips rolled on the sides, is invented by Richard LaMotta, a former CBS-TV video engineer.

Also this year, 1980: Procter and Gamble registers the first US patent for shelf-stable cookie dough.

Also this year, Maida Heatter's recipe for the “Big Sur” chocolate chip cookie (Heatter says "These California cookies are 6 inches in diameter --they are the largest homemade chocolate chip cookie I know") hits the mainstream this year and becomes a popular product in bakeries.

Big Sur Cookies

1 1/2 Cups sifted AP Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
6 oz (1 1/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Lemon Juice
2/3 Cup Light Brown Sugar, firmly packed
1/3 Cup granulated Sugar
2 Eggs
1/4 Cup quick cooking (not instant) Rolled Oats
6 oz. (1 1/2 cups) Walnuts, cut or broken into medium sized pieces
6 oz. (1 Cup) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cut aluminum foil to fit cookie sheets.

2. Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon, - set aside.

3. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and then both of the sugars and beat to mix. Beat in the eggs one at a time. On low spedd, add the sifted dry ingredients and then the rolled oats, scraping the bowl as nessary with a rubber spatula and beating only until mixed.

4. Remove from the mixer and stir in the nuts and morsels.

5. Now work next to the sink or have a large bowl of water handy so you can wet your hands while shaping the cookies, Spread out a piece of wax paper or foil. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to measure the amount of dough for each cookie. form 12 - 15 mounds of the dough , and place them any which way on the foil or wax paper. Wet your hands with cold water, shake off the water but don't dry your hands , pick up a mound of dough, roll it into a ball, flatten it to about 1/2 inch thickness, and place it on the foil. Do not place more than 4 cookies on a 12 x 15 1/2 inch piece of foil or cookie sheet. These spread to gigantic proportions.

6. Bake two sheets at a time for 16 to 18 minutes, reversing the sheets top to bottom and front to back as necessary to ensure even browning. Bake unitl the cookies are well colored; they must not be too pale. Watch these carefully; they might become too dark before you know it.

1983: Though the company started in 1977, this is an important year because Otis Spunkmeyer revamps their previous retail business model and creates a business model wherein they created a fresh-baked cookie program for other foodservice operators. The program included pre-portioned frozen cookie dough, a pre-set convection oven and marketing materials. This innovative program, allowed both big and small food service operators to sell fresh baked cookies (within 18 minutes) in their facilities. Today, Otis Spunkmeyer ready-to-bake cookie dough is the #1 brand in the foodservice industry. (Source: Wikipedia)

Also this year, Blue Chip Cookies is established, and it claims to be the first business to sell the white chocolate chip macadamia cookie.

1984: The Toll House burns down, under the photograph printed by the New York Times (January 2, 1985 I 12:5) describing the fire that destroyed Ruth Wakefield's kitchen the reads "Wreckage of Toll House Restaurant in Whitman, Mass. It was where the chocolate chip cookie was invented."

1987: Cookie wars break out between David’s cookies and Pillsbury over whose ready-to-bake cookie dough products will take center stage in grocery stores.

1990: City Bakery opens in NYC and grabs the attention of chocolate chip cookie enthusiasts all over.

1991: Ben and Jerry’s is credited with bringing chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream to the world in a big way this year. It wasn’t too surprising considering the runaway success of cookies n cream, debuted in 1983, though.

1992: Hilary Clinton gets in trouble for saying she’s not one who wants to “stay home and bake cookies”. In an effort to make nice later, she shares her favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe with Family circle magazine.

1995: Doubletree Hotels begin giving out cookies at check-in. This becomes a popular service for several boutique hotels.

Levain Bakery opens in New York City and brings their mountainous cookies to the masses.

1996: Not sure if they were the ones who invented it, but this is the year that Dunkin Donuts debuted the chocolate chip bagel. This was a beautiful, beautiful combination of carbohydrates and chocolate chips and at least deserves a shout-out.

Chocolate chip cookie dough is a big part of this winning recipe from the Pillsbury Bake-Off (picture from Pillsbury.com):

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated chocolate chip cookies
1 cup quick-cooking oats
Dash salt, if desired
2/3 cup SMUCKER'S® Caramel Ice Cream Topping
5 tablespoons Pillsbury BEST® all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup Fisher® Chef's Naturals® Chopped Walnuts
1 cup Hershey's® semi-sweet baking chips (6 oz)

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in oats and salt. Reserve 1/2 cup dough for topping. In ungreased 9-inch square pan, press remaining dough mixture evenly in bottom to form crust.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until dough puffs and appears dry.
In small bowl, mix caramel topping, flour and vanilla until well blended. Sprinkle walnuts and baking chips evenly over crust. Drizzle evenly with caramel mixture. Crumble reserved 1/2 cup dough mixture over caramel.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen bars. Cool completely, about 1 hour, 30 minutes. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Store tightly covered.

1997: The chocolate chip cookie is declared the official state cookie of Massachussetts.

Also this year, according to the New York Times, Neiman Marcus puts and end to an urban myth about their shop charging a customer $250 for their chocolate chip cookie. Turns out, they never even sold chocolate chip cookies—but they started to after the myth made the rounds. And they sold well.

Also this year, this documentation was made of the baking and eating of the world’s largest chocolate chip cookie at the time (maybe still?).

Also this year, an application filed to patent the chocolate chip cookie pie. I still like the cookie cake pie better.

2008: David Leite’s fascinating New York Times article about seeking perfection in the classic cookie renews interest in the cookie around the world and introduces the idea of letting the dough rest to the masses, as well as the idea of using discs rather than chocolate morsels.

Also this year, CakeSpy teaches you how not to make a chocolate chip cookie.

Is there a sweet moment from the Chocolate Chip Cookie's history that has been missed? Leave a comment and it will be added!

CakeSpy Undercover: A Cake Gumshoe's Thoughts on Sprinkles Edible Art in Olympia, WA

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:42:00 +0000

CakeSpy Note: This is a guest blog post from Cake Gumshoe Roxanne Cooke. Check out her website here!

At Sprinkles Edible Art in Olympia, your cupcake can be dressed up the way you want. Sprinkles, which is dubbed “an interactive pastry shop” on its business cards, offers the “Edible Art experience” either in a kit to take home or directly in the shop. For $6, you get a cupcake, individual cake, cookie, or brownie, as well as a small container of frosting, three different kinds of sprinkles, and a drink.

