Pitt Stop: The Famous Burnt Almond Torte from Prantl's, Pittsburgh PA

So, anyone who has ever talked to me (like, ever) knows that sooner or later, we're going to start talking about baked goods.

And a couple of years ago I had a great conversation with a young lady from Pittsburgh who told me a beautiful tale about a famous dessert from her town: the Burnt Almond Torte from Prantl's Bakery. Actually, I believe she referred to it as "a torte worth shoving grandma out of the way to get to quicker." Oddly, I didn't ask any follow up questions.

But suffice it to say, the description left an impression, and when a customer in my Seattle store mentioned that he was headed to Pittsburgh for a visit, I left him with a very strong suggestion that he try this torte.

But he did one better: he brought me back a piece. Apparently not only had he bought one of the tortes, but had become hooked: as he confessed, he had eaten a slice that very morning for breakfast (a practice which I support, btw).

The torte itself has an interesting story, as I learned from a Pittsburgh-based dessert enthusiast: 

It wasn't until the 1970's though, that Prantl's began to serve its most famous item- the Burnt Almond Torte. In the midst of an unusual surplus of almonds, the Almond Board asked bakers to use more almonds in more creative ways. Henry Prantl, an original owner, traveled to California to learn and came back with an idea for a cake which he refined into the ever-delicious Burnt Almond Torte.

Well, Henry did good, and one taste of this torte reveals why it's an enduring legend in the area. It's comprised of Prantl's "famous yellow 'scrap' batter cake, creamy custard, homemade buttercream and loads of secret recipe toasted almonds", and it is very, very good. The cake itself is light, but don't you dare think it's virtuous, because the thick slab of custard contained inside not only keeps the cake moist, but adds a decadent dimension--which is then multiplied by the addition of thick, creamy buttercream and crunchy, toasty almond slivers. They may think that they're doing a good job of keeping the secret to the preparation of these delicious almonds under wraps, but I'm pretty sure I've figured it out: they mix in a heaping handful of crack.

Because this cake really is that addictive--in Mr. Spy's words, it was "an epic dessert".

Thank you Dennis for bringing back a slice for us to sample!

Prantl's Bakery is located in Pittsburgh; visit their site for locations and details. You can also buy a "travel" version of the torte online here, and if you're feeling brave, you might want to give this copycat recipe a try (though I haven't tried it).

Bright Lights, Big City Cupcakes

It's totally awesome when friends go on a trip and send you a postcard. 

But it's a zillion times awesomer when they bring you back cupcakes.

I'm talking, of course, about some of my favorite people in the world, Denise and Nick, who recently went to Vancouver and brought back cupcakes for myself and Mr. Spy.

The cupcakes were from Big City Cupcakes, a business which appears to be taking over Canada, and they were delectable.

Here's a review of the specimens sampled:

First, the Strawberry Cheesecake. Comprised of a strawberry cupcake with a big ol' gob of cheesecake filling baked inside (do you hear that, Bake It In a Cake?), and topped with strawberry cream cheese frosting. Now, after that description I probably don't even need to tell you it was delicious, but I still will. It weighed roughly as much as a brick, but in like, the best way possible. Rich, creamy, and delectable.

Second, the "Red Carpet"...their version of Red Velvet--described as being "vanilla cake with a hint of chocolate", the cake was very dense and rich--if not very cocoa-y--and it was topped off with basically an ice cream scoop's worth of cream cheese frosting. YES!

Check them out (and find a location!) at bigcitycupcakes.com.

Sweet Inspiration: Dessert Travels with Cake Gumshoe Nicholas

So, I have a totally sweet customer named Nicholas. He's basically the ideal customer: he comes in and buys stuff, and then tells me all about the delicious sweets he eats when he travels the world. Just looking at his pictures is bound to evoke some seriously sweet wanderlust. Here's where he's been recently:

First, how about some macarons from Per Olsson Choklad & Konditori, in Stockholm? Nicholas picked a very nice duo of Raspberry (pictured at the top of the post) and Licorice (pictured below)--don't you wish you could have been there, too?
But if macarons aren't your thing, he also took another totally sweet shot at Gateau (which he previously reported on) of the bakery case, just to give us all something to dream on.

Sweet armchair travels to all! Rumor has it that Nicholas is off to Turkey next, poor thing--can't wait to see the photos!

CakeSpy Undercover: Toscanini's, Boston

CakeSpy Note: Recently I heard a rumor (well, in the NY Times, so I guess that's not really a rumor) that the best ice cream--like, in the world--was to be found at a place called Toscanini's in Boston. Boston! So far! But happily, Cake Gumshoe Jen lives there, and she was more than happy to case out the joint on a spy mission. Here's a piece from her spy diary (she took the photos, too!):

Having only one year left in law school and uncertain of where I would be post-graduation, I decided to make a “Massachusetts Bucket List” of all the places I needed to go or things to do before I graduate. On the list was Toscanini’s, an ice cream place in Cambridge that has been touted as having the best ice cream in the world by the New York Times. I grabbed a friend on a beautiful Saturday morning and ventured out.

