Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Clockwise from left: Pop-Tarts; food fails; cute cupcake toppers from Confessions of a Cookbook QueenIn case you needed suggestions: six new ways to eat chocolate, from ChefShop.com.

Sugar circus: a whimsical circus-themed dessert table feature from the Amy Atlas blog.

What kind of desserts does Clothilde of Chocolate & Zucchini eat? I must confess a minor obsession with her "moblog" documenting basically every delicious French thing she eats, especially the desserts.

The scoop on ice cream scoops, via Al Dente Blog.

What exactly do baking soda and baking powder do in baking? Find out here.

Something's fishy...Sushi-shaped donuts. Yup, you heard me. (via Bon Appetit)

Why chocolate fries never took off, and other food fails, via Mental Floss.

Cupcakes...topped with mini cupcakes! (pictured above; via Confessions of a Cookbook Queen)

Writing (and baking brownies) as therapy: the NY Times on Cakewalk: A Memoir by Kate Moses

Toasted Coconut Rice Krispie Treats: kind of like macaroon meets cereal treat. (via Craving Chronicles)

Chocolate chip cookie dough Pop-Tarts: I'm sorry...but how did I not know these existed?

Supernatural, and super delicious: Nick Malgieri shares a brownie recipe in Saveur.

Cinema and Sugar: revisit this old CakeSpy post (with supporting comments!) featuring desserts from the silver screen.

 

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links

Need a sweet diversion? Here are just a few of this week's sugary obsessions.

Got wanderlust? Discover Bariloche, Argentina, home of the "Street of Chocolate Dreams". (thanks to a CakeSpy Shop customer for the lead!)

Cajeta in my mouth: goat milk caramels from France, not Mexico. (via The NY Times)

Baking in a slow cooker? Betty Crocker says "it's magical". I'm intrigued. Recipe here.

It's biscuit, it's biscuit time: Strawberry shortcake with the most delectable-looking cream biscuits you ever did see, via Love and Olive Oil.

Fashionable financiers: Tartelette makes delightful cookies for a guest turn on Design*Sponge.

But do they have bar cookies? Cookie Bar opens in Chicago, and has a funkadelic website.

Cinnamon bun pie pockets. I'd try to say it five times fast, but my mouth is full. (via Gimme Some Oven)

Peas on earth: Sweet pea cupcakes with sour cream frosting. Believe it. (oldie but goodie via Vanilla Garlic)

Food Takes Over Stationery: Finally! (via Bon Appetit)

Pastries and politics: Bernanke tours the Tastykake factory.

Peabody takes on Seasonal Fruit Desserts by Deborah Madison: I just received this book too so was excited to get a sneak peek.

Seattle bakeries hit the big time, via a feature by Sara Dickerman in the NY Times (prominently featuring CS favorite, Columbia City Bakery!). Thanks to everyone who shared the link with me!

Speaking of Columbia City Bakery, let's have another loving look at the doughnut muffin.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Reasons to Love Megan Seling

Megan Seling is kind of a big deal in the Seattle music scene. She's a calendar editor and all-ages music columnist for The Stranger; she also has her own radio show on 107.7 The End. I know, awesome, right?

But what you may not know about this local superstar is that she's also very savvy on the subject of sweets (and bakes a mean cookie, to boot). And so, in an effort to share her awesomeness with the sweet-loving world, here's a baker's dozen of reasons why this sweet writer ought to be loved and appreciated:

She brought Rocky Ledge Bars to my cookie swap last year.

She also brought Striped Icebox cookies to aforementioned cookie gala.

She doesn't just love cupcakes...she educates us on who makes the best ones, too.

She did this great writeup of me and my fantastic life in The Stranger last week.

She made these Cadbury Creme Egg Cupcakes.

She's super fun to follow on Twitter.

She covers hard-hitting journalistic issues, such as what should be considered the official candy of Washington.

She invited me, CakeSpy, to be a featured contributor on Questionland!

She loves Poppy like I love Poppy.

She is able to admit that she is a sugar addict.

She keeps us all updated on the Capitol Hill, Seattle, bakery scene.

She's an amazingly skilled writer--it's impossible to not be moved by this piece on her "Cookie Winter".

...and finally, did I mention that her equally cute and sweet boyfriend Robby makes a mean chocolate-dipped cream pie?

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Ideas for Mother's Day

Clockwise from top left: pedestals by Juliska; onesie by Bored, Inc.; baking cups by Bake it Pretty; cake plates by Once Upon a Pedestal. Links below.Moms are totally sweet--so why not treat them in kind? Here's a baker's dozen of sweet (some literally, some figuratively) gift ideas for Mother's Day:

Betty Crocker's Cooky Book: One of my all-time favorite cookbooks--I know my mom would be delighted with this, so I imagine yours would be too. A word of advice: definitely go for the spiral-bound version. Available on Amazon.

CakeSpy Artwork and Accessories: Oh, come on, don't act surprised. I have rent to pay now! Plus, your mom would probably love you forever if you bought her something from my shop. Shop online here.

