Sweet September: Cupcake Royale Debuts New Flavors for the Month

Say goodbye to summer, but don't say goodbye to delicious: Cupcake Royale has just debuted its September flavors, just in time for Back To School (or, you know, thursday). Here's the 411 on the new flavors:

Huckleberry Cupcakes! This baby starts with local huckleberries (fresh, as in they were picked this past weekend) folded into into their vanilla cupcake and top it with a huckleberry buttercream frosting. This cupcake brings all the bears to the yard. CCR has partnered with local farm Foraged & Found Edibles to provide them with their huckleberry crop this year. In case you don’t know what a huckleberry is, think of it as the little brother to a blueberry but with even more flavor.

Peanut Butter and Jam, sitting in a tree. This classic combo has our vanilla cupcake, filled with fresh local strawberry jam (fresh, as in they made it last week) topped with a super fluffy, salty peanut butter buttercream. Sprinkled with chopped peanuts and a coarse sugar and sea salt.

Now through September 30th at all five of their cafes. For locations and hours, visit cupcakeroyale.com.

Cake Byte: Molly Moon's Ice Cream to Open Queen Anne Location

Guess what, Seattle? As the weather cools down, the ice cream scene heats up: Queen Anne is going to get its own Molly Moon's Ice Cream Shop! It's true. I just received a press release:

Molly Moon Neitzel today announced the opening date of her fifth Seattle-based scoop shop, located at 321 W. Galer St. in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood. Molly Moon’s Queen Anne, the neighborhood’s soon-to-be most popular hangout is slated to open at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15.

Queen Anne residents proved to be Seattle’s most-devoted ice cream eaters this past winter by paying multiple visits to Moon’s big, blue ice cream truck and posting their appreciation for Moon’s creamy, frozen deliciousness on the company’s Facebook page. Kids of the “Shop 3, Where Will it Be?” winning ‘hood are welcome to enjoy complementary scoops at the opening.

“I can’t wait to share our homemade ice cream, sundaes and milk shakes with the people of Queen Anne,” said Neitzel. “I have put so much thought in to the design of the Queen Anne shop, making sure that it fit in perfectly with the neighborhood’s sophisticated vibe. I hope the community enjoys creating memorable moments over scoops of our classic and whimsical flavors.”

In celebration of Moon’s long-awaited Queen Anne opening, kids 12 years of age and under, who visit the shop on Thursday, Sept. 15 between 3 and 5 p.m. will receive a complementary kid-sized scoop of their favorite flavor. Molly Moon’s Queen Anne will be open daily from 12-noon to 11 p.m. beginning Friday, Sept. 16.

 For more info, visit the Molly Moon's Website!

Seeking Sweetness: Daily Snapshot, The CakeSpy Book Has Arrived At CakeSpy Shop

CakeSpy Note: if you follow me on facebook or Twitter, you probably know I'm partial to observing (and sometimes adding) sweetness in the natural world and urban landscape. Here's where I post a daily feel-good photo or image, for no particular reason other than to showcase these sweet little nothings, in hopes that they'll make you smile.

Well, would you look at that. My book! It has arrived at CakeSpy Shop! You can go ahead and buy it! Also, come and see me on my upcoming Tour De Sweet Book Tour!

Cake Byte: the Bake it in a Cake Bakesale Totally Ruled

So. If you didn't make it to the totally sweet Bake it in a Cake Bakesale last week at CakeSpy Shop, I feel very sorry for you. Because there were so many delicious treats and you didn't get to eat them!

But, I do feel for you, really, I do. And so here's a little slideshow of some of the sweet treats--a little virtual snack for you, including pictures of brownies stuffed with oreos, cupcakes stuffed with mini pies, and more! See you at the next bake sale, sweeties! Keep up with Megan's work on the Bake it in a Cake website!

Cake Byte: BYOC Bring Your Own Cake Party at CakeSpy Shop Today

CakeSpy, several birthdays ago.Guess what? On August 1 CakeSpy.com turned 4, and yesterday I turned 30 and I want you to help me celebrate my birthday month.

Since I just turned 30, I definitely want at least 30 cakes in my life this week. So, from 12-4pm today, Saturday the 27th of August (the day after my actual birthday) I am having an open house party at my Seattle art gallery, CakeSpy Shop, which is located at 415 East Pine Street, Seattle WA.