My first impressions of Toscanini’s upon arriving were that it was small but cozy and crowded but friendly and relaxed.  The lines moved quickly and we didn’t have to wait very long before placing our order. Toscanini’s serves brunch on Saturday, so we decided to try that first. I had their Open Faced Sandwich, which was ricotta scrambled eggs, figs and prosciutto on toasted bread, while my friend had their Toasted Bagel, which had mascarpone plum preserves, and sea salt. Both were very delicious, and despite the busyness of the place the food arrived quickly.

After brunch it was time for the most important part of the meal – dessert. Gus Rancatore, one of the co-founders of Toscanini’s, was at hand to help me make the difficult decision of which ice cream flavors I was to ultimately consume. He was very friendly and helpful, asking me what kinds of ice cream I liked and giving me generous samples of several of his recommendations. I ultimately went with the caramel apple and the hazelnut, although I had also sampled the green tea Kit Kat and the burnt caramel (which were also delicious, but alas my stomach can only hold so much ice cream at one time). 

All in all, I definitely had a great time at Toscanini’s – the staff was friendly, the food was delicious, and there was a great atmosphere about the place. I’m looking forward to going back more often and trying all of their flavors.

Check it out yourself--find the location, menus, and more at tosci.com.

Hummingbird Chronicles: Lemon Cupcakes Recipe from Hummingbird Bakery

English cupcakes come stateside!CakeSpy Note: This is an ongoing series of entries about (and recipes from!) London's Hummingbird Bakery by Cake Gumshoe Alexandra Levert, who is an assistant director for a French television network in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She loves cooking and baking because she finds it comforting and yet challenging at the same time. She tries to combine her love of food and her love of travel as much as life will let her.

 One Sunday afternoon, my boyfriend, who has never been into cupcakes, decided to finally take a look at my Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook. He started flipping the pages and landed on the lemon cupcakes page. He suddenly got all excited and said he wanted to make them. And right now. I was surprised, yet I wasn’t: he can never say no to a dessert with lemon. Suddenly, I was the one who wasn’t too excited about the idea of making them. Don’t get me wrong, I love lemon, but I always prefer chocolate to fruit in a dessert. This time though, I let him convince me and we went to the grocery store. 

Hummingbird Bakery Lemon Cupcakes

Recipe by Tarek Malouf, from Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook 

For the base:

• 120g of plain flour
• 150g of caster sugar
• 1½  teaspoons of baking powder
• 2 tablespoons of grated lemon zest, plus extra to decorate
• 40g of unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 120 ml of whole milk
• 1 egg 

For the lemon frosting:

• 250g of icing sugar (sifted) 
• 80g of unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons of grated lemon zest
• A few drops of yellow food colouring (optional but pretty!)
• 25 ml of whole milk 

For the cooking process:

• A 12-hole cupcake tray lined with paper cases 

So here is what I did:

1. First, I preheated the oven to 325°F or 170°C. 
2. Second, I sifted the flour and put it in a large bowl with the sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and butter. Then I used a handheld electric whisk, although you can also use a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment, to beat the first batch of ingredients together. I beat them on slow speed until I was certain all the components were combined. I gradually poured the milk in and continued beating so that everything was mixed in well. I added the egg to the first mixture and beat it in with the rest for a few minutes until it formed a nice, smooth blend. Now the next part tested my cupcake skills for the first time: spooning the mixture into the paper cases. To do so, I took two spoons: one to pick up a bit of the blend and the other to push it out of the first spoon and into the mold. I repeated that same action until all 12 paper cases were about 2/3 full. The tricky part was to try and keep the tray as clean as possible, by not letting any of the mixture fall anywhere but in the cases. It was harder than it looked, but I did it. One cupcake point for me! 
3. I put the tray in the oven for 22 minutes, since the recipe said to leave it in for 20 to 25 minutes. What I did was I set my timer for 20 minutes, and then when it rang, I took a fork and inserted it gently into one of the cakes. When I took the fork out, there was a slight trace of cake on it, so I knew I had to leave them in for a few more minutes. So I waited a little bit, checked again and they were fine. I took them out of the oven and let them cool down completely. 
4. After about 30 minutes, it was time for me to make the icing. First I beat the icing sugar, butter, lemon zest and food colouring with the same handheld electric whisk, but this time on medium-slow speed until the ingredients were well combined. Then I turned the whisk down to a slower speed while I poured the milk. After that, I turned it to high speed and beat the mix for about 5 minutes, until the frosting became fluffy enough. As Tarek Malouf said in his book: “The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.” 
5. Then my now-favourite, yet the riskiest part of the whole process finally arrived: it was time to put the frosting on the cakes. The thing about cupcakes is that they are supposed to look pretty and appetizing, and this was my first time trying to do so. The best advice I can give you is just dig in but do it gently. Take a good amount of the frosting with a spoon, a knife or a small spatula and spread it evenly while rotating the cupcake. This will give you more control over what the end result will be like. And voilà! Your first cupcakes. MY first cupcakes! 

