A-Maize-ing: How to Make Candy Corn at Home

Where does candy corn come from? Had you asked me a week ago, I would have said "from a bag, of course!". But when my friends at Serious Eats asked me to make a homemade batch for my weekly feature on their site, I quickly embarked on a crash course in DIY confectionery.

While commercially produced candy corn is made using hella machinery and takes 4-5 days to make, the at-home version is surprisingly easy (even for candymaking novices like myself!), and far more flavorful than the store-bought type. Oh, and if you are so inclined, you could use the dough to make your own mellowcreme pumpkins too.

Curious? You can check out the full recipe here.

Cakewalk: A Sweet Boston Bakery Guide from Cake Gumshoe Phuong

CakeSpy Note: Want the best bakery suggestions? Ask a local! Read on to discover Boston-based Cake Gumshoe Phuong's favorite bakeries in Beantown! You might want to check out her sweet online shop, too!

I love Boston. I’ve lived here all my life. Boston has so much history and many fun activities to do. Most importantly, we have some of the best bakeries around. Follow me and I’ll show you a glimpse of what Boston has to offer and why I’m living a sweet life.

Omni Parker House: Well, I can’t talk about cakes and sweets in Boston without starting with our famous Boston cream pie. This cake (yes, cake!) was invented at the Parker House Hotel in 1855 by French chef M. Sanzian. Today you can still enjoy the cake at its birthplace now known as the Omni Parker House. If you think you’ve had a Boston cream pie before, think again. It is served as a small individual cake; not a slice of a larger one. The moist sponge cake is filled with a scrumptious pastry cream and covered with chocolate fondant icing. It is then finished with a cool spider-web design on top and the sides are covered in toasted almond (pictured top) It is heavenly!

Tip: Don’t forget to look around and enjoy the beautiful details of this historic hotel.

60 School Street, Boston, MA 02108 (617) 227-8600; online at omnihotels.com.

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Mike's Pastry: As you are walking around Boston or riding the T, you’ll probably notice many people holding a little white pastry box with blue letters. There’s a reason for it. Mike’s Pastry in the North End is known to have some of the best cannolis around. I really like the classic plain cannoli. The rich cream filling is not too sweet and the handmade shell is always fresh and crisp. Sometimes I don’t go there for the cannolis at all. I love their rainbow cookies and different types of macaroons (pistachio nut, almond, raspberry, etc.). This place is very popular especially at night so be prepared to wait in a long line.

Tip: Some Bostonians will say that Mike’s Pastry is a tourist trap and they will tell you to go to Modern Pastry Shop instead. There’s a constant debate as to which bakery is better. Both are on Hanover Street so my suggestion is to try both or go to the one with the shorter line. I personally haven’t tried Modern yet so I can’t comment.

300 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113 (617) 742-3050; online at mikespastry.com.

(For those interested in Modern Pastry, it is located at 257 Hanover St.; online at modernpastry.com)

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Sweet: This is one of Boston’s few cupcakeries. I’ve followed the cupcake craze for a while now and it’s wonderful for Boston to finally have our own cupcake-only bakery. I love the ultra-girly pink and white décor. They even had My Fair Lady playing on the flatscreen while I was there. I tried the red velvet cupcake and it was good. I adore it because it’s a fun place to have a cupcake with your friends and although I prefer to bake my own, it’s nice to be able to pick up the pretty cupcakes as gifts when I’m in a hurry.

Two locations: 49 Mass Ave, Boston, MA 02115 (617) 247 CAKE; or, Zero Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 547 CAKE; online at sweet-cupcakes.com.

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Finale: This place offers beautiful fancy-looking cakes that are rich and decadent. I love looking at their bakery case. There are rows and rows of perfectly decorated cakes. The ultimate indulgence at Finale is to sit down and enjoy their plated desserts. Try the mini dessert sampler. It has mini versions of their popular desserts such as crème brulee, cheesecake, Boston cream pie, whoppie pies, sorbet, etc. It’s meant to be shared but I can definitely enjoy it all by myself!

Tip: Definitely come for dessert but enjoy your meal elsewhere. The food at Finale is okay. There are better places in Boston for lunch and dinner. Cakes and pastries are available for take-out.

Three locations: One Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02116 (617) 423-3184; another at 1306 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446 (617) 232-3233; another at 30 Dunster St, Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 441-9797; online at finaledesserts.com.

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Chinatown Picks: Many people might not know this but Chinatown is a great place to get baked goods. The pastries are good and not too sweet. Best of all they cost about a dollar or less a piece. I usually go to Eldo Cake House or Mei Sum Bakery for their layered sponge cake. It is filled with fresh strawberries or peaches and whipped cream. The cake is so light and fresh. You can buy a whole cake or just a slice of it. My favorite “bao” or bun is called “gai mei bao”. This bun is filled with a delicious sweet coconut and butter mixture. You can get this bun at most bakeries in Chinatown but I think Ho Yuen makes the best one. My other favorites are the custard-filled bun, ham and egg bun, hot dog bun, and so much more. Since they are so cheap, buy a bunch and try them all.


Tip: Service can be rushed and unfriendly depending on how busy they are. Just don’t take it too personally.

Eldo Cake House: 36 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111 (617) 350-7977.
Mei Sum Bakery: 40 Beach St, Boston, MA 02111 (617) 357-4050.
Ho Yuen Bakery: 54 Beach St, Boston, MA 02111 (617) 426-8320.

