Cake Byte: Sweet Avenue Bake Shop Offers Custom Cupcakes to Ship Nationwide

A frequent question posed chez CakeSpy is "how can I ship cupcakes?". Well, there is the option of shipping them in mason jars, but other than that I'd probably be better at advising you on how not to ship cupcakes.

Happily, NJ's Sweet Avenue Bake Shop is now offering some sweet shipping options for their award-winning vegan cupcakes. They do small quantities so it won't break the bank, and you have the option of a DIY cupcake kit wherein it comes with all of the necessary bits and bobs and you decorate your own; or, they also have a fun customized option, so that you can upload a picture for custom cakes and send them to someone you love (how 'bout sending a big picture of your face to mom?). Here's the 411 from Sweet Avenue Bake Shop:

DIY Cupcake Kit: $25 (shipping included)

The Decorate It Yourself Cupcake kit includes your choice of three cupcakes, three frostings, and your choice of 3 sprinkles. Do you want all chocolate? Red velvet and cream cheese? Peanut butter frosting with rainbow sprinkles? It's all fair game. We'll even include some frosting wands to get you started. These kits are great for kids, as a gift for a friend, or just as a way to try out our cupcakes if you can't make it to our New Jersey bake shop.

Image Printed Cupcakes: $45 (shipping included)

Custom image printed cupcakes are now available! Send Sweet Avenue your favorite image and enjoy six personalize and delectable treats.
 
Don’t want your own image? Select from our assortment of pop culture edibles such as the popular Twilight Cupcakes featured on People.com! To inquire about image cupcakes, email info@sweetavenuebakeshop.com.
 
For more information or to order, visit sweetavenuebakeshop.com.

Catch the Buzz: Chocolate Covered Honey Cakes by Bee Desserts

My dad always says "you catch more flies with honey". Really--he does say that. Often.

But what if that honey was in cake form, and enrobed in rich chocolate?

Say hello to the latest CakeSpy bakery crush: Bee Desserts in New York City. 

Although their Greenwich Village location does offer a few different dessert offerings, their signature (and, in this spy's opinion, most intriguing) offering is a dark chocolate coated honey cake. Apparently it was borne of a desire to have a dessert "without the use of sugar or additives"...but I suppose they can be forgiven for that, because they do look (and sound) awfully good.

P.S. If the concept of the honey cake covered in chocolate intrigues you, you might also be interested in this recipe I found for honey fig chocolate covered cake. Nom!

Try them for yourself at 94 Greenwich Ave., New York, NY 10011; online at beedesserts.com.

Spring Into Action: Sweet Treats from Essential Baking Company in Seattle

April may be the cruelest month--so does that mean March is the kindest? That certainly seems to be true if you're going by the offerings by Seattle's Essential Baking Company. Per their newsletter:

March has a reputation for madness, but this year it has come to Seattle like a lamb. Keep the sweetness going with the irresistible aromas of citrus, chocolate and buttery shortbread in spring treats from The Essential Baking Company 

Mom’s Hat
The Essential Baking Company says hats off to all our wonderful mothers. Delight Mom on her special day with orange Bavarian cream and chocolate mousse enrobed in dark chocolate ganache on a buttery pecan shortbread cookie. Mom’s Hat gets its finishing flourish from a white chocolate flower and ribbon of marzipan.

Raspberry Rhubarb Tart
A twist on the classic summer combination of strawberry and rhubarb, the Raspberry Rhubarb Tart beckons warmer days with a buttery sweet shortbread crust filled with raspberries and rhubarb. We bake it golden brown and top it with a mountain of perfectly peaked and lightly browned Italian meringue. 

Coconut Surprise
Soft caramel flavored with orange zest and a touch of sea salt is a surprise to the palate tucked inside a creamy coconut mousse atop a rich, dense chocolate cake. Topped with coconut flakes and wrapped in a ribbon of dark chocolate, the Coconut Surprise is a treat everyone at your dessert table will be happy to discover.

