Push It: PushCakes by Meringue Bake Shop, Orange County CA

Photo: Meringue Bake ShopWhen push pop meets cupcake, you get something awesome to shove in your gullet: PushCakes!

And I was the very lucky recipient of a sample package of these sweeties, made with love by Meringue Bakeshop in So-cal, which arrived on SpyStep (that's my doorstep) this morning.

Aside from some minor frosting sticking-to-the-top, the cakes arrived in fine form (and really, if you must know, I just licked it off the lid, and am pretty certain you'd do the same if nobody was looking). Also, a small circle of parchment paper would probably do the trick in keeping it from sticking.

While the push pop mechanism doesn't change the taste of cake at all, it does make it fun to eat, and if you ate it in front of someone else, it would probably make them jealous. And Kristin Ausk, the baker behind Meringue Bake Shop, makes a mean PushCake: cake layers kept moist between generous, almost mini trifle-esque layers of buttercream. Favorite flavor so far? The strawberry cheesecake, which tastes a little bit like both flavors, all at once, in a good way.

Here are the flavors that Mr. Spy and I devoured:

  • Queen of Hearts (aka red velvet)
  • German Chocolate
  • Strawberry Cheesecake
  • Sweet & Salty (salted caramel) 

...and yes, they were freaking delicious.

Want more? You'd do yourself a favor if you bought some PushCakes--do it here. And follow the baker online here.

Sugar and Spice: Chocolate Chipotle Caramel Filled Cupcakes by Fields of Cake, Maine

I think that right now would be a good time to tell you about something delicious I ate. 

The item in question? The "Vinny" (same Vinny served as inspiration for these cakes as for this art, btw), a masterpiece baked up by Carrie Fields, who you may know better by her stage name, Fields of Cake. When asked what these ambrosial morsels actually consisted of, her response was as follows:

Those yummy morsels were chocolate chipotle cake filled with Hot Damn caramel (cinnamon schnapps and chipotle homemade caramel) and toasted almonds topped with cinnamon sugar buttercream. 

The proper reaction to that, of course, is OMG. If you're in the Portland, Maine area, I suggest you look her up immediately to commission a batch; if not, she also posted the recipe on her blog.

You can find the recipe here!

For more Fields of Cake goodness, visit her site or her facebook page.

Biscuit Time: Butter and Jam Biscuits from Oddfellows, Seattle

It's a documented fact that if you talk to me for more than, say, 10 minutes, I will start talking about my deep love for biscuits. Buttery, flaky, fluffy, did I say buttery, biscuits.

Happily, in Seattle, there are some gorgeous specimens. But my current obsession? The jam-and-butter-filled version from Oddfellows Cafe in Capitol Hill (beloved by The New York Times, and, happily, just up the street from my store!).

These biscuits have a perfect texture, with a dense, flaky, buttery consistency, and a nice crunchy crust on top.

But what takes them from great to awesome overload is the fact that they serve them sliced in half, with about a fourth of a stick of butter and a thick spoonful of jam waiting like a sweet and rich secret inside of those carbohydratey halves.

Bonus: these freeze quite well, so if you pick up several, you can freeze them and then reheat at 350 degrees in your oven until warm.

Also excellent: a rotating selection of savory biscuits, including bacon-cheddar. 

Biscuits from Oddfellows Cafe, 1525 10th Ave., Seattle; online here.

What I Ate On Vacation: An Introduction to Ate from Mexico

Usually, when someone brings you back a souvenir from their vacation, it's a cheesy t-shirt or small creature made from shells or snowglobe or something.

But not Diane, who you may know as the hottie who drives the truck called Street Treats in Seattle. When she recently took a Mexican getaway, she not only thought of me when she tried a local specialty called Ate, but she brought me back a big sack of this sweet stuff.

What is Ate? First off, let's make sure you're pronouncing it right. It's "ah-tay", so basically say "latte" but take off the L. 

As to what it is, it's fairly simple: dried fruit paste coated in sugar. Kind of like real-fruit gumdrops. While it appears that quince is a popular variety, the bag Diane brought me has a mix of (if I translated it right) quince, guava, apple, and Mexican Hawthorn and peach (thanks Adela). The candies are lightly crunchy on the outside but tender on the inside, and what is nice is that they actually taste like fruit--not merely fruit-flavored candy. They are very sweet, however, so a little goes a long way.