So what do they taste like, you ask? Well, the thing about Hummingbird cupcakes is that they are never too sugary, which is good for people who don’t have a sweet tooth. I found the lemon ones very flavorsome, yet quite subtle in taste. Lemon is not something you need a lot of in order to get the full taste experience. And it was the case with these cupcakes. 

Final words: In order to make the recipes with as much precision as possible, I would recommend using a weighing scale in order to measure some of the ingredients. I didn’t have one when I made this recipe, and I found it really affected the texture and consistency of the frosting. It was a bit too liquid, not overly but just enough for it not to stick to the base properly. Remember: You need good tools to make great cupcakes!

Whoopie Pie Frozen Custard from Old School Frozen Custard, Seattle

Three guesses as to what was the most decadently delicious thing I tasted this week.

That's right: Whoopie Pie Frozen Custard. 

This bit of sweet manna was the special flavor of the day on Thursday, September 30th at Old School Frozen Custard in Capitol Hill. Now, if you don't know much about Old School, then let me learn you a bit about their M.O.: they generally have only three flavors available daily--vanilla, chocolate, and a special flavor of the day. Naturally, Audrey (who is also the one who inspired these cupcakes) and I had to walk over to sample this one.

So what exactly is Whoopie Pie frozen custard? Well, according to Old School's site, it's comprised of "Our Chocolate Cake Batter frozen custard with a delicious butter cream varigate folded into it".

But really, this description doesn't tell you much about the exquisite joy of eating it. While eating it, the first flavor that hits is chocolate--but then something happens. A slightly tangy, rich-sweet undertone to the taste--that's the cake batter. And then--little nubbins of vanilla buttercream swirled throughout--something that isn't really necessary, but sure is nice. 

While had I been given this custard blindly and asked what flavor it was, I might not instantly guess "whoopie pie", but I certainly would have finished it and licked the bowl. Yes, indeed.

The final word? A fine flavor of the day. Bring it back soon!

Old School Frozen Custard has locations in Seattle and Bonney Lake; visit their site for details.

Sweet Mini-Series: Hummingbird Bakery Chronicles, by Cake Gumshoe Alexandra

CakeSpy Note: This is the introduction to a series of several entries about (and recipes from!) London's Hummingbird Bakery by Cake Gumshoe Alexandra Levert, who is an assistant director for a French television network in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She loves cooking and baking because she finds it comforting and yet challenging at the same time. She tries to combine her love of food and her love of travel as much as life will let her.

Alexandra's Spy Report

I recently went to visit my Australian friend and her boyfriend in London, England. Upon my arrival, as I reached into my bag to give them a little souvenir from my trip to Prague, she handed me a book… Something called Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook. I was immediately intrigued by it, seeing as the cover adorned lovely cupcakes and a few other desserts. You see, I’ve been obsessed with cupcakes for quite a while now, and seeing this picture of the beautiful and perfect sweets didn’t help my obsession. When I finally opened the book, I remember being completely enamored with the variety of desserts being described and also with the beauty of their presentation. To my great surprise, my friend told me the bakery was actually in London itself, and that we could go to one of the three locations during my stay. How marvelous!

My experience at The Hummingbird Bakery

The location I went to is situated on Wardour Street, a small side street in SoHo. I could see the white and pink hummingbird sign by the entrance from far away. When I went in, I found it as adorable as I thought I would: Cupcake pop-art on the walls, cookbooks on shelves, dessert trays and, most importantly, endless rows of cupcakes. I went there on a Saturday, so the bakery was packed and extremely busy. I queued for my chance to finally get one their sweets, but when one of the girls working there asked me what I wanted, I couldn’t even choose! Vanilla with vanilla frosting? Too easy.  Vanilla with chocolate frosting? Too common. Orange blossom? Maybe some other time. Red Velvet with cream cheese frosting? Perfect! I bought my cupcake along with two notebooks as souvenirs for my friends back in Toronto. Then my friend and I walked to Trafalgar Square and devoured our desserts in seconds! The cake was moist and flavorful, the frosting was simply delicious, and the two put together made it one of the best cupcakes I have ever had. My friend had also bought the raspberry cheesecake and after having only a spoonful of it, I can honestly say it was incredible.

The final word?

So, if you are ever in London and are looking for a little (or big) something to satisfy your sweet tooth, I definitely recommend The Hummingbird Bakery. Now, I am back home and eager to try some of the dessert recipes. Stay tuned to hear about my attempt to make some cupcakes of my own.

In the meantime, check out Hummingbird Bakery online!

Sweet Love: Ode to the Vegan Oat Bar, Caffe Ladro, Seattle WA

Vegan Oat Bar might not sound like the sort of sweet that would inspire a sonnet, but it is. Let me prove it with a terrible one:

Oh vegan oat bar
beautiful morning sweet
what a lovely thing you are
for me to happily eat

You may not have butter, eggs, or milk
but I don't feel deprived
'cos unlike some pastries of your ilk
you don't taste contrived

You're so sweet, tart, and nutty
when push comes to shove
I have a confession, buddy
I think I'm in love.

