Cake Byte: Holiday Cookies at The Cravory

You know what I *love*? Holiday cookies. There's nothing more festive than a table full of different cookie varieties. 

I also love how around this time of year, bakeries bring out their holiday best. So when The Cravory sent me their new holiday menu, I knew I had to share it because honestly, just reading the descriptions makes me happy, but having tasted The Cravory's handiwork, I know that it would be so much better to have a box o' this joy.  You can buy the cookies online here in case you're not in the San Diego area!

Here's the menu:

Holiday Funfetti: Funfetti Cake Batter Dough With Sprinkle and Guittard Vanilla Chips

Gingerbread House: (pictured top) Ginger Spice Dough with Guittard Vanilla A’Peels, Vanilla Icing Swirl

Rocky Road Brownie Batter: Original Dough with Fudge Brownies, Marshmallows, Toasted Almonds, Guittard Semisweet Chocolate Chips

Chocolate Chipotle: Decadent Chocolate Dough with Chipotle Powder, Caramel Bits, Chocolate Chunks, Nestle Crunch

Cookies and Milk: Ice Cream Dough with Oreos, Marshmallows, Hershey’s Cookies and Cream Bars, and Guittard Semisweet Chocolate Chips

White Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream: Peppermint Ice Cream Dough with Peppermint Candy Chips, Guittard White Chocolate Chips, Topped with Peppermint Dust.

Spiked Eggnog: Bourbon Nog Dough with Aged Bourbon, Eggnog, Toffee Bits, Rolled in Nutmeg Cinnamon Sugar

Nom! Get thee to The Cravory!

Morning Glory Muffins Recipe from Macrina Bakery

Oh, happy day! This is one of the few "healthy" muffins I deem delicious, and now, Macrina Bakery has shared the recipe. Be healthy for an hour or two on this post-indulgent day why don't you?

As Macrina says: "This is by far our most popular muffin, and customers have been requesting the recipe for years. I prefer fresh pineapple when possible, but the unsweetened, canned variety works just fine. Makes 12 Muffins."

Morning Glory Muffins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup seedless raisins
• 1/3 cup walnut halves
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2-1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated
• 3/4 cup chopped pineapple
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
• 1/3 cup coarse raw sugar

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Brush the insides of a muffin tin with canola oil.  
2. Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot tap water. Let sit for 10 minutes while raisins plump, then drain and squeeze out excess liquid with your hands. Set aside. Place walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool, then chop coarsely and set aside.  
3. Sift flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Mix gently with a wooden spoon and set aside. In a separate medium bowl, combine raisins, walnuts, carrot, apple, pineapple, eggs, canola oil, melted butter, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and coconut, and mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Add dry ingredients and continue stirring just until all the dry ingredients are moistened. It’s important not to overmix.  
4. Scoop batter into oiled muffin tin, filling the cups to the top. Sprinkle coarse raw sugar on tops of muffins and bake on the center rack of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes. The finished muffins will be deep brown. Let cool for 20 minutes, then slide a fork down the side of each muffin and gently lift it from the pan.

CakeSpy is Thankful for You. Now Win a book!

Thanksgiving is the perfect occasion to get a little cheesy. So here I go:

I am thankful for you. And by "you" I mean any and everyone who has taken or is taking the time to read my website.

When I began CakeSpy in 2007, I thought it would be a way of combining my three greatest loves (writing, illustration, baked goods) in one place. As a hobby. 

But it has become so much more--it has become not only my livelihood, but a big part of my identity and life.

So I guess I'm saying...thanks for supporting my life and livelihood by reading this sweet site. It makes my day that you might leave this site a little happier than when you came. 

But you know what? I'm not just going to get cheesy in this post. I'm also going to give away a copy of MY BOOK, CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life. It's not only a great read, it's full of sweet recipes!It's perfect to keep, or to give to a friend for the holidays (don't worry, I won't tell them you won it rather than buying). Oh, and I'll sign it for you too, and draw a unicorn in it. YES!

How to enter to win? It's so, so easy. All you have to do is a leave a comment on this post (don't panic if it doesn't show up RIGHT away--comment moderation is enabled) saying something you're thankful for. It can be sweet or savory or not even food at all--what is making you feel thankful this Thanksgiving?

This giveaway is open to everyone (US, abroad, whatevs), but it will close one week from today, November 29 at 5pm EST. Can't stand the idea of not winning? You can always shop online here, and use code AWESOME12 through next Monday for free shipping on all orders over $25.00.

Update on 2012-12-05 04:18 by Cakespy

Update: The winner! Mary from Winter Park, FL was chosen at random as the winner of this giveaway! Congratulations - and til next time, stay sweet!

Season's Sweetings: A Sampler from Willamette Valley Confectionery

A while back, I wrote about some sweet treats I enjoyed from Willamette Valley Confectionery. Well, apparently this was a great idea, because they not only took notice but decided to send me a big ol' sampler of their holiday offerings. Thanks, dudes!

I'm so excited to tell you about the joys that came my way via priority mail. When I opened up the package, here's what I saw: 

First up was the "Basket of Cranberries", pate de fruit cleverly packaged in a berry box. 

