The Secret Lives of Cupcakes: Portraits by Jenny Cupcake

Art History 101. Somewhere between Fat Lady Representing Fertility and A Five Year Old Could Have Done this, you dozed off and missed the entire unit on Boring Portraits of Pasty Aristocrats.

Finally, Cakespy has sleuthed some art you'll actually appreciate: the paintings of Jennifer Kessler. Going by the professional name Jenny Cupcake (we love her already!), this Georgia-based, SCAD-trained artist paints detailed, color-saturated cupcakes dressed in their party best. But don't be fooled by the lighthearted subject matter; these are not simply still lives, but rather portraits of cupcakes. The fluidity and movement in her brush strokes creates a certain moodiness and air of mystery to the work, and begs the viewer to wonder: what came before? what comes next? and serves as a poignant reminder at how so many moments in life are fleeting. Of course, there's no denying the sexual tension in some of her work either; check out the clever and cheeky "Lady" series.

Fake Bakin': My Pink Boutique

A.A. Milne (as Winnie the Pooh) said that "...although eating honey was a very special thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called."

But how could you possibly hold on to that moment when a plate of petits fours is placed in front of you?

It's scientifically impossible, unless they're faux cakes by My Pink Boutique. Delightful but not delicious, these cakes are rendered by hand out of entirely non-edible materials, and will add a shabby-chic bit of sophistication to any room in the house. Personally, we want them in our kitchen, our living room...maybe even the bedroom. Available in a variety of pastels that would make Marie Antoinette drool, you can buy these confections (starting at just $4.99 per petit four) at mypinkboutique.com.

Cupcake Courier

Picture this: you've just made a beautiful batch of cupcakes for so-and-so's bridal shower / birthday party / post-rehab brunch, and your soon-to-be-single BF has stopped short at a yellow (that's amber in Canada) light and your A for Awesome cupcakes have just been demoted to E for Effort.

We feel your pain.

Luckily, the cupcake courier is here to save the day! Made out of translucent plastic, the three modular trays are stackable with sturdy latches on the bottom and a handle on the top for easy transportation of up to 36 of your sweet treats.

It just might help things with your sweetie, too.

Thank you to Cake Gumshoe Allison for the tip!

Kimberella Cupcakes

Kimberella Cupcakes: A Haiku

Sweet sunshine lemon
Lemon cupcake mixed with cream
Citrus butter dream

It's true; Kimberella's cupcakes bring out the poet in us. Trained as a gourmet chef, you may recognize Kimberly as the proprietress of the Seattle-based catering/personal chef service Herban Palate. Kimberella Cupcakes is her newest venture, and we'll be carefully tracking the progress (a web site is in the works). Her current offerings include flavors like the Sweet Sunshine (see haiku and image above), a citrus-buttercream confection; the Cocoa Cabana, a chocolate cupcake with banana buttercream rolled in flakes of coconut; and the Mint to Be Together, a milk chocolate cupcake with peppermint buttercream. Minimums are quite low, and her rates are affordable--$25 a dozen for full sized cupcakes, or just $12 a dozen for mini cupcakes. Email her at kimberly@herbanpalate.com for more information on ordering, or to request a custom flavor!

Cakewalk in West Seattle

We've heard that Eddie Vedder, who resides in West Seattle, occasionally goes by the pseudonym "Wes C. Addle". Certainly a neighborhood capable of leaving such an impression must have some great virtues, not to mention some great bakeries.

Cakespy Note: Sunday is a great day to visit West Seattle due to the farmer's market, which is a wonderful opportunity to try a bunch of great Seattle pastries all in one place. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Sundays through December at the corner of California Ave. SW and SW Alaska; online at seattlefarmersmarkets.org.

Here are Cakespy's highlights from West Seattle:

Alki Bakery: The Alki Bakery has a location in the Seatac Airport and additionally sells wholesale to Tully's, so we were a bit skeptical that the pastry might taste a little...well, mass-produced. Although the sandwiches didn't look like anything exceptional, the cinnamon rolls and shortcakey scones left quite an impression. 2738 Alki Ave. SW (at 61st Ave. SW); online at alkibakery.com.

Bakery Nouveau: Bakery Nouveau is a little bit like a hot girl who knows that she's hot. With some pretty high accolades and a hotshot pastry chef, it's got a lot of pressure to live up to: and it does. Rows of French patisserie-style pastries line the glass shelves with American favorites like cheesecake (all Paris-ed out with Laduree style macaroons) and sexy carrot cake slices with velvety frosting. 4737 California Ave. SW (between SW Alaska & SW Edmunds Sts); online at bakerynouveau.com.