There are dozens of sprinkles of all shapes and colors to choose from, including bear-shaped sprinkles and Christmas-themed sprinkles. Cupcake and frosting flavors cover the basics, such as chocolate cake and cream cheese frosting. Drinks include soda, juice, milk, coffee, and water. Once you order your baked good and gather your sprinkles, you’ll sit at a table with a cupcake-shaped placemat and begin to frost your goodie.

Now it’s time for the fun part. I found that each tiny container of sprinkles was more than enough to cover the entire cupcake. I added the other sprinkles just for fun, but most fell onto the plate because there wasn’t anything left to stick to! The chocolate cupcake was good and moist, and the cream cheese frosting was delicious.

If you’d rather skip the art experience and get straight to the goods, you can. Cupcakes are $1 for small, $2 for large; brownies are $2.25; cake is $5; and cookies are under $1.

On my second visit to Sprinkles, I opted to try a cupcake without all the jazz. The shop was sporting a new display case, and inside were lemon-filled cupcakes that looked too good to pass up.

Though the cake looks a bit like cornbread, it definitely doesn’t taste like it. The cupcake was a tiny bit crumbly, yet still plenty moist and flavorful. The filling was pure heaven, gooey and sweet—but not overly sugary. It was similar to doughnut jelly filling, rather than the lighter lemon curd found in other lemon-filled cupcakes.

Sprinkles also hosts live music events and rents its space for any special occasion you can think of, from birthday parties to Pampered Chef parties to cookie swaps. There’s plenty of seating, from tables and chairs to couches surrounding a television. A local photographer’s art hangs on the walls, and there is interesting cupcake art near the entrance, including cupcakes-on-the-cob covered in yellow jelly beans and speared with corn cob holders (CakeSpy Note: this project was also done beautifully on Peabody's blog!)

Sprinkles Edible Art is an artistic shop with plenty going on. The people working there are always friendly and inquisitive, making sure your experience goes well. The cupcakes are tasty and the topping choices are abundant. Kid or adult, it’s a fun place to visit!

Sprinkles Edible Art, 316 Capitol Way N., Olympia WA, (360) 350-0712; online at sprinklesedibleart.com.

For more of Roxanne Cooke's work, check out her website here.

Do you want to be a Cake Gumshoe too? Feel free to submit bakery reviews or great baked good related finds (with pictures, please) to jessieoleson@gmail.com.

Sweet Art: Hollow For Illustration Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:15:00 +0000

This week's Illustration Friday theme is Hollow, which got me thinking about a recent evening of drinking and debauchery that Cuppie had. As hindsight is 20/20, he'd like to let you all know that even though it was fun at the time, he just felt hollow in the morning.

Kickin' It: Old School Frozen Custard, Seattle

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:17:00 +0000

So, Old School Frozen Custard has opened in what is quickly becoming Seattle's Ice Cream District in Capitol Hill, what with the recent opening of several other arbiters of chilled treats including Molly Moon's Ice Cream and more recently Bluebird Ice Cream. However, you'd be a fool to mistake frozen custard for your everyday softserve. Why? Well, Old School's website does their best to educate, under the heading "What is Frozen Custard?". As they put it:

We know what you're thinking, but you're probably wrong. Frozen custard is not flan, crème brûlée, or something your grandma throws in a pie.

as the narrative goes on, the differences are mainly to be found in two places. First, ingredients: frozen custard not only contains a minimum of 10% butterfat (this is the delectable thing that makes premium ice creams coat your tongue with deliciousness), but it also has 1.4% egg yolk by weight. It's the yolk that separates frozen custard from regular ice cream by adding a "richer, fuller taste and an indescribably silky texture."

The second difference is preparation: "The volume of regular ice cream is almost doubled by the air whipped into it during production (called overrun)," --crystals formed during this time can lead to a coarse texture in softserve ice cream. With frozen custard, the mix is continuously fed into and frozen in a barrel, avoiding this extreme aeration and resulting in a denser, creamier finish with 70% less overrun than regular ice cream. It's also served slightly warmer than ice cream: "In contrast to regular ice cream which is served just above freezing, Old School's frozen custard is served 18-20 degrees warmer, which allows for maximum flavor and doesn't freeze your taste buds."

But enough science. As they say, proof is in the pudding, and the expert CakeSpy tasters (Allie, Jason and Danny) agreed: this stuff is good. Old School only offers three flavors daily (vanilla, chocolate and one daily special) but personalization can be attained with a large variety of mix-ins, from brownie bits to nuts, pretzels, caramel and more. The smooth, silky texture of the custard was delightful, and the addition of brownie and fudge was declared a delight; all agreed that the whipped cream, too, was exceptional.

Overall, the tasters seemed to agree that custard is not for the feint of heart: if you're expecting regular softserve ice cream, the creamy density of this rich treat might be overwhelming. Happily though, this also makes Old School a different enough experience from the other ice cream places that perhaps they can all exist in harmony, ready to cater to all sorts of different frozen-treat cravings. But if it's a seriously decadent dessert experience you're seeking, then maybe it's time to kick it...well, you know.

Old School Frozen Custard, 1316 E. Pike Street, Seattle; online at oldschoolfrozencustard.com.

For an interesting NPR story about frozen custard, click here.

Tour de Cupcake: Mapping the Gentrification Frontier, Deliciously

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:31:00 +0000

CakeSpy Note: This feature is the result of a tipoff from Cake Gumshoe Kelly Mola--check out her amazing artwork here!

No doubt about it, cupcakes are popular these days. But is it possible that their popularity is indicative of more about our culture than a simple case of sugar lust gone wild?

Yes, according to Kathe Newman, Ph.D. and Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and Policy Development at Rutgers University, who is organizing the Tour de Cupcake in New York City: cupcakes can also tell the story of gentrification. According to the project's simple site,

NYC has witnessed an extraordinary influx of capital since the early 1990s that has pushed gentrification into the far reaches of the city. We will locate the new gentrification frontier by mapping the location of the plethora of “hip” cupcake-serving bakeries and puppy parlors (dog spas).

The site links to a Google Map where users are welcome to add shops that they think should be on the tour; in September, this map will be used as a basis for an actual tour around the city during which participants will "map the gentrification frontier, one bite at a time." The tour will be the basis for an academic article to be submitted to the Urban Affairs Review.

What got the project going? According to Dr. Newman in an email, "I am very interested in the process of urban change and how, why, and where it happened in the last decade and a half. I've been mapping the geography of these changes but the data source is always a problem." Which leads to the next point...