I have to say, these candies surprised me. Usually sweet and not much else, pate de fruit has a reputation of underwhelming me. But these ones, with the tartness of the cranberry, were a far more interesting thing to eat. Next up were the barks. Peppermint and Oregon Hazelnut, to be exact. The Peppermint was a very nice version of what has become a holiday classic. Very well executed--I'd call this one a people pleaser and a good gift idea.

But given my personal preference for nutty chocolates, I found the hazelnut bark disappeared far quicker when in my kitchen. Deep dark chocolate with toasty nutty hazelnuts--sign me up as a lifetime fan.

I thought the bark had been bitten, but there was yet more to be had. For cleverly packed in a carton...

Was some very tasty white chocolate hazelnut cranberry bark! Once again, the tartness of the cranberry was very nice against the super-sweet white chocolate, and the hazelnuts are always welcome, in my book. This was a little bit different but quite tasty. There were a few other little gifty items that would be cute for Christmas stockings, such as the "Apple Pie" pate de fruit, which is shaped like a mini pie and has a spicy, pleasant flavor:

and the "naughty and nice" sugar plum and candy coal packs:

I've got to say, this was a HIGHLY delightful parcel to receive, and everyone with whom I shared the spoils of my sweet treasure agreed, they'd be happy to be gifted by Willamette Valley Confectionery again. 

Luckily, even if you're not in Oregon, they'll ship to you--find them online here.

Letter to the Editor: Thanksgiving Pies are Boring, Says Christmas Cookie

Dear "Cake Spy",

I need to state it directly: it is my firm belief that Thanksgiving pies are boring and overrated.

Don't get me wrong. They are entirely pleasant. They are worthy of respect. They have meaning, both historically and nostalgically. I can appreciate that. 

But seriously. Am I the only one that considers them the final barrier, a frumpy and dull diversion leading up to the real sweetness of the season: Christmas cookies?

Full disclosure: I say this with a bias, as I personally AM a Christmas cookie. A Snowball, in fact. Of course, you may know me as Mexican Wedding Cake or Russian Teacake or any number of names. You may know me by many names:

But I have taken efforts to remove the personal connection to bring you a detailed laundry list of why each pie is overrated.

Let's start with Pumpkin pie. For one thing, it's entirely too virtuous. If you look at the classic Libby's recipe, there's something important missing from the recipe: BUTTER. Sure, you may argue, it's got sugar and milk and eggs and stuff, but I say it doesn't matter. Butter makes it better, and this pie is alarmingly devoid. Add to the fact that it can often be gummy and tastes more like spice than anything else, and you've really just got a vehicle for the whipped cream topping and crust, which should have butter. Or lard. 

And don't even get me started on Sweet Potato Pie. Talk about a pie with no personality other than that of the spices which impart flavor and a texture that is just downright weird for a dessert. Sweet potato ought to be relegated to side dish material only. It's way too healthy to be a pie, unless it's a breakfast pie. 

Apple pie, that symbol of hearth and home, needs to stop pretending to be dessert. What Apple Pie is, is health food. Apples are too virtuous to be considered dessert, and your butter and sugar would be better used in a batch of cookies. With apple pie,  the best part is the crust and the crumb topping.

Pecan pie is on the right track, what with the corn syrup and butter, but is really more of a tooth-number than anything of real interest.  Would it kill you to add something--anything--to offer a little flavor contrast?  Some chocolate, some cranberries...something.

Also, not that I want to get petty or anything, but as a general note, Thanksgiving pies are just downright homely. Sure, they have a certain je ne sais quoi just out of the oven, while cooling, but you try and show me a pie that's good-looking once cut into. Nope--it all turns into a lumpy landscape of beige and orangey earth-toned stuff. 

Christmas cookies, on the other hand, really know how to liven up a table. In festive colors with sparkling sugar and sprinkles, these little nuggets of pure decadent joy form a village of deliciousness when displayed on the dessert table. And we're indulgent. We're full of butter and love and joy, all in easy-to-pop-in-your-mouth-sized servings. We're like the holiday equivalent of the Fun-size candy bar: bet you can't eat just three. Christmas cookies are bountiful, are pretty, are playful in a way that pies will never be. 

So, in closing, let me say that I get it. I know I'm not going to change the world with a mere letter to the editor. We all have to pay homage to the tradition of Thanksgiving pies. After all, they are representative of the earth from which our feast comes from, a symbol of survival in the new world. And it's really a rather nice tradition.

But to the cookie enthusiasts out there, those who find the pies, well, just a litting boring--you are not alone. I know that you're all really looking forward to the cookies, and it's only a few days til the season really begins.

Respectfully,

A Christmas Cookie named Snowball

- - - - - - - -

Dear Snowball,

I'd like to make it clear to my readers that your point of view is not intended to be the CakeSpy point of view on the matter. While I can agree that cookies make for a splashier dessert spread visually, we must pause to appreciate the pie. 

