Cake Byte: CakeSpy Artwork for CupcakeCamp Inland Empire

Nope, Inland Empire isn't just a David Lynch movie.

It's a real live place, and the upcoming site of a super sweet event: CupcakeCamp! And guess who did the artwork for the poster?

Hint: it was CakeSpy. (Pretty obvious, huh?)

If you're in the Inland Empire, you must attend! You can find the details on the official website.

Cake Byte: Introducing Bake It In A Cake

Friends, I want to introduce you to my newest favorite thing in the world. It is the brainchild of Megan Seling, who I have long suspected but am now certain is a genius, and its name is Bake It In A Cake.

The mission statement is far more beautiful than any poem or love song:

"Dedicated to cake and cupcakes and all the delicious things you can bake inside of them."

So far you can find photos and tutorials for miniature pies baked in cupcakes, cupcakes with Cadbury Creme Eggs baked inside, Ho-Hos baked into a cheesecake, and other assorted baking adventures and misadventures.

One thing is for sure: once you visit, you'll be hungry for more.

Visit Bake It In A Cake. Now! Follow the site via Twitter, too.

Cake Byte: Cupcake Royale to Open New Location in Bellevue!

Break out the fat pants, Bellevue: your fair city is about to get a whole lot sweeter.

That's right: a buttercream wave is riding across the 520 bridge and coming your way, and its name is Cupcake Royale. 

They have officially announced the upcoming opening of their fifth retail location in Bellevue! 

Still waiting on details including location and official opening date, but in the meantime, they are hiring! Get more details here.

Get breaking news via their Twitter feed, or check out their blog here and their website here.

Cake Byte: Sweet Sandwich Fever in Las Vegas!

Guess what? As I recently learned from a Las Vegas PR person, August is both National Sandwich month and National Dessert Month. And happily, he gave me a very detailed lowdown on how some of the top eateries are celebrating--and they sound pretty good, if I do say so myself. These eateries may not be within everyone's range, but it's fun to dream, no?

• Skybox Sports Bar and Grill at ARIA Resort & Casino is home to Vegas’ Ice Cream Sandwich Lollipops. Delicious and delectable, the dessert features a trio of ice cream flavors, including double chocolate mint, butterscotch-cappuccino and chocolate chip-vanilla, sandwiched between three classic varieties of mouth-watering cookies. The restaurant also serves Burger, Fries and a Shake, a delicious threesome that features a strawberry cheesecake slider with chocolate-dipped potato chips and a malted banana milkshake.
• James Beard Award-winning chef Hubert Keller has created a delicious twist on the classic American burger at his restaurant Burger Bar at Mandalay Bay.  The Chocolate Burger and Creamy Cheese Cake Burger utilize warm donuts as buns, Nutella or cheesecake as ‘patties’, strawberries as the tomato and passion fruit gelée as cheese. Keller’s creations redefine the taste of typical desserts with culinary precision that only a master chef can provide. 
• Created by Laurent Tourondel, Bon Appétit’s 2007 Restaurateur of the Year, the Macaroon Ice Cream Sandwich at BLT Burger at The Mirage has re-imagined the concept of dessert. Delivered in strawberry, vanilla or chocolate-hazelnut flavors, this dish delights taste buds with the sweet flavor of the ice cream and the earthy essence of the macaroon.
• The Ice Cream’wich, a twist on a traditional favorite, can only be found at ‘wichcraft at MGM Grand. Designed by legendary chef and Bravo’s Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio, this sweet sensation features Häagen Dazs vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two chocolate, coconut or walnut cookies.
• The tastiest treat at Aureole at Mandalay Bay, the Grilled Brioche with white truffle infused chocolate ganache, features dark chocolate ganache or pistachio olive oil ice cream in between two delicious pistachio lime biscotti.
• Keeping with the pool-party trend sweeping through Vegas, WET REPUBLIC, the adults-only ultra-pool located at MGM Grand, offers The Whoopie Pie. With a whipped cream center sandwiched between two pieces of pound cake, this dessert is a perfect treat while having some fun in the sun.

Sweet News: High 5 Pie Opening a Retail Bakery in Seattle!

If you are foolish enough to think that Capitol Hill, Seattle can't get any sweeter--what with it being the home of Cupcake Royale, Bluebird Ice Cream, North Hill Bakery, Oddfellows Cafe, Molly Moon's, Old School Frozen Custard, and CakeSpy Shop (ok, figuratively at the latter, but still), and all--well, you are wrong.

'Cos guess what? High 5 Pie is opening a retail bakery on 12th Avenue. That's right: Dani Cone's pie genius will now be readily available at one wonderful place, seven days a week, with an expanded menu. Yes!

Want the scoop? Well, as reported on the Capitol Hill Seattle blog, 

The shop and production bakery will occupy the large corner spot of the Trace retail space that has sat empty since the building was completed in 2007. Cone is excited about the 22-foot ceilings and said the south wall will be big windows that will look into the bakery and cafe. Cone said the pie shop will also feature Fuel Coffee along with what she called a "classic pie shop" featuring dozens of varieties of pies and, yes, ice cream, too. The High 5 shop will also sell frozen pies and pie items to 'take n bake,' Cone said. According to Department of Planning records, the build-out of the shop will cost around $80,000.