Why cupcakes? Well, as she further noted, "I've noticed that newly gentrifying neighborhoods seem to have one thing in common - a fantastic little place to get cupcakes. I'm always dragging home very pretty little cupcakes for my children while on research trips." This is what prompted her to start a map of cupcake shops and puppy parlors (which do seem to crop up in similar neighborhoods) to see how they compare to more traditionally used data.

Of course, cupcakes work for other reasons too: if data is socially produced, what could produce better data than asking people to collaborate in the act of producing it? And as Dr. Newman so aptly puts it, "I want my students to go to cities and learn about urban change. I thought if there were cupcakes involved they would most certainly go!"

Want to get involved? You can add to their Google Map here and check out their website here; anyone is welcome to attend the tour in September.

CakeSpy Undercover: Amelie's French Bakery, Charlotte, NC

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:15:00 +0000

By Cake Gumshoe Shannon Connell

So what’s better than a super-cute French bakery with a variety of delicious home-cooked goodies? One that’s serving up treats around the clock.

Stepping into Amelie’s French Bakery and Café was a magical experience. I had high hopes for the bakery, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and I was enchanted at first glance by the chic, bohemian environment.

True to its name, once you walk through the door, you may feel as though you’ve stumbled into a bit of Paris mixed in with eclectic, shabby chic décor. Funky lampshades, one-of-a-kind chandeliers and toile adorn the cozy café along with Parisian monikers such as wall-hangings of Marie Antoinette, the Mona Lisa and black-and-white pictures of well-known and loved monuments of the City of Lights.

The fabulously French ambiance aside, Amelie’s offers a variety of baked sweet tooth cures in addition to an array of tartines, soups and baguette sandwiches. While the Ham and Gruyere Tartine that I sampled was quite good, the pastries and desserts are the real draw.

The Chocolate Mousse Cup was the consensual and uncontested favorite among Amelie’s employees and me. Creamy, rich chocolate mousse was nestled in a delicate chocolate cup and topped with a luscious and tart chocolate-covered strawberry. To top it all off, the strawberry was situated in a pillow of thick and creamy chocolate frosting. A symphony of tastes in harmony, the Chocolate Mousse Cup was a decadent treat sure to cure any chocoholic.

Another delightful Amelie’s dessert that I sampled was the Salted Caramel Brownie, a moist, chewy fudge-like concoction topped with a salty-sweet layer of soft caramel. The only thing that would make this treat even tastier would be if it was served a la mode.

While the chocolate desserts were my favorite, the Blackberry Lemon Torte is not to be underestimated. The torte had an almond and sugar crust topped with alternating layers of lemon and blackberry custard-like soaked sponge cake, combining sweet and tart flavors with a slight almond crunch.

Other Charlotte favorites of this maven haven include croissants, which are made six times on Saturdays to ensure freshness, and petit fours including the signature, award-winning peanut butter, chocolate ganache and feuilletine petit four. I have yet to experience the simple joys of these popular offerings, but I’ll have the opportunity to do so as I know I’ll return to this sweet spot again and again to enjoy the variety of baked treats offered at all hours of day!

Amelie’s French Bakery & Cafe, 2424 N. Davidson St., Charlotte (704) 376-1718; online at ameliesfrenchbakery.com.

For more of Shannon Connell’s work, check out her website here.

Cake Byte: Sweet Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 07:01:00 +0000

Lyndsey at Kitchen Dough Dough has a sweet dream: to be on the Ellen show! In support, she's hosting a super sweet giveaway on her site. So...run, don't walk, your little internet-clicking fingers over to Kitchen Dough Dough, where you can win some CakeSpy artwork!

Candy Mountain: The Story of the Mountain Bar, An All-Terrain Treat

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 08:18:00 +0000

Have you ever heard of the mountain bar?

It first hit the CakeSpy radar a few months ago when buddy Allison picked one up at the drugstore as a bit of a consolation because they had run out of Cadbury Creme Eggs. Not that it's a new thing, mind you: the Mountain Bar has actually been around since 1915.

The mountain bar is a thing of beauty. Upon opening it, you may remark that it looks not so much like a mountain as a present left under the sofa by a naughty pet. But there's a delicious secret inside, as shown at the top--this is the cherry mountain, but it is also available in the original chocolate-nut flavor as well as a peanut butter filled variety. These are dense and rich little nuggets--definitely not a subtle or sophisticated food, but they will give you a sweet fix, and fast.

But what is even more compelling than their flavor is their story, as discovered on their site:

The MOUNTAIN® Bar was first put on the market by Brown & Haley in 1915 as the "Mount Tacoma Bar". The bar began with a fondant vanilla center...Sitting before individual warm chocolate pots, the dippers would make a puddle of tempered chocolate mixed with freshly ground peanuts. After rolling the center a little bit more, they would take a scoop of the tempered mix, forcing the center into the scoopful of the mixture. Then, with the heel of the hand, the bottom would be smoothed off and deposited on a waxed card. After the bar was made, it was put in a blue, hand-folded box that had a picture of Mount Tacoma (now Mt. Rainier) on it. Today our state of the art machinery turns out 592 MOUNTAIN® Bars per minute under the strictest sanitary conditions.

By 1923 the name of the bar had changed to just plain "MOUNTAIN®" due to the fact that its sales were beginning to spread into regions beyond Tacoma and the name "Mount Tacoma" conflicted with Seattle's name, Mount Rainier, which was beginning to gain ascendancy.

When World War II arrived, Brown & Haley was making as many as 25 different candy bars. With a shortage of sugar, the company decided to concentrate all of its efforts behind the production and marketing of its leading candy bar, the MOUNTAIN® Bar. This had the effect of establishing the brand as a regional favorite. Shortly after that the company decided to change the name of one of its brands from Cherry Bounce to Cherry MOUNTAIN® Bar in order to capitalize on the brand's strength. In 1974, Brown & Haley introduced the Peanut Butter MOUNTAIN® Bar.

Of course, all of this learning may ultimately lead you to the same question being tossed around Chez CakeSpy: is it possible to make the Mountain Bar even more delicious?

The answer is yes: just add ice cream. For an amazingly rich and decadent treat, why not try the Mountain Milkshake?

Cherry Mountain Milkshake

Serves 2

1 Cherry Mountain Bar (or two, if you're feeling particularly decadent)
4 generous scoops vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup milk (or more, or less, depending on how thick you like it)

Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If desired, add more milk for a thinner shake, more ice cream for a thicker shake. Enjoy.

