Cakewalk: A Guest Blog Guide to Cupcakes in Denver, CO

CakeSpy Note: Curious about cupcakes in Denver, CO? Happily, CakeSpy buddy Laurel (who is not only a cupcake aficionado but an exceedingly talented handbag designer) was kind enough to do a cupcake run with some friends on a recent visit. Here's a roundup of the adventure:

Despite being located so close to cupcake-infused L.A., San Diego suffers from a disappointing lack of cupcake shops - only two! Depressing. On a recent trip to Denver, my awesome sister-in-law Miranda (of Three Things) and her awesome friend Rachel (of Rainy Morning) took me on a Denver cupcake tour to help me get my fix. Our plan was to visit five shops in one afternoon and pick out one cupcake from each shop to take back to Miranda's place so we could compare the cupcakes side-by-side. Not surprisingly, we deviated from the whole "one cupcake from each shop" plan by the second shop, buying at least two from the last four shops we visited. We had such a good time, we thought we'd invite you all to join us so next time you're in Denver you can complete the cupcake circuit yourself!

Shop 1: Big Fat Cupcake

Impressions of shop: Big Fat Cupcakes is very cute. They had two big display cases (probably because their cupcakes are indeed big and fat!) and lots of adorable cupcake art on the walls. There wasn't a whole lot of seating, so it might be more of a take-it-to-go sort of place.

Two adorable little girls in aprons were wiping down the front of the pastry case, and the guy behind the counter was very helpful (and patient!) while we decided which cupcake we wanted.

Cupcakes Tasted: Orange Creamsicle filled w/pastry cream

Reviews:

Miranda: They weren’t lying when they called their shop Big Fat Cupcakes. Of course this makes them a bit more expensive than the average cupcake which would foil my typical plans to buy several cupcakes so I can sample more flavors. Anyway, the cake flavor and consistency was great but I was not a fan of the frosting. I’m a thick buttercream lover and the frosting at Big Fat wasn’t tough enough to make an impact to me. I was also a little let down by the flavors. Instead of infusing the flavors into the cake or frosting, I felt like they just crumbled up different kinds of candy and put it on top of the frosting. HOWEVER, they did have a lot of options for cupcakes with filling…which I love. If you are very hungry and want a cream filled cupcake, you will want to check Big Fat’s out.

Laurel: Holy crap, this was a big cupcake. The flavors were good - the orange frosting went well with the vanilla cake and pastry cream. The pastry cream was very tasty and just the right consistency, and I liked the lightness of the cake, but the frosting was just too thin for my preferences. I like heavier buttercream and this was too light and airy. The flavors were really fantastic though. I think this was my 11 month old's favorite. If you like a more whipped consistency to your frosting, this is the place for you.

Rachel: Hmm, probably my least favorite. Not much flavor to the cake, and the frosting was too oily, like others have said. At least they have a cute seating area where you could enjoy your cupcake!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Shop 2: Lovely Confections

Impressions of shop: Lovely Confections looks like a swanky little coffee shop. It would be a nice, relaxing place to hang out and do your Sunday crossword puzzle. We were all totally smitten with the huge jars of sprinkles displayed off to the side of the register.

The owner was really friendly and talked with us about her flavors and a recent cupcake tour she did in New York.

Cupcakes Tasted: Strawberries & Cream (eaten in store), Raspberry Lemonade, Chocolate/Chocolate

Reviews:

Miranda: These were some fantastic cupcakes. While eating the cupcake, I got the impression that the baker knew what she was doing by making a solid cake and equally solid frosting. The strawberries and cream cupcake had frosting full of flavor and cake that could stand up to the fork. I would have liked the raspberry lemonade frosting to have more flavor, and I was disappointed in the chocolate cake. I feel like I should explain that I have a nearly insatiable sweet tooth, and I’ve rarely had a dessert that is too rich. Therefore, while the chocolate cupcake was really good, the cake wasn’t as rich as I wanted it to be. The frosting was spot on and thick like I like it to be. I’m reading Laurel’s review as I write this and I see that the chocolate cupcake was too rich for her…I guess you can’t please everybody. Lovely confections is a definite hit with their fruit flavored cupcakes and perfect if you enjoy dense frosting.