Reading that poem, I hope that two things have come across. First, that I should never pursue writing poetry professionally. But more importantly, what I hope that it's conveyed is that this bar is a very special treat which is worthy of love and affection. It's good--seriously good. Starting with a rich cookie base, it has a layer of rhubarb which adds a tart layer of flavor and soft, lightly gooey center, which is all crowned with a generous oat-and-crumb topping which is sweet, lightly salty, rich, and startlingly addictive. Not just "good for a vegan treat", this bar is so good that you'll never miss the butter. And as someone who generally firmly believes that the secret ingredient is butter, and lots of it, this is a bold statement.

This is all to say--this is one sweet treat worth seeking out.

Vegan Oat Bar, available at Caffe Ladro in Seattle; for locations, visit their website.

Roll Over: The Apple Cinnamon Roll from 3.14 Bakery, White Center WA

Sure, you could go to 3.14 Bakery in White Center and get pie.

But wouldn't that be kind of, well, obvious?

No, be the one who boldly walks in and buys a cinnamon roll. Or at least, the one who buys a cinnamon roll in addition to some pie.

We (Mr. Spy and I, that is) had the good fortune of being gifted one of these behemoths by beloved CakeSpy Shop customer Stacy, and I can attest that it is a fine specimen of cinnamon roll.

For one thing, it is huge. Not sure if the pictures really show it, but the plastic container is one of those jumbo salad-bar type clear containers, and the cinnamon roll basically fills the whole thing. Not that quantity equals quality all the time, but it sure does make an impressive presentation.

But even more importantly, it's an incredibly satisfying carbohydratey treat. For some, the cinnamon roll experience is all about the goo and the glaze--the 3.14 roll may not be for you. If you are able to find room in your heart to enjoy a cinnamon roll which showcases the earthy yeast flavor of the soft dough with an assertive but not aggressive spread of butter, sugar and spice and flavor (in this case, chunks of baked apple), then you're going to be pleased by this cinnamon roll.

Plus, aforementioned enormous size allows you to share without feeling deprived (even halving it will give two eaters a huge serving).

You can find these cinnamon rolls (and pie, I guess, but I haven't tried that) at 3.14 Bakery, 9602 16th Ave SW, White Center. Find them on Facebook here.

Cakewalk: A Sweet Tour of Levallois, France from Cake Gumshoe Robert

CakeSpy Note: The best part about being a professional cake gumshoe? Meeting other pastry enthusiasts and learning about their bakery adventures. What follows is a Gumshoe report of Levallois, which is just outside of Paris and dubbed "honorary 21st arrondissement", contributed by Robert N. Mayer of Salt Lake City. Who is this fella? "As a professor of Family and Consumer Studies at the University of Utah, I take my consumption seriously and believe that my findings should be validated by others.” 

This past April, CakeSpy reported having visited over the course of seven days a bakery (or other sugar‐oriented place) in each of Paris’ 20 districts (arrondissements). My first thought was that I should don my running shoes and try to perform the same feat in one day. But that would only attest to my envy.

Instead, I broke some new ground, literally. Just outside the Paris Périphérique Highway but still on the Metro line lies the city of Levallois‐Perret. Although it occupies less than one square mile, Levallois is full of street names that evoke French history (Danton, Voltaire, Victor Hugo), and, more important to me, is more densely packed with pâtisseries and boulangeries than any arrondissement in Paris proper. It also has a lively covered market on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, a pedestrian‐only street, and a quaint city hall.

It is ironic that rue Louise Michel (1830‐1905) is named after a French anarchist who sentenced to prison for leading a Paris mob in pillaging a baker's shop. That’s because rue Louise Michel is home to four fine bakeries:

Fougeret Henry, 16 rue Louise Michel

This is the archetype of a traditional, neighborhood bakery, down to the baby blue paint and paintings that surround the front door.

L’Atelier des Pains, 32 rue Louise Michel

With its original location in Courbevoie, this new bakery has taken Levallois by storm. From the front window, you can see their pastries and breads coming out of a huge, shiny over. The fruit tarts are especially good, but the lunch crowd lines up for their baguette sandwiches.

Maison Baillon, 57 rue Louise Michel

Baker Philippe Baillon has won the award for the best baguette in the Haut de Seine region three times in the last eight years. This shop in Levallois is his second, the original being in nearby Neuilly. I particularly like the well‐browned palmier.

Festival des Pains, 85 rue Louise Michel

The wide smile of the baker is almost as good as the pastries in this new shop; I zeroed in on the items with pistachios.

Of course, if you manage to escape rue Louise Michel with your sweet tooth intact, you are within two blocks of:

Boulangerie Alain Bernard, 6 place Henri Barbusse

Alain recently took over a bakery that used to attract me with its pear tart. Alain is partial to brioche dough. You practically need sunglasses to look at the brioche with its bright pink pralines.