Cake Byte: Why You Should Be Excited About Cupcake Royale's New Location

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 22:37:00 +0000

So, Cupcake Royale is coming to Capitol Hill. Naturally, this in and of itself is cause for celebration. But why should you be extra-super excited? Well, let's review:

Free Cupcakes on Opening Day: Stop by the new Capitol Hill location on opening day (July 22), utter the words “Legalize Frostitution,” and you'll get a free Strawberry 66 babycake while supplies last.

Cake Meets Architecture: The decor of this location is bound to be gorgeous, having been assembled with a dream team of artisans and architects, including: Domestic Architecture, led by Roy McMakin (artist and longtime neighbor/customer of Cupcake Royale in Madrona); Dovetail Construction (which recently completed Molly Moon’s and Oddfellows); Sterling Voss; Big Leaf Manufacturing; and glass artist Greg Lundgren (owner of Hideout, and Stranger Genius award winner for Vital 5). The space is housed within the first commercial building by internationally acclaimed architect Tom Kundig.

Cake and Art: Distinctive from the other three locations, this one is a conceptually designed space, including one-of-a-kind works of cupcake art (including a 5 foot tall, stained-glass cupcake Royale) and signature Roy McMakin tables.

Party On: Expect a semi-private party area, bistro tables and chairs, a community table, and a bakery peepshow picture window exposing back-of-the-house operations.

Going Green (um...the ingredients, not the batter): The new Capitol Hill location, along with its sister Seattle locations, are also celebrating Cupcake Royale’s recent “most local cupcake” status. Cupcake Royale continues to prove their commitment to regional sustainability and local farmers through the premium, local ingredients it uses. Already all-natural and scratch-baked, Cupcake Royale cupcakes are now “More Moisty-er!” thanks to pastry chef Sue McCown’s new recipes, and they are also a minimum of 66% local following a newly forged relationship with Eastern Washington’s Shepherd’s Grain, which will be milling custom cake and pastry flour specifically for Cupcake Royale. This means Cupcake Royale’s milk, butter, flour, sour cream and eggs are all deliciously Washingtonian.

Late-night snacking: The new location's hours will be 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends.

Want to visit? The new Capitol Hill Cupcake Royale café and bakery is located at 1111 E Pike Street and opens for business on July 22, 2009. For more information, visit their site; keep updated on their daily goings-on via their blog and twitter.

Bittersweet: Where's the Line Between Inspiration and Infringement?

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:44:00 +0000

When last week's post about a new online cake and baking-supply shop was put up on the site, a number of readers expressed disappointment in the fact that the new shop seemed to be inspired--perhaps too much so--by another similar retailer. In fact, apparently it's been the subject of hot discussion on some message boards.

It wasn't the fact that they both sold similar items, said one reader, but the fact that the product shots and overall style seemed derivative; according to Susan, while the older retailer "knows that selling baking decor isn't exclusive only to her...the kits and things she makes and the time she puts into designing her product shots and things are sadly being blatantly copied".

The other shop in question did respond that

We were really excited about launching our website after a successful year with Etsy and were completely caught off guard by the reaction...We absolutely never intended to hurt or copy anyone in any way. We felt that our website was a natural extension of what we had already been doing for over a year in our Etsy shop.

The last thing we want is to be confused with our competitors. We have been working dilegently, and will continue to work dilegently to set ourselves apart in this market. We want nothing more than to enjoy our business and inspire our customers to make awesome sweet edible creations.

With more and more bakeries and baked good-related businesses opening, it seems like it is becoming a bigger and bigger problem, what with disputes and sometimes even lawsuits over shop names, cupcake design and more. Even outside of known disputes, there is frequent gossip about who was inspired by whose decor, recipes and overall style.

So is there a line between taking inspiration from others...and infringing on their territory? And if so, where is the line to be drawn?

What do you think?

Corndog Days of Summer: A Sweet and Savory Experiment

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:44:00 +0000

Combining sweet and savory in desserts is not a new thing--unless you've been living under a rock, you've certainly encountered desserts with savory elements--bacon or honey baked ham cupcakes, chili-infused chocolates and caramels; cakes with a cheesy secret; salted licorice ice cream...the list goes on.

Nonetheless I was intrigued when I came across this corndog dessert. It sounded interesting, yes--but delicious? The inventor of the recipe, a pastry chef who also invented a fried chicken dessert assured me it was tasty; I had heard good things about incorporating corndogs into desserts in the past. I set out to see for myself.

Starting out: For the recipe, I started out with Plinio's recipe mentioned above, but substituted the hot dogs with veggie dogs, and instead of making my own ice cream (too hard!) I simply used store-bought French Vanilla. Before anything else, I made the batter and let it sit for about an hour in the fridge. You can scroll down to the bottom of this post for all of the ingredients.

Let the Experimentation Begin:

Idea 1: To make the little corndogs as if they were little balls of fried ice cream: surrounding a piece of veggie dog with vanilla ice cream, then coating it all in the cornmeal batter and frying it quickly.

Verdict: Two problems: First, I don't think I let the ice cream set long enough, and it all imploded. Second: it occurred to me that having the veggie dog surrounded by ice cream would mean that at the center of this treat you'd find a chunk of frozen veggie dog. Sorry, but definitely not a delicious prospect.

Idea 2: Going for a simpler approach, I coated chunks of cooked veggie dog in the cornmeal batter, and fried them up in a skillet filled with butter and sugar. This gave for a nice, carmel-y crisp edge; they were then served a la mode with plain vanilla ice cream.

Verdict: This method did work better, and the taste was actually pretty good--I think the hardest part was getting over the visual of the little pink coin of veggie dog, but taste-wise it had a nice sweet and salty thing going on.

Idea 3: Building off of the success of Idea #2, this time I brought back the ice cream ball idea again, but this time put a little dollop of spicy mustard inside of each ball of ice cream and then let them cool for an hour in an extra-cold freezer. Then, I fried up another batch of the corndog-fritters and skewered them on a stick, alternating the fritters and balls of mustard-filled ice cream (note: you might want to let your little corndogs cool for just a little while--if they are still hot, the ice cream will melt a bit too rapidly for you to get them together).

Verdict: Once again, once you can separate yourself from the weird factor of mixing hot dogs and ice cream, it's actually pretty good. I was most suprised by how nicely the spicy mustard worked with the rich vanilla ice cream though: it was a surprisingly addictive combination.

Resolution: This was a very fun experiment, and once past the weird factor, the dessert is actually pretty palatable. Nonetheless, I don't think it is going to make it into my regular dessert rotation--as fun as it is to challenge yourself sometimes, I still think guests might make faces if you tried to serve this to them at a barbecue.