Mom’s Hat, Raspberry Rhubarb Tart and Coconut Surprise will be available at select grocery stores in the greater Seattle area and The Essential Bakery Cafés in Wallingford (1604 North 34th Street - 206-545-0444) and Madison (2719 East Madison -206-328-0078) from March 17 through June 15. 

Sweet News: CakeSpy is a Nominee in Saveur's Best Food Blog Awards!

Guess what? I was surprised and delighted this morning to learn that CakeSpy is a nominee in Saveur's First Annual Food Blog Awards, in not one, but two categories!

First, it is nominated for Best Baking and Desserts Blog (with, I might mention, an intimidatingly talented crew of sweets bloggers!).

And second, my post on the legendary Salted Peanut Butter Crisps of 1950-55 has been nominated for Best Individual Post. Like, OMG!

It's super sweet to be nominated--and it would be super mega sweet to get your vote, buddies. Click here to vote for me for Best Baking and Desserts Blog, and click here to vote for my Salted Peanut Butter Crisps post! 

And thank you!

March For Sweetness: Trophy Cupcakes Debuts Chocolate Guinness Stout Cupcakes with Bailey's Irish Cream Buttercream for March

Everybody's Irish when there's a cupcake like this around!

That's right: it's March, and that means it's time for some serious sweetness at Trophy Cupcakes, where they've brought back their beloved St. Patrick's Day flavor for the entire month: Chocolate Guiness Stout Cupcakes with Bailey's Irish Cream Buttercream frosting on top!

If you suspect that these cupcakes are comprised completely of awesome, you are right. The stout adds a wonderful density to the cake, leaning more toward chocolatey than toward a beer-y flavor; the Irish Cream in the buttercream gives it a little zing--just enough so that you know it's there, but not so much that it drives you to distraction.

Available at all three Trophy Cupcakes locations; for directions and hours, visit their website.

Seeing Green: Irish Whiskey Maple Cupcakes all March Long at Cupcake Royale

March is in like a Lion at Cupcake Royale, where their flavor of the month is bound to make the masses roar with good cheer: Irish Whiskey Maple Cupcakes!

Here's the 411, direct from Cupcake Royale: 

It’s March 1...and you know what that means: Jameson Irish Whiskey Maple cupcakes are back at Cupcake Royale! In keeping with our mission to make Seattle’s most local cupcake, the March cupcake of the month is made from local ingredients like milk, eggs, and butter from Medowsweet Dairy and specially milled Shepherd’s Grain cake flour from Shepard’s Grain farmers in Eastern Washington.

But don't hesitate--in this spy's experience, the flavor of the month is usually first to disappear from the bakery case on most days! To ensure availability, call ahead.

Available all March long at the four Cupcake Royale locations; for directions and contact info, visit www.cupcakeroyale.com. Of course, you can keep up to date with their goings-on at legalizefrostitution.blogspot.com and via Twitter.

Mac Attack: Macarons at McDonalds in Paris

It may be the home of Le Big Mac, but this Mac Attack has nothing to do with burgers. It's macarons, friends, and for better or worse, if you go to Paris, you can get them at McDonalds. 

Does this mean Laduree and Pierre Herme are in trouble? Is the MacDo Macaron a sort of death knell for the fancy French cookie, a surefire sign that they have jumped the shark?

I can't say for sure as I didn't try them, but when I happened upon this case on my recent Paris trip I couldn't resist capturing the moment.

Photo taken at the McDonalds at the Louvre; it was also featured as the Serious Eats Photo of the Day!

Cake Byte: Sweet New Products at CakeSpyShop.com!

It's time to let some sweetness into your life. Here's what you should do.

1. Drop whatever you are doing. Ok, maybe not like, literally, especially if you're holding a baby or performing open heart surgery or something (although props to you for being on this website at the same time).

2. Obtain a sweet treat of some sort. If you don't happen to have some delicious peanut butter cookies or avocado cake on hand, hit up your local bakery.