Laurel: The vanilla cake here is amazing. It's light and had a strong vanilla flavor. I'm a huge frosting fiend, but I'd happily eat this cake by itself. Of course, that would be a sin, since the the fruit-flavored frostings we tried were fantastic too. As I said earlier, I like thicker frosting, and the frosting here is thick, generously applied, and delicious. The raspberry lemonade cupcake was yummy as well, with the raspberry frosting standing out to me over the lemon cake, but both complimented each other well. I think if you're a chocolate lover you'd really like the chocolate cupcake, but alas, I'm only a chocolate liker, so it was a little overwhelming. The frosting was thick and almost fudgy, and the cake a little denser than the non-chocolate cakes we had. I appreciated that neither were super sweet so the darker chocolate flavors shined through, but it was just too rich for me.

Rachel: Oh no! I just realized that I’m not eating one of these right now, and that made me sad. I completely agree with Laurel and Miranda here, hands down the best cake. Moist, with substance, and solid flavor. Good frosting too – nice and creamy and piled high. I loved their sprinkles, each had a mix of colors and shapes, some with glittery bits. A very girly experience. Although they had ample seating for eating, I didn’t want to stay very long. It felt like I should be showing the proprietor my wedding portfolio while we discuss guest numbers. Formal, is the word.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Shop 3: The Shoppe

Impressions of shop: The Shoppe is the place we'd most like to hang out. We loved the variety of fun cupcake flavors, we loved the decor (the art in particular), we loved that they're open super late on the weekends. It's also a cereal bar! It's just a fun, happy place to be. If we hadn't been in a hurry to hit all the cupcake bakeries before they closed, we would have spent more time here. The staff was super friendly too, which is always a plus. Also, they had a cupcake with a toy surprise in the middle. How awesome would that be for a little kid?

Cupcakes Tasted: Nutella, Lemon Blueberry, S'mores (mini)(eaten in store), Death By Chocolate

Reviews:

Miranda: I was beside myself trying to pick which cupcake to get from The Shoppe. They have so many fun combinations and they’re all so beautiful it’s hard to not try to stick your finger into all of them. The Nutella cupcake that we bought ended up being my favorite cupcake of the entire trip. I’ve been trying to find a great dessert that includes Nutella (after a boiling over disaster at a friend’s house that you’re not going to ask me about) and this was just what I was looking for. The frosting was a great consistency, I LOVE the hazelnuts sprinkled on top, and the cake was nice and rich. The blueberry lemonade cupcakes were tasty, but they were more like muffins than cupcakes to me. The Death by Chocolate cupcake (while fantastic) was probably my least favorite from The Shoppe. It came close to finding the ceiling of my sweet tooth (though don’t worry, it didn’t) but I think if you’re not a fan of frosting, wouldn’t be able to handle their Death By Chocolate cupcake. Maybe you would realize that just by looking at it and not choose that particular one (I don’t know, I’m not you). Overall, the cake was a little less dense but still delicious with a healthy dose of yummy frosting.

Laurel: After missing the s'mores cupcake from Trophy the last couple times I've been in Seattle, I was SO excited to find a s'mores cupcake here. I ate it on our way out of the store, but I was pretty let down. There were some crumbled graham crackers on top and a couple mini marshmallows in the frosting, but they got lost in all the chocolate. It tasted like a chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting. I mean, I like chocolate cupcakes, but I wanted a strong marshmallow flavor to go with the chocolate and it was not there at all. The other two cupcakes were great though. I think the Nutella cupcake might be my favorite from all the ones we tried; the hazelnut flavor was strong in the cake and the frosting was a good consistency - not as thick as at Lovely Confections, but thicker than Big Fat Cupcakes. The hazelnuts provided a nice crunch too! The blueberry lemonade was tasty as well, but the cake tasted a little more muffiny to me than cakey. The cream cheese frosting was great too, nice and tangy. Excellent frosting-to-cupcake ratio if you're a frosting lover!

Rachel: My favorite of the bunch. Fun fun fun place. A huge variety of interesting flavors with piles of frosting like you would make as a kid. But the décor is what gets my vote, not just the cakes. It’s the kind of place where you want to allot at least an hour for conversation and eating. Inspiring books and artwork surround you. Very relaxed and hip.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Shop 4: Yum Yums

Impressions of shop: Yum Yums is very bright, clean, and modern. They had some cake and cupcake displays set up near the door that were gorgeous. They had some other desserts in their display case that looked awesome, like this double-decker chocolate & vanilla rice krispie treat, but since we were on a cupcake tour we refrained from buying anything else.