Corndog Dessert

Miscellaneous things you'll need:

3 veggie dogs (or two would be fine if you like smaller pieces--you'll end up with about 20 golfball-sized corndog balls)
Vanilla Ice cream (if you got a half-gallon, it would be too much, but I'm sure you'll put it to good use).
Spicy mustard, if desired (I used Gulden's)
For frying: a stick of butter and as much sugar as you want to sprinkle in with it

Batter:

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 ea egg
1 cup milk

Directions:

Combine dry ingredients; in separate bowl, combine egg and milk. Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before use.

At this point, choose your adventure! You can coat each piece of veggie dog (I cooked mine first) and fry it up in a butter-and-sugar mixture and serve a la mode; you could make them up and skewer them with ice cream balls, or you could invent your own variation. Have fun!

In The Raw: Decadent Raw Chocolate Fudge Brownies at Chaco Canyon

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:22:00 +0000

Usually when one thinks of raw foods the images conjured up are very crunchy-granola health foodie sorts of foods, but clearly most people have not been properly introduced to the raw chocolate brownie at Chaco Canyon Cafe.

This is a serious brownie in several ways. Starting with the price--weighing in at $4.95 plus tax, it's a lot of investment for a relatively small amount of brownie. It's noticeably more expensive than their vegan (baked) brownie at $2.25. (Ten points if you can shed some light on that.)

Luckily, you've got Cake Gumshoes who will taste-test for you in the name of research; and so recently the $5.20 or so was forked over in order to sample this uncooked treat.

Now, not to get overly dramatic about it, but this brownie is worth every penny. I'd go so far as to say this may be one of the more perfect desserts I've tried in recent memory. Honestly. And I'm not alone: turns out CakeSpy buddy Tea (who is like, a famous food writer) is also a fan.

The name "brownie" is a misnomer, really. It's really more of a bar cookie, comprised of three distinct layers: a hazelnut-date crust topped with raw cacao and coconut and topped with a generous smattering of hazelnuts. And oh, what joy lies within those three layers. The raw cacao and coconut oil layer is one of the most decadent, melt-in-your mouth fillings I have ever tasted--so creamy, so rich and chocolatey--and yet, somehow, not too sweet. It finds the perfect complement in the tightly packed, nutty crust, which has a perfect amount of salt added (and this can never be underestimated), which really rounds out the sweetness in a most tantalizing way. The added crunch of hazelnuts on top is a nice touch and gives a really pleasing texture contrast to all that creaminess in the middle layer.

This brownie is an absolute delight. It absolutely defies any preconceived notions about vaguely healthy-tasting and ultimately unsatisfying raw desserts: it's one of those truly decadent sweets that makes you want to take a nap afterward. And if you do, you'll pretty much be guaranteed sweet dreams.

Raw Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Chaco Canyon Cafe, 4757 12th Avenue NE, Seattle; online at chacocanyoncafe.com.

CakeSpy Note: Looking for a recipe? In looking around online, I found this one which uses walnuts but otherwise seems comparable.

Cake Byte: Look Cupcakes To Be Sold at The Chocolate Box!

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:15:00 +0000

Big news, Seattle: delicious mini cupcakes from Look Cupcake are now going to be sold at The Chocolate Box! Previously only available by special order, this is an exciting new venue for these treats (read the previous CakeSpy writeup about them here!).

Here's the scoop from The Chocolate Box:

Chocolate Box is always looking for new and exciting local tasty treats to offer you. We are very excited to be hosting a potentially new local passionate cake maker, Rhienn Davis. Rhienn's Look cupcakes will make you do a double take because they look fantastic. The flavors will tempt your taste buds to ask for more. This may become an addiction. As our guest this Sunday from 12 to 3, Rhienn will be sampling her cupcakes, and we will be asking your opinion. We want to know what you think. If you like, then we will see Rhienn more in our case and hopefully in your happy tummy.

Now, in case you missed the most important part:

Free. Cupcakes. This Sunday. From 12-3 p.m., at The Chocolate Box!

For the location and more information, visit their site!

Sweetness in San Francisco: CakeSpy at the Renegade Craft Fair!

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:22:00 +0000

Get excited, San Francisco. Get very excited.

A veritable tornado of sweetness is coming your way on July 18th and 19th: I (Head Spy Jessie) will be taking part in the annual Renegade Craft Fair at San Francisco's Fort Mason Center Festival Pavilion. I hope that I'll see some of your smiling faces there! I will have all manner of sweet artwork and accessories on sale, including original paintings, stationery and gift items--even some new products which I did in collaboration with Eleven Eleven Industries, including CakeSpy checkbook holders, passport covers and more!

But I won't be alone: there will be all sorts of other awesome vendors and exhibitors including the likes of Chronicle Books,
Cynically Delicious, Rock Scissor Paper and RustBelt Fiberwerks.

Here are the details:

San Francisco Renegade Craft Fair
July 18 + 19 at the Fort Mason Center Festival Pavilion (Directions)
11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Entry is free!

Check out the official site here.

Sweet Surrender: A Suite of Sweet Bakery Visits in NYC

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:12:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered what a professional baker eats when they're not sampling their own goods?

Well, last month while hanging out with one of my favorite bakers in the world, Matt Lewis (co-owner of Baked in Brooklyn and Charleston, SC--as well as co-author of the best cookbooks of 2008, Baked: New Frontiers in Baking and multiple magazine articles--as well as known cupcake defender), I got to find out when we toured a small sampling of some sweet shops in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

First, we hit up Sweet Revenge in Manhattan to taste-test their namesake cupcake, the Sweet Revenge (pictured above), which is comprised of peanut butter cake, ganache filling and peanut butter buttercream. Now, a cupcake with a description which includes "butter" three times in addition to ganache might sound like too much, but really, it's just enough. It was very sweet, but the slight saltiness of ground peanuts on top really added a nice complement and we had no problem devouring it. For visitors later on in the day (or those who are feeling particularly decadent in the daytime) Sweet Revenge is also offers cupcake and wine/beer pairings too.

Next it was over to Brooklyn, where we first hit up the adorable Almondine where I scored some macarons from their gorgeous bakery case, but not before cooing over every single item in the case and hearing some very good things about their bread.

The macarons had that truly ethereal Frenchie way about them: slightly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, with divinely rich filling; the standout for this little Cake Gumshoe was mos' def the pistachio.