Want to eat some Ate? You might have luck purchasing at a Mexican grocery store, if you've got one in your area; otherwise, find a recipe here. Thanks again to Diane from Street Treats for introducing me to this delightful treat!

Best Giveaway Ever: Win a Copy of Big Little Felt Universe AND a Handmade Felt Cake by Jeannette Lim

Dudes. Dudettes. You know that I don't like to speak in absolutes (yes I do) but...this is, without a doubt, the biggest, best, awesomest giveaway ever.

Here's the deal. Indie crafter/Etsy artist, Jeanette Lim has just come out with a new book entitled Big Little Felt Universe: Sew It, Stuff It, Squeeze It, Fun! --which I learned about thanks to my friends at Lark Crafts. BLFU features over 70 fun stitched-felt projects—including food items, desserts, and interactive play kits.

And you can win a copy--awesome, right? But wait, there's more: The author, Jeanette, handmade the cake shown at the top of this post for the book, and she donated it for this special giveaway on CakeSpy!!! As you can see, it’s a vanilla cake with eight different kinds of fruit topping, and it comes with candles that stand up via magnets, a serving plate, spatula, and a cake box with a ribbon (not shown) -- all made out of felt!

I know, I know: you want to win this. But how to enter?

It's easy. All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me what kind of cake you're going to have for your birthday this year. I can be a cake you're sure you'll have, or just the dream cake--fantasy allowed.

But--since I'm not above coercing you to like me, I'll enter you in the running TWICE if you "Like" me (CakeSpy) on Facebook. Yeah, you heard me. Do it. 

Giveaway will close on Tuesday, March 29 at noon PST!

 

Berry Delicious: Cranzac Cookies Recipe a la David Lebovitz

Cookies are just so cute when they pretend to be health food. Case in point: the ANZAC biscuit (ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and both places share ownership of the cookie). On the surface, its oaty, nubbly appearance looks rather virtuous--but one bite will tell you the butter, sugar, and golden syrup-filled truth.

David Lebovitz makes them even better in his brilliant (and beautiful) book Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes by adding cranberries to the mix, which add a pleasing little zing of flavor; I made them better still with the addition of a dollop of buttercream on top. Don't worry, they still have oats, so they're still totally healthy. You're welcome.

CakeSpy Note: I made these for a David Lebovitz-themed meeting of my cookbook club--to check out what other people made, check out Kairu's flickr stream!

Cranzac Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup golden syrup (or honey)

To top: About 1 cup vanilla buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting of your choosing

Procedure 

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, toss together oats, brown sugar, flour, coconut, cranberries, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the water, melted butter, and syrup or honey until the dough is cohesive and moist.
  3. Using your hands, shape the dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets and lightly flatten them with your hand. They should have about 1 inch of space on all sides to allow for light spreading.
  4. Bake, rotating the tray halfway through baking, until the cookies are golden brown, about 12 minutes.
  5. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets til firm, then use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack.
  6. Once cool, top each with a dollop of frosting, and if you'd like, a cranberry piece on top for added cuteness.

Cake Byte: CupcakeCamp Seattle 2011 Coming on April 17

Hey, sweeties. Remember what an awesome time CupcakeCamp 2010 was? Well, forget about that, because CupcakeCamp 2011 is coming, and it promises to be bigger, badder, and buttercreamier.

Here are the details. I know I'm announcing it early, but I'm excited because I did the artwork for the poster again (pictured above) and I really, really want you to see it; and, you know, it's always nice to have something to look forward to, isn't it?

Date:  Sunday April 17, 2011. 
Time: 12PM- 4pm
Location: The Canal, a Jewel Hospitality property in Ballard
5300 34th Avenue NW Seattle, WA 98107
Why: Because who doesn’t love cupcakes? Plus we will have some fun competitions and all proceeds go to a good cause!

HOW:Purchase tickets HERE for $8 or $10 at the door.

Ticket valid for 6 mini cupcake tastings or 3 standard size on the day of the event only. No refunds available.

For a preview of the awesomeness that awaits you, check out this epic post on last year's event.

Scents and Sensibility: Spots for Sweet Aromas in Seattle

Though it may appear unassuming, the spot captured in the above photo is actually quite a special spot in Seattle. I have, through much painstaking research, determined that this exact spot, on 6th Avenue between Blanchard and Virginia, is where you get the absolute best doughnut aroma wafting over from Top Pot Doughnuts, which has its entrace one block away. Seriously. Just go here one morning, stand, and smell. It will make you so happy.