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Johnny Cupcakes: This could be the best prank store in Boston. Many shoppers are surprised to find out that this store doesn’t sell cupcakes at all! Every time I’m in there, there are always a few confused and clearly disappointed customers asking the staff, “So you don’t sell cupcakes?” I wonder if the staff gets tired of answering this question. I can’t blame the customers though. Johnny Cupcakes sells fun baked-goods-themed t-shirts that are displayed in bakery cases and refrigerators. It’s pretty deceiving from afar. You can read the story on how this business got started on their website. It’s pretty awesome. The t-shirts have a huge following because most are limited editions. It’s a great place to pick up something sweet without all the extra calories!

279 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116 (617) 375-0100; online at johnnycupcakes.com.

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Flour Bakery: Lastly, if you only have time to visit one bakery while you’re in Boston, you have to go to Flour Bakery. To Food Network fans, this is the bakery where the owner, Joanne Chang, beats Bobby Flay in the Sticky Bun Throwdown. Yes, all the rumors about these amazing sticky buns are true. They are so popular that they are usually sold out by lunchtime. If they’re gone by the time you get there, don’t be too disappointed. In my opinion, the sticky buns’ fame really overshadows all the other tasty baked goods. Some of my favorite morning pastries are the blueberry muffin tops which are jam-packed with fresh blueberries and the twice-baked brioche; an almond lover’s dream. For lunchtime, there are even more goodies to pick from: rich brownies, housemade oreos, raspberry crumbs bar, coconut macaroons, cornmeal lime cookies, cupcakes, etc. Try the fresh fruit tart, the lemon-raspberry curd cake, or the triple chocolate mousse cake if you’re in the mood for a fancier dessert. Flour even has their version of the Boston cream pie if you didn’t make it over to the Omni Parker House. You really can’t go wrong with anything from this bakery.

Tip: You can call ahead and reserve the sticky buns. Just make sure you call early in the morning if you’re picking up on the same day. Flour Bakery also serves delicious sandwiches and lunch specials so the line is very long during lunchtime. Avoid the lunch rush if you can. This way you’ll have more time looking at all the wonderful pastries.

CakeSpy Note: You may also like owner Joanne Chang's pop-tart recipe, which was featured on CakeSpy a while back!

Two locations: 12 Farnsworth St, Boston, MA 02210 (617)-338-4333; or 1595 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118 (617)-267-4300; online at flourbakery.com.

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The final word? There are so many other bakeries that I can list but these are my go-to ones. I hope I’ve entice you enough to put Boston on your travel list. It’s great place to visit especially if you have a sweet tooth!

Bake it Pretty: A Super Sweet Giveaway!

Probably you already know about Bake it Pretty, the cutest online source for baking decorations, packaging supplies, and other notions. And if you don't already know it, you will love it. But whether this shop is a new discovery or an old friend, one thing will hold true: you want what they are selling. One of everything, please.

And now, you can get a great head start with this super-sweet giveaway: a $50 gift certificate to BakeitPretty.com!

You probably don't need to be told that this is an awesome giveaway.

To put yourself in the running, simply leave a comment below with your answer to the following question:

Which part of making a cake (or any baked good) is the most fun: baking or decorating?

The cake poll is open all week--but be sure to enter before 12 p.m. PST on Friday, October 16! In the meantime, please feel free to click over to bakeitpretty.com to choose what you'd buy with the prize--you might want to check out their blog as well! 

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UPDATE: The Cake Poll is closed! Congratulations to the winner, Olivia from Ann Arbor, MI!

Cake Quandary: What Kind of Cupcakes Do Celebrities Eat?

As a loyal reader of In Touch and US Weekly, I have come to depend on their thoughtful writing and vivid photographs. But as thorough and thought-provoking as the articles are, there is one facet of celebrity culture which I have found lacking in these fine publications: what kind of cake do celebrities like to eat?

Happily, The Cupcakery in Las Vegas has got this important subject covered, and recently sent me on some of the inside scoop on what flavors celebrities have enjoyed. Curious? Here is just a sampling of documented celebrity cupcake flavor picks (some with pictures!):

Avril Lavigne chose Tickle Me Pink.

Lance Bass had red velvet with special birthday decorations;

Fergie had a specialty assortment;
Quentin Tarantino loved the chocolate passion;
Joey Fatone is a red velvet fan;
Boys II Men (so circa 1992!) love red velvet;
Jermaine O’Neil (NBA) digs red velvet;
Pete Wentz (AKA Mr. Ashlee Simpson) is also a fan of the red velvet.

So what does this tell us all? As one associate of The Cupcakery aptly put it, "I guess red velvet is the most popular!". And why wouldn't it be--their version of the classic treat, the Southern Belle, is a red velvet cupcake that's been in the owner's family for decades. Of course, other flavors on the menu, like Orange Julius, Pink Lemonade, Oh My Gosh Ganache and (coming soon) the Elvis sound pretty good too.

Of course, it still doesn't answer the bigger question of why we never actually see celebrities eating cake. But still, it does make for some fun gossip, and the cupcakes do look wonderful.

Want more? Check them out online at thecupcakery.com.

Sweet Art: Flying for Illustration Friday

This week's Illustration Friday theme is "Flying", which made me think about the sometimes trying experience that is air travel. Looks like Cuppie isn't so much bothered by a fear of flying as much as he is irritated by the flight delay!