As for opening date? Still undetermined, but hopefully before the end of 2010.

Basically, my suggestion is that if you're in Seattle, you should be very, very excited. And if you're not in Seattle, you should start browsing airfare.

Check out High 5 Pie here.

Cake Byte: The Incredibly Awesome Art of Mike Geno at CakeSpy Shop!

Things I'm having a hard time with? First and foremost, wrapping my mind around the awesomeness that is Mike Geno's artwork. Second, believing that it's really here at CakeSpy Shop! 

These oil paintings are lovingly rendered on wood panels, and seem to channel the skill and style of another famous foodie painter, Wayne Thiebaud.

Now, I certainly can't afford a Thiebaud, but these Peeps might be within my price range:

Oh, and there are savory offerings too:

But even if you can't visit the shop, you can check it all out online here!

Cake Byte: Two Flavors of the Month at Cupcake Royale

In case you had any doubt about August being the sweetest month ever, well, here's proof:

Cupcake Royale has not one, but two flavors of the month.

Raspberry Lemonade, on the one hand, sounds refreshing, and the perfect mix of sweet and slightly tart.

But if excess and rich chocolatiness are your thing (they're mine), go for the Cherry Chocolate Almond--a triple threat of awesome. 

Both flavors will be available all August long at the four Cupcake Royale locations; for directions and contact info, visit www.cupcakeroyale.com. Of course, you can keep up to date with their goings-on at legalizefrostitution.blogspot.com and via Twitter.

Sweet Art: Poster Design for CupcakeCamp DC!

What's the sweetest thing going on in DC?

CupcakeCamp DC, naturally! The festival of cupcake awesomeness (which I can attest to, because I attended the Seattle CupcakeCamp!) will be taking place in our Nation's Capitol on September 18th--that's a mere 45 days away, thanks to the counter on their website!

And adding to all that sweetness? They'll be using the above illustration for posters and promotion! Because hip cupcakes riding the metro in DC is totally...well, you know.

For more information, visit the CupcakeCamp DC website!

Cake Byte: CakeSpy Artist Reception at SPL's FriendShop This Thursday!

Reading is totally sweet...I'm pretty sure you already know that.

But it's about to get even sweeter at Seattle's Central Public Library (1000 4th Avenue, Downtown) this Thursday, where I have the great honor of being the featured artist of the month at the FriendShop!

I'll be hanging out at the FriendShop from 1-5 p.m. on Thursday, and will be bringing some one of a kind original paintings, cards, and CakeSpy products with me--it's totally worth skipping class, playing hooky from work, or taking a break from the book you're reading to come and say hi.

Details and the address can be found on the FriendShop website!

Cake Bytes: Miscellaneous Bits of Sweet News from CakeSpy

Oh, hi friends. There are some sweet things I've been meaning to tell you about. Ready?

First, before I forget to tell you, CakeSpy was featured in the amazing magazine Cake Central. How cool is that? (pictured above)

Booyea! Totally sweet new card holders! Why settle for one when you can buy them all?

Whoopie! If you're in Seattle, and you're feeling hungry for something sweet, you must come to the Whoopie Pie Bake-off at Oddfellows tomorrow!

...but if you're not around for that, you can get a fix of awesomeness by coming to my artist reception on August 5 at the FriendShop at the Seattle Public Library (the Central location!).

...of course if you won't be around for that, at least say you'll come to the Pie Vs. Cake party on August 9.

Oh, and during the month of August I'm going to have some awesome originals and prints on show by CakeSpy Shop featured artist Mike Geno! More details to come.

Reminder: have you entered the Michelle Miller Cupcake Plate giveaway? Really, you should. But if you can't wait, you can buy them here.

Speaking of awesome giveaways, you can win some sweet CakeSpy stuff (starting Friday--in the meantime, read a fun interview with me) on the Renegade Handmade blog.

These aren't cake-related, but they are magical: new Egg Press cards at CakeSpy Shop!! (retail shop only)

Totally sweet: CakeSpy buddy Teresa (who, by the way, is the one who commissioned the above custom piece) surprised me with some delicious macarons from Bakery Nouveau the other day. They were so good, in fact, that the very next day I ventured over to West Seattle to get some more.

...one of which I shared with the uber-talented (and cute) Alicia Kachmar, who dropped by the shop while visiting from Pittsburgh this weekend, and guess what? Macaron fever must have been in the air because she had a sweet treat for me as well: a handmade crochet macaron! (P.S. Buy her stuff here!)

Yesterday while walking Porkchop the pug, I heard a small voice crying "Cake Sale!". Turns out the enterprising youngsters in my neighborhood had (intelligently) eschewed the cliche and quite frankly kind of lame Lemonade Stand for an impromptu Cake Stand. At a dollar a pop, the cake baked by 8 year olds was one of the sweetest things I've tasted in some time.