For one thing, as you do point out, there's the tradition aspect. Pies have long been a symbol of hearth and home, and perfectly suited to this family-oriented holiday. And I beg to differ about the virtuousness of pies. I think that if you were to try the recipes below, you might be singing another tune:

Perfect Sweet Potato Pie via Joy the Baker

Presidential Pumpkin Pie 

Cranberry Pecan Pie

"Peace" of Pie

Caramel Apple Crumb Pie from The Kitchn

Plus, cookie, you might find that you have more in common with pie than you think. In fact, one of the first cookies my mom used to make during the Christmas season was actually made using the crust from the Thanksgiving pies, which she'd brush with butter and cinnamon-sugar and roll up. Good gravy were those things good. Here's a recipe that is similar.

I think that's proof that we can all get along and co-exist deliciously.

Love, 

CakeSpy

Cake Byte: Pringles Debuts Sweet Holiday Flavors

And on the best day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: 

Pringles and OMG they're sweet! 

That's right sweeties. Pringles has debuted a batch of holiday flavors that bring sweet and salty together in flavors that some may consider awesome, some may consider awful. 

I was first tipped off to the trend by Java Cupcake; I then researched it more and found a fantastic article entitled "Holiday Flavors Keep Getting More Weird" which told me: "Pringles now comes in Cinnamon & Sugar, White Chocolate Peppermint and Pumpkin Pie Spice. Reason: The brand has great success with new flavors the rest of the year, says Angela Gusse, associate marketing director." 

For more information, visit Pringles.com or just go to the supermarket!

Sweet Art: CakeSpy for the Holidays

Probably, you already know all about the total awesome sweetness that is the CakeSpy online store.

But in case you are unaware, I'd like to introduce you to some of the finest holiday items online!

First off, adorable holiday cupcake magnets (pictured above). What a wonderful stocking stuffer!

Next, you definitely need some holiday cards. You could go for a 10-pack assortment:

Or you could just go straight for the best design:

Oh, and by the way, if you wanted to customize your mix, just place an order then send me an email--I am happy to accommodate your request.

Now. You probably also need to buy all of your friends and family members a copy of my book, too. My online store is the only place to buy personalized signed copies--I will draw a unicorn in every copy, and write a sweet message just for you or the recipient!

And also, you have never before seen an online store that has a mug featuring a unicorn and robot eating a banana and banana cream pie, respectively. Or if you have...I'll eat my hat!

And, not to show off, but there are plenty of other awesome things in the store, too. And--OMG--I'm offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $25 through the end of this holiday weekend! Simply use code AWESOME12 to take advantage of this offer. Shop online here.

Dessert Recipes from the Titanic

Erma Bombeck famously said, “Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the 'Titanic' who waved off the dessert cart.” 

Which begs the question--what was on the Titanic's dessert cart? 

 Recently, I had an opportunity to find out. I was contacted by a promotions company connected to Las Vegas's Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, inquiring if I'd like to post some Titanic recipes for Thanksgiving. Well, the recipes they sent were all savory, not quite right for me, but when I gently noted that I only post dessert recipes on this site, I got a most excellent series of recipes in response, from the fantastic book Last Dinner on the Titanic: Menus and Recipes from the Legendary Liner.

Below you'll find updated versions of sweets served in First, Second, and Third class on the Titanic; each recipe also features a picture of the actual dishware used in each class. Just to make it completely clear: the cupcake illustrations are not meant to trivialize the tragedy which occurred on the boat, but are more meant to celebrate the lifestyle on the boat before it hit the iceberg. 

First Class (image of dishware at the top of post). As the headnote reads, "Of the many authentic Edwardian recipes we researched for this book, Waldorf pudding was one that eluded us. The recipe here is a modern invention based on three of the essential ingredients in the famous Waldorf salad--walnuts, raisins, and apples." 

Waldorf Pudding

• 2 large tart apples, peeled
• 1/2 cup sultana (golden) raisins
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 4 egg yolks, beaten
• pinch freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, halved

Procedure

1. Thinly slice the apples. Stir in raisins, lemon juice, and ginger. In skillet, melt butter over high heat; add apple mixture and cook for 1 minute. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until apples are lightly caramelized. Scrape apple mixture and syrup into 10-inch round glass baking dish. Reserve.
2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk just until bubbles form around edges. Whisking constantly, add some of the milk to the eggs; mix until well incorporated. Add remaining milk, nutmeg, vanilla, and remaining sugar; mix well. Pour over apple mixture.
3. Set baking dish inside a large roasting pan; pour enough boiling water in roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Place in 325 F degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until custard is set, but still jiggly in the middle. Carefully remove baking dish to cooling rack; sprinkle with walnuts. Cool to room temperature before serving. Makes 6 to 8 servings. 

Second Class was still pretty fancy, just not as tricked-out. One of the things at their table at dessert-time? American-Style Ice Cream! "At the time of the Titanic's maiden voyage, ice cream was extremely popular in both France and the United States. In France, egg yolks were added to make the mixture both richer and smoother. The American style, without any eggs, was popularized by Dolly Madison after her husband became president in 1809."