3. Finally--and this is very important--log on to the CakeSpy Shop for some seriously sweet new gear! There are a bunch of new things:

• New Mugs: Cuppie Cannibalism, Cupcakes and Bacon, and (to balance out the others) Vegan Baker Cupcake!
• Sticky Notes: Make small confessions (or just write small notes) on these "Unwrapped!" sticky notes!
• New tote bags: Cupcakes with bacon, Cuppie Cannibalism, and a CakeSpy favorite--Cuppie drinking Diet Coke (you know, the one immortalized by the lovely and amazing Bakerella!).

4. And yeah, once your purchase is complete (or perhaps while you are browsing the shop), you probably need to watch aforementioned Bakerella video. Again. Here it is:

And hey, if you're in Seattle, get ready for some serious sweetness! CakeSpy is taking over the lease on an art gallery and gift shop in Capitol Hill called Bluebottle Art Gallery. It's about to become a seriously sweet spot to pick up CakeSpy products! Read more here.

Cake Byte: CupcakeCamp Seattle is Coming!

Summer camp? Not so much. Bad crafts and bad food = big bummer.

CupcakeCamp, however, is a different story. Because at this camp, everyone's a winner, because they all get cupcakes. It's a franchise which has enjoyed great success in New York and San Francisco, and now, thanks to coordinator Carrie of Bella Cupcake Couture (a CakeSpy sponsor and awesome company in general), it's coming to Seattle! 

So what exactly is CupcakeCamp? Per the website, it is

An event for cupcake lovers: Bake or buy cupcakes to bring -or- just come to eat and help a good cause. Activities include cupcake eating contests, cupcake wrapper decorating, bakers competitions, Hope Heart Institute fundraiser and more.  Best of all … it’s FREE.

Once again, just in case you didn't catch that last part: it's free!

Here are the details:

When: Saturday April 10, 2010 11am-2pm
Where: 415 Westlake, Seattle WA
Why: Because who doesn’t love cupcakes?

Oh, and of course, you've got to love the CakeSpy-designed promotional postcard! (pictured top)

For more details and to see how you can become involved, visit the “About” section on the Cupcake Camp Seattle website!

Cake Byte: CakeSpy is Taking Over a Gallery in Seattle!

It's true, friends: CakeSpy is gonna have a retail shop.

In breaking cake news, I have decided to purchase Seattle's Bluebottle Art Gallery!

Bluebottle Art Gallery is a Capitol Hill landmark, a wonderful source for handmade artwork by a variety of awesome artists.

It will remain a gallery which carries the work of several artists, but in taking it over I will become the gallery's main artist and maintain my studio in the retail space!

The takeover will be official on April 1st.

You can learn more on the Bluebottle site, or from early buzz on the Capitol Hill Seattle and Seattle Metropolitan websites.

I am off now for a vacation planned before this all came about, but there will be more information in the next week or so! 

Sweet and Petite: Mini Empire Bakery, Seattle

The revolution is coming, and it is tiny.

Yes, indeed: Mini Empire Bakery is slowly but surely making Seattle sweeter, one mini pie, cupcake, and "scookie" (scone-cookie) at a time.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still a fan of cakes and pie slices the size of saucers, but there is something nice about pint-sized treats: you can eat four at once and totally feel good about it.

Mr. Spy and I recently attended their debut at Porchlight Coffee in Seattle's Capitol Hill, where they were serving up mini (cupcake-sized) pies in cranberry pear, bourbon pecan, and apple chai flavors (some of which were even vegan). And they're adorable. I mean, just look at this:

Adorable! And though small, the taste was mighty: deliciously flaky crust and thoughtfully, well-spiced fillings that left you wanting more--in a good way. The perfect sort of small bites for an after lunch or dinner treat.

