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
SugarSource 