American-Style Ice Cream

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• Pinch salt
• 2 cups light cream
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped grated lemon zest
• 1 cup whipping cream

Procedure

1. In a small pot or microwave-proof dish, combine sugar, lemon juice, and salt; heat over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Meanwhile, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine light cream with lemon zest; heat over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until small bubbles start to form around the edges of the pot. Remove from heat. 
2. Whisk sugar mixture and whipping cream into lemon zest mixture until smooth. Place in refrigerator uncovered; cool completely, stirring often.
3. Pour mixture into ice-cream maker and proceed following manufacturer's instructions. Or, pour mixture into a chilled, shallow metal pan; cover and freeze for about 3 hours until firm. Break up into pieces and transfer to food processor; puree until smooth. Pour into chilled airtight container; freeze for 1 hour, or until firm. Soften in refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving. Makes 3 cups; serves 6.

Currant Buns:

"A staple of English Tea, these buns would have pleased the palates of the many british emigrants traveling in third class."

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 package active dry yeast (1 tablespoon)
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup currants
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon water

Procedure

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine warm water and 1 tablespoon of the sugar; sprinkle yeast over top. Let stand for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, blend together remaining sugar, flour, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, butter, and eggs. Stir in the yeast mixture until combined.
3. Make a well in the dry ingredients; using a wooden spoon, stir in yeast mixture until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto lightly floured board. Knead for 8 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.
4. Transfer dough to a large, greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch down; turn out onto floured surface; knead in currants. Shape into a 12 inch long log. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces.
5. Roll pieces of dough into smooth, seamless balls (I laughed when I read this part, btw). Place buns (I laughed again) on greased baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each bun. Cover loosely and let rest for 30 minutes. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Stir together icing sugar and water; brush over warm buns; let cool on rack. Makes 12 buns. 

CakeSpy Undercover: Whoo's Donuts, Santa Fe NM

Doughnuts, donuts. Whatever you want to call them, I go nuts for these holey treats. Since I'm writing about Whoo's Donuts in Santa Fe, NM, today, though, I'll stick with "donuts" for this post (if you want to explore the subject more, look here).

I mean, seriously. Aside from the fact that they are delicious, their very name is one of my favorite words to pun with. Some of my favorites:

If at first you donut succeed, fry, fry again.

Dead men donut bite.

Donut stop thinking about tomorrow.

Damned if you do and damned if you donut.

Donut have a cow!

Donut Stop Believin'.

and one of my faves...

(the donuts pictured in that last one are not from Whoo's, but are rather part of my donut soup recipe)

So. This is all to say, I am a lover of donuts, and as such, donut doubt my authority on telling you where to get a good one.

And if you want a delicious holey treat in Santa Fe, donut delay in getting yourself to Whoo's Donuts! Owned by the same folks as The ChocolateSmith next door, this is a fancy-ish donut shop where the donuts are more expensive than, say, Dunkin' varieties, but you definitely get what you pay for. All organic, they prominently feature the classics (yeast and cake, cream-filled); here is an example of how you can get two Vanilla Cake donuts and form a figure-eight of delicious...

And to start with the classics, they have a very good donut baseline. Especially, in this Spy's opinion, on the cake donut front. The crispy edge that they somehow attain is absolutely fantasic, lightly crunchy and giving way to a soft, cakey interior. If you get a bit of that crispy edge in every bite, you're feeling like a holey roller. 

And their delectable donuts also dress up nicely for creative, tricked-out treats. Some that I have sampled are the choco-toffee variety, sprinkled with hunks of buttery toffee atop a rich chocolate glazed chocolate donut (yes! yes!):

I have also tried the Cherry coconut donut, which is sublime. The cherry flavoring adds a little zest to the doughnut, and the fat flakes of toasty coconut on top add a pleasant crunch and a pleasing richness. 

But my favorite treat from Whoo's so far has been the Lemon Pistachio White Chocolate donut. Something about the sweetness of the white chocolate with a hint of lemon zest, complemented by the salty pistachio bits just makes me wish this was a donut I could curl up in and live inside for a while. It is just so good.

They also have donut holes ("Why-Nots")

and filled donuts (Key Lime! Caramel-filled!) and the requisite bacon variety. But next on my list to try is the Blue Corn donuts!

So, basically what I am telling you is run, donut walk, to Whoo's Donuts. And drop in to The ChocolateSmith next door for something like this:

Whoo's Donuts, 851-B Cerrillos Drive, Santa Fe NM; online here.

Pom-tastic: Pomegranate Mousse Pie Recipe

A pomegranate is a pretty special thing. Once you get past the exterior, it's like a jewelbox full of rubies.

But if pomegranates are like little rubies, then this is the dessert equivalent of surrounding the rubies with diamonds and pearls and other sparkly wonderful stuff. Pomegranate Mousse Pie. Doesn't the name just make you tingle a little? It takes the pretty pomegranate, with its tart-sweet flavor, and gives it an awesome upgrade by way of mousse-ifying it to creamy perfection.

The creamy mousse is somewhat startling in its delightful tartness, which is a wonderful contrast to the creaminess. It works wonderfully together, and when paired with a crunchy cookie crust, you've got yourself a highly crave-able dessert.

I was lucky enough to sample this pie, created by Stacy Pearl of Walter Burke Catering, at the Pie Mania event in Santa Fe, NM; the pie-maker was generous enough to share the recipe. Lucky you! 