G Jusseaume, 16, rue Henri Barbusse

OK, this is technically a traiteur rather than a patisserie, but the shop (located on the pedestrians‐only block) makes its pastries on site. I enjoyed the fruit tart shaped like a bird’s nest.

Eric Kayser, 19 rue Trébois

True, this is one of 19 locations in the Paris area, but even its chocolate chip cookie was worth trying.

Le Grenier à Pain, 53 rue du Président Wilson

Most bakeries occupy corner lots, but this one is tucked into the middle of the block. The breads are notable and change every day. I opted for a chocolate item that resembled a bouchon with its gooey middle.

If you get back on the metro at the Anatole France stop, you might stop at William Galland, 73 rue Carnot, where I learned to love the almond croissant, and Jeanne, 63 rue Voltaire.

You won’t find web sites for these (mostly) family‐owned bakeries. Nor will you hear a lot of English spoken in Levallois. It’s the real France. But the people will take the time to communicate with you if you’re willing to use whatever French you have and let them take it from there. 

CakeSpy Note: and it's a sure bet that if you try to communicate, the rewards will be sweet.

Dough-Eyed: Cookies and Controversy from My Dough Girl in Salt Lake City, Utah

Which would you like first? The good news or the bad news?

The good news: My Dough Girl Cookies, a bakery in Salt Lake City, makes amazingly delicious cookies. I mean, like, really good. Fat, chewy, buttery, and flavorful morsels, sweetly packaged in the cutest retro sleeves. I recently had the good fortune to try several when SLC-based Cake Gumshoes Rob and Carol came to Seattle for a visit and brought me four specimens for me and Mr. Spy to sample.

We tried the "Lilly" (lemon sugar cookie with lemonheads and lemon glaze), which was bright and sunny and -- surprise, crunchy!--from the addition of sweet-sour lemonhead candies, the "Sandy" (the special flavor of the month, with macadamia nuts, zucchini, and milk chocolate), which was an unlikely, but oddly addictive combination--

--as well as a rich, filled chocolate cookie, and what I think may have been the "Betty" (oatmeal cookie with fruit bits), which was moist, buttery, and not at all as healthy-tasting as it may sound. In a good way.

The bad news: My Dough Girl Cookies won't exist for much longer. You see, one chubby little white guy doesn't like this Utah-based bakery's name very much at all--the Pillsbury Dough Boy. As it turns out, owner Tami Cromar recently received a cease and disist" order from General Mills, saying that she'd better change the name of her bakery.  According to The Salt Lake Tribune, 

The national company, which owns Pillsbury, said the name is too similar to its iconic Dough Boy character and represents trademark infringement. The letter also suggests that because My Dough Girl sells frozen take-and-bake cookie dough — just like Pillsbury —the Utah product could tarnish the company’s reputation.

Rather than fight, Cromar has decided to comply with the request, which includes a gag order that forbids her to talk to news media. She referred calls and text messages from The Salt Lake Tribune to her attorney, Catherine Lake. Calls to Lake’s office also weren’t returned.

But don't despair, because there's more good news: Although the name will change, the cookies will not. As the article goes on to say,

"I have to stick to baking so cookies can still be a part of all our futures,” Cromar wrote earlier this week. “ If the Dough Girl fights, there will be no cookies."

And that would be seriously bad news.

Whatever you want to call them, you can find 'em at 770 South 300 West, Salt Lake City, Utah; online here.

Sweet Love: A Bakery Crush on A La Mode Pies, Seattle

The time is Pie--er, high--to discover some delicious new pies in Seattle. 

I'm happy to share my newest discovery: A La Mode Pies, a new company which is currently running a fairly small operation, working on a custom order and wholesale basis in Seattle (as I learned from owner and "Pie Guy" Chris Porter, a retail location is the ultimate goal; for the moment, though, if you want to try it by the slice, the pies can be found most reliably at Knee High Stocking Co.)

Why are they worth seeking out? Well, for me, it comes down to one beautiful, beautiful phrase: "Chocolate-Caramel Pecan Tart". This beauty is described as a "gift to your sweet tooth"--comprised of bittersweet chocolate ganache lining an all-butter crust, which is then filled in with toasted pecans and a perfectly balanced, rich homemade caramel. 

Another lovely which has captured my attentions is the fetching "Chocolate Cream With Pretzel Crust", which sounds like the perfect unity of sweet and salty (and we all know how delicious chocolate and pretzel are together!).

And--OMG, cute!--they have LolliPies!

And of course, if you like, you know, health food, they also have fruit pies, including the signature "Blue Hawaiian" (blueberry, pineapple, and coconut) and seasonal variations such as Sour Cherry.

You can hit them up online to order entire pies, or you can visit Seattle's Knee High Stocking Co. to grab a slice today.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondies: Delicious Blondies from Oddfellows Cafe, Seattle

In Seattle, there is a place called Oddfellows, and it is classified as both a cafe and bar. What does that mean, exactly?