Cake Plates and Pedestals by Juliska: If you're feeling like a big spender this Mother's Day, these breathtaking cake plates and pedestals would probably go over very well. While you're at it, buy me one too, ok? (thanks to my friend Love and Confections for introducing me to these!). 

Cookies by Mail from Hey, Sugar!: A delightful recent CakeSpy discovery (via DailyCandy), though this Chicago-based custom order baking company provides a full assortment of baked goods locally, they will ship their cookies in assortments or by the dozen in single flavors (like the alluring-sounding Aloha Cookie "When pineapple, coconut and macadamia nuts all mix together in a yummy, creamy snickerdoodle; your taste buds will say Aloha!"). Online at heysugarchicago.com.

Cups of all sizes and colors from Bake it Pretty: That's cupcake cups, of course. And you'll find the greatest variety of cute, pretty, sophisticated and kid-friendly ones here. Some for mom, some for you, some for your friends...

Cute as a Cupcake Baby Onesie by Bored Inc.: Naturally, babies are cute--but they can always be cuter. And that's easily done with these adorable "Cute as a Cupcake" onesies by Bored Inc.! Available here. 

Legalize Frostitution Tee from Cupcake Royale: Hipster moms who love baking will adore this tee from Seattle cupcake institution Cupcake Royale. Available here.

Little Red Riding Hood Tea Pot: Tea is totally sweet with treats, and it's sweeter still when served from an incredibly adorable tea pot like this one. Available at Fred Flare.

Retro Aprons by Kitsch'n Glam: These retro-cute halter aprons would make any mom happy, I think. Better yet, get one for yourself too. Available here. 

Three Months of Croissants: Do you really need to be told how much cooler this is than a fruit basket of the month club? Each month, a batch of prepared gourmet croissants will be shipped; simply thaw overnight and bake in the morning. The gift that gives back, especially if you plan visits back home around the shipment dates. Available at Williams-Sonoma.

Unique Cake Plates by Once Upon a Pedestal: One of a kind creations to display your sweet treats, made from salvaged plates put on a pedestal! Read the CakeSpy writeup of the company here. Available at Once Upon a Pedestal.

Vintage Cookie Jars from Jazze Junque: This site (and in Chicago, storefront too!) is a treasure trove of unique vintage and collectible cookie jars; stock constantly rotating. Available here.

What's New, Cupcake? by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson: If mom is a cupcake-maker, this book is a must-have--it's the uber-cute followup to the already uber-cute book Hello, Cupcake! which makes me want to coo every time I look at it. Available on Amazon.  

Blue Days, Starry Nights: An Awe-Inspiring Van Gogh Cake

Friends, I want to share with you the most inspiring cake I've seen in some time: the Starry Night Cake that my friend Jenny in Baltimore made for a friend's birthday.

This cake, of course, prompts so many questions--including A) How on earth did she do it? (apparently it took 5 1/2 hours, and I'm not surprised). B) How on earth could they cut into that beauty? C) How did it taste? (I've tasted Jenny's work so I know it was good)...

but most importantly...why doesn't this super-talented girl have her own bakery? Count CakeSpy as an avid fan and customer-in-waiting.

For a gallery of photos of the cake and the eating of, visit Jenny's Facebook page!

Beyond a Baker's Dozen: A Roundup of Cake Truffle Companies

Cake bites made by Bakerella for CakeSpy!Whether they're on a stick or just rolled as truffles, one thing is for certain: Cake Balls are taking over the world (for which I credit, and thank, Bakerella!). Here's a collection of companies selling them online and in their stores:

(note: got one to add? leave a comment!)

Audrey Kate Rae cake truffles come in flavors like red velvet coated in Tiffany blue--yes! Read more here. (Thanks Suzette for the tip!)

Butterfly Cake Bites come in pina colada, banana split, and creamsicle-inspired flavors. Oh yes.

Cacao Sweets and Treats in the Chicago area makes sweet cake truffles in a variety of flavors, and will also provide custom packaging options. Oh, and their shop also features white chocolate bacon peanut butter cups, just FYI.

Cake Balls is probably my favorite company name ever. Of course, the fact that they sell a delectable-sounding Birthday Cake truffle makes me even more delighted!

Cake Bug provides custom truffles with build-your-own flavors--I think I could go for the lime-coconut combination!

Cake Pop Company in Springfield, MO features pops of all sorts, but their most exciting new item is the Askinosie Chocolate Cake Pop, which is described by the owner as "are a combination of my own Mother’s recipe for chocolate cake and Single Origin Natural Cocoa Powder-San Jose DeTambo, Ecuador from Askinosie Chocolate, covered in Askinosie 77% Davao, Philippines Dark Chocolate. It is a dense and rich cake."

Cocoa Bakery and Cafe in Jersey City, NJ makes cake truffles--including banana cake truffles.

Confection Concoctions in Spanaway features cake pops and cake truffles; read the CakeSpy interview with owner Laura here!

Crunchy Jewels is a cake truffle company in NYC, and they make something called a Vietnamese Coffee Cake Ball. Yum.

David Burke Cake Pops makes pops both sweet and savory of all types, but their Cheesecake pops have me intrigued.