Currently this is a custom-order and wholesale business (oh, and have I mentioned that the bakers are as cute as the goods? Pictured above), but there are undoubtedly big things in store for this small-scale baking operation, with some whisperings about a possible retail bakery. If this is the mini revolution, consider CakeSpy part of the tiny entourage!

For more information, including how to place a special order and retail locations, visit miniempirebakery.com.

Je t'aDorie: Cookies from Dorie Greenspan's CookieBar Pop Up Shop, NYC

Regret: I did not have time to visit Dorie and Josh Greenspan's pop up shop, CookieBar, in NYC on my recent visit.

However, the earth does seem to balance itself out, and when I visited the Serious Eats offices, they happened to have a box of sweeties from the shop.

What does this mean? I got to try Dorie Greenspan's cookies, that's what it means (ok, ok, she also had some stellar bakers helping with the baking: per Serious Eats, helpers included Johnny Iuzzini, Bradford Thompson, and Megan Fitzroy, along with volunteers fromThe French Culinary Institute.

I had chosen at random, and the one I chose, as it turned out, was the coconut lime cookie. It was a good decision.

Now, let me tell you about eating it. The first thing that hits you? The butter. The rich, tongue-coating buttery flavor.

And then a powerhouse of a sweet duel, from the sugar and the coconut, blossoming in perfect harmony with the butter and then giving a subtle sweet taste, which is then countered by the bright ray of zingy lime sunshine.

And then a small sea of more subtle flavors: the nuttiness of the coconut as an aftertaste, the lightest touch of bitterness (from zest perhaps?).

And finally--finally--the salt. And all Dorie stalkers--er, fans--know how important that is. As she says in Paris Sweets ,

salt is pastry's unsung hero...a pinch is enough to balance the sugar in a tart crust, underscore the flavor in any chocolate dessert, give caramel that certain je ne sais quoi.

In a word: perfection. Or should I say parfait?

Alas, the CookieBar was only open through February 12, but you can read all about it here, or read a comprehensive roundup of the deliciousness that was CookieBar at Serious Eats.

Cake for a Cause: A Sweet Event with CakeSpy, Electrolux, Kelly Ripa, Cake Boss, Foodbuzz and More!

From Left: Kelly Ripa, CakeSpy, Cake Boss, Kelly, Carlo's Bakery baker, ErikaI don't know how to tell you this...but I'm kind of a big deal.

OK, maybe not--but I sure did feel like one earlier this week when I was lucky enough to be part of the amazing "Kelly's Cake-Off" event in NYC.

What was the deal?

Dig it: So Foodbuzz, where I am a featured publisher and who helps me out with the advertisements you see to the right of the main body of this page, in collaboration with Electrolux's Kelly Confidential program, decided to put on an event in NYC wherein 15 lucky food bloggers would be flown out for an event, Kelly's Cake Off. They put us up in a totally sweet fancy hotel and fed us delicious vittles at the famous (and amazingly delicious) Spotted Pig restaurant. It was all coordinated by the fine folks at Weber Shandwick.

Basically, Kelly's Cake Off consisted of all of us gathering in a very cool space in the same building as the Food Network Studios and the Chelsea Market (also the former Nabisco factory!). We then learned some sweet cake decorating tips from Buddy Valastro, owner of Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken (and oh, you may know him as the Cake Boss from the TV) and Kelly Ripa, and then we were set into 5 teams of three to decorate cakes using fondant, buttercream, and various sugars and glazes (yum). Each team had a different cake: our theme was "Snow Day"--behold this beauty:

Our finished entries were then posted online, and for each vote received, Electrolux will donate $1 toward theOvarian Cancer Research Fund. 

Basically, this event was a triple threat of awesome. Sweet cake, sweet sponsors, and a super sweet cause. It was incredibly fun too, which certainly doesn't hurt--and oh man, the cake even tasted good! (um, so did the countless other pastries furnished by Carlo's Bakery).