Although this is my favorite spot to catch a sweet scent in the city, there are several other very pleasant ones that come to directly to mind--feel free to add your favorites (for Seattle or beyond!) in the comments section below!

1st Ave. South near S. Holgate, SODO: It's no secret that I adore Macrina Bakery, which has several locations in Seattle. But it is my learned opinion that this facility (where they do much of their wholesale baking) smells the best. 

6th and Olive, Downtown Seattle: It always smells like bread baking under the awning of Il Fornaio. Could it be that they pump the scent out into the street to entice customers, as I've heard McDonalds does? Perhaps, but I'm not complaining.

Jackson and 20th, Central District: Though I'm not the biggest fan of their packaged baked goods, it always smells delicious nearby this large commercial baking facility for Franz Bread.

Phinney Ave N. and 35th, Fremont: Theo Chocolate's factory is bound to give you a Wonka-esque moment when you walk by and get a whiff of the chocolatey-smelling air at this intersection.

Pine Street and 10th Ave, Capitol Hill: Walking by Molly Moon's Ice Cream is like a study in willpower. The delicious aroma of freshly pressed waffle cones mingled with the creamy ice cream aroma is pretty appealing at just about any time of day.

Power Moves: The Power Cookie by Capers

I feel like we need to talk for a minute about one of my favorite "feels like health food" cookies: The Power Cookie. This beauty is the invention of Capers Markets (a Whole Foods partner in Canada), but luckily, here in Seattle we are close enough that they are readily available in Whole Foods stores. 

You may be tempted, upon looking at it, to think that this oaty, nutty, seedy, granola-y looking vegan (yes, vegan!) lump is kind of healthy. But you'd be wrong. It's delightfully full-of-fat, sweet but not overly so, and feels very indulgent. 

As BFF blog Everybody Likes Sandwiches says, 

The cookies are filling and with all of that good stuff crammed in, I certainly wouldn’t be adverse to calling these a breakfast cookie! While the ingredient list is long, these are simple to put together and they bake up really well too. If you don’t have applesauce on hand, but you do have an apple, just make your own sauce. One large apple should do it.

and -- even MORE awesome -- la belle Sandwich lady has come up with a "Bakery Hack" and made up her own version of the Power Cookie recipe! Since I've had the good fortune of trying her delicious baking, I would say that you could take this one on with confidence.

To find a Power Cookie, visit Whole Foods locations in Seattle or Vancouver (probably in-between, too); to try the recipe, visit Everybody Likes Sandwiches.

Sweet Sirens: Treats from Girl Next Door Baked Goods

According to that cultural goldmine called the Urban Dictionary, "Girl Next Door" is a rather open-ended phrase:

Every guy may have his specific girl-next-door prototype, but in general, she's the girl whom you always admired from afar and were afraid to approach.

Girl Next Door Baked Goods, on the other hand, should not be pined-for from afar. These goods are meant to be enjoyed up close and personal.

And that's just what we got to do this week, when they sent us a sweet parcel loaded with love-themed Valentine's Day treats. And it came with a sultry three-part card:

"Do Chiles & Chocolate get you a little hot?" beckoned the first fold of the card.

Well, no, not after that sriracha-brownie incident, but I powered on.

"Sometimes Love Hurts. A Hot Blonde will help ease the pain," it said on the second fold. Now, that's more like it. Blondies are my weakness, and these ones were a delight: dense, brown-sugary nuggets of buttery butterscotch awesomeness. 

and finally: "If chocolate doesn't work, try bourbon-soaked cherries. If that doesn't work, check his pulse." Well, I'll never know about this one as an aphrodisiac because I ate it all by myself, and it made me feel loved during every bite.

OF course, the cute card ended there, with an invitation to "get a crush on Girl Next Door Baked Goods", but the pleasure didn't. The parcel also contained a sampling of other brownie flavors (all served in tiny, but very potent, portions), a small bag of peanut butter cookies, and something called the "husband bait"--a buttery bar cookie with strawberry preserves and cream cheese. "Would this have made you want to marry me if you hadn't already?" I asked Mr. Spy, but he was too busy eating to answer me.

So, I guess I'd have to say it's true: CakeSpy's got a crush on Girl Next Door Baked Goods. Get a crush yourself--visit gndbakedgoods.com.