Dessert.Net offers what they call "addictive cake balls"--in collections of complementary flavors.

Fab Favors offers traditional flavors and specialty flavors such as peanut butter banana and Key Lime.

Frosting Bake Shop in Mill Valley offers extremely delicious cake bites.

Honey and Bee in San Diego works by special order to create cake truffles in flavors like toffee, green tea, and an intriguing Imperial Chocolate Porter.

Just a Bite Cake Pops in Orange County, CA specializes in sweets on a stick, with the usual suspects (vanilla, chocolate, red velvet) and also a line of more gourmet flavors, including toasted coconut, carrot cake, and more.

Krissy's Cake Balls features a German Chocolate cake ball. They're in Kentucky, but they do mail order (whew).

Little Miss Sweet Tooth Dollies in Coral Gables, FL features cake truffles in flavors like the delicious-sounding "Drag Queen", comprised of pistachio cake, buttercream frosting, covered in vanilla coating.

Lollicake Bake Shop makes cute cake pops and truffles, sometimes in the shapes of characters like Elmo. Awww.

Lux Bakery and Cafe in Austin makes cake balls in flavors like chocolate chip and green tea. It's also worth noting that they have something on their menu called the "Nanaimo Cup" which sounds like the best kind of cup there is.

Mad Cravings from Oregon may not have the most user-friendly site, but they do have cake balls in flavors like peach champagne and key lime pie, and they also offer gluten-free versions.

Sarandipity Sweets in Georgia makes cute cake pops shaped like cupcakes, apples, and more.

Skipping Stones makes adorable cupcake-shaped cake truffles, and their online shop boasts a variety of other goodies like pie lollipops, homemade graham crackers, and more!

Stacy's Cakes of Irvine specializes in cake truffles in creative custom flavors.

Sweet E's in Los Angeles makes sweet pops covered in rainbow sprinkles--because everything tastes better with sprinkles.

Sweet Tooth Fairy in Provo, UT features something they call "CakeBites" which are a CakeSpy (and Rachael Ray!) favorite. 

Tart Bakery in Dallas has cake balls for sale in a variety of flavors.

Very Vera truffles are available at Saks Fifth Avenue, and are described as "Sweet two-bite decadences are rolled up into balls, then dipped in chocolate and various toppings including pecans, almonds, walnuts, coconut flakes and graham cracker crumbs; a festive dessert presentation."

With Love Bakery in Plano offers cake balls in a delectable array of flavors like s'mores, candy bar, and coconut cake. This makes me love them.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Cool Companies Specializing in Sweet Stuff

Photo credits, clockwise from top left: Say It With Cookie Cake, Caroline's Desserts, High 5 Pie, Granville Whoopie PiesWhat does this baker's dozen of cool companies have in common? A sweet vision. Here's a batch of new businesses to discover:

Big Gay Ice Cream Truck serves larger than life cones and frozen treats with personality to match.

Cake Balls, while unfortunately having nothing to do with a "Space Balls" remake with an entirely cake-based cast, does nonetheless sell some decadently delicious little cake bites.

Caroline's Desserts specializes in pinkies-out, fancy versions of the classic Rice Krispie treat.

Cake & Shake: This street cart in NYC basically sells all the best things in the world.

Crème Brûlée Cart is keeping San Franciscans on their toes, twittering their location and flavors daily. I'd totally follow their beckon call to score some chocolate peanut butter cup creme brulee.

Granville Whoopie Pies specializes in...well, you guessed it--but in unique flavors like black forest cherry, lemon poppyseed, and buckeye. Nom.

High 5 Pie is the brainchild of Dani Cone, owner of Fuel Coffee, whom I suspect is a genius, what with products like PieJars, pie pops and mac and cheese hand pies.

Hotlix is a company that specializes in lollipops with bugs inside. Yup, you heard that right.

Las Paletas in Nashville, as you can see from the Yelp reviews, sells "popsicles, and only popsicles" - in flavors like hot chocolate and chili, mexican caramel, peanut butter, raspberry and lime, honeydew, cantaloupe, tamarind, cucumber with chili, elderflower and more.  

Led Zeppole specializes in zeppoles, and has a name that makes me laugh every time I see it.

Say It With Cookie Cake is an Austin-based special order baking company specializing in items like cookie-cakes which say "Bite Me" or "Suck It" and other sweet snarkiness. 

Sweetfields Inc. specializes in flowers...that you can eat!

Sweet Revolution Caramels in San Francisco makes maple honey caramels that might make you want to emancipate yourself from all other candies. 

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Online Resources

The internet is so totally sweet. After all, it's the source of awesomeness like CakeSpy! But if you're in the mood to learn something sweet (or savory), here's a baker's dozen foodie sites which I keep bookmarked as great resources:

Amazon's Al Dente Blog: A great source for learning about food news, new products, and clever writing by Rebekah Denn, Tracy Schneider, and Leslie Kelly, among others!

BakeSpace: Connect with bakers and find some seriously sweet recipes on this social networking-for-bakers site.

