Baker's Dozen: A Batch of Sweet Links!

Screw you, macarons! Eclairs are the lates old thing that is new again. 

Meet Max Brenner's new baby.

The bakery from the movie "Moonstruck" files for bankruptcy.

Very yum: pumpkin roulade.

Interesting: new "traceability" guideline for the bakery industry.

What do eggs do in baking?

Let's talk about how to promote your cake business on Twitter.

Pairing wine with Halloween candy. Brilliant!

MEGA FUN SIZE CANDY BAR

Wash it down with: Candy corn milk!

Chase that with: candy corn muffins!

Ghost cupcake cones: adorable.

The final yum? Dulce de leche pumpkin softie cookies.

CakeSpy for Craftsy: Baking Soda Versus Baking Powder

Baking soda and baking powder. What's the dif? Find out on Craftsy, in this beautiful and thorough article I wrote.

Candy is Dandy: Candy Corn Milk Recipe

Some days, you're all "Oh, I love eating organic and stuff. Let's go to Whole Foods and get our gluten-free on!"

But other days, you're like "eff everything and everyone. All I feel like doing is mainlining some candy corn."

Okay, so maybe that exact thing has never happened to you. But it has happened to me. And there is no quicker or more enjoyable way to mainline that candy corn sugary goodness straight to your system than via candy corn milk. So in case you ever have felt this way, or ever do in the future, here's an extremely useful recipe for Candy Corn Milk to keep at the ready.

The idea formed in this way. At Momofuku, they've built a brand around what to many of us is a byproduct (albeit a delicious one): cereal milk. So I found myself thinking, when faced with half a bag of candy corn left over after I made a spectacular pie which will be featured soon on Serious Eats...

CakeSpy to self: "Why don't I make this into Candy Corn Milk?"

Self back to CakeSpy: "Fantastic idea! Let's do it!"

I treated the official Cereal Milk (tm) recipe as my North Star when creating this recipe. I didn't toast the candy corn (don't be stupid! It would melt!) but I did the steeping and straining as specified in the recipe. Then, I transferred the mixture to jars, so I could readily reach for candy corn milk any time I was feeling low. This stuff has enough sugar to give you pep even on the most Monday of Mondays, or any otherwise somewhat low energy or gloomy day. So it's a perfect fall food! 

If you're feeling naughty and know something about cocktails, I suppose it might make a nice addition to a Halloween drink. But I don't know so much, so I guess I will just drink it straight. If you were so inclined, I believe this recipe could rock your sugary world if you used it as your milk to put on cereal, or served it alongside a bowl of creamed candy corn.

Why don't you join me?

Candy Corn Milk - adapted from Momofuku's Cereal Milk (tm)

• 1 cup candy corn
• 2 cups cold milk
• 1/8 tsp salt

Bowls, and a fine mesh seive or strainer, and jars or a jug to store the finished milk

Note: As with cereal milk (tm), taste your candy corn milk after you make it. if you want it a little sweeter, add some brown sugar. if you want it more mellow, add a splash of fresh milk and a pinch of salt.  

Place the candy corn in a bowl. Pour the milk right on top.

Let steep for 20 minutes at room temperature. The milk will start to change color.

Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, collecting the milk in a medium bowl. the milk will drain off quickly at first, then become thicker toward the end of the straining process.

Use the back of a spoon or spatula to get all the tasty thick gooey milk out. Don't be too forceful, because you don't want to jam the melty candy corn bits into your strainer (big pain to clean out).

Give it a whisk, adding the salt at this point. Store in a pitcher or in mason jars (that's what I did), refrigerated, for up to a week.

Note: this recipe also works with mellowcreme pumpkins. 

CakeSpy for Craftsy: Amazing Fall Pies

It's a great day for some pie. Here's a collection of particularly tempting fall pies I curated for Craftsy! 

Infographic: The World According to Desserts

I'm often opposed to posting things that are sent to me as PR pitches, but this one caught my eye: an infographic about the world according to dessert. I like the idea! So I am in fact sharing. Enjoy! 