Taking it to the Sweet: Paletas Popsicle Art

As you know, CakeSpy is a big supporter of the idea that sweetness ought to be infused in your life on a daily basis--both literally and figuratively.

And clearly, the couple behind The Paletas (discovered by a sweet spy tip from CS buddy Tom) are my sweet soul-mates: they create popsicle art that they leave around their world, in an effort to give people pause and ideally add a sense of whimsy and joy to their lives (not unlike my fake cupcake project!).

Although they prefer to remain anonymous, one of the creators was kind enough to give me a small mission statement:

We draw and make things all of the time and one day we were at the craft store and saw the little popsicle sticks so we decided to make some small clay pops that we would just glue in random spots. No real reason, just something strange for the passersby. Eventually they evolved into anthropomorphic creatures, I think the one's with faces draw people in a little more, you connect with whatever emotion they have. So now we mostly make plastic pops and stickers. The plastic is so much fun to experiment with, it's kind of expensive but way easier to work with than clay. There is no real reason for doing it other than to make the observer's surroundings a little more interesting and inspire people to wonder. It's something to do, a creative muse to focus our efforts. It's also tons of fun trading art with other artists around the world. 

Why go to all that effort? As one of the Paletas so sweetly put it, "Sometimes a sense of wonder can inspire the imagination of the viewer/finder. "

If that isn't a sweet outlook, I don't know what is, friends.

Check out art that is "cold as ice, twice as nice" on The Paletas tumblr page and on Flickr!

Great Balls of Cake: Cake Balls from 3.14 Bakery, White Center, WA

...and to think, I was about to order a cookie.

It's true: when I recently made a trek to finally visit two West Seattle bakeries I'd never visited in person, I had all but settled on a cookie at 3.14 Bakery (as you'll recall, I have tried their cinnamon rolls, thanks to Stacy!).

But on my way to the register to pay, I saw this unassuming little sign:

OMG! Cake Balls! Forget you, cookie!

And so I got the Red Velvet covered in white chocolate.

There is a problem with these cake balls, and it is the fact that the amount of joy resulting from the $1 price tag is simply not in line. These are dollar bites of heaven. Beyond rich cake, kept moist by a protective wall of white chocolate, these are not high cuisine, but they're awfully tasty. (Disclaimer: CakeSpy loves white chocolate)

If you find yourself in West Seattle, get one. Or ten. You decide.

Cake Balls! (and they have other stuff too). From 3.14 Bakery, 9602 16th Ave SW, Seattle. On Facebook here.

Toast of the Town: French Toast from Table 219, Seattle

CakeSpy Note: When it comes to starting the day sweetly, Mr. CakeSpy's favored flavor of delicious is French Toast. He's known and loved many varieties and has even perfected the art of eating it. Every now and again, we feature a particularly toothsome one he's tried here.

And now, there's a new variety that he suggests to keep you toasty during the cold Seattle winter: French Toast from Table 219.

Now, the restaurant's menu description for this item is...well, sort of nondescript:

"rustic bread dipped in egg batter and topped with today’s fruit selection. served with real maple syrup"

And even when it came to the table, it looked like fairly standard French Toast fare--a modest portion at that. But from the first bite, it was clear that pains had been taken to ensure that this was no ordinary pain perdu. The texture was absolutely perfect, with a lightly sweet, crunchy, evenly browned exterior giving way to a soft, yielding interior, which was almost custardy from what one can only imagine was an extremely luxuriant bath in egg mixture before its pan-frying. On the day of our visit, the fruit of the day was a homemade peach compote, which was a mellow, smooth, sweet complement to the sweet slices of carbohydrate bliss.

Only reservation? If you're an extremely hearty breakfast eater, you might want to order some eggs or bacon (or both) on the side. But moreover, the flavor of this French toast is well worth a try.

Table 219, 219 Broadway Ave. E, Seattle. For more information, visit the Table 219 website.

Table 219 on Urbanspoon

Cake Byte: New Cake Plates and Knives by French Bull

What is it about cake that makes us want to put it on a pedestal...and then hack it up with a knife?

Well, why we could ponder what this says about us psychologically, it's far funner to browse pretty cake accessories on the internet. And these are probably the most fashion-forward that I've come across in a long time: gorgeous new cake plates and knives by French Bull, a company headed up by the very brilliant Jackie Shapiro (who I had the great pleasure of working with in my pre-Cake Gumshoery life, when I worked at iPop!).