Coffee to a Tea With Sugar: The sign reading "Happy Hour--half price cake 7-9 p.m." bodes extremely well at this cute cafe, and we were willing to forgive them for the cutesy name and the inexplicable beeping sound that kept on going off. The cupcakes are beautiful, dense and completely fulfilling. They're available on a rotating basis; take their cupcake menu home and read it before bed for sweet dreams. 4541 California Ave. SW (between SW Oregon & SW Alaska Sts).

Eats Market Cafe: We imagine that under the dictionary listing for dessert, the pictures must look something like the pastries made by Eats Market. Homemade (but of course by someone much more skilled than you) and classic, think perfect buttery cupcakes, rich and chewy bars, and some extremely handsome sweet crostata with fruit. Sunday at the West Seattle Farmer's Market, California Ave. SW and SW Alaska; storefront at 2600 SW Barton St; online at eatsmarket.com.

Herban Feast: A little taste of Herban Feast's fare at the Sunday farmer's market has left us hungry for more. Their crumbly lemon-rosemary shortbread cookies were wonderful, and their full dessert menu online looks even better. Sunday at the West Seattle Farmer's Market, California Ave SW and SW Alaska; online at herbanfeast.com.

Little Prague Bakery: If your Grandma came from the old country, maybe she told you stories with a funny accent and served you rich strudels after school. If that wasn't your childhood, visit Little Prague Bakery today and make up for lost time. Sunday at the West Seattle Farmer's Market, California Ave. SW and SW Alaska; storefront at 6045 California Ave. SW (between SW Raymond & SW Graham Sts).

The Original Bakery: This bakery is homey and almost completely lacking in pretention; the moment you walk in, you feel as if you've walked into another era. The cookies have a slightly nordic flavor, and the doughnuts are rich and satisfying. 9253 45th Ave. SW (at SW Willowood Rd).

Shoofly Pie Co.: This new pie bakery may have an identity crisis (the facade is just this side of garish, the inside is erring on too minimalist), but luckily the pie suffers none of this turmoil. The crust is gorgeously misshapen; the fillings are alternately smooth and rich on the cream pies and delightfully oozing on the fruit pies; it's worth the trip. 4444 California Ave. SW (between Genesee & Oregon Sts).

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Big Cupcake, Big Happiness: Wilton Giant Cupcake Pan

Sometimes, bigger is not always better (Tara Reid's boobs, Jersey Girl hair, Paris Hilton's old engagement ring).

Then again, sometimes bigger is better, like with Wilton's new Giant Cupcake pan. Rendered out of oven-safe cast iron, this two-part pan allows for a cupcake shaped bottom and mound to be cooked together, then assembled like a really huge cupcake. The finished effect is something like a realized childhood dream.

The Next Big Thing: Tres Leches Cake

Through our lives, we've seen so many cake phases come and go. There was the Funfetti phase; the ice cream cake phase; the cupcakes baked in sugar cones phase. We've seen cakes come and go out of vogue. Carrot cakes have made way for Hummingbird cakes; Red Velvet was tacky, but now it's kind of cool again.

Well, it's time to make way for the new cake on the block: Tres Leches (or, Pastel de Tres Leches, literally meaning "cake of three milks"). It's long been a staple dessert in Latin America, and it's coming to the USA with the fervor of Selena's crossover album. Usually made sans butter and soaked in three types of milk (evaporated milk, condensed milk and either whole milk or cream), in spite of being so dairy-dominant, the cake remains quite light and unsoggy when made correctly.

We predict you'll be seeing it a lot more in the future, but for the meantime check out these places in the Seattle area:

Borracchini's Bakery: Who would have thought an old-school Italian bakery would be on to this trend? 2307 Rainier Ave. S (between S. Walker St. & S. College St.); online at nowcake.com.

El Diablo Coffee Co.: Call for availability; their menu rotates. 1811 Queen Anne Ave. N (between W. Howe St. & W. Blaine St.); online at eldiablocoffee.com.

Salvadorean Bakery: Don't go here for the ambience--it's in a strip mall--but rather go for the authentic cakes. 1719 SW Roxbury St (between 17th Ave. SW & 18th Ave. SW).

NB: We've also heard it's on the menu at El Camino (607 N. 35th St b/t Evanston Ave. N & Fremont Pl. N; online at elcaminorestaurant.com) and Senor Moose Cafe (5242 Leary Ave. NW b/t 20th Ave. NW & NW Ione Pl.; online at senormoose.com.)