Cupcakes Tasted: Chocolate Mint, Boston Cream (I think?)

Reviews:

Miranda: I only got to try the Boston Cream cupcake from Yum Yums. I don’t know how the chocolate mint got away from me but I have no recollection of it. The frosting was disappointing to me which took away from the deliciousness of anything having to do with Boston Cream. As I said before, I’m a thick frosting girl. I like to take the bottom off of my cupcake and make a frosting sandwich. This frosting couldn’t stand up to such behavior. The cake was a nice consistency though and there was a good amount of filling for a small cupcake.

Laurel: The flavor of the chocolate mint was great - the chocolate and the mint complimented each other nicely, neither overpowering the other. I wasn't crazy about the frosting though, and I really wanted to be since there was a lot of it. I think it's an Italian buttercream, so it's lighter than the frostings used by most shops, but it left my mouth feeling greasy - almost like a grocery store frosting (though it tasted much, much better than grocery store frosting does). Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to taste the Boston Cream cupcake. I wish I had, it sounds good.

Rachel: This place felt kind of old school. Unoriginal designs, mediocre tastes. Nothing particularly bad about them, but I can't say there’s any reason I would ever want to come back.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Shop 5: Happy Cakes

Impressions of the shop: Happy Cakes is super cute. We loved looking at the wall decor and the gorgeous aprons for sale. Unfortunately, there's nowhere to sit! Our husbands met up with us and we wanted to have a cupcake or two before going back to Miranda's, but the nearest seating belongs to another little shop. It's really too bad; they've made such a warm and homey atmosphere in the shop that you want to sit down and spend awhile there.

Cupcakes Tasted: : S'mores, Coconut, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Pom Pom (vanilla frosting, chocolate cake, Trix topping)

Reviews:

Miranda: Happy Cakes has a special place in my heart (there’s a picture of my baby-cakes on the wall for cryin’ out loud) so I’ll try to keep that bias out of my review. I had a S’mores cupcake and was satisfied with the consistency of the frosting and cake, but not so much with the flavor. Where was the marshmallow taste? I know that during previous visits, the marshmallow buttercream had more flavor than it did on the day we visited. Could there be a difference in the quality from day to day? I love Happy Cakes’ sturdy buttercream frosting, and the cupcake as a whole is perfect for turning into a frosting sandwich. Like The Shoppe, the frosting to cupcake ratio is perfect for me although their flavors may not be as intense.

Laurel: Another s'mores cupcake! This looked like it had marshmallow buttercream, so I had higher hopes, but again, they were dashed. The frosting tasted like a basic vanilla buttercream. I liked it fine as chocolate cake with vanilla frosting, but I wanted to taste the marshmallow and it was completely missing. Sadness. The chocolate cake was also a little dense for my tastes. The coconut cupcake was good - I liked the cake, and the frosting was great - not too sweet, lots of coconut. I liked the frosting to cake ratio on that one as well (though as I mentioned earlier, I'm kind of a frosting fiend).

Rachel: A cute little shop in a swank neighborhood. Too bad there’s no seating to enjoy their tasty cakes! They have the best frosting. I’ve been a bit disappointed in the options when I go there. Maybe I’m too late in the day or go on the wrong day, but I feel like I’m always peaking at their weekly calendar, wishing they had something that isn’t available just now. Too much space dedicated to plain old chocolate and vanilla. The decorations on the frosting are both creative and classy, from simple dragee pearls to Trix cereal orbs on their PomPom cupcake. There’s room for improvement with these ladies, but I’m happy to go to a place out West by me instead of driving out to East Colfax for Lovely Confections or The Shoppe.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Conclusions: Our overall favorites were the Strawberries & Cream from Lovely Confections and the Nutella cupcake from The Shoppe. Those two shops along with Happy Cakes are the places to go for a thick buttercream and a variety of rich flavors. If you like a lighter frosting, Big Fat Cupcakes and Yum Yums are the places for you. No matter where you are in Denver though, you're not far from a delicious cupcake or two! Or 16...the final number of cupcakes we bought. (Also, if you are in fact interested in going on a cupcake tour of Denver, you should get in touch with Rachel and Miranda since…you know…they live there and they’ve already mapped out the route. Just sayin’.)

