Travel Spotlight: Cali Cakes

Motto of Citizen Cake

California offers much more than beaches, sand and sun – it presents a plethora of sweets for the trying. From exploring Northern and Southern regions, and even venturing to an island, the Golden State offers a wide variety of tasty treats.

San Francisco
– Citizen Cake: I tried the pineapple upside down cupcake because, on the small description card next to this particular treat, it mentioned it was featured on the Food Network. It was a little late in the day, so I can excuse that the cake was not as moist as it may have been right after it was baked. I enjoyed the overall flavor, and the caramelized, syrupy pineapple made for an atypical cake consistency. I’m sorry to report that this cute place has closed.
– Andersen Bakery: The Halloween cupcake – vanilla cupcake with pumpkin spice frosting – was the natural selection for the time of year for my first visit. The cake had a nice consistency, though the frosting was a little too sweet (imagine when your teeth ache a bit from the punch of sugar).

Santa Monica
– Yummy Cupcake: The banana split cupcake was not particularly reminiscent of the classic ice cream sundae. The cake did not have a strong banana presence, though it was topped with a maraschino cherry. Caramel corn was a somewhat new one – I had tried kettle corn at Sweets Bakeshop before. The frosting had a slight caramel flavor, though the cake did not resemble a texture similar to popcorn.

Pubcakes

San Diego
– Heavenly Cupcake: The strawberry cupcake was about average – the flavor was pleasant, not artificial though not particularly strong either. The chocolate kahlua lacked the essence of the liqueur, and the cake itself was fine. Nothing particularly special or memorable, and provides a good sugar rush in a pinch.
– PubCakes: This San Diego establishment no longer has a brick-and-mortar store, shifting instead to farmer’s markets and festivals. I would highly recommend giving it a whirl. I am biased because I appreciated their approach – there aren’t too many beer-themed bakeries out in the world (though I have tried Prohibition Bakery on the Lower East Side of Manhattan as well). The top ten cake, made from a concoction of IPA, cayenne caramel and cherry, topped with ancho chile frosting, was nice and spicy. The red velvet glove was relatively mild amongst the other selections with a milk-based frosting while the stoned portzilla  packed a punch with porter, coffee ganache and caramelized coconut. The smoking chimpanzee was another highlight (I’m partial to treats with a little heat), and this was no exception – chocolate cake with chipotle whipped cream and banana chocolate ganache.

Pumpkin cupcake,
Andersen Bakery

– Frosted Robin: Located in Seaport Village, this sunny little bake shop offers a good variety of cupcakes and other treats. We tried the Cayman, a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and coriander in a vanilla-based cake. It was topped with a thick (and very sweet) frosting with cinnamon dusted across the top. I could have spent more time in the cheerful interior, and would be up for giving another one a try.
– Coronado Cupcakery: This cupcakery is located on Coronado Island. The trip over the bridge is worth doing itself, though I wouldn’t recommend adding this bakery to the “to do” list. The Mexican chocolate and chai tea cupcakes were overpriced and underwhelming, resembling more of a muffin than a cupcake (denser, less fluffy). The frosting had an odd aftertaste, a flavor that was strange and difficult to discern.

While I was able to sample quite a few varieties, I know there is much left to taste. As always, suggestions are more than welcome!

Until next time,
SugarSource

Recipe: Irish Barm Brack Muffins

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! In honor of the holiday, I gave a barm brack recipe a whirl. A ring and a quarter are usually hidden in these traditional Irish cakes: the lucky person to find the quarter is destined to become wealthy, and the finder of the ring will be married in the near future. Since the recipe does not call for frosting, I’m going to refer to these as muffins (cupcakes, in my book, always have some sort of icing).

A quick caveat: allspice isn’t for everyone, so this may not be the crowd-pleaser that the chocolate cake was from a previous post. However, why not get into the spirit of the day (especially when this doesn’t require any green dye)?

Ingredients
– raisins  – golden raisins  – currants  – black tea {brewed}  – flour  – allspice  – brown sugar  – baking powder  – salt  – egg  – butter – milk

Directions
Soak 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup golden raisins and 1/2 cup currants in 1 cup brewed black tea overnight (or for at least 6 hours).

The following day, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a muffin pan.

In a large bowl, mix 4 cups flour, 1 tsp allspice, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, mix together 1 egg and 1/2 cup melted butter. Strain the soaked dried fruit, and add to the wet mixture. Fold into the dry ingredients, slowly stirring until fully combined, alternating with 1 cup milk (I used 2%).

Measure the batter into the pan, distributing equally between the 12 cups. This is when, if you so desire, you should place a ring and a quarter (heavily cleaned/soaked with dish soap) into two separate muffin molds. Bake for 30 minutes (depending on your oven and altitude) until the tops are golden brown. Remove and cool for 5 minutes in the pans, then remove and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm, traditionally with butter.

These are a great breakfast treat any morning, but especially when the day’s plans may include imbibing, another of today’s traditions. Sláinte!