Betty Crocker's Baking Recipes, Tips, and Ideas: A great resource for tips on not only baking but also technique, preparation, and storage.

Cake Central: Cake photos, message boards, decorating tips, giveaways, and more--the website's name really kind of say it all!

Epicurious Food Glossary: I could get lost in this glossary--and have, in fact, on occasion.

Foodista: Like Wikipedia for recipes. 

King Arthur Flour Blog: I cannot visit this site without learning something.

Kitchen Monki: A clever cooking (and baking) tool which enables you to export your recipes (and those from other users!) to shopping lists. Sweet!

Modern Baking: This site is dedicated to professional bakers, but I find a lot of the articles and features very interesting!

Rose Levy Beranbaum: Real Baking with Rose features recipes, lore, and great baking info--also some interesting message boards.

Saveur's Baking Techniques: Step by step illustrated guides.

Serious Eats: Yes, I freelance for them. But I'd visit this site like a million times a day even if I didn't--it strikes the perfect mix of funny, newsy bits with serious food info.

What's Cooking America History of Cakes: So much awesome on just one site. I could read about the history of cakes (and all sorts of food) all day on this site, easily.

Cake Byte: Various Sweet Goings-On for CakeSpy

OK, sweeties, if you're not a fan of shameless self-promotion, maybe you should click over to another awesome site (like this one or this one or this one)--because this week's Baker's Dozen is dedicated to CakeSpy, and all of the exciting things going on. But if you're a lover and not a hater, here are just some of the reasons why it's awesome to be me right now:

A feature in Sunset Magazine! Yes, Sunset Magazine (pictured above)! I take no credit for this--it all goes to Rebekah Denn, who has always "gotten" the whole CakeSpy thing (maybe she can explain it to my grandma, bless her soul, who always asks what it is again I do for a living, and always reminds me that when she was young, she walked uphill five miles each way to school--sometimes in the snow--and that there were none of these cupcake shops, but rather bakeries that charged five cents for an entire crumb cake?)

The amazing honor of being nominated in not one but two categories for the Saveur Best of the Food Blogs awards! (and in good company, with the likes of Herbivoracious!)! 

The amazing honor of being nominated in not one but two categories for the Saveur Best of the Food Blogs awards (and in good company, with the likes of Herbivoracious!)! No, this is not a typo--this was exciting enough to put twice! Like, OMG!

An amazing feature on the Conde Nast Traveler Blog (one step closer to the New Yorker! Are you reading this, Françoise Mouly?);

A feature on NW Source about the new shop - that means it's official!

Features on the CHS and Central District News blogs about the new shop and Saveur Nomination, too -- double, triple official! (thanks, jseattle and seadevi!)

An interview on Alphabet Soup with the wonderful Jama Rattigan;

A feature as a Crafty Superstar on Cut Out + Keep;

A great time muraling and cake eating with the coolest girls in Minneapolis;

Delicious roundups of foods both sweet and savory enjoyed in Paris for Serious Eats;

Being part of a panel discussion on how to be a blog queen;

Numerous (!) features on the amazing Not Martha and Bakerella;

Enjoying a delicious tutorial on macaron-making by the inimitable Tartelette (I know, I owe you more info about this one!);

The honor of being part of a great Foodbuzz, Electrolux, Kelly Ripa, and Cake Boss event to raise money and awareness for Ovarian Cancer Research;

Doing artwork for (and being asked to be a cupcake-tasting judge at!) Seattle's first CupcakeCamp!

And yeah, this is very nerdy, but I got an "@" reply on Twitter  from Dorie Greenspan. Dorie Greenspan! My heart was a-twitter (pun intended) about that one for days, people. But then again, her book Paris Sweets: Great Desserts From the City's Best Pastry Shops was what I took to Paris as my guidebook, so it makes sense, doesn't it?

 ...oh, and you know what? I'm also taking over a gallery in Seattle. CakeSpy headquarters will soon be located at 415 E. Pine Street, Seattle--I have purchased Bluebottle Art Gallery! And there's an awesome "meet the new owner" party this Saturday, and an awesome opening with Berkley Illustration on April 8.

OK, it's true, that was way more than a Baker's Dozen! But what can I say--life is sweet. Thank you everyone for helping me making it all happen, and for making it so fun to tell people what my job is when they ask.

CakeSpy's 13 Sweetest Discoveries in Minneapolis and Saint Paul

You may not know this, but Minneapolis and St. Paul are totally sweet. And this isn't meant in a "totally awesome, hip and artistic" sort of way, although that is true too--this is to say that the serious sweet tooth will have plenty to keep busy while visiting the Twin Cities. Here is a baker's dozen of some of the sweetest things (mostly, but not all, edible) which I encountered--both eaten and reported by trusted suggestion--on my too-brief visit:

Art: Cake Eater Bakery

The sweetest art in Minneapolis? The pastry-inhabited mural I did for Cake Eater Bakery, duh! Read about it here. 2929 E 25th Street, Minneapolis; cakeeaterbakery.com.