Pomegranate Mousse Pie

By Stacy Pearl, Executive chef,  Walter Burke Catering; recipe also appears here.

Makes two pies

Ingredients

Per pie crust (make this twice):

• 1 ½ cups cookie crumbs- Graham cracker, chocolate wafers, vanilla wafers, or gingersnaps
• 6 ounces melted butter

For the filling

• ¼ cup pomegranate juice
• 1 pack (2 ¼ teaspoons) gelatin
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 cup Pomegranate Molasses
• 2 cups heavy cream divided ( 2 tablespoons added to white chocolate)
•  4 ounces chopped white chocolate
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
•  ½ cup powdered sugar

Procedure

1. To make the crust, mix melted butter with the cracker crumbs and press into the bottom of two 9 inch pie pans. Refrigerate till needed.
2. To make filling, put the pomegranate juice in a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the top then stir a little with a spoon to mix it up.
3. In a small saucepan heat the pomegranate molasses with the cardamom till it comes to a boil. Pour over the softened gelatin and stir. Let cool to room temp.
4. In the meantime, melt the chopped white chocolate in the top of a double boiler with 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Let cool. Whip up the remaining heavy cream till it starts to thicken and then add the extracts and the powdered sugar. Scrape down sides of the bowl and mix a little more. Now add the white chocolate and whip to incorporate. Next add the pomegranate gelatin mixture and mix till smooth.
5. Pour mixture into prepared crusts and refrigerate for at least 3 hours till firm. Best if made the night before. Serve with a drizzle of orange rosewater syrup ( recipe to follow) and a sprinkling of fresh pomegranate seeds. This recipe makes two 9 inch  pies. This pie may be frozen.

Orange Rosewater Syrup

Ingredients

• 4 cups sugar
• 3 cups water
• ½ cup rosewater
• ½ cup OJ concentrate
• ½ cup orange juice
• ¼ teaspoon orange oil

Procedure

Boil the water and sugar till sugar is dissolved and then add the other ingredients. Simmer 5 minutes to thicken.

Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links!

Buche de Thanksgiving!

Carrot pudding!? Believe it.

Tasty: Caramelized Peach Upside-Down Cake.

In Vermont, a quest for the Holey grail.

Chocolate marshmallow fluff cookies!

A beautiful writeup on chocolate snowballs at Zucker's Bakery.

Top 50 Cupcakes in America. What do you think?

Personalize your holidays with sweet stuff at Chronicle Books (one of my favorite publishers!). Use code GOBBLE12 for a discount!

At Disney, Main Street Bakery to be replaced by Starbucks.

Thanksgiving Croissant? Believe it!

What Scandinavian baking can teach us.

Southern food in Seattle. CAKE INCLUDED. Yum.

Attention Doughnut Lovers: Get Thee to Central Kentucky!

Pies and tarts, without fear.

CakeSpy Undercover: Sara Sara Cupcakes, Oklahoma City

You know me: I love a good cupcake.

But you know what I also love? A good cupcake shop that can also kindly suggest other bakeries in the area. I think it's a very good way to be! 

That's just what happened while visiting Pinkitzel in Oklahoma City, where they said that nearby, Sara Sara Cupcakes did some fine work. 

So over I went. I took a couple minutes to browse a very cute store next door, Shop Good before entering the cupcake den. 

It's an interesting configuration - the cupcake shop is actually in a house. It makes you feel like you're going into someone's cupcake house! 

The cupcake counter had a nice array of cakes in a variety of flavors. You can check out their full menu here, but here's some of what I saw. 

After much debate, I chose the Apricot Ricotta Cupcake, which had ricotta in the cake batter, and cream cheese frosting.

Isn't it pretty?

NOM! This was a very large, and very tasty cupcake. I will tell the truth, I didn't get a *ton* of ricotta flavor, the cream cheese frosting kind of masked it--but that is a comment, not a complaint, because cream cheese frosting is one of my favorite things, and I think it should be a food group. The cake was tender and moist and assertively dense, which suited me just fine. The apricot bits on the top were a very nice way to round out the tanginess of the cream cheese. 

A very nice cupcake stop indeed--I'll happily visit again next time I'm in OKC!

7 NW 9th Street, Oklahoma City; online here.

Baker's Dozen: Thanksgiving Links

Pumpkin? Apple? Pecan? Why decide? A pie that has all of them in one.

Pie? Why? A brief history of Pumpkin Pie.

It looks sweet, but it's not. Turkey Cake.

Don't like pie? Why not make cake? Here's a recipe for Buche de Thanksgiving.

How 'bout...pumpkin pie in a gingersnap crust?

A personal favorite: Pecan Cranberry pie in a Maple Peanut Butter Cookie Crust!

How to make adorable Turkey Cupcakes.

Easy and cute: Thanksgiving Turkey Cookies!

Prepare for the leftovers: Leftover Pie Milkshake!

Cranberry Bar Cookies, made from a recipe in my book, CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life  

When you're making lots of pie, you might have pie dough scraps. Idea: PIE FRIES!

CakeSpy Suggests: Grow Your Handmade Business by Kari Chapin

CakeSpy is not only the best website in the world, but it is also my job. I am not a millionaire by any means, but I am occasionally a hundredaire based on my income generated by the site (via various channels: selling my artwork, advertising, book royalties, et cetera).