Better off Red: A Legendary Red Velvet Slice at The Kingfish Cafe, Seattle

The Red Velvet Cake at The Kingfish Cafe in Seattle is kind of a local celebrity. It's always winning those "best of" polls and getting written up in the various publications around town. And yet--amazingly--I'd never managed to taste it. But all that changed this week when I hit up Kingfish for lunch with my friend (a self-described "dedicated dessert-er") Judy.

Now, the first thing you'll notice about this cake is its size. It's huge. And I am not saying that in an annoying girlie sort of way. This cake is, like, really big. The slice pictured at the top is actually on a large dinner plate, and it took up most of it. I'm not a fan of sharing desserts, but this one definitely yielded four servings. No, really.

The first thing you'll notice upon tasting the cake is that it is chilled. For some this is a detriment, but I adore chilled cake: the flavor just seems to blossom on your tongue.

And as that flavor develops, you'll taste a variety of things. First, the sweetness of the cream cheese frosting, complemented with the slightest tang. Then sweetness again from the generous dollop of whipped cream, which is garnished with strawberries. Then the cake, which itself is not too sweet, but gently cocoa-y. Judy thought it tasted a bit dry compared to some of her previous visits. I tend to be forgiving about a slight dryness as long as the flavor is there, and the flavor certainly was there with this cake. When you get that one perfect bite with cake, cream cheese frosting, whipped cream and strawberry, it is...maybe not nirvana, but close.

The overall verdict? While sometimes hype can ruin desserts, I definitely found this one to live up to its reputation and can't wait to return to Kingfish to sample the coconut layer cake and Strawberry shortcake.

The Kingfish Cafe, 602 19th Ave. East, Seattle, (206)320-8757; online at thekingfishcafe.com.

Sugar Daddy: Trophy Cupcakes Debuts the Chocolate Stout Cupcake for Father's Day

Beer and cupcakes may not be the first things that come to mind when you think of Father's Day, but they should be.

Trophy Cupcakes is bravely helping Seattleites avoid cheesy cliche father's day gifts like ties and "World's Best Dad" t-shirts by debuted an amazing new limited edition flavor which will be available only through Sunday: the Elysian Dragon's Tooth Stout Cupcake.

The rich chocolate stout cake is delicious, but what really puts it over the edge is the Dragon's Tooth Stout Caramel Buttercream, which is so amazingly rich and buttery, it'll make Dad melt. 

Of course, if your dad isn't in the Seattle area you can still enjoy one in his honor. Ah, the gift that gives back.

Elysian Dragon's Tooth Stout Cupcakes, available through Sunday, June 21 at Trophy Cupcakes in Wallingford and University Village. For more information and locations, visit trophycupcakes.com.

Sweet Surprise: A Letter from a CakeSpy Reader

Not long ago, a CakeSpy reader wrote to me asking for advice on where to get a layer cake for her grandmother's 90th birthday party in the Seattle area; being from out of town, she didn't even know where to begin.

Now, personally I always find making recommendations pretty stressful--what if the other person's taste isn't the same as mine? What if a place that has never let me down has an off day when this person goes? But nonetheless, I bravely suggested a few places, including a Capitol Hill-based bakery whose birthday cakes I've always enjoyed, North Hill Bakery. A few weeks later I received this sweet email; I'm always so happy to hear about such sweet cake experiences!

Dear CakeSpy:

Thank you so much for all your help finding a bakery for my
grandmother's 90th birthday party cakes.

I ordered a coconut and a lemon cake from North Hill Bakery.

The were lovely, homemade looking treats that tasted wonderful. The
cake was moist and full of flavor, the frostings were light and
creamy. Everyone's stand-out favorite was the coconut but the lemon
was delightful too -- sweet, tart and very light.

The folks at North Hill were really great, they let us pick up the
cakes before they opened on Sunday and we were able to talk them out
of several lovely pastries as well.

The cakes were so popular that long-time Seattle residents kept asking
where I'd gotten them and pledging to get their next event cakes from
North Hill Bakery.

All in all, the cakes were a hit, I came off like a family hero, and
none of it would have been possible with out some CakeSpy help.