Cake murder has never looked so good.

Want to buy them? These cake plates will retail around $30 and the knives will retail around $15--mark your calendars, because they will make their debut in the online French Bull shop on February 15.

 

Toast of the Town: French Toast from Ants Pants Cafe, Philadelphia

Guess what? We recently visited Philadelphia, and when it came time for AM sweetness, we hit up the place with the coolest name we came across: Ants Pants Cafe.

And as it turns out, this establishment has an interesting story too:

After many years working in cafe’s around Philadelphia, it took a few years immersed in Sydney’s cafe culture to cement the desire to offer a similar experience in a seemingly untapped market in Philly. Childhood friends Liz Fleming and Nancy Silverman both with experience working at some of Philadelphia’s finest, were determined to set out on their own to offer locals in the Graduate Hospital neighborhood an experience that was long overdue.

And Danny's order? French Toast, naturellement.

Ants Pants Cafe's specimen was especially lovely: Creme Brulee Battered French Toast, served with sour cream sauce and syrup ($1 extra to upgrade to maple syrup, which was strongly recommended...but it makes one wonder, why offer the other stuff?).

But. About that toast. Served in fat triangles, it was gorgeously crispy on the outside, caramelized with a sugary coating, and the sour cream sauce was an unusual but welcome tangy accompaniment, rounding out the richness of the eggy bread with...well, more richness. Add maple syrup to the mix, and you have sweet and rich awesome overload--but, you know, in a lick-the-plate-clean kind of way.

A delicious adventure on South Street, indeed.

Ants Pants Cafe, 2212 South Street, Philadelphia; online at antspantscafe.com.

Ants Pants Cafe on Urbanspoon

O Cake: Cake O's and More from Cakes Suzette

Just FYI: if you email me to ask if it's ok to send me samples of cake truffles, I will say yes.

But I'll only write about the ones I like. 

And these ones, I like. They're called Cake O's, and they're made by a company called Cakes Suzette in California. Of course, I already suspected I'd like them based on the company's tagline, which is "a bazillion calories of goodness". In fact, this excellent tagline helped me forgive them for using comic sans on their website.

What makes these sweet treats unique? Well, in a world overrun by cake pops and bites, these are a slightly more substantial variety, sort of like a cross between cake pops and petits fours. And they come in a great variety of flavors, including Chocolate Peanut Butter, Red Velvet, Lemon Cake, and Gimme S'more. 

Our favorite varieties? For sure the chocolate varieties, which stood out for their rich, fudgy texture and flavor--and in such a compact size, the perfect bite-sized but complete indulgence.

For minions of the marshmallow, they also offer what they call the "Mallomore" -- which, you guessed it, is their homemade take on the popular Mallomar, made with an organic graham cracker base and marshmallows made sans high fructose corn syrup. Extra sweet: they offer these chocolate-covered marshmallow treats in strawberry, chocolate mint, and peanut butter varieties. Nom.

Final verdict? A very sweet treat to ship to a loved one (I think they'd make a great valentine gift) or to a very sweet self.

Find Cakes Suzette online at cakessuzette.com; find them on Facebook here.

Sweet Excess: The Exquisite Pleasure of Eating the Pumpple from Flying Monkey Patisserie, Philadelphia

Pie? Cake? Why decide, when you can eat two kinds of each, plus a 3-inch slab of buttercream frosting, all at once?

That's right: it's time for me to tell you about the exquisite pleasure that was ordering and eating the Pumpple, by far and away the single most calorie-dense offering at Philadelphia's Flying Monkey Patisserie.

But first, a 411. Per this article on MSNBC:

While the turducken, a chicken stuffed into a duck stuffed into a turkey, once seemed over-the-top, the pumpple cake is even more decadent. One Philadelphia bakery dreamed up this ultimate fall dessert: pumpkin and apple pies baked in chocolate and vanilla cake, fused together and surrounded by buttercream icing.

This oversize creation weighs in at a whopping 15 pounds and measures more than a foot tall. And at 1,800 calories a slice, it's not for the faint of heart.

And when a couple of spies--a buddy and myself--found ourselves wandering around Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market a week or so ago, you'd better believe we made a beeline to Flying Monkey for a slice of this sweet manna.