Cake: Cake Eater Bakery

Noticing a trend? Well, granted, it was where I was muraling, but their cakes are also magical. The "banana split cake"--a tantalizing combination of rich, dense banana cake topped with creamy frosting and chocolate drizzle (pictured top), could probably knock banana bread out flat without looking back; even the vanilla is delicious. Oh, and have I mentioned they make Special K Bars, too? 2929 E 25th Street, Minneapolis; cakeeaterbakery.com.

Boozy Bubble Tea: Jasmine 26

Bubble tea has its merits, but it makes you feel even more buoyant when it's got some buzz. Say hello to Jasmine 26, where their bubble tea has an added somethin': ah, alcohol. It's intoxicating. 8 E. 26th Street, Minneapolis; jasmine26.net.

Buns: Isles Bun & Coffee

 It is with extreme sadness that I confess that I didn't actually visit myself, but based on the trusted feedback of other CakeSpy associates, I am certain I can't leave this establishment, known for making cinnamon rolls not only the size of your head but actually far bigger, it off the list. Just look at the two most popular items on their menu:

  • Cinnamon Buns Our famous Cinnamon Buns made fresh from scratch every day, topped with an unlimited amount of delicious cream cheese frosting.
  • Puppy Dog Tails ™ Named by the nursery school children next door, our cinnamon twists are easy to eat and less intimidating- making them a customer favorite.

Nom nom nom! Isles Bun & Coffee, 28th & Hennepin in Uptown, islesbun.com.

Calorie Free Sweets: Mitrebox Framing Studio

Sometimes you want to have--or share--some sweetness that won't make you fat. (it's ok every now and again to say no to real buttercream. I'll forgive you). For those off days, hit up Mitrebox Framing Studio, where they have a stunning array of sweet gifts and a lot of dessert-themed stationery items. 213 Washington Ave. North, Minneapolis; mitreboxframing.com.

Chocolate: B.T. McElrath

At Minneapolis-based chocolatier B.T. McElrath, one of their signature items is called the "Prairie Dog", which consists of milk chocolate with butter toffee pieces, toasted almonds and sea salt. Really, does more have to be said? Available at various locations; I picked mine up at the Seward Co-Op; online at btmcelrath.com.

Cheesecake Heaven

In a world of cupcakes, Muddy Paws creates custom cheesecakes, and in flavors like Snickers, Honey Vanilla, and Key Lime. I salute you, Muddy Paws. Just gaze at the Snickers cheesecake photo from their website (above), would you? Available at various locations; online at muddypawscheesecake.com.

Ice Cream Experience: Izzy's Ice Cream

Undecided? At Izzy's, they've got you covered: They offer something called "The Izzy Scoop" wherein you get one healthy scoop of ice cream topped with a baby-scoop of the second flavor you'd been debating or wanted to try. There is another word for this: it is called genius. It is adorable too! 2034 Marshall Avenue, St. Paul; izzysicecream.com.

Nanaimo Bars: French Meadow Bakery

A western Canadian treat in the Midwest? Yes, it's true: I was surprised (and delighted) to find one of my favorite treats, Nanaimo Bars, at French Meadows, an organic bakery which serves up soups and sandwiches along with their sweets. Their Nanaimo bar has a perhaps slightly less custardy, but no less buttery, middle layer; the top is chocolate, melt-in-your-mouth bliss, and the bottom crust a sturdy coconut-studded chocolate. Various locations; online at frenchmeadow.com.

Old School Pastries: A Baker's Wife

When a bakery has been in the same spot and doing the same thing for over 50 years, either they're doing something right, or they're connected to the mob. Well, based on the deliciousness factor of the several pastries I sampled from here, including a sticky bun, doughnuts and a fancy-ish pear tart, it's definitely the former that has made this institution beyond reproach. 4200 28th Ave S., Minneapolis; more here.

A Baker's Wife's Pastry Shop on Urbanspoon


Pretzel-Shaped Mystery Pastry: Turtle Bread Company

Turtle Bread Company has an absolutely delectable treat which looks like a pretzel, but tastes like an amalgamation of butter cookie, almond croissant, and sweet pie crust. That is to say, best breakfast ever. Various Minneapolis locations; online at turtlebread.com.


Sandwich Cookies: Cocoa & Fig

Upon hearing that Cocoa & Fig was home to some of the finest macarons in Minneapolis, I had to check it out: but what I ended up getting was the Carrot Cake Cookie Sandwich. And oh, what a memorable one it was: cakey cookies sandwiching a sweetly piped dollop of rich cream cheese frosting. Oh, yes. Retail location at Gaviidae Common, Skyway Level, Saks Wing, 651 Nicollet Mall; cocoaandfig.com.

Unexpected Sweetness: Birchwood Cafe 

Right down the street from Cake Eater Bakery was a delicious oasis: Birchwood Cafe. Though most probably know it for their savories (sandwiches and well-made plates of fresh, affordable fare), they boast a pretty mean bakery case too, featuring pies, huge cream puffs, and cookies. 3311 E. 25th St., Minneapolis; online at birchwoodcafe.com.