Thanks again.

North Hill Bakery, 518 15th Avenue E, Seattle, WA (206) 325-9007; online at northhillbakery.com.

Ace in the Hole: A Sweet Breakfast Trompe-l'œil

The bad news: this is not a deliciously chock-full of carbohydrates bagel with cream cheese.

The good news: it's even better. It's a delicious doughnut filled with cream cheese frosting and topped with poppyseeds so as to resemble a deliciously chock-full of carbohydrates bagel with cream cheese.

Now, a variety of reasons for making these could be presented to you, but really, why bother? When breakfast treats collide this sweetly, the awesome speaks for itself.

Want to make some for your own breakfast table? Oh, it's easy, and they're so much fun to serve. Here's what you need to do.

Breakfast "Bagels" Made From Doughnuts and Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• Plain cake doughnuts (as many as you'd like); we picked up ours at Top Pot Doughnuts.
• Vanilla or cream cheese frosting (about the same amount you'd use to top a cupcake for each doughnut; if you need a recipe, try this one or this one)
• Poppyseeds (or sesame seeds would work too)
• Butter (about a teaspoon-ful per doughnut)

Directions:

1. Slice doughnut in half (for some reason it seems to work easiest if you apply the poppyseeds after slicing)
2. In a small microwave-safe dish, melt about 1 teaspoon-ful of butter per doughnut you'll be making by putting it in the microwave for about 10 seconds. 
3. Lightly brush the top side with about a teaspoon of melted butter (oh, get over it--they're already fried, anyway)
4. Immediately sprinkle poppyseeds on top of the buttered side (this will ensure that they stick) and put this half to the side for a moment.
   
5. Apply a generous dollop of room-temperature frosting to the bottom (sans seed) half of the doughnut. It is important that the frosting be room temperature because if it is chilled, when you try to spread it you may break the doughnut apart. Gently spread.
6. Put the poppyseed-laden piece on top.
7. Enjoy (coffee works nicely at this point, too).

We Must Increase Our Crust: A High 5 Cutie Pie Feature on DailyCandy

When I met High 5 Pies, the brainchild of Dani Cone (aka owner of Fuel Coffee) it was most certainly a case of love at first bite. Not only is their crust just how I like it: thick, lightly flaky, and very buttery, but their presentation is wickedly clever and cute.

Take for instance their PieJars--pies baked right into a mason jar, which you can then heat and serve directly. It's a perfect gift, and no awkward conversations later about "Hey, can I get my pie plate back?".

But their newest addition, Cutie Pies--mini pies baked in muffin tins--(which I just wrote a story about for DailyCandy)--will have you reeling from the cuteness. The fillings range from classics, like apple with a delicious crumb topping to unusual but surprisingly delicious combinations like peach, blueberry and clove. And as an added bonus, the high crust-to-filling ratio is tailor-made for crust enthusiasts like me who don't like it when pies are too fruity and virtuous-tasting.

Of course, they've also got regular pies and sweet little hand pies on their menu too; check it out at high5pie.com. The pies are currently available exclusively at Fuel Coffee locations. For more information on the Cutie Pies, read the article I wrote for DailyCandy Seattle!

Hot Dogs for Dessert at Snacks! in Ballard, Seattle

When CakeSpy buddy Megan tipped us off about Snacks!, a new bodega in Ballard opened by Dante (of Dante's Inferno hot dog cart fame), we knew we had to hit it up. But why would Cake Gumshoes want to check out a bodega in an alley behind a bar, you ask?

Three words: Sweet. Hot. Dogs. 

No, seriously. Per myballard.com, Dante has "created a 'Chilly Dog' that is a hot dog bun with soft serve ice cream, his idea of an ice cream sandwich (served with a spork.)" OK, so there's not an actual hot dog in it. But still, it's a fun idea...sort of like a choco taco, but with a hot dog bun instead of a chocolate tortilla.

Naturally, we had to head over immediately upon hearing Megan's suggestion. Unfortunately they'd already closed for the night, but they were kind enough to invite us in for a look and even gave us some soft-serve ice cream, which they have in vanilla, chocolate and a combo swirl--sure, it was no Chilly dog, but it sure was delicious.

Welcome to the neighborhood, Snacks! Can't wait to try more of your sweet offerings.