All Dolled Up

Good news: getting all dolled up doesn't just mean a hasty trip to Forever 21, nylon tips and "borrowing" your roommate's pushup bra for a night out in Pioneer Square anymore.

Now you can accessorize--your cakes that is--with paper doll cupcake picks by Katydid Designs. Featuring imagery like mini Jackie-O and Shirley Temple-looking doll faces as well as lilliputian Our Lady of Guadalupe cutouts, the picks bring a certain kitschy-cool aspect to even the most unassuming cakes and pastries. And at just $5 for a pack of six, you can afford to spread this style around.

Carrot Cake Martinis: Tini Bigs

Sure, cakes are sweet and all, but we know that sometimes you need a little bit more than just a sugar rush.

Luckily, Tini Bigs is waiting like a ray of sunshine on a rainy Seattle day with an extra special treat: the Carrot Cake Martini. Made of a mixture of kahlua and jagermeister and topped with sweet cream, carrot shavings and a graham cracker rim, this is one sweet but dangerous little cocktail. It might not classify as a serving of vegetables, but it sure will do your body good.

Not in Seattle? Don't despair; you can buy their book of recipes.

Cakewalk in New York

CakeSpy Note: As with many of the posts from our archives, some of the information may have changed since this was originally posted!

New York City is called the city that never sleeps, and with good reason: if you did stop to sleep in this city, you'd miss the sweet smell of bread, cakes and doughnuts baking all night. Below is a list of standout bakeries from our latest jaunt; for a complete list of bakery suggestions or personalized neighborhood walks, check back soon for Cakespy's Cakewalks in New York.

Amy's Bread Allegedly the bread is wonderful, but we've never tried it: we were too busy sampling the perfect pink iced yellow cake and red velvet cupcakes, which were divine. Three locations: 672 Ninth Avenue (between W. 46th & W. 47th Streets); 75 Ninth Avenue (between W. 15th & W. 16th Streets); 250 Bleecker Street (at Leroy Street); online at amysbread.com.

Billy's Bakery: You might feel dowdy in this hip Chelsea bakery, which is frequented by the beautiful people--but don't let it stop you from going in. Worth the hype, Billy's confections are sweet and well-made, and decorated in a way that is impeccably homemade, in a vaguely Martha Stewart-ish way. 184 Ninth Avenue (between W. 21st & W. 22nd Streets); online at billysbakerynyc.com.

Buttercup Bake Shop: There are camps which vote for either Buttercup or Magnolia (click here for the backstory), but regardless, both are worth a visit. Where Magnolia embraces a hipper take on the 50's style cupcake, the Buttercup Bake Shop offers up cakes which are a little bit more refined, a little more subtle in keeping with their uptown location--but no less delectable. Two locations: 973 Second Avenue (between E. 51st & E. 52nd Streets); 141 W. 72nd Street (between Broadway & Columbus Street); online at buttercupbakeshop.com.

Columbus Bakery: If you can put up with the entitled attitude of many of the stay-at-home Upper West Side moms and their kids (and nannies) who frequent the place, you'll be in for a treat--the highlight is their breakfast pastries, including dense and delicious tea cakes and scones. Plus, they have the cutest logo we've ever seen. 474 Columbus Avenue (between W. 82nd & W. 83rd Streets).

Ceci-Cela: A little piece of Paris in downtown New York; Ceci-Cela channels the French patisserie with perfection, with exquisite and detail-oriented tarts and gateaux. Two locations: 55 Spring Street (between Mulberry & Lafayette Streets); 166 Chambers Street (between W. Broadway & Greenwich Street); online at ceci-celapatisserie.com.

Cupcake Cafe Bakery: Buttery, rich icing; dense, thick cake; bold, sculptural iced flowers: these are the hallmarks of the cakes and cupcakes artfully rendered by the Cupcake Cafe. These cupcakes are an acquired taste--to be eaten slowly, much as a fine wine is to be sipped with care. OK, so maybe we just waxed a bit poetic, but it's true: to the cake connaisseur, these are worth their weight in gold. Two locations: 545 Ninth Avenue (between W. 40th & W. 41st Streets); 18 W. 18th Street (between Fifth and Sixth Avenues); online at www.cupcakecafe.com.

Kasjan Bakery: If you're in the mood for pastries and cakes which are unapologetically rich, heavy and creamy, you'll want to stop by Kasjan, a Polish bakery on the fringe between the hip Williamsburg and still not-completely gentrified Greenpoint neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Who knew Polish napoleons could be so good? 668 Manhattan Avenue (Between Norman and Nassau Avenues), Brooklyn.