Honorable mention (not all sweet, but all totally awesome): The regional specialty often called Jucy Lucy which is a cheese-filled burger (I sampled the version at Shamrock's/The Nook in St. Paul), Fried Cheese Curds (sampled at the same); Dunn Bros. Coffee, and of course, the Doubletree Cookie at the Hotel Minneapolis. Hardly a Minneapolis specialty but they get me every time.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Moments in Fiction, Volume 2

One batch was not enough: here's another baker's dozen of novels which prominently feature sweet treats! Some are guilty pleasures, some are bittersweet tales--but they all have one thing in common: each one features delicious desserts.

Belle in the Big Apple by Brooke Parkhurst: This novel is kind of like candy--an escapist tale of a southern belle in NYC, and does come with some recipes for sweet treats. 

Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs: This novel has a distinct roman a clef feel, with an aging food tv show hostess battling low ratings and radical rating-boosting ideas; half the fun is picking out who the people in the novel are meant to represent; the rest is the fun of the story and the recipes at the end of the novel.

The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler: A coming-of-age story about a bakery owner's daughter who is struggling with her parents' divorce and the trials of growing up...but with plenty of gratuitous cupcake scenes! (CakeSpy Note: read the CS interview with the author here!)

Entertaining Disasters by Nancy Spiller: A reclusive food writer battles personal demons in more ways than one as she plots the ultimate dinner party. Complete with many recipes, including a great Opera cake recipe!

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff and Felicia Bond: An adorable children's book detailing the unforeseen consequences of giving a mouse a cookie. Great illustrations too!

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd: Honey. Honeycake. You want to read this.

She Flew the Coop by Michael Lee West: This one is described as "a novel concerning life, death, sex, and recipes in Limoges, Louisiana" -- and it includes cakes.

Spiced: A Pastry Chef's True Stories of Trials by Fire, After-Hours Exploits, and What Really Goes on in the Kitchen by Dalia Jurgensen: OK, so this one is fact, but reads as if it were fiction: a behind-the-scenes look at a pastry chef's life in some of NYC's fanciest restarants, by the current pastry chef at Dressler.

Sorcery And The Single Girl by Mindy Klasky: No recipes, but this novel about a witch in training with a best friend who owns a bakery has plenty of rich descriptions of sweet desserts.

Sprinkle with Murder by Jenn McKinlay: A murder mystery...with cupcakes!

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen: Magic and bonbons all rolled into one sweet package in this book.

Sweet Treats: Cupcakes for Two/Blueberry Surprise/Bittersweet Memories & Peppermint Dreams/Cream of the Crop by Various (short story collection): Doesn't the title say it all?

Table Manners by Mia King: In the followup to Good Things, character Deidre McIntosh is on the road to creating her own gourmet cookie line, but with some bumps in the batter--er, along the road. This book has a selection of recipes at the end, too, including some from CakeSpy buddies Peabody and Ivy Chan!

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Chocolate Facts for American Chocolate Week

Guess what? March 14 marks the start of American Chocolate Week. Like you needed a reason to eat chocolate, right? So, inspired by a list sent to me by Ask.com featuring 10 facts about chocolate, I've added to the list so that you've got a baker's dozen of sweet factoids about the dark and dreamy stuff:

Who invented chocolate? While Nestle and Johnny Depp would lobby for Willy Wonka, history awards the honors to the ancient Aztecs and Mayans of Mexico and Central America.

What is the bestselling chocolate bar? Snickers!

How is chocolate made? Chocolate is made from cocoa beans, which are roasted and then ground into a powder. The cocoa powder is then mixed with variations of sugar, milk and cream to make different types of chocolate.

What was CakeSpy's first word? If you believe my mom, the first word I ever uttered, aside from "ma" and "pa" was "chocolate".

Why can’t dogs eat chocolate? The long answer above has something to do with methylxanthines. The short answer involves diarrhea and your new shag carpet.

How can I melt chocolate evenly? Size does matter. Chop the chocolate into uniform pieces to ensure that all the pieces melt at the same speed in a glass bowl over boiling water (double boiler).

Why is fair trade chocolate good for the environment? Fair trade practices can vary in their environment benefits, but it does empower farmers and farm workers to lift themselves out of poverty by developing the business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace.

How do I make chocolate mousse? Pretty easily actually - all you need is finely chopped bittersweet chocolate, unsalted butter, coffee, heavy cream, eggs and sugar.

Why is dark chocolate good for you? It is packed with flavoniods that keep cholesterol from gathering in blood vessels, reduce the risk of blood clots and slow down the immune responses that lead to clogged arteries. 

Should you eat chocolate after working out? Per Wikipedia, A study from James Madison University, presented at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting, showed that post-exercise consumption of lowfat chocolate milk provides equal or possibly superior muscle recovery compared to a high-carbohydrate recovery beverage with the same amount of calories. 

Which came first, the cookie or the chocolate chip? Chocolate chip cookies were invented before the morsels. The cookies were invented in 1933 when Ruth Graves Wakefield of the Toll House Inn in the town of Whitman, Massachusetts added cut-up chunks of a semi-sweet Nestlé chocolate bar to a cookie recipe. The cookies were a huge success, and Wakefield reached an agreement with Nestlé to add her recipe to the chocolate bar's packaging in exchange for a lifetime supply of chocolate. Initially, Nestlé included a small chopping tool with the chocolate bars, but in 1939 they started selling the chocolate in chip (or "morsel") form. 