For more information, read the entry on myballard.com.

Sweet Talk with Anne-Marie of SoapQueenTV!

If you don't think soap is totally sweet, you've clearly never come across Anne-Marie Faiola. Anne-Marie is not only the owner of Bramble Berry (the premier soapmaking supply company) and the host of the brand new online soapmaking tutorial show SoapQueenTV--but she's one of the most dedicated dessert-lovers we've ever come across. And happily, her love of sweets comes across in everything she does--from tutorials on how to make soaps that smell like your favorite dessert using fragrance oils to embedding objects (like a cupcake figurine perhaps?) in your soap to even an upcoming episode on candy-themed soaps!

But how else do sugary treats figure into the SoapQueen's life? Here are some of the sweet products, crafts and delicious cakes that inspire Anne-Marie; you might just make some sweet discoveries of your own!

CupcakeSocial is an entire Etsy shop dedicated to just cupcakes - cupcake liners, toppings and more. Take your cupcake making to the whole next level!

The Dieline blog inspires me every day with their picks for best design in everything. This one caught my eye because it was 100% sweet and 100% good design. The perfect marriage.

Cupcake Royale: Seattle is lucky they have the talented Cupcake Royale in their backyard. Anytime I'm even close to Seattle, I go to Cupcake Royale for a glass of milk and my favorite cupcake of all time, Salted Caramel.

A Field Journal: Inspiration for a perfectly sweet birthday party, in an indie sort of way.

Chronicle Books: I love Chronicle Books and was especially excited to see that they carry all sorts of cupcake products, including a cupcake kit, adorable confection-ery labels, and The Cupcake Deck!

100 Layer Cake does features on crafting your wedding, layer by layer with a DIY Spa Day!

The Fancy Flours blog is one of my favorite blogs because it's so beautifully photographed and always inspirational.

SoapyLove is one of the most creative melt and pour soapmakers to hit the 'net and she inspires me with her sweet confectionary soaps (like this and this). Don't they look real?

Bath Bomb Cupcakes: The craft that was spawned from my cupcake addiction! (here's the blog entry on it too!)

Cake Byte: CakeSpy Products Now Available at Teacake Bake Shop!

Teacake Bake Shop, a Bay Area bakery which boasts three adorable retail locations and a wonderful online store, is definitely a CakeSpy favorite (they've been mentioned a few times in the past!). Why? Well, just take a look at what they sell. Cupcakes! Cookies! More cookies! Brownies!

And now, if you're in California, you can also get CakeSpy notecards, pins and bookmarks at all three retail locations! We're also working on a custom notecard design (shown top) which will be available in the next few weeks.

Yup, it's for sure: the Bay Area just got even sweeter!

Teacake Bake Shop has locations in Emeryville, Lafayette and Corte Madera; for directions and addresses, click here.

Rhubarb Nirvana: The Rhubarb Strawberry Bar by Parisian Star Desserts

Rhubarb is a magically versatile vegetables (yes, it's a vegetable). It can be used in a variety of dishes both sweet and savory, and some even claim to like it all on its own (liars).

But really, everyone knows that rhubarb is truly at its best when used as an ingredient in sweet desserts. And recently we discovered a really, really good one: the rhubarb-strawberry bar made by Parisian Star Desserts.

Parisian Star is a Seattle-based wholesale dessert company whose desserts live up to their name: fancy, Frenchy desserts that seem ideal for post-dinner party. They are sold at various venues around town, but they have an especially nice showing at PCC's Fremont bakery case, which is where the bar in question caught Mr. CakeSpy's eye.

Now, there are plenty of awesome rhubarb crumb cakes, bars and pies out there. And with its cookielike base and crumb topping, this one didn't look too different from other varieties we'd tried. But this one has a little something special--it sets itself apart with a thick layer of custard, which perfectly mellows out the tart fruit in addition to adding a delightfully rich flavor dimension and density to the bar. As an added bonus, the custardy filling provided a perfect texture contrast to the slightly crunchy topping and firm bottom layer. 

But watch out--though it may look like a bar cookie, all the awesome in the middle does have a tendency to ooze, so this one definitely requires a fork and knife.

Parisian Star Desserts Rhubarb Strawberry Bar, available at PCC in Fremont; for more information on their desserts and other places to buy, visit parisianstardesserts.com.