Now, this cake is not cheap. It's $8 a slice. But the purchase price is practically worth it for the pomp and circumstance of serving a slice all alone. Here's what you can expect if you decide to make the investment:

The first thing you'll notice as you come up to the bakery case is that this cake is huge. It's over a foot tall--just think about that. This means that if you were standing next to it, it would probably come closer to the height of your knee than the height of your ankle. 

The next thing is that it's heavy. This was clear by the way the employee braced herself to hoist the cake up to the counter to cut and serve. Over 15 pounds--that's a lot of cake, friends.

Once sitting at counter level, a big knife-slash-mini machete will be taken out to cut your slice. First, they will score the cake into marked-out slices.

Since the cake is kept cold (they recommend letting it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating), they will run a mini blowtorch over the knife (the kind used for creme brulee) to warm it so that it can cleanly and smoothly cut through the mass of cake.

They will repeat the torching to cut the other side of your wedge, and then they will delicately extract it and place it in a box, if you're taking it to go. This takeaway box is about the size of one that you'd get for an entire Chinese takeaway meal, by the way.

Now, you could wait half an hour to dig in, as they suggest. But when faced with the heady scent of buttercream, our resistance was futile--we grabbed some forks right away for a taste.

Sometimes, when a dessert like this exists, it's more for the shock value, and can disappoint in the taste department. But not this cake.

Every element could have stood on its own--moist, rich, flavorful cakes giving decadent, buttery pies a bear hug, and every last inch of it enveloped in a buttery frosting swaddling. 

After our few initial bites, we hit the road, walking around Philadelphia clutching our takeaway container with the care that one might assign a newborn baby...a newborn baby that you occasionally pause to take bites of, that is.

Furtive forkfuls were eaten at random all around town, and somehow, by the next morning, waking up in our hotel, this is all that was left. Now, this cake was advertised as serving four per slice, so I suppose I'm equal parts ashamed and proud to show you this.

In the morning light, it seemed like it could have been a mistake. But oh, it felt so right the night before.

Want a slice of this pie-and-cake mashup? You can get it at Philadelphia's Flying Monkey Patisserie; find them online here, and check 'em out on Twitter here.

Toast of the Town: French Toast from Who's On Third, Spring Lake, NJ

Submitted for your approval: French Toast, made using French Bread, from Who's On Third in Spring Lake, New Jersey.

Who's On Third is one of those establishments that straddles the middle ground between diner and casual restaurant (people from NJ will know what I mean). It's not fancy, but they have a pretty big menu, and offer pretty big portions. That's not for nothing.

But when it comes to French Toast, they have an intriguing entry on their menu. There is a particularly flowery description of their French Toast made using crusty French bread, dipped in egg batter, and served with syrup, butter, and confectioners' sugar.

And then, below that description, it notes that, if desired, the dish is also available with non-French bread. But really, it is written as sort of verbal sneer, like why would you ever do that?

Well, this spy crew will never know, because Danny ordered it the right way: made using French Bread. Served up in several buttery, battered-up, crispy-on-the-outside, custardy-on-the-inside coins of carbohydrate, this dish was a gorgeous gut-bumb and the perfect way to start a snowy New Jersey day.

Overall thoughts: worth trying if you're in Spring Lake, and a good warm-up to the delicious offerings down the street at Scone Pony.

Who's on Third, 1300 3rd Ave., Spring Lake, NJ.

Who's On Third on Urbanspoon

Cake Byte: Cake Pops by Stick & Pop, NYC

Cake Pop Wants to know where its face went.Dear Stick&Pop,

I don't want to be to forward, because I just met you, but I think I love you. But no, I don't want to break up my marriage. Because you see, Mr. CakeSpy loves you too.

What we propose is that you leave NYC and move to Seattle, live in our spare bedroom, and instead of paying rent, give us an endless supply of your delicious cake pops.

Please, consider it.

Love, 

CakeSpy&Co.

- - - - - - - -

OK, so the preceding is a slight dramatization of actual events. We haven't invited the owners of Stick & Pop to live with us--yet.

But after each bite of their delicious pops, we're coming closer and closer. Not convinced? Well, read their bio and you might come a few steps closer:

French Culinary Institute graduate, Jacki Caponigro, and design professional, Christy Nyberg, launched Stick&Pop in New York in the Fall of this year. The pair has crafted a menu of 12 delightfully creative flavors that are as fun to look at as they are enjoyable to eat.

