Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links!

Stand by for some sweet TV: the Food Network debuts Last Cake Standing, a show in which only the sweetest survive, on April 5. (picture of contestant Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes, above)

11:11 makes totally sweet cake and baked good-themed checkbook and passport covers, notebooks and yes--even condom holders.

Have you kept up to date with the fantastic adventures that our friend Bakerella recently had with Ree of The Pioneer Woman Cooks?

NY Cupcakes in Bellevue is under new ownership--we hear the cakes have improved too!

They fly through the air with the greatest of ease: Portland's Saint Cupcake is now shipping customizable cupcake kits.

Boston's Taste Coffee House shares their recipe for a creamy & rich Affogato Shake.

Indian Curry and Pistachio brittle? You had us at hello, Morning Glory Confections.

Curio Confections is opening soon in Seattle--just look at their tantalizing menu!

CakeSpy reader Kathy has made us obsessed with cotton candy cupcakes--has anyone ever tried them (or does anyone have a recipe to share)?

Hoosier Mama has an awesome name and awesome looking pies in Chicago.

In Seattle, Immortal Dog proves that dogs deserve delicious cookies too.

S&M meets sugar, with a spikey torture dessert pedestal by LASdesigns.

Don't forget: learn about the sweeter side of business at the upcoming CRAVEbusiness SHOP Symposium this Sunday!

Sweet Art: Legendary for Illustration Friday

This week's Illustration Friday theme is Legendary, and what characters could be more memorable than that snarky British duo Eddy and Patsy from Absolutely Fabulous? As cupcakes, their boozy fillings would be nothing short of legendary!

Cake Byte: CRAVEbusiness SHOP Symposium, Featuring CakeSpy

Running CakeSpy.com is certainly a fun job: drawing pictures of (and writing about) cake and baked goods all day--what could be sweeter? But have you ever wondered exactly how a cake and baked good related website can actually make money? Or how on earth such a niche business can survive in such a harsh economy?

Our Head Spy Jessie is going to be weighing in on the art of selling cupcake-themed products and the life of a professional Cake Gumshoe at the upcoming CRAVEbusiness SHOP Symposium on March 23 at the Seattle Design Center, as part of two of the day's events: "Start-Up Stars: Entrepreneurs Who Are Making it Happen" in which several business owners will talk about building a business in a tough economy, followed by a "Live Think Tank" in which we will talk generally about ideas and thoughts on transforming and building businesses.

Here's a blurb on the mission statement of the Symposium: 

SHOP Symposium / 09 is dedicated to celebrating, inspiring and educating independent business owners of all stripes. The only conference of its kind, this one-day event teaches practical skills, offers wise encouragement, and builds camaraderie. Whether you sell shoes or facials, travel getaway or graphic design, we invite you to join us. Bring your questions, your frustrations, your fears, and your hopes. Prepare to be inspired.

For more information, tickets, and the schedule, visit the official SHOP Symposium website.

Bittersweet News: Seattle P-I's Last Print Edition Runs Tomorrow

This is bittersweet news indeed: we learned today that the Seattle P-I will run its last print edition tomorrow. Although the online version will continue (including CakeSpy Seattle, to the best of our knowledge), we will certainly miss the tactile enjoyment of unfolding a paper along with breakfast coffee (and cake, natch).

The P-I has been so supportive of CakeSpy since the start, having featured our artwork and quotes from our Spies on numerous occasions; rest assured, dear paper, you will be missed!


For sweet Seattle musings, visit CakeSpy Seattle.

Twin Peaks: Cake Walk With Me: Cherry Pie and More in North Bend, WA

When it comes to pie's place in pop culture, one reference seems to stand out above any other: Agent Dale Cooper's love of good cherry pie and a "damn fine cup of coffee" in the strange little hamlet called Twin Peaks. 

Twin Peaks, of course, is a fictional town. But many of the show's exterior locations--including the diner in which said pie and coffee were consumed--were filmed in the very real towns of Snoqualmie and North Bend, about a half-hour outside of Seattle. And so it seemed appropriate for a posse of Cake Gumshoes to venture out and sample some of the immortal pie on March 14 (aka "the other pie day"). 

Twede's Cafe is very aware of its status as cult destination: the tee shirts and exterior proudly proclaim it as the home of the "Twin Peaks Pie". As a dining destination it's not especially memorable (though their Tweetie-bird heavy decor might give you David Lynch-esque nightmares) but their typical diner fare (burgers, sandwiches, fries) is satisfyingly salty and greasy. Of course, anything savory you might order is really just foreplay.

The main event really occurs when they bring out the pie.

The double crusted cherry pie is served warm in a dish, topped with whipped cream (or, if you'd like, a la mode). We ordered ours with coffee (naturally). 

The pie itself is...fine. It's not a bad pie, but it's not really an above average pie either. The filling is syrup-sweet, the crust a little too chewy. But somehow, this is not the point. After all, while Agent Dale Cooper rhapsodized about the pie and coffee, it somehow seems clear that the quality is also beside the point: it's more about the ritual, the act of giving oneself a treat--a moment of sweet respite, if you will. And on that point, the pie delivered. After all, taking an adventure with friends and seeking out this sweet treasure on a rainy Saturday--the real reward was the journey itself.

Of course, if all of this rambling about the journey strikes you as a little bit new agey-- we hear you. So if you're seeking a damn good pastry, why not head two doors down, to George's Bakery & Deli. Though we hear mixed reviews about their deli fare, the bakery is a gem: we picked up a most delicious frosted cookie, spied some mazurkas, and discovered a cake we'd never seen--the Fyrstekake. And yes--they even had cherry pie.

Twede's Cafe, 137 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, WA, (425) 831-5511; online at twedescafe.com.

Also mentioned: George's Bakery & Deli, 127 W. North Bend Way, North Bend, WA, (425) 888-0632; online at UrbanSpoon.