Lafayette French Pastry Bakers: As authentic as you can get, this bakery is second-generation New York, and refreshingly devoid of bored hipster counter staff. Although gruff at first, once the head baker warms up to you, you'll have a friend for life--not to mention the most delightful, authentic french-inspired cakes and patisserie, cream filled and dazzling. 26 Greenwich Avenue (between W. 10th & Charles Streets).


Magnolia Bakery: After all of the movie and tv features, all of the magazine articles, the scandal and everything--they're still pretty bitchin' cupcakes. But next time you go--once you get past the bouncer that is--don't pass up the Nilla Wafer pudding or plentiful cake slices, which are equally swoon-worthy. 401 Bleecker Street (at W. 11th Street).

Make My Cake: After their original location on 110th Street closed, a depression set over the city that wasn't over until they re-opened (2 locations!) further uptown. Like the soul food version of cake: rich, buttery and deeply satisfying, not to mention beautiful. Two locations: 121 St. Nicholas Ave. (at W. 116th Street); 2380 Adam C. Powell Blvd (at W. 139th Street); online at makemycake.com.

Muffins Cafe: True, this place does not sell cakes or cupcakes--but this teensy store front not too far from Columbus Circle sells muffins so delightful, they might be sold out of your favorite flavor if you don't go early! We favored the pumpkin and corn muffins, but the menu does vary from time to time. 222 Columbus Ave.
(between w. 70th & w. 71st Streets).

Out of the Kitchen: Primarily a catering business, they nonetheless offer an ever-changing daily menu of lunch items, which are a good appetizer for their even better desserts. Their cupcakes, simple and alluring in black and white, are gems: moist but solid cake that doesn't collapse under a substantial mound of icing. 456 Hudson Street (between Barrow & Morton Streets); online at outofthekitchenonline.com

Peter Pan Bakery: The cakiest, densest and least pretentious doughnut shop we've ever seen; believe it or not, the teenage Polish workers in pink aprons manage to be completely un-ironic. And the prices are like a throwback to a time we can't even remember--many items are less than one dollar (!). 727 Manhattan Ave. (between Meserole and Norman Avenues), Brooklyn.

Pozzo Pastry: If you'd lived in New York during the 1950's Valley of the Dolls era, you might have walked by this bakery and it wouldn't be a bit different than it is today. Visit Pozzo Pastry for classic cannolis and pannetone, but don't neglect the cakes--the strawberry shortcake is like a taste of an idealized past.
690 9th Avenue (Between W. 47th & W. 48th Streets); online at pozzopastry.com
.
Rocco's Pastry Shop & Espresso: Rocco's is known for its Italian pastries, but for Cakespy the standout was really the drop cakes, also known as black and whites, a New York tradition. The ambience at this West Village bakery is old-school; the cakes are as comforting as if Grandma made them. 243 Bleecker Street (between Leroy & Carmine Streets); online at roccospastry.com.

Sage American Kitchen Bakery: An unexpected treat, Cakespy sleuthed these amazing cupcakes at Dean & Deluca, where they were labeled as having been from Sage American Kitchen Bakery, which turned out to be worth the trip to Long Island City, Queens; their cakes are perfect in every way: fresh, buttery and yet complex--they are spiced to perfection. They'll make you a believer in carrot cake. 26-21 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, Queens; also available at various Dean & Deluca locations. On the web at sageamericankitchen.com.

Soutine Bakery: So unassuming from the outside--this storefront is on a residential block, from which the enchanting smell of French pastry fills the air in the mornings. Don't be fooled by the tiny facade--inside they create cakes which count Ruth Reichl amongst their loyal followers. 104 W. 70th Street (at Columbus Avenue); online at soutine.com.

Sweetheart Coffee: It's got to be hard to be the bakery just a few blocks away from Magnolia. Nonetheless, this little gem has soldiered on through the years, offering up Argentinian-inspired pastries which are homestyle and endearing in their occasionally lopsided looks; many of them are vegan (although they've labeled the vegan products "Diet"--which we wish they wouldn't). 69 Eighth Avenue (between Greenwich Avenue and W. 13th Street).

Tisserie: Holy Viennoisserie! This Parisian-style patisserie (started rather inexplicably by two brothers from Venezuela who have another location in Caracas) is perched on the northwest corner of Union Square like a beacon, filled with rows and rows of beautiful pastry, tarts and cakes. In keeping with their european inspiration the sweets are sugary but not too sweet--the bittersweet chocolate used in their cakes is rich and complex, with an aftertaste that you'll wish could last forever. 857 Broadway (at W. 17th Street); online at tisserie.com.