It's pretty much the best job ever, but I wouldn't say it's always easy. And gosh, when I started the business, I wish I had a book like Kari Chapin's Grow Your Handmade Business: How to Envision, Develop, and Sustain a Successful Creative Business. 

Here's the book synopsis:

Are you ready to make a living from your craft? Applying her trademark "you-can-do-it" coaching style to the nuts and bolts of business planning, Kari Chapin covers all of the issues involved in turning your creative hobby into a successful business--from mapping out a business plan to expanding production and distribution, finding funding, and addressing legal matters. With this definitive guide, you'll discover how to grow your business beyond the dining room table and finally quit your day job.

 But the upside of the fact that I didn't have this book is that I had to go through lots of ups and downs and growing pains, and I got to share some of them in this book. You can read about my business mission statement (pictured above), tips on how to be more efficient (below), and more!  So, basically you can learn from my experiences (and those of other business owners I admire, such as Lisa Congdon, Kristen Rask, Allison Lee, and others!). 

This is a fantastic book for small/alternative business owners of any type; if you're a crafter or artist of some type, even better.

Buy the book here: Grow Your Handmade Business: How to Envision, Develop, and Sustain a Successful Creative Business. Visit Kari's website here.

Million Dollar Shortbread Bars

If you are what you eat, then I'm rich, good-looking, and incredibly easy. Wait, what? Well, luckily I'm not what I eat, but what I'm calling Million Dollar Shortbread Bars (as a sort of homage to Millionaire's Shortbread, to which I'd consider these a cousin) are all of those things and more. 

Let me explain. It all went down after Walker's Shorbread sent me a big box of their goodies to use in my inventive baking experiments (hard life, I know). Now, I consider their shortbread good already, but I thought I could really make it sing by mashing it together with chocolate and almonds. And butter. Because...

Oh, I should also mention that I needed something fast--with no dessert on hand, this was something of a dessert 911. But who knew that what began as a quest for a quick and tasty dessert would yield such a treasure?

Here's what I did.

First, I crushed a box of Quadruple Chocolate Crunch Biscuits and a box of Pure Butter Vanilla Shortbread, mashing them together on pulse mode in a powerful blender, along with 3 tablespoons of melted butter. On a whim, I decided to add about 3 ounces of almond paste (you know, the kind in the silver tube). I pulsed until it was all nicely incorporated. Then, I pressed it into a pan and baked until nice and toasty.

Meanwhile, I melted about 4 ounces of chocolate with half a stick o' butter. When I took the crust out of the oven, I poured the melty chocolate on top, then sprinkled it with some toasted almonds (I toasted them in the residual heat of the oven after baking the crust) and a sprinkling of salt. 

And Oh. My. God. How to describe the experience of biting into one of these nuggets of pure pleasure? They are the perfect marriage of chocolate and shortbread and almonds, all wrapped together in a big, buttery hug. Oddly but not unpleasantly, the almond paste in the crust paired with the chocolate almost gave it a cherry-ish taste. A single bite is a powerhouse, stopping you in your tracks because you simply don't know how to handle all the awesome in your mouth. How could such complexity come from such a seemingly humble bite? Moreover, this is a dessert that is surprising, sublime, and overwhelming--so decadent that you think you should probably stop, but you just can't. Proof is evident by the fact that a friend and I ate almost the entire pan in one sitting (no, really). That's why all the pictures are of the same two little pieces of the bars. They were all that was left!

As previously mentioned, I've named them to give homage to Millionaire's Shortbread, but I've changed the name because they're related, but not quite the same. 

Million Dollar Shortbread Bars

Crust

• 1 box Quadruple chocolate crunch biscuits
• 1 box Pure Butter Vanilla Shortbread
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 ounces almond paste

Topping

• 4 ounces semisweet or dark chocolate
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• sea salt, for sprinkling on top

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan.

Combine the cookies and melted butter in a food processor or blender with a pulse mode. Press it into the pan and bake for about 10 minutes, or until lightly golden on the edges (hard to see because of the chocolate; look for a dull, toasty finish). Remove from the oven. You can toast the almonds at the same time for a few minutes during the baking (it will take about 5 minutes or so to toast 'em).

While this bakes, melt the chocolate and butter together over low heat. Gently pour over the finished crust (it's ok if it is still quite warm) and spread as gently as possible so you don't tear up the delicate crust. Sprinkle the toasty almonds on top, and add a generous sprinkling of sea salt.  Let them cool before serving for optimum prettiness, but if you're greedy like me, eat them right away with the chocolate still melty on top. 

Gingerbread House Decorating Class in Philadelphia

Totally sweet! You could pimp out your own gingerbread digs in style with this class by Bredenbeck's Bakery!

Here's the 411:

Join the Bredenbeck's elves and create your own gingerbread masterpiece! Grab your kids, your friends or your sweetie and celebrate the season with gingerbread fun in our new cafe. We'll provide assembled gingerbread houses and all the fixings to decorate them, plus refreshments and assistance from our helpful instructors. It'll be the sweetest way you celebrate your holiday season!