But in case you don't believe me, you can see the video for yourself:

I've got to send my most sincere thanks to all of the awesome bloggers, Foodbuzz, the Cake Boss and Carlo's Bakery crew, my amazing team (Erika and Kelly), Electrolux, and Kelly Ripa. 

How can you be part of the awesome? Go vote for my cake, the "Snow Day". Yes, you've got to sign up using your email address, but I'm totally worth it, am I not? Also, you can vote once a day, and I fully expect you to do so, or I will never talk to you again. And trust me, I will know.

Have I made myself clear? Vote here.

What Boys Like: Butch Bakery in NYC

Photo Credit: Butch Bakery, NYCIn my humble opinion, there are few guys who don't enjoy cupcakes--but a lot of them won't admit it because they find it hard to get past the whole...you know, cute thing. 

But I'm sure that they'll rejoice at the prospect of a more metrosexual cupcake-maker: NYC's Butch Bakery. Started by stock market alum David Arrick who took things into his own (manly) hands. Per DailyCandy,

His new venture, Butch Bakery, peddles big, boozy cupcakes with XY-approved patterns like camo, wood grain, and houndstooth. Manly flavors include rum-soaked Madagascar vanilla cake with cola Bavarian cream filling (Rum & Coke), chocolate beer cake with beer-infused buttercream and pretzels (Beer Run), and peanut butter cake with banana Bavarian cream and crumbled bacon.

No store front (yet) but the sweet treats are available for delivery in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens.

For more information, visit butchbakery.com.

Sweetie Pie: PiePops and More for Valentine's Day from High 5 Pie

Don't get me wrong, if someone shows up with a big ol' box of chocolates, I'd never refuse them.

But I might just do happy backflips if someone brought me a Valentine's Day parcel full of flipsides, PieJars, Slab Pie (you may know it from the TV) and -- like, OMG--PiePops (yes, those are pie lollipops, in the Luxirare and Bakerella tradition) from Seattle's High 5 Pie.

Per proprietress and her royal Pie-Ness Dani Cone, there's some sweet stuff going on for Valentine's Day--on the menu will be some romantic

heart-shaped flipsides and Piepops! Yep, those are pie-lollipops! And, we're now going to offer our "as seen on tv" Slab Pie by special order, too! Folks can place a special order this week for Valentine's Day (or whenever they want).

Don't know about you, but I'm certainly giving the pie pictures above the look of love.

High 5 Pies are available at all Fuel Coffee locations; for more information, visithigh5pie.com. Also, keep updated with them via Twitter and their blog, and you can also buy proprietress Dani Cone's awesome book on Northwest coffee culture, Tall Skinny Bitter: Notes from the Center of Coffee Culture.

Cake Byte: Semla Available at Seattle's Svedala Bakery

What a happy note to receive in the mail today from CakeSpy buddy Ann, who wrote to say

I just leaned that semlor (which is the plural of semla, I'm told) are available now from Svedala Bakery (yay!).  You have to order them, and they don't ship the semlor because they wouldn't last (what with the whipped cream and all).

My friends and I are plotting our new annual tradition of stuffing ourselves with as many semlor as possible while they're available, so this is good news.

Indeed Ann is right, this is good news. In case you missed the feature on the sweet Swedish specialty last year, basically this is like heaven on a plate, a cardomom-spiced yeast-raised wheat bun filled with almond paste and whipped cream. Per Sweden.se,

The plump, cream-filled buns traditionally eaten on Tuesdays begin appearing in shops as early as January 1. Fat Tuesday would be more aptly named fat January, February and March.

And if you're in Seattle, they're available through Svedala Bakery! They no longer have a retail storefront, but you can special-order semla for pickup by calling 206.890.9774 or visiting their website, svedalabakery.com.