After enjoying the view a bit it was across the street to the Jacques Torres shop and factory, where we not only got a free sample from the newly opened ice cream shop (more decadent peanut buttery goodness!), but also got a behind-the-scenes tour of the chocolatemaking area. Now, you definitely don't need to be told that this is an awesome thing to experience. My only regret is not picking up some of those awesome chocolate-covered cheerios.

After some walking and talking about sweets we split ways (me off to more bakeries, Matt off to continue writing and baking up some brilliant masterpieces), but oh, what a sweet afternoon it was.

Places Mentioned:

Baked, locations in Brooklyn, NY and Charleston, SC; for information, visit bakednyc.com;

Sweet Revenge, 62 Carmine Street, NYC (212)242-2240; online at sweetrevengenyc.com;

Almondine, 85 Water Street, Brooklyn (718)797-5026; online at almondinebakery.com;

Jacques Torres, multiple locations (we went to the DUMBO one); online at mrchocolate.com.

Under My Thumb: A Loving Look at the Vegan Thumbprint Cookie

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:31:00 +0000

Can we talk about vegan thumbprint cookies for a moment?

These nubbly little jam-filled treats are a very popular vegan choice in Seattle (possibly beyond?). They've been available at Flying Apron (and since they wholesale, also at coffee shops and grocery stores which carry their pastries too) for years, but now there are several other shops and bakeries which also carry variations on this vegan cookie. What accounts for this cookie's popularity in vegan form, though?

Well, for one thing, they're an easy cookie to veganize without sacrificing any flavor. Though many classic recipes for thumbprint cookies include butter, many also use oil; so really, in some cases these cookies are inherently vegan. And to speak specifically to their popularity in the Northwest, they're a dense, oaty cookie, and Seattleites do tend to love those vaguely healthy tasting, granola-y treats.

For me, these cookies have been sort of a gateway drug into the world of vegan confectionery: they're dense and chewy and oaty; sweet but not cloying--the perfect type of cookie to eat for breakfast. Here is just a sampling of some that I've known and loved around town:

The vegan thumbprints at Zoka Coffee are generously sized, generously dolloped with jam (apricot and I believe raspberry), and are wonderfully nutty.

The thumbprints at Flying Apron bakery (not pictured) are not only vegan but gluten-free too; they are made with a mixture of rice and garbanzo flour which gives them a nice flavor complexity; they're finished with a sweet apricot jam.

The vegan thumbprint cookies at Whole Foods in Seattle are wonderfully spiced and have a nice, slightly crunchy oaty texture.

The vegan thumbprints at PCC in Seattle are the chewiest of the lot, but plenty dense and flavorful--I especially love these ones for breakfast.

Want to make your own vegan thumbprint cookies? Here are just a few good-looking recipes online:

Altered Plates makes a gorgeously dense-looking version;
The Whole Foods website has a recipe for the ones mentioned above;
On About.com, vegan thumbprints get their buttery taste from cashews;
Sweet Beet and Green Bean has an extra-nutty version;
Aprovechar has a gluten-free, soy-free, egg-free version (yes, there are ingredients left after all that!) which looks amazing.
Everybody Likes Sandwiches has a delectable-looking chocolate version.

Do you have a great recipe to share or know of a good spot for vegan thumbprints not mentioned here? Leave a comment!

CakeSpy Undercover: A Cake Gumshoe's Thoughts on Indulge Cupcakes in Puyallup, WA

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:37:00 +0000

CakeSpy Note: This is a guest blog post from Cake Gumshoe Roxanne Cooke. Check out her website here!

Live life one cupcake at a time.
Keep calm and have a cupcake.
Are you checking out my cupcake?

Inside Indulge Cupcakes in Puyallup, you’ll find a variety of cupcake sayings, as well as a variety of cupcake flavors. Indulging here is simple.

The bakers at Indulge have the classics covered: vanilla with chocolate or vanilla buttercream, chocolate with vanilla or chocolate buttercream, and red velvet with vanilla buttercream.

Indulge also offers chocolate chip mint, lemon with lemon cream cheese frosting, cinnamon swirl, caramel macchiato, and orange dreamsicle. The lemon and orange dreamsicle cupcakes have freshly squeezed juice in their batters.

The shop sells a few specialty cupcakes, including carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, coconut with coconut buttercream, cherry chip, and strawberry shortcake.
Regular cupcakes cost $2.80 and specialty cupcakes are $3.75. The rest of the menu is devoted to drinks: espresso, tea, and smoothies. There’s a shelf full of cupcake-themed items, including cards and cupcake-shaped ceramic containers. Indulge also rents its space for events, such as baby showers.

On two separate occasions in June, I visited the downtown Puyallup shop with a friend. On our first visit, it was near closing time, and we ordered the chocolate chip mint and red velvet. Both were a bit dry, but we chalked this up to the late hour. The frosting, while beautifully done, was a bit sugary for our taste buds.

Before leaving, I bought a cherry chip cupcake to go and kept it in my fridge for a few days before tasting it. The cupcake was yellow on the outside and pink on the inside. It was moist and sweet, but not overpowering.

On our second visit, we arrived early in the day and tried the caramel macchiato and carrot cake cupcakes. The caramel macchiato (pictured directly above), featuring a coffee bean on top and caramel syrup swirled over the frosting, had a delicious coffee flavor, but the frosting was still on the too-sweet side. The carrot cake (pictured below), now my favorite at Indulge, was just about perfect. The ratio of cake to frosting was more manageable, the frosting felt smoother and tasted less sugary, and the cake was rich, moist, and flavorful. Plus, it’s just cute!

I’ll definitely be going back to Indulge Cupcakes to try their other cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, and to see what other specials they come up with. The people running the shop are always friendly, there’s interesting art on the walls, and their beautiful cupcake creations are fun to try.

Indulge Cupcakes, 207 N. Meridian, Puyallup, 253-904-8234; online at indulgecupcakes.com. For more of Roxanne Cooke's work, check out her website here.

Do you want to be a Cake Gumshoe too? Feel free to submit bakery reviews or great baked good related finds (with pictures, please) to jessieoleson@gmail.com.

Snap, Crackle and Pop Rocks: Explosively Delicious Fourth of July Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:51:00 +0000

Sure, you can make red, white and blue treats for the 4th of July. But how can you really American 'em up for the holiday?

You need to add explosions.

Like a summer blockbuster movie, these cookies are chock full of explosions: they're both infused and garnished liberally with Pop Rocks. This not only makes them crackle like fireworks but also pays homage to that other all-consuming american obsession: truly trashy candy (and I say this in the most loving way possible).

So--are you ready to make your fourth of July extreme?

Here's how you do it.