CakeSpy Undercover: Bread, Durango CO

When I recently went to Durango, Colorado, the first thing I did was ask about bakeries. And based on the popular opinion of the locals, the place to go was Bread. 

So...I went to Bread. And I am so glad I did. I liked them from the get-go, when I spied this outside:

I mean seriously, isn't that a great idea? Love it.

I liked it even better, though, once I went inside. I have a theory that bakeries tend to be one of two styles: either a bread bakery, or a cake bakery. Bread bakeries tend shine when it comes to, well, bread, but also carbohydratey pastries, especially with laminated dough. So croissants, cinnamon rolls, morning buns...that kind of thing. Whereas cake bakeries tend to specialize in cupcakes, cookies, delicately crumbed pastries and sweets. 

Bread is, as you might have guessed, a bread bakery. And a good one at that. After all, the outdoorsy atmosphere of Durango definitely calls for some high-energy carbs.

Listen, they have a lot of great things at Bread. We tried the brownies, which are huge and decadent and come in different flavors on different days (pecan, hazelnut, cherry, and walnut were some that we saw, and they typically have a gluten-free variety, too), the chocolate cookies, and the bread. Each thing was clearly made with care and precision, and I was impressed by the overall quality.

But the true siren call for me at this bakery is something called the Pecan Roll. 

It's sort of like a morning bun, I suppose. But if I were pressed to describe it, I'd say equal parts croissant and pecan sticky bun...with a soupcon of pecan pie filling thrown in.

This is the type of pastry that makes you pause between bites, look side to side at anyone nearby who will listen, and say in a slightly choked-with-emotion voice, "this is so good". It really is. The marriage of a perfectly flaky dough (flaky enough to shatter in your mouth, but not so flaky as to shatter in your hand) holding in a bountiful butter flavor which explodes in your mouth is a thing of beauty. But it gets even more beautiful--gorgeous!--when you add a caramelized pecan mixture. 

Seriously. It will make you want to sing. Or at least buy six more to stockpile at home.

Bread is a very sweet bakery, with a friendly staff and an incredible carbohydratey aroma. I think that if you find yourself in Durango, you will adore it as much as I did.

Bread, 42 County Road 250, Durango CO; online here.

CakeSpy for Craftsy: Homemade Mellowcreme Pumpkins

OMG. Make 'em at home! Learn how to do it here.

CakeSpy for Craftsy: Trail Mix Ideas

Think trail mix is just for hikers? Think again, jerk. Here's a new look at a tasty snack, on Craftsy!

Buy it Now: Trophy Cupcakes Book

It's not every day that a business I've illustrated in cupcake form releases a book.

But when it does happen (and it has!), I am going to tell you "buy this book now." Please.

The book in question is by beloved Seattle bakery and one of my first supporters, Trophy Cupcakes. The book is entitled Trophy Cupcakes and Parties!: Deliciously Fun Party Ideas and Recipes from Seattle's Prize-Winning Cupcake Bakery.

A mouthful, I know. But nowhere near the mouthful of tastiness you'll experience once you bake one of the cupcake recipes in the book. Seriously--this is good stuff. 

But the book isn't just cupcakes, I learned upon opening my review copy package. This book is designed to party.

As I unwrapped the tissue, I found not only a book but a built in party...

including... a tiny dancer!

The party theme corresponds to the book, which is full of party ideas, including recipes, crafty decor and activities, and all of the style you need to pull off a cool event. I love it--it really celebrates not only the cupcake, but the happy culture which should always surround the cute foodstuff.

A respectable cache of recipes, of course, is present, with beautiful photos.

It's really a lovely book, and I think you should buy it right now. In case you've already forgotten the title,  it's Trophy Cupcakes and Parties!: Deliciously Fun Party Ideas and Recipes from Seattle's Prize-Winning Cupcake Bakery. Do it now!

CakeSpy for Craftsy: How to Host a Charity Bake Sale

Photo via Pink Cake Box

Want to give back by using your baking for good? Check it out here: a primer on how to host a charity bake sale.