The eye-catching flavor, Darling (marble cake dipped in white chocolate and covered in sugar sprinkles), made a splash as The Savoy Hotel re-opened in New York—the treats were covered in gold and silver sprinkles to announce the occasion.

The diversity of flavors on the menu though, show that Stick&Pop is not relying on the novelty of a new “food-on-a-stick” but instead putting flavor and creativity at the helm. Johnny Cakes, for example, is peanut butter cake dipped in dark chocolate covered in pretzel and sea-salt and Griswald is essentially a S’more on a stick.

These cake pops are hands down some of the best I've ever tasted. The interior cake is decadently moist and buttery, and the candy coating is firm but not to the point of cracking and hurting the roof of your mouth--and each is so adorably decorated that you can't help but fall in love a little bit, just looking at the packaging.

Favorites so far? The "Darling" (marble cake, rolled in white chocolate and coated in sprinkles); the "Birthday Cake" (buttery cake coated in dark chocolate, with sprinkles); and of course, the "Johnnycake" (peanut butter cake coated in dark chocolate, with pretzel coating).

Seriously, I don't know what else to say other than these pops are a good investment. Lucky you if you live in NYC and can access them easily; even if you're not, they're worth the splurge for a special event.

Find out more at stickandpop.com.

Sweet Memories: 50 of CakeSpy's Most Delicious Experiences from 2010

It's that very special time of year when we pause and reflect on the year past, and for me, that means taking a few moments to think about the most delicious (usually buttery and sugary) things I've put in my mouth.

And in 2010, these were some of the standouts--50 things--some homemade, some made by others, and listed in no particular order--which I wish I was eating again, right this instant. And no, I don't have any regrets, and no, I am not going to be dieting in 2011. 

Here goes:

Custom CakeSpy artwork cupcakes for CakeSpy Shop Opening (pictured top): You might think it was hard to eat cupcakes with an anthropomorphic cupcake version of myself on them, but it wasn't.

Chocolate Brownie Pie: this decadent treat was my offering for Seattle's Pie day celebration, and I am so proud to say that it was one of the first items to disappear!


Velveeta Fudge: The most controversial sweet of the year, but I loved it. So rich and creamy. So awful and awesome, all at once!

Avocado Cake: So dense, so rich, so decadent. I wish I was eating it again right now.


Deathcake Royale: A yearly favorite, from Seattle's Cupcake Royale.
Berthillon Ice Cream, even if the cone kind of does look slightly unfortunate. In Paris, this is the place for ice cream, and now I know why: it is delicious.


Doughnut Upside Down Cake, which I made for Serious Eats; because yes, a classic (Pineapple Upside Down Cake) can be improved by substituting doughnuts for fruit.


Linzer Cookie, Mount Bakery, Bellingham, WA. This was the perfect specimen of what a linzer cookie should be: crumbly, nutty, and with a nice, tart contrast from the preserves. Simple but perfect.


Cadbury Creme Eggs Benedict: Yes, I'm serious. As serious as a heart attack.


Opera Cake from Dalloyau, Paris. The place that made Opera Cake legendary, and still the maker of some of the best.


Bouchon Ho-Ho, NYC. I'm sometimes wary of fanci-fied fast food, but this was very good.


Homemade Oreos from Abigail's Bake Shop--construction-wise, they were like Oreos, but taste-wise, something else on a whole different level.

King Cake from Sucre, New Orleans: What a sweet treat in the beginning of 2010--a rich, creamy cake to kick off the new year.

Salted Peanut Crisps: there's a reason why they were the official cookie of 1950-55, according to Betty Crocker.
Cornmeal Blueberry Cookie Bars: Almost healthy, to boot!

Cupcakes by Cake Eater Bakery, Minneapolis: Muraling was hard work, and I needed some delicious cupcakes to keep me energized. Happily, the cupcakes made by the place I was doing a mural were delicious!

Nanaimo Bar by French Meadow Bakery, Minneapolis: who would have thought I'd discover my favorite Canadian treat in Minneapolis? Not only did I, but a fine specimen indeed.

Macarons by Pierre Herme, Paris: like little cookie clouds. They made me understand why people love macarons.

Coffee Eclair from Stohrer, Paris: Stohrer has been making pastries since the 1700s, and obviously they've honed the art: these eclairs are very, very good.

Hot chocolate from Angelina, Paris: like melted candy bars, this drinking chocolate was a truly decadent treat, and the fact that it was served on a fancy tray in the shadow of the Louvre didn't hurt the experience!