Where:

Meet at Bredenbeck's Bakery and Ice Cream Parlor, 8126 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118. We'll walk you over to our new cafe spot!

Dates:

Parent/Child Classes: 1-3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, December 1,2 - 8, 9 - 15, 16.
Enjoy holiday family bonding, and let us clean up the mess!

Adult Classes: 7-9 p.m. on Wednesdays, November 28, December 5, 12 and 19. B.Y.O.B. A super-sweet way to unwind with friends and loved ones.

Cost:

6" House: $35
12" House: $50
Fee covers admission for two people, which includes assembled house, decorations, instruction and refreshments.

Please call 215-247-7374 to register. More info here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Federhofer's Bakery, St. Louis Area

It's a funny thing about bakeries. These days, a more boutique-y, spare sort of display is favored. And that's just great. I love it.

But sometimes, I just have a craving for an old-school bakery that is totally packed with pastries of every sort, cookies by the pound, cakes, pies, and bars; you know, the type where you take a number and they call when you're up. 

If you love this kind of bakery, I promise--I absolutely promise--that you will adore Federhofer's Bakery, on the outskirts of St. Louis, Missouri.

It's been there roughly forever (ok, since 1966). Per their website:

 Federhofer's Bakery was  established in 1966 by Bill Federhofer with a vision for success and a taste of  perfection. Federhofer's has built a reputation for providing the freshest and highest quality of baked goods for over 46 years. We have been using the same recipes over the decades to ensure our customers a wide variety of  baked goods and the same great taste.

Well, they've certainly honed their art. It's a bustling, good-smelling bakery, and they have all sorts of interesting pastries. Can I tell you about them?

Some of their specialties are stollen and danish.

They have cakes and bars galore.

Sticky buns and cinnamon rolls.

and lots, lots more!

So after my number was up, the friendly employee walked me through their entire menu, and here's what I chose. 

First, a plain doughnut. A good litmus test of any bakery. And in this case, a fine specimen: soft and cakey and just enough oiliness to let you know it was, indeed, fried. A gentle, lightly sweet flavor. Nice.

and of course, a gooey butter cake. To the uninitiated, this buttery cake--made of a soft, cakey crust topped with, well, a gooey butter mixture. It's said to have been invented when a baker made a mistake baking a cake and ended up with this delicious thing. It was an instant classic. It's quite similar to Philadelphia Butter Cake, but the St. Louis version is more likely to include cream cheese. Like Philadelphia butter cake, in St. Louis, the cake is generally sold by the 8-or-9 inch pan rather than by individual slices, and is more a morning coffee cake than an after-dinner dessert.

And the gooey butteriness has pervaded other areas of the menu--behold, a gooey butter danish!! It was sweetness overload, in the best way possible. 

I also got a taste of a St. Louis specialty--coconut toast! Interestingly, it seems to be a sweet treat that has faded in popularity, because even some residents I asked didn't even know what it was. But I found it at good ol' Federhofers! Basically a use for day-old bread, it's (to the best of my knowledge) brushed with sweetened condensed milk and coconut, and toasted. That's it. Simple, but oh so good. 

So, after having had a wonderful experience at Federhofer's, I urge you to visit them if you find yourself in St. Louis. They've been doing it since 1966, and based on what I tasted, they have been doing it right. 

Federhofer's Bakery, 9005 Gravois Road, Affton MO; online here. 

Giveaway: An Amish Kitchen

I don't know about you, but I love it when fiction incorporates food. A heartwarming story that is punctuated by recipes? Sign me up, yo.

And now, I'm ready to give away a copy of An Amish Kitchen, just such a book. Here's the synopsis:

- - - - -

The Amish Kitchen is the Heart of the Home – and the Ideal Setting for Stories of Love and Hope.

Fall in Paradise, Pennsylvania always brings a brisk change in the weather. This time also provides unexpected visitors, new love, and renewed hope for three women.

Fern has a green thumb for healing herbs and flowers, but longs for love to bloom in her life. The next-door neighbor’s oldest son Abram comes running into Fern’s kitchen seeking help for his little sister. The crisis soon leads to a promise of romance—until an incident threatens to end their growing attraction.

Nearby, Hannah runs her parents’ bed and breakfast, Paradise Inn—but her life feels nothing like Paradise. She longs for a man of integrity to enter her life, but never expected him to knock on the front door looking for a room. Will she be able trust Stephen with her future once she discovers his mysterious past?

When a storm blows a tree onto Eve’s farmhouse, she has little choice but to temporarily move her family into her parents’ home. Outside of cooking together in the kitchen, Eve and her mother can’t agree on anything. But this may be just the recipe for hope in healing old wounds.

Three Amish stories—each celebrating love, family, and faith—all taking place in a tight-knit community where the kitchen truly is the heart of the home.

- - - - -

Oh, and it has recipes, too. Here's one of them, with one of the authors pictured holding the pie!

Rosemary’s Apple Crumb Pie

• 6 cups peeled and sliced (or chopped) apples
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup ½ & ½ cream
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Crumbs:

• ½ cup butter, cold
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup flour

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients and place in an unbaked pie shell.
• Combine crumb mixture and sprinkle on top.
•  Bake at 325°F for 55 minutes or until apples are done.