Who doesn't like chocolate? Jesse Breytenbach, who did a graphic novel on the subject. But we'll forgive her, because she's awfully clever.

Chocolate is deadly: In that famous shower scene in Psycho, it's not blood running down the drain--but chocolate syrup. Guess that was easier to get away with when filming in black and white!

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet St. Patrick's Day Recipe Ideas

Photo credits, from top left clockwise: South in Your Mouth, King Arthur Flour, CakeSpy.comSeeing Green: Green Velvet Cupcakes from South in Your Mouth.

You may not be Irish, but pretending to be is fun while eating Bailey's Irish Cream Fudge, via Cookie Madness.

In the most recent issue of Bon Appetit, Andrew McCarthy (yes, the actor!) shares a lightly sweet and delectable Irish Soda Bread recipe.

Speaking of Soda Bread, remember when CakeSpy tried to make it awesomer?

How about some Shamrock Chocolate-Mint Brownies, via Wilton?

Even if you don't make it, simply looking at the pictures of this Chocolate Stout Cake via King Arthur Flour is a delight.

This easy Irish Whiskey Cake comes with a warning: "This has significant (uncooked!) alcohol content and is not appropriate for non-drinkers." Translation: good times!

Speaking of beer-based desserts, Peabody, who is a genius, has a recipe for a chocolate stout creme brulee.

What exactly is the difference between Irish and Scottish shortbread? Not sure, but this Irish Shortbread sure does look good.

Little Shamrocks has a sweet collection of Irish dessert recipes, including Irish Cream Pudding Parfaits. 

It may not be easy being green, but it sure is easy to eat green, when it is in mint ice cream form. Via Blondie and Brownie.

Who could forget this monstrosity of a homemade shamrock shake?

Bakerella's Shamrock Cake Truffles: a St. Patty's classic!

Cinematic Sweets: An Oscar Dessert Roundup

So, the Oscars are coming up on Sunday--do you have your menu planned? It's a good idea to stock up on sweetness--you'll need it to get through all of those long-winded speeches!

In case you missed the best picture-inspired sweet recipes I've been doing for Serious Eats for the past month, here's a roundup:

An Education? Pshaw. Far more delicious is An Educaketion, a Battenberg cake brimming with buttercream, amaretto, and marzipan.

Avatar is a long movie, and you're going to need a snack or four to get through it. Time for some Avatarts!

Inglourious Basterds is an intense movie, and deserves an equally intense dessert: how 'bout some Inglourious Custards?

Up is sweet, but this 7-Up cake inspired by the movie is even sweeter.

Up in the Air? Up in Eclair!

CakeSpy Note: Of course, you may also enjoy Bakerella's creative suite of Oscar sweets!

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Patisseries I'll Be Visiting in Paris

Guess what? I'm in Paris right now. And to share a bit of the sweetness, here's just a baker's dozen (in no particular order) of the many sweet spots on my must-visit list in the City of Lights!

Laduree, because it's a magical place.

Pierre Herme, because he's kind of like a macaron rock star.

Patisserie des Reves, because Dorie Greenspan says it's great.

Synie's Cupcakes, because I'm curious to see the French take on the American trend.

Hotel du Cadran, because apparently they have a chocolate shop and great macarons on premises!

Dalloyau, because I hear this rumor that they have a killer Opera Cake.

Chistian Constant, because Clotilde Dusoulier says they have a "picture perfect cup of hot chocolate"

Baillardran, because a pastry shop in a train station is intriguing.

Lecureuil, because they are said to have "petits fours that seem right out of a children's book.

U Sputinu, because I'm into "produits tres bons Corses".

Berthillon, because visiting a famous glacier sounds pretty fantastic.

La Grande Epicerie, because I think I could spend many hours just wandering here.

Patisserie au Grand Richelieu, because it looks old and wonderful.

(P.S. Any suggestions? Leave 'em in the comments! I'm in Paris all week!)

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Valentine Recipe Ideas

 

Photo Credits, from top left clockwise: My Baking Addiction, Bake at 350, The Food Librarian, Taste of Home. Links to recipes below!Chocolate Cherry Silk Tart recipe from Seattle's Macrina Bakery: what's not to love?

Nanaimo bars are always something to be loved, but these ones are perfect for Valentine's Day!

Conversation heart chocolates, from the always wonderful Chic Cookie Kits.

...aaand, in case you forgot about them, the CakeSpy homemade conversation heart for Serious Eats!

Show your Gluten Free buddies some love with these Valentine's Day gluten free sugar cookies.

Love word games? Love cookies? You'll love these babies by Bake at 350, and so will your valentine!

Cupid's arrow has hit these cupcakes...why not share the love by baking some of your own?

Just cos you love someone doesn't mean you have to share--make these individual heart cakes!

Make perfect chocolate dipped strawberries with these tempering tips from Jacques Torres.