7-Up Cake: This cake had a lot of butter, but a lot of delicious flavor too: the lemon-lime of the soda added a certain je ne sais quoi that made it almost too easy to keep eating.

Lollipops by This Charming Candy: these lollipops are nothing like the ones you used to get at the Doctor's office: in refined flavors like salted caramel, pistachio-marshmallow, and tangerine-clove, these are meant to be eaten with pinkies out!

Pain au Chocolat from Bakery Nouveau, Seattle: who doesn't love crispy butter and chocolate, all served up for breakfast? This was a particularly fine variety.

Blackout Crumb Bars: Le yum. A decadent pairing of chocolate with crumb topping and shortbread crust.

Biscuits with Sugar Butter: This was the true breakfast of champions. So delicious and rich, I could have eaten my weight in it.

Lime Coconut bar, Street Treats, WA: Street Treats was one of my favorite new retail operations to start up in Seattle in 2010, and this bar was certainly a standout: a dense, creamy lime filling between crumb topping and a sturdy crust.

An early morning donut from Donut Pub, NYC: because no matter if 3am is early or late, it's the perfect time for a doughnut, and this place had me covered on a dark and stormy night.

Cupcakes from Frills, OR: these rich, delicious cupcakes saved my life during a long day vending at Crafty Wonderland.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies inspired by David Lebovitz: worth stalking.

Blondie-topped brownies: Blondies? Brownies? Why decide? Indulge in both, at once. I did, and I loved it.

Pine State Biscuits, Portland, OR: Carbohydrate Heaven.

Banana Jumbos. OMFG.

Apple pie by High 5 Pie: perfectly crisp, not-mushy apple slices, paired with a most decadent, buttery crumb and crust. Perfection.

Chocolate Mudslide Cookies. Perfect for chocolate lovers: somewhere between truffle and cookie, reside these fat, flavorful little nuggets, which I loved every bite of.

The "Pixie" from Pix Patisserie, Portland, OR: a petite, but very sweet, little bite from the cutest bakery in Portland.

Behemoth Crumb Cake: nothin' but crumb, this was sort of last-meal territory for me, so good I couldn't stop eating it.

Red Velvet Cake Shake: Because yes, there is a way to make Red Velvet Cake better: mix it with ice cream and serve it with a straw.

Cinnamon rolls stuffed with chocolate chip cookie dough. Do I really have to explain why this one made the list? They were made of awesome, duh!

Kaleidoscope cookies: not only pretty to look at, these little treats pack a buttery, crumbly punch that makes you want to eat a full rainbow-full.

Pineapple butter cakes from Taiwan. Thank you, thank you, Kairu, for introducing me to this addictive treat.

Cookies by My Dough Girl, Utah: cookies with macadamias, chocolate, and zucchini? Unlikely as it may sound, it works, and it works well.

Trailer Park Special from Angel Food Bakery: a highlight from my September trip to Chicago, this featured a delicious homemade Twinkie, zinger, and more.

Vegan Oat Bar, Caffe Ladro, Seattle: A constant favorite, and it continued to be so this year.

Cowboy Pie from Hill Country Fried Chicken (oh, and many other things along Broadway)
Yumball, Three Tarts, NYC: if the name doesn't tell you why I loved this thing, the picture (above) should fill in the blanks.

Salt n pepper cookies by BAKED: like fancy oreos, with a kick: so compulsively eatable.

Nanaimo Bar Hybrid from Savary Island Pie: Nanaimo bar? Rice Krispie Treat? Scotcheroo? Why decide? Have them all at once. Le nom.
Buttermilk biscuits by Macrina: Fact, I have one of these almost every morning for breakfast. And I plan to continue this trend, until the day comes that I cannot even look one of these beauties in the eye anymore.

Baked Brownies: Still the best.

Hot chocolate from 7-11. What can I say, you can take the girl out of NJ, but you can't take the NJ out of the girl.

...and how about one bonus sweet to take us into the new year? How 'bout one I haven't written about yet, but will soon: the absolute singular sensation that is the Pumpple Cake (entire apple and pumpkin pies baked into vanilla and chocolate cakes, all held together with a ridiculous amount of frosting!), from Flying Monkey Patisserie? That's a pound or more of pleasure per slice, and we loved every inch of it.

Happy 2011!