Now. Back to the giveaway. Want to win a copy of An Amish Kitchen? Cool, dudes. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post, or on the CakeSpy Facebook page, telling me your favorite type of fall pie. Traditional Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie? Rich pecan pie with cranberry? You tell me. But do it before next Monday, the 19th, at 5pm EST - cos the giveaway will close then! Because the book will be shipped from the publisher, US residents only, please.

Update on 2012-11-19 21:49 by Cakespy

UPDATE: THE WINNER!

I've chosen a winner at random! It's Cathy, who had this to say about her fall pie preference:

I LOVE so many pies it is hard to decide! I guess, well let me see...... oh my this is hard :-(
Fruit pies are great, so are cream filling pies, grandma always made her special recipe cheesecake, but, that is not a pie. :-[ I do love ice cream pies, do they count? A nice cool chocolate mint ice cream pie! It that doesn't count, then I pick fresh razzelberry pie with ice cream! 

Congratulations Cathy, and enjoy!

CakeSpy Undercover: Ingrid's Kitchen, Oklahoma City

What do you think of when you think of German food? I think of food that will get you fed. Brats, beer, breads, cream and carbohydrates. You know, all the major food groups.

And boy, oh, boy, was I fed well at Ingrid's Kitchen, a German cafe-bakery-bar in Oklahoma City. Actually, I spent about 3 hours there, so I got to do a LOT of sampling. 

First, we'll start with breakfast. I got something savory, which I won't go into, but I will tell you about the biscuit on the side. It was very feathery and light. Usually I prefer denser biscuits, but the flavor on this thing brought me over to the featherweight side, if only for the few minutes I was eating. It really, really pleased me.

I stayed at the cafe for a while to work on some writing (the staff was very nice about that) and got to ogle a lot of their sweets. So many items seemed like they were from another era - it was like being able to walk into the pages of my beloved Betty Crocker's Cooky Book.

After looking at every single thing they had, I settled on a few things. 

First, a beautiful brownie (pictured top). Nice and chewy and with chocolate frosting, it was an old-school brownie, not a rich and redolent of deep dark chocolate type, but like a fancier homemade version of the Little Debbie Brownies I love so much. 

I also got a Streusel Bar. Dear god was this thing good. Here's a moody picture of it taken through a screen door.

I don't know what was in the streusel bar, but it had a softie crust, a gooey filling (with cream cheese?) and a streusel topping which had toasty coconut in it. It was sweet, tangy, lightly salty, crispy, and coconutty, and I wish I could wear the scent of it as a perfume, and eat my weight in them every day. 

I also got several of the divinity cookies. Sweet morsels, quick to melt in the mouth but oh, for that fleeting moment of sweet bliss!

Seriously, every single thing that I got at this bakery was amazing. It was unfussy, unpretentious and yet everything was clearly made with care. I left wishing that another location would open down the street from my house, because wouldn't it be wonderful to step back in time just as easily as walking into a bakery? 

For a fantastic place to spend a few hours, PLEASE visit Ingrid's Kitchen! 3701 N. Youngs, Oklahoma City; online here.

CakeSpy Undercover: Chocolate Maven, Santa Fe NM

When a place has a name like Chocolate Maven, you'd probably expect the walls and fixtures to be made of chocolate, not to mention every single thing for sale. 

But you're not entirely right. 

While Santa Fe's Chocolate Maven does have a highly respectable offering of chocolate goodies, it's got a whole lot more than just chocolate going on. It's a bakery / cafe / tea shop / restaurant. They have a counter in the front filled with fresh bread and baked goods, ranging from breakfast type items to cakes and pies. And cupcakes!

In the back, it's a restaurant, where they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For sweets lovers, the brunch (chocolate almond crepes! Peach compote French Toast!), High Tea (Champagne Tea for two: two types of finger sandwiches, chocolate-dipped strawberries, two glasses of champagne!) and dessert menus in particular will probably be of interest. 

When it comes to the baked goods, I haven't sampled extensively, but I have enjoyed what I have tried (um, none of it with chocolate). First, the mexican wedding cake. This is absolutely one of my favorite types of cookies: soft, crumbly, luxuriantly buttery, and nutty to boot. The Maven's version was a very nice size--not teeny tiny, but with a nice heft to it. The flavor was just perfect--the buttery nuttiness rendered completely addictive with the addition of sweet confectioners' sugar. 

The cherry tart was also highly pleasant - with a rich, crumbly crust which acted as the tasty bed for a dollop of custard topped with sweet cherries. I felt like chocolate shavings would have been a nice addition to this dessert, but this thought didn't in any way keep any part of the tart from being devoured. 

Chocolate Maven has won a ton of awards over the years, and I can see why. They do sweet stuff right.  And you know what? I really can't wait to get back here to try some of the other things on the menu, like hazelnut cheesecake or an almond fudge brownie, or the Mayan chile hot chocolate, or the Mocha Mousse Petit Four Grande with Caramel Sauce (try saying that five times fast!). 

Chocolate Maven, 821 W. San Mateo Road, Santa Fe NM; online here.