Pop Rocks Sugar Cookies (based on this recipe from the King Arthur Flour site)

1/2 cup (3 1/4 ounces) butter
2/3 cup (4 3/4 ounces) sugar
1/4 cup (2 ounces) buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, to taste
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar till smooth. Add the buttermilk and vanilla, again beating till well-combined. The mixture may look a bit curdled; that's OK.

Add the nutmeg, flour, baking soda and salt to the wet ingredients, and beat until the mixture forms a cohesive dough.

Divide into three parts, mixing one part with blue food coloring (a lot!), one part with red (also a lot) and leave one part plain. This way, you can have a mix of red, white and blue.

At this point, you'll want to break into those Pop Rocks. I put a nice little handful of red (strawberry) and blue (raspberry) into the corresponding balls of dough (you could do a mix in the white dough).

Drop the dough in round blobs onto a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet. They should be a bit bigger than a ping-pong ball, a bit smaller than a golf ball. Using a cookie scoop (or, if you have one, a small ice cream scoop, one that will hold about 2 level tablespoons of liquid) makes this task extremely simple. Leave about 2 inches between the dough balls, as they'll spread as they bake.

Bake the cookies in a preheated 350°F oven for about 12-14 minutes, or when they are just starting to brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack. While you're waiting for them to cool, you'll want to take a small bowl and mix the leftover pop rocks with whatever red, white and blue sprinkles you've got around. Once cool, either top with a generous dollop of frosting (I used cream cheese, below) or put a dollop between two cookies for a sandwich. If you've just frosted the top of the cookie, apply sprinkle mixture to the top or dip it into the bowl if the frosting consistency allows for it; for the sandwiches, you can dip the sides in the bowl so that they pick up the sprinkle mixture.

Cream Cheese Frosting (from Slashfood)

Beat 8 oz. cold cream cheese (not rock solid, but it means you can use it straight out of the refrigerator) with 5 Tbsp. softened butter and 2 tsp. vanilla until combined. Gradually add 2 c. powdered sugar that has been sifted after measuring. Continue to add more sifted powdered sugar until you reach a consistency and sweetness that fits your taste.

Sprinkle mixture

I used two half-pouches of Pop Rocks (what was left after I folded some into the dough) and a mix of some other red, white and blue sprinkles I happened to have around.

Mmm, tastes like America.

Sweet Art: Shaky for Illustration Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:23:00 +0000

This week's Illustration Friday theme is Shaky, which got me thinking about the strained relationships between other baked goods and trendy cupcakes. How do other sweets feel about the little cakes' popularity?

Could Cuppie be on shaky ground with these tough cookies?

Update: Reader Response! Meaghan of The Decorated Cookie and Edible Crafts has made a sweet commentary on the issue of cupcakes' popularity! Read about it here.

Cake Poll: Baking Vs. Eating Preferences

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:06:00 +0000

It's July, and high time for a sweet giveaway! This time, Carolyn's Kitchen, a very cool company which designs retro-inspired aprons and kitchen accessories, has kindly donated one of their fashionable aqua cupcake aprons (retail value $42!) for the giveaway. I hope I don't need to tell you that this is a totally awesome prize.

How do you put your name in the running? It's easy. Just satisfy my curiosity about sweet preferences. Is what you like to bake the same as what you like to eat? Or are they different? Just answer the following in the comments section below and you'll be entered in the running!

*Please note this giveaway is only open to US Residents. The Cake Poll will close on Monday, July 6 at 12 p.m. PST, and the winner will be contacted for their size/address/info shortly thereafter. If you'd like to shop at Carolyn's Kitchen in the meantime, click here!

What is your favorite baked good or dessert to make?
What is your favorite baked good or dessert to eat?

Good luck!

CAKE POLL UPDATE: WE HAVE A WINNER! Christina of the lovely and amazing blog She Runs, She Eats was chosen at random from over 350 entrants (between emailed responses and comments). Thank you to everyone who entered!

Berry Delicious: Cupcake Royale Debuts the Strawberry 66 for July!

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:45:00 +0000

Let's get excited about Cupcake Royale. Why? Well, beyond the obvious (they are a shop that sells cupcakes), here are two very exciting reasons this month:

#1: Their new flavor for July, the Strawberry 66. Why 66? Well, it's made with 66% local ingredients. That is no small feat! So not only is it sweet, it's a great way to support local farmers and vendors. Here's their description:

Sweet and summery strawberry buttercream swirled atop our delicious, NEW More Moisty-er! vanilla buttercake. Made with strawberries from Skagit Sun Farms, eggs and dairy from Meadowsweet, and flour from Shepherd's Grain, this cupcake is 66% Washingtonian! It's like an old-fashioned strawberry shortcake. Only better.

#2: Their long-awaited Capitol Hill location is set to open this month! Also per their newsletter:

You've waited, anticipated, and salivated. Now, the wait is over. The cupcakes are coming to Capitol Hill. We open this month at 1111 E Pike, just in time for Block Party! Watch our blog for updates. And we'll see you on the Hill!

Looks like this summer is going to be totally sweet!

To obtain one of those delicious Strawberry 66 cupcakes, you can visit any of the three (soon to be four!) Cupcake Royale locations all July long; for more information, visit cupcakeroyale.com; for instant updates, follow them on Twitter!

Cake Byte: Threadcakes Contest!

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:44:00 +0000

When awesome t-shirt designs meet cake, the result is awesome deliciousness!

Yup: it's time for the second Annual Threadcakes Amazing Cake Contest, in which you can enter a cake design inspired by an awesome Threadless tee, and you might just win some amazing prizes!

It's bound to be good, what with judges from the Ace of Cakes, Baking Bites, Bake or Break and Cake Journal (just to name a few!).

For full details and to enter, visit their official entry page!

Cake Byte: Layer Cake Shop Opens!

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:33:00 +0000

Update: Based on reader responses to this post I have followed up here--please weigh in!

It's a funny thing about baking supply shops. They always feel so cramped and dark to me--rarely do they seem as bright and happy as the cakes the supplies are used to make.

So it was a delightful surprise to receive an email announcing a new online retailer, Layer Cake Shop, which specializes in all manner of supplies for making sweets, from specialty cupcake cups to cookie cutters; a dazzling spectrum of food colorings and sprinkles and other decorations; they even have a respectable selection of packaging supplies, and even cute little DIY kits which make great gifts. Everything is beautifully and brightly displayed in this online boutique; it's definitely one to bookmark.

Yup: the internet just got even sweeter!