Well, basically it means that you can belly up to the bar and get a delicious bar cookie to go along with your beverage. And my newest obsession? The Oddfellows Blondie.

This butterscotch-chip and nut-studded bar cookie is a bit of brown sugary, buttery bliss--pleasingly dense without being leaden, assertively but not aggressively sweet, soft and chewy, but firm enough that it doesn't crumble. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that if there was a blondie to make brownie devotees question their allegiance, this might be it.

Oddfellows has a rotating selection in their bakery case; call first to ensure availability. But even if they don't have these, they're bound to have something good. You can find them at 1525 10th Avenue (b/t Pike and Pine), Seattle; online here.

Getting Down to Biscuit: Vegan Jam Biscuits at Watertown Coffee, Seattle

There's nothing like a good biscuit, especially when it's tender, flaky, and extremely buttery.

But wait, what's this? At Watertown Coffee, their biscuits pack a delicious punch, and have the ability to challenge my buttery-biscuit desires, because you see, they're vegan.

On a recent visit the baker mentioned that her biscuits had received high praise--"better than Macrina's" was, I believe, the phrase tossed around--and after that, well, we had to try them.

But as for the superior biscuit, I really can't go down that road, because these are simply two different specimens of biscuit--and both delicious. Where the Macrina jam-filled biscuit is buttery and lightly crumbly, the Watertown biscuit is a little more...almost cookielike, or shortcake-y, and a little less crumbly. It is perfectly paired with a generous dollop of jam, and makes for an exceedingly sweet little morning treat (sizewise, they qualify more as breakfast accompaniment than main dish).

Biscuits from Watertown Coffee, 550 12th Ave., Seattle; online here.

Orange You Glad? The Orange Glazed Cake Donut from Family Donut, Seattle

I like fruit, really I do.

Just not in dessert, where my philosophy is "if you're gonna do it, do it". I don't like the creeping suspicion that my sweet treat might be a little healthy. 

However, when it's in glaze form on a cake donut, as in the case of the Orange Donut at Family Donuts, a greasy spoon of a donut shop if there ever was one, I find it acceptable.

First off, it's a cake donut, which means that it's delightfully oily and decidedly not low-fat. Believe it or not, the citrus flavor permeating the fried dough is actually kind of nice--it cuts through the flavor of "fry" which can sometimes be lacking in dimension. The orange flavor is in the cake donut but also the glaze, which is applied liberally.

To put it mathematically? Crisp citrus orange flavor + hefty round of fried dough = TOTAL YUM.

Family Donut Shop, 2100 N. Northgate Way, Seattle.

CakeSpy Undercover: Doughnut Plant, NYC

You know that dream where you walk into a bakery and order one of everything? Well, Cake Gumshoe Leandra may not have quite lived that dream, but she must have come pretty close on a recent series of extensive taste-testing visits to NYC's Doughnut Plant, which she was kind enough to share with us (oh, all of the great photos are by her, as well). Read on:

Doughnut Plant – just the name alone conjures images of a secret lab where delicious, mysterious donut perfection is created. And it’s not really that far off from the truth. Descendant of pastry shop owner, Mark Israel began making his donuts with his grandfather’s recipe in a basement in the Lower East Side in New York City. His emphasis on quality ingredients, including seasonal fruit and fresh roasted nuts, has set Doughnut Plant on a level all its own in the donut and even bakery world.  He actually created the method of filling a ring donut with cream or jelly.

Critical acclaim is splashed on every wall – Saveur, New York Times, Bon Appetit, etc. The peanut butter and jam donut is lauded as of one of  Food Network’s “The best thing I ever ate” items.  It could be said that the gourmet donut trend was started by Doughnut Plant. And the quality lives up to the hype.

A bright, colored chalk handwritten sign lures the crowds with an advertisement of the masterful flavors. Inside, their signs, bearing scientific descriptions of doughnut names, draw notice as well.

On my first visit, near the end of the day, nearly all the donuts were sold out. Not surprising. What was surprising is that there was still a line!  My sister and I selected several doughnuts, with hopes to return a few days later and get a few more.

There they were, nestled in their wax paper bag. I love the sight of goods nestled in a bakery bag! Next to it, the counter, an artful ode to the doughnut – enhancing the experience.

What we chose: Vanilla Bean (yeast), Valhrona chocolate (yeast), Lavender (cake) and Carrot Cake (cake). Our thoughts:

Vanilla bean - simple perfection. Flaky vanilla glaze giving way to a delicious doughnut that has none of that “french fry” flavor doughnuts occasionally take on.

Valrhona Chocolate – while the doughnut it self is nothing overly special, you can actually TASTE the quality of the chocolate in the glaze. This is no Hershey’s, gang. So good.

Lavender – stunning. A soft, cakey donut encased by a sweet, salty savory fragrant glaze, with the lavendar flavor just strong enough. Incredible.