The only catch is that since it's MY birthday, I demand that you bring ME cake. It can be a slice or a cupcake or (if you're so moved) a 7-layer cake, but it's BYOC (bring your own cake!). Presents not necessary, though I am not lying, if you brought me one I wouldn't refuse it.

I'll make sure to have milk, forks, plates, and napkins.

Open House: 12-4 pm

Location: CakeSpy Shop, 415 East Pine Street, Capitol Hill, Seattle.

Or buy stuff online at cakespyshop.com

Cake Byte: Cupcake Royale Debuts August Flavors

Happy August! Keep it sweet with Cupcake Royale's new roster of flavors for this month:

Blackberry Buckle

Rumor has it that upon tasting this new flavor, one of our employees actually teared up. A blackberry cake topped with a blackberry whipped cream frosting is finished with a cinnamon streusel crunch. We can't guarantee that it'll make you cry with delicious happiness, but let's just say that we wouldn't judge you if it did.

Double Chocolate Raspberry

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. First, your tart raspberries and semi-sweet chocolate chips, gently folded into a tasty vanilla cake. Second, how you are topped with a fluffy, white chocolate buttercream frosting and garnished with a fresh raspberry and chocolate curls. It all adds up to a double dose of sweetness with just a hint of tart. Delicious with a latte!

...and for those of you who missed July's Strawberry flavors, you're in luck: the Strawberry Shortcake is sticking around! As they say:

There's no way around it, Strawberry Shortcake was this year's favorite Strawberry Festival flavor! We heard from you on Twitter(follow us!) and Facebook (like us!) and in the cafes. We totally get it especially since we've had more than our fair share of them ourselves. The light, strawberry-flavored whipped cream frosting ringed in graham cracker crumbs goes perfectly with the sweet strawberry-infused vanilla cake. Not carrying it over would have been cruel.

...but wait, there's yet MORE! Per the Cupcake Royale facebook page, there's also a special Peach Cupcake...but you won't find it at their cafes!

Welcome back, Peach cupcakes! Beginning August 1, our Peach cupcakes will be available exclusively at all 6 Metropolitan Market locations. And we mean exclusive - these aren't even available in our cafes. Swing by Metropolitan Market to pick some up. Our seasonal Peach cupcakes start with a delicious vanilla buttercake which is filled with luscious diced peaches and then topped with peach vanilla buttercream. A sweet and simple summer highlight!

Stay updated via cupcakeroyale.com!

Cake Byte: Blueberry Pie Cupcakes for August at Trophy Cupcakes

August rules, yo. For many reasons (my birthday, for instance), but this year, one highlight in Seattle is Trophy Cupcakes' announcement that they are now offering Blueberry Pie Cupcakes. Per their newsletter:

It’s the height of the farm market season and Trophy Cupcakes and Party has added their Blueberry Pie cupcakes to its lineup of seasonal-inspired confections. Made with Skagit Valley’s own Hayton Farms organic blueberries, Trophy’s classic vanilla cupcake sits atop a buttery pie crust and is filled with luscious house-made blueberry pie filling. The cake is topped with a swirl of vanilla bean buttercream, a fresh blueberry and a wedge of pie crust.           

“Our Blueberry Pie cupcake is an amazing cake-pie hybrid confection,” said Trophy Cupcakes and Party owner Jennifer Shea. “It truly contains the most delicious parts of two traditional treats, blueberry pie and vanilla cake. From the buttery, flaky pie crust to the moist vanilla cake and farmer’s market blueberry filling; the combinations of flavors equal dessert heaven.”

Blueberry Pie cupcakes will only be available at Trophy Cupcakes and Party retail locations at Wallingford Center, University Village and The Bravern through the month of August. To order our Blueberry Pie cupcakes, please call 206.632.7020 or visit trophycupcakes.com for more information.

Cake Byte: CakeSpy and Laura Bee Designs Featured at SPL on August 4

You already knew that Reading Is Totally Sweet. But next week it's going to be even sweeter: The Seattle Public Library's Central location has a very sweet artist reception planned with myself and Laura Bee Designs!

Here's the 411 from their newsletter:

Come meet Jessie Oleson of Cakespy and