Ganache and Yum: Trophy Cupcakes Debuts Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes for February

MEMORANDUM

Date: February 1, 2010

Attn: Seattle Sweet Tooths

Re: The new Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake at Trophy Cupcakes

Seattle sugar fiends, it has recently come to CakeSpy's attention that today marks the debut of the flavor of the month for February at all Trophy Cupcakes locations, the Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake. Composed of Valrhona chocolate cake filled with raspberry buttercream, the top is then dipped in a rich chocolate ganache. Now, I don't know if you realize this, but this basically means that you get two doses of frosting.

You probably did not need to be told this, but double frosting basically equals double happiness.

Conclusion? This decadent dose of deliciousness will undoubtedly make you want to sing, dance, and fall in love. Now that's the taste of true love. Happy February.

The Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake is available at Trophy Cupcakes all month long; for locations and more information, visit trophycupcakes.com.

Cake Byte: CakeSpy Interview on In Erika's Kitchen

Are you curious about the super secret life of a sugar sleuth?

Shame on you.

Just kidding. Want to learn more about what goes on behind the scenes at CakeSpy.com? Check out this interview with Head Spy Jessie on the sweet site In Erika's Kitchen!

The writer, Erika, will be part of an upcoming event in NYC, wherein food bloggers get to decorate cakes with Kelly Ripa on behalf of the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Foodbuzz and Electrolux are bringing it all together--booyea!

Read the full interview here! (oh, and P.S. - you might also enjoy this sweet feature on Stickers and Donuts too!)

Hunka Burnin' Love: La Nina de Chocolate Diablo Cupcakes for Valentine's Day, by Look Cupcake

Looky here: another Seattle Valentine's Day special! This byte of sweetness comes straight from Rhienn at Look Cupcake, a boutique cupcake catering business in Seattle:

As you may have guessed, we get booked up quickly for Valentine's Day. We'd hate to leave any of our loyal followers out in the cold (no sleeping in the doghouse for you!)... so we're giving you first dibs on Valentine's Day orders. Here's the deal:

We're baking up a special batch of our La Nina de Chocolate Diablo cupcakes (Mexican spiced chocolate cake, Kahlua Especial buttercream), complete with custom flaming heart decoration. Your sweetheart will receive a dozen of these hot little numbers and a beautiful card with a message from you, all boxed up with a gorgeous bow and hand delivered right to their door.

And here's the extra sweet part: Only for recipients of this email - we're offering this package for $30. Delivery in the Seattle/Bellevue metro area is included! To receive the special pricing, please call or email to place your order by Friday, 1/29/2010.

Now that sounds totally sweet! You can take advantage of the deal by placing your order--for contact information, visit lookcupcake.com.

Sweets for the Sweet: Sugar Bakery and Cafe Debuts Valentine's Day Treats

Whew! Is it getting sweet in here, or is it just the newest roster of sweet treats available at Seattle's Sugar Bakery + Cafe? These sweet treats are the perfect gift for your Valentine, or a perfect Valentine gift for yourself!

Valentine's Cookie and Truffle Gift Basket: Filled with fresh cookies, truffles, and other sweet stuff. $20. (Baked Fresh to order)

Valentine's Cookie Decorating and Truffle Making Class: Learn how to decorate fancy schmancy cookies and make chocolate truffles. You'll leave with two gift boxes full of goodies to bring to your sweeties. Two classes available: Kids Class: Thursday February 11th, 5:30-7:30pm. Kids under 18 only. Everybody Class: Friday February 12th, 5:30-7:30pm. Everybody welcome. $45. (Includes 3 boxes of goodies plus treats for yourself!)

Valentine's Cupcakes: Cupcakes are the perfect little treat, especially in our cute little boxes. We vary our flavors daily, but we'll always have our famous truffle filled red velvet with cream cheese frosting. $3.35/ea or $36/dozen (Baked Fresh Every Morning)

Sweetheart Cakes: Special cakes made just for two, available in red velvet with cream cheese frosting or chocolate with ganache or vanilla buttercream. $15. (Includes customized inscription)

For more information, visit Sugar Bakery & Cafe • 1014 Madison Street • Seattle, WA 98104; online at sugarbakerycafe.com.