Carrot cake – a crumbly yet moist take on its non-donut relative – complete with cream  filling. Rich flavor of spice. Phenomenal.

Ok – I had to return for one more. The frosty white Tres Leches called to me…

Tres Leches – an INCREDIBLY moist donut filled with rich cream that isn’t too sugary. Delicious, unique, everything a high-end donut should be.

My second trip to Doughnut Plant was in the morning. Ah, it was quiet and less crowded and the doughnuts greeted me  with big happy morning smiles. I selected four more doughnuts: Blackout Cake (cake), Peanut Butter and Jam (yeast), Fresh Blueberry (yeast), and Creme Brulee (yeast).

Fresh Blueberry - oh my goodness – this donut is incredible. Sugary and fluffy with a crackly glaze of sweet blueberry perfect. I should not have selected this one first, as I am partial to blueberry and almost made myself sick on it when I had so many more doughnuts to officially test. 

Crème Brulee – very good – hardened sugar glad that actually crunches like the real thing, thick custard that isn’t overwhelming. My friend Eunice’s favorite. She came with me and brought milk in a thermos. She rules.

Peanut Butter and Jelly – ah, Food Network, I am so sorry to disagree with you! In fact I hate even saying this, but I just did not love this doughnut. I love peanut butter, and the glaze itself was delcious. I love jelly donuts. But perhaps I am too low brow for this. I love the crunchy sugar and fake bright ooze of a classic jelly donut. This specimen…tasted like a sandwich. The strawberry jelly, the peanut butter, the heavy soft doughnut emulating bread, I just felt like it was lunch time. It was just a lot all at once.

Blackout Cake – again, hate to say it but was not thrilled. The cake crumbs on top were a bit dry and though there was a fudgy chocolate filling, which was great, it was just like a big old piece of chocolate cake. Nothing doughnut-y about it. But if you love chocolate, I suppose this is your choice.

The morning was young and our doughnut lust was not quenched, so I went back for 2 more (+1 lavender cake for Eunice, who had not had it), Lavender (yeast) Fresh Blueberry (cake)

I had tried their respective counterparts and now was interested to see how these (probably my two favorite flavors) fared otherwise. Note, I am normally a yeast donut  fan all the way. Unless its like Entemanns…or…yeah ok I love donuts let’s leave it at that. (Yes, I realize the blueberry comparison has been..compromised).

Back to the action.

Lavender yeast – delicious  soft doughnut with a sweet glaze that held less lavender flavor than the cake.  If you are wary of lavender but want to try, this is the way to go. The cake one held more flavor and while more daring, was ultimately better in my humble opinion.

Ah, my #1 choice of the whole damn thing – Fresh Blueberry cake. I would have never guessed it, but this doughnut rocked my world. Sweet, flavorful glaze gives way to insanely moist, blueberry cake which will rival any muffin. This specimen is beautiful inside and out.

Of course, for drink offerings, you aren’t getting your run-of-the-mill coffee. There is Ronnybrook milk, chocolate milk and coffee milk, along with iced chai and organic iced coffee. Oh also, these donuts ain’t cheap, gang. Be prepared to spend $2-4 dollars per doughnut.Worth every penny.

Doughnut plant is a doughnut paradise. A doughnut lover's dream. Its unique flavors, high quality ingredients and great artsy vibe (opposite your regular cutesy doughnut shop) support it as an iconic New York Spot. It joins various places in the Lower East Side rich with history and local character, lauded as some of NYC’s best eateries. I LOVE DOUGHNUT PLANT.

For more of Leandra's adventures, visit her site, Snacks in the City; for more Doughnut Plant magic and information, visit their website.

Sugar and Spice: Almond Cardamom Cookies from Traveler's, Seattle

Down the street from CakeSpy Shop in Seattle's Capitol Hill, there is a sort of hippie food, tea, supplement and gift shop called Travelers. They have a sort of cult following for their chai tea (not to be confused with tai chi, although many of their patrons do that, too).

Now, there's nothing wrong with their chai--nothing at all. But the reason I go there is for the cookies. In particular, the almond cardamom variety.

Chewy, rich, spicy, and lightly sweet, this is kind of like oatmeal cookie meets spice cookie, and both sides become more delicious as a result of their union.

It's the type of cookie that you could probably psych yourself into believing it's healthy, but really, it's not.

It's a simple cookie, but a very good one: and when paired with a spicy chai, it might just whisk you away to a faraway place, if just for a few moments.

Travelers, 501 E Pine Street, Seattle; online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Simply Sweet, Snohomish, WA

CakeSpy Note: This is a report from CakeSpy junior trainee freelance remote spy team (bicycle division), comprised of sweet duo Steve and Denise (she of banana bread fame). And yes, this answers the other question you had: "does CakeSpy have a junior  trainee freelance remote spy team (bicycle division)?"

We assigned ourselves the mission to investigate Simply Sweet, the new cupcake shop in Snohomish.  On a rainy Sunday morning, we climbed on our red two-person bicycle and headed North, working up an appetite as we went.