Until next time,
SugarSource

Dear Sugar Source: Freezing A Cake

Dear Sugar Source,
I’m going to a party mid-week and I want to bake a cake for the event but I only really have time to do so on the weekends. Can I make the cake on Saturday, freeze it and bring it to the function the following Friday? Will this ruin the cake? I’m making a basic yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Please let me know!

Sincerely,
Concerned Part-Time Cake Baker

Dear Concerned Part-Time Cake Bakery,
I’m not sure the occasion, but I’ve found that homemade treats are received well at most functions. Regarding your concerns, you can absolutely bake ahead and freeze. Frozen cakes are actually easier to decorate – less crumbs flake off during the frosting process, and there isn’t a chance that the cake’s temperature will start melting the icing either. I’ve provided a few pointers below:
– Freezing works best with rich, dense cakes. Angel food, for example, may not hold up to this approach.
– Once the cake is completely cooled on wire racks, place in the freezer. Once completely frozen, wrap the cake in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of tin foil. If you have multiple layers, wrap them individually.
– Cream cheese frosting can stand up to being frozen. However, I would recommend leaving the frosting until the day-of.
– On the morning of the day you would like to serve the cake (Friday, in this case), take the cake out of the freezer. Whip up the icing and frost as usual. By the evening’s festivities, the cake should be thawed while still remaining moist for your guests.

Good luck with the cake – I’m sure it will be wonderful!

Until next time,
SugarSource

Travel Spotlight: Seattle Sweet Spots

Doughnut,
Top Pot

Seattle may be best known as the birth place of Starbucks and for the 12th Man, but it has quite a few sweets to offer to visitors and residents alike. I swept through the city on a business trip, and managed to sample some of Seattle’s sugary selections while in town.

Top Pot. Touted for it’s hand-forged doughnuts, it is no surprise that this local shop made the list. While I preferred raised as a child, cake are my go-to these days and though I made the switch, my love of sprinkles has remained consistent. The chocolate icing was a sweet balance to the salty-sweet cake dough. And the sprinkles? The perfect complement.

Chocolate Box. Located about a half-mile off of Pike’s Place, this wonderland has cakes, cookies, macaroons, and a wide variety of chocolates and wines available for tasting and purchase. They had a small selection of cupcakes available from Pinkabella, and I tried the snickerdoodle. It was moist and dense with a strong cinnamon profile. I would give another a try, though I would probably try to seek out one of the bakery’s locations to see the full cupcake spread.

Cupcakes,
Yellow Leaf

Cupcake Royale. Blackberries were in season while I was visiting, so the blackberry buckle was a natural choice. A substantial mound of blackberry-flavored frosting greeted me – it wasn’t until my second bite that I reached the delicate, fluffy cake below. It was delicious, a wonderful combination of vanilla and natural blackberry flavor fused together in a small, delightful package. This experience, combined with the cupcakery’s encouragement to practice “Random Acts of Kindness,” makes this institution “king” in my book.

Yellow Leaf Cupcakes. This small shop, which refers to itself as a “micro bakery,” manages to pack a large variety of cupcakes in a small space. I gave two a try:  chocolate pomegranate and passionfruit guava. The chocolate pomegranate lacked the distinct flavor of the fruit, which I imagine is hard to capture naturally. The cake was unremarkable – neither dry nor too moist, but not memorable either. The passionfruit curd of the second cupcake was wonderfully tart and sweet, though the frosting was flavorless with the consistency of shortening.

I was pleasantly pleased with the few treats I managed to taste while in town, and I look forward to trying several more on my next visit to The Emerald City.

Until next time,
SugarSource

Recipe: Cafe Latte Chocolate Cake Recreation

I found a recipe to recreate my favorite chocolate cake from Cafe Latte in the Twin Cities, and had to make the attempt (I don’t believe the bakery ships to the East Coast). It is a great addition to an Easter Day brunch or an occasion that calls for a chocolately celebration.

Ingredients
– egg  – vegetable oil  – buttermilk  – flour  – sugar  – cocoa powder  – salt  – baking soda  – hot coffee  – milk  – butter  – semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch cake pans.

Combine 1 egg, 2/3 cup oil and 1 cup buttermilk. In a large separate bowl, mix 2 cups flour, 1 3/4 cups sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon baking soda. Gradually add wet ingredients to dry until well-mixed. Slowly add 1 cup hot coffee, and pour the mixture equally between the two pans. If you have any extra, you can pour into a greased cupcake tin (make sure you adjust baking time, as they will be done faster than the larger cakes).

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the toothpicks come out clean. Rest in pans 10 minutes, then turn onto wire rack to cool completely.

While the cakes are cooling, mix 1/2 cup milk and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan. Add 6 tablespoons butter and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and add the chocolate chips, using a whisk to mix until smooth.

To assemble the cake, place the first layer on the serving tray, add a layer of frosting (use your discretion, but should be about 2/5 of the frosting). Place the second layer and use remaining frosting. It is a bit runny, so it is something to take into consideration when attempting to make designs.

Let cool and serve. Don’t be surprised if you receive requests for this cake again!

Until next time,
SugarSource