Layer Cake Shop, online at layercakeshop.com.

Update: Based on reader responses to this post I have followed up here--please weigh in!

Cinema and Sugar: Movies To Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:29:00 +0000

Sometimes, simply eating baked goods isn't enough. You just want to live, breathe and exist in a warm shell of pastry or cake. But not, you know, in a creepy way.

How better to feed your obsession than by enjoying movies which prominently feature sweet treats? Grab your milk duds, dim the lights and dig in:

(Note: This list is not necessarily comprehensive; feel free to leave a comment with any movies that you think should be added!)

American Pie: Of course, this one features what is probably the most infamous pie scene in cinema.

Animal House: As one CakeSpy reader put it, "I love the food fight scene. Watching Bluto load his tray up with donuts and jello..."

Babette's Feast: Who cares what else they eat, "the grand finale dessert is 'Savarin au Rhum avec des Figues et Fruit Glacée' (rum sponge cake with figs and glacéed fruits). Numerous rare wines, including Clos de Vougeot, along with various champagnes and spirits, complete the menu."

The Bakery Girl of Monceau: A film in which the hero engages in "pastries and flirting with the salesgirl, a law student (Barbet Schroeder) surrenders to his appetites as he hangs out at a bakery."

Because I Said So: Featuring Mandy Moore as a baker who is secure in the kitchen but unsure about love.
Big Night: This movie mainly features savory foods, but the timpano is carbohydratey enought to warrant a mention.

Blood & Donuts: In which a vampire falls for a woman working in a donut shop.
Buffalo 66: A heart-shaped cookie figures into the plot in this movie.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: In oh, so many ways.
Chocolat: If chocolate is your dessert weapon of choice, you simply must see this movie. In fact, I can't believe you haven't already.
Dear Lemon Lima: A brand-new film which just made its debut at the LA Film Festival, which prominently features cupcake artwork...by CakeSpy!

The Devil Wears Prada: No, food isn't in the foreground of this film, but Anne Hathaway's character does try to make nice with that dreamy Adrian Grenier by bringing him a cupcake.
Down To You: Not sure how dessert figures into this one, but I heard a rumor that it does.
Fried Green Tomatoes: What is your favorite book, movie and food? Fried Green Tomatoes may be the answer to all three, but I'll take some chocolate or a southern layer cake (but please, keep the saran wrap away) any day. But as a side note, can you believe this recipe for caramel fried green tomatoes and ice cream?
The Gingerbread Man: As buddy Megan says, "It's a terrible, terrible movie. But entertaining!"
The Great New Wonderful: According to one sweet CakeSpy reader, this one "had Edie Falco and Maggie Gylenhaal as cake designers but they weren't very happy..."
The Godfather: "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli". Beautiful!
Hoodwinked: This one was suggested by Mary--that Goody Bandit must be captured!
The Ice Cream Man: OK, so the ice cream man in question is a serial killer. He does drive the right truck! And he's Ron Howard's brother!
Just Desserts: In which a cake (and its baker) are completely enchanting to the protagonist.

Like Water For Chocolate: The wedding cake made with character Tita's tears was delicious, but made people cry over loves long lost.

Manhattan: This one is worth watching for so many reasons, but as one CakeSpy reader pointed out, dessert (milkshakes, to be exact) is a big reason!
Marie Antoinette: Cake porn, featuring sweets by French legend Laduree. Enough said.

Matilda: Basically the cake-eating scene is the sweet equivalent to the egg-eating scene in Cool Hand Luke.

Mermaids: This one got an Oscar, and I'm pretty sure it was for the marshmallow kebabs prominently featured during the movie.

Million Dollar Baby: The real money shot was at the end, when Clint Eastwood's character eats pie in the final scene.

Mostly Martha: Although you'll have to wait til the credits for the sweet stuff, says Viv, it's worth the wait.

No Reservations: According to a CakeSpy reader, the US version of Mostly Martha definitely has some good looking tiramisu featured on-screen.
The Perfect Man: According to one CakeSpy reader, this film with Heather Locklear is "awful, but she decorates cakes."
Run Fatboy Run: In this one, according to Carrie, the "love interest is a bakery sweet shoppe owner".

Serendipity: A sweet romantic comedy which has scenes in the NY Sweets-shop from which the film takes its name.

Simply Irresistible: In which a witchy Sarah Michelle Gellar enchants the dessert (and the rest of the food too).

Simpsons Movie: Of course, Homer is never far from his beloved pink frosted and festively sprinkled donuts.

Stand By Me: This one features a pie-eating contest.
Steel Magnolias: That armadillo cake did more for Red Velvet than it could ever know!
Stranger Than Fiction: If Will Ferrell's character presenting Maggie Gyllenhaal's renegade baker with a bouquet of "flours" doesn't make you melt like buttercream in sunshine, then you're probably dead.
Sweeney Todd: They make pies, but you probably don't want to eat them. Way too savory.
True Grit: In which "corn something or other Rooster Cogburn was eating on the trail"
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me: The prelude to Dale Cooper and all that damn fine pie.

Varsity Blues: The cheerleader tries to be all sexy by dressing up like an ice cream sundae! That's priceless!
Waitress: Pie, pie, and more pie!

Wayne's World: I wish I could hang out with Wayne and Garth at Stan Mikita Donuts.

When Harry Met Sally: The most famous food scene is at Katz's in this movie, but there are many other sweet cinematic nuggets including conversations about (and over) pie.

Got one to add? Leave a comment!

Rosemary's Babka: Devilishly Delicious Mini Chocolate Babka in Seattle

noreply@blogger.com (Cakespy) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:05:00 +0000

The other day while wandering around Ballard, I happened to walk into Great Harvest Bread and in doing so, unwittingly submitted to my destiny: The Mini Chocolate Babka.

Baked in a muffin tin, this two-pronged treat is a mini monstrosity, so ugly it's sort of cute. Because of its small size, the chocolate-to-pastry ratio is upped dramatically, making it amazingly buttery and rich; in spite of said richness, it's amazingly how quickly and easily it manages to get in your belly.

As the sign in the shop said, this mini version of a classic holiday bread is "too good to save for once a year"--and I tend to agree. Even if it is the devil in disguise.

Mini Chocolate Babka (call for availability!) from Great Harvest Bread Company, 2218 NW Market Street, Seattle, (206) 706-3434; online at greatharvestsea.com.

Not in Seattle? No need to panic. This recipe for chocolate babka sounds like just about the most delicious thing ever, and I bet it could be divided into muffin cups for mini portions.