Simply Sweet is on First Street in Snohomish, the historic "main street".  The location used to be a barber shop; look for the glass cabinet doors that still have "Fitch's shampoo" painted on them.

We selected two cupcakes and three "mini" cupcakes for our reconnaissance.  We compiled a photographic dossier on our subjects, shortly before eating them with extreme prejudice.

Our full-size cupcakes were: chocolate with lemon frosting, and vanilla with orange frosting (which Denise likes to call a "creamsicle" cupcake).

Our minis were: vanilla with vanilla frosting, vanilla with rasperry frosting, and red velvet.

The red velvet had a cream-cheese frosting, while all the others had buttercream.

We both agreed that the cupcakes were really good.  The cupcakes had a perfect soft texture and were not dry at all.  The frosting was excellent, and applied with a generous hand.  We have had some buttercream frosting that really tastes like butter; this frosting had a smooth balance of flavor, with no single ingredient calling attention to itself.  The fruit flavored frostings contained just the right amount of fruit flavor: delicate, but unmistakable.

Steve's favorite was the red velvet.  He declares the Simply Sweet red velvet to be his favorite red velvet cupcake of any local cupcakes he has tried.

Denise's favorite was the "orange creamsicle".

Steve decided to try the coffee as well.  Simply Sweet serves Vital Joe coffee, the "First Street Blend", drip coffee only.

Steve liked the coffee and recommends it.  Coffee condiments currently are limited to sugar and liquid non-dairy creamer; perhaps later Simply Sweet will offer milk or cream, and alternative sweeteners.  (However, it should be noted that Simply Sweet is just across the street from Java Inn, a complete coffee/espresso shop that roasts their own beans.  It would be easy to put together a Java Inn drink with some Simply Sweet cupcakes.)

We both recommend Simply Sweet.  When you are in Snohomish, go check it out.

Sorry, this message will not self-destruct in five seconds.  (Maybe after we graduate from "junior" status.) However, you could always print out a copy of this message and then run it through a paper shredder.

Simply Sweet, 1206.5 1st Street, Snohomish, WA; online at simplysweetcupcakes.com.

Sweet Love: A Bakery Crush on Freshly Baked, Los Angeles

Now, there are countless reasons why Freshly Baked, a gourmet cookie company in Los Angeles, deserves your love and sweet affection.

But if pressed, I'd offer these up as some of the primary reasons:

1. Their mission statement, as stated on the front page of their website, may bring tears to your eyes: "Forget about carbs, sugar, and fat grams. Our cookies are meant to be eaten, not analyzed."
2. Said cookies come in flavors which give shout-outs to, but aren't quite, traditional flavors: for instance, Peanut Butter Chocolate Pretzel, Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip, Strawberry White Chocolate, Banana chocolate Chip Walnut, and Root Beer Float (!). Oh, and they do something called the "OMG" which is comprised of half cookie, half ice cream. Like, OMG!
3. The cookies all come in hand-graffiti'ed boxes with Keith Haring-esque designs, so that like snowflakes, no two are alike. I'm tempted to say something about the anti cookie-cutter effect...
4. The company has a sweet story: owner Eric Weston has had a love affair with the cookie since he was a wee lad (he'll show you an adorable photo) and while a talented actor-comedian he decided to take his penchant for unsusal cookie creations to the local LA Derby Doll arena and see if he could sell his wares to all the local hipsters. To his great delight (and theirs), he was a hit and is now delivering his goods to all the hip coffee shops all around town!

Of course, these cookies were recommended by Cake Gumshoe Renee, who says that the "cookies are crackalicious, seriously. I'm very persnickety about my cookie selections, but his Nutty Bavarain Love Biscuit (peanut butter chocolate pretzel) cookie makes me want to curse with pleasure."

Freshly Baked will soon be debuting a cookie truck which will deliver mobile cookies throughout LA; til then, cookies are currently available at various coffee shops in the Los Angeles area, and can be special ordered for local delivery or nationwide shipment; find out more on their site, freshly-baked.com. Oh, and you can follow them on Twitter, if you're into that.

Whiskey Me Away: Chocolate Whiskey Cake from Columbia City Bakery

It's always five o'clock somewhere, but really, any hour that you devour the chocolate whiskey cake from Columbia City Bakery is a happy hour indeed.

This loaf cake is actually pretty simple: it starts with a dark as night, exceedingly dense and rich chocolate cake, which is then topped with a crowning glory of sweet-but-with-a-bite whiskey-espresso icing glaze.

Something happens when these flavors come together: the chocolate, the whiskey, the sugary glaze with a buzz of espresso: it might just make you tipsy with pleasure overload.

Oh, is this ever a happy cake.

Chocolate Whiskey cake from Columbia City Bakery, 4865 Rainier Ave. South, Seattle; also frequently available at the Broadway Farmer's Market; find out more online at columbiacitybakery.com.