Meringue Swans! Precious!

Don't break dishes on the wall--make this strangely beautiful broken glass jello!

Making sweetie pies like these would win over just about anyone, I think.

Bakerella always offers something sweet for heart day, and this year's no exception: big cookies mean big love.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Recipes from Fellow Foodbuzz Kelly Ripa Event Attendees!

Dudes! So as you know, on Monday I am heading over to NYC to be part of an event with Kelly Ripa, Electrolux and Foodbuzz. Booyea!

I will be accompanied by 14 other talented people with foodie websites, and it seemed appropriate for this week's Friday Links (it's a baker's dozen plus one!) to introduce my cake-lovin' blogger buddies-to-be by sharing a delicious dessert recipe link from each of their sites!

Like, OMG. Wonton Pockets with cardamom crema pasticcera, chocolate and cajeta/dulce de leche. Did you just fall in love with Salty Seattle, too? 

What's easier than pie, but equally delicious? Easy peach cobbler from In Erika's Kitchen! (read the interview she did with me too!)

I can't decide on just one recipe from Nobody Puts Cupcake in a Corner's Iron Cupcake!

This cake will get you all hot and bothered: hot chocolate layer cake from Daydreamer Desserts.

Spain in Iowa will tempt you with this comforting and delicious-looking arroz con leche.

Pie or cake? Why decide: RhodeyGirl Tests has a recipe for Pumpkin Pie Cake.

Everyone knows muffins are just cake in disguise--and Carrots N Cake has a recipe for chocolate chip olive oil ones.

Ever think that pecan pie just wasn't rich or decadent enough? Evil Shenanigans has got your back with a recipe for chocolate chip pecan pie.

Caramel macchiato shortbread thumbprints, via The Cooking Photographer. Need I say more?

On Megan's Munchies, these chocolate chippy cakes may be gluten free and vegan, but there's no lack of flavor.

Cannoli Cereal? I like the way you eat breakfast, Graduate Meghann.

You may not know this, but Pecan Tassies are Jimmy Carter's favorite! Still, I like Smoky Mountain Cafe's version better.

Nutella Oatmeal Cookies? Screw you, raisins! These come from My Kitchen Addiction.

Key. Lime. Squares. Thank you, Bake at 350!

Soup's On: Tomato Soup Cake Recipe from Baker's Cakes, Durham NC

Per Danielle of Baker's Cakes, "here's our family's cake recipe! I'm pretty sure this recipe originated during times when certain ingredients were in limited supply, much like the popular chocolate "crazy cake." Today, I guess it's vegan! This is essentially an interesting spice cake."

Nana Murphy's Tomato Soup Cake

(Makes 9" square pan)

  • 2 cups sifted flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • Dash of salt
  • 1 can tomato soup
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 can's worth of water
  1. Preheat oven to 35 degrees; grease a 9x9-inch baking pan (circle or square).
  2. Sift the dry ingredients, except for the baking soda.
  3. Mix 1 teaspoon baking soda into 1 can of tomato soup- stir vigorously then add to the dry ingredients.
  4. Add 2 tablespoons oil and 1 can of water and mix well.
  5. Stir in 1 cup of raisins and 1 cup of chopped pecans.
  6. Bake 35-45min in preheated oven, lightly greased pan, at 350 degrees.
  7. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Danielle's Note: I like to make a White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting: Melt 1 bag (12oz) of white chocolate chips and beat into 1 package (8oz) room temp. cream cheese.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Cookie Links!

Photo credits, from top left clockwise: ClankWorks; Forty-Sixth at Grace; CakeSpy; Chic Cookie Kits

It's Friday, folks. And this week, it's all about the cookie. Here's a baker's dozen of sweet cookie-related links:

What's cuter than a button? How 'bout a cookie that looks like a button? Get your fill of this cuteness at Forty-Sixth at Grace.

Type geek meets baker chic: Helvetica Cookie Cutters by Beverly Hsu (via CraftZine)

These guinea pig cookies are sort of mousy, but nonetheless simply precious.

Hugs and kisses cookies...oh, and just about everything ever posted on Chic Cookie Kits.

...and it would be a shame not to mention Cookie Sensations , possibly the sweetest cookie book you'll ever see, by Meaghan Mountford (author of the aforementioned Chic Cookie Kits blog).

Forget Chess Pie: It's all about these chess cookies, where you can eat the board after you play!

Breakfast of champions: how 'bout some blueberry lemon cornflake cookies? (via Cookie Madness)

Because bacon's not dead yet: more breakfast of champions, by way of bacon-oatmeal-orange juice breakfast cookies.

It's no secret that CakeSpy loves Sara Snacker...but let's just consider those CandyPop cookies one more time.

Craving Cute? Sogo Bakery's Panda shortbread cookies are pretty freaking cute.

At Park 19, behold the Creme Brulee Cookie.

Love all things Lilliputian? Learn how to make your own dollhouse cookies. 

Need cookie cutters? Cookies in Seattle is just about the sweetest shop ever--no bigger than a closet, but packed full of every type of cookie cutter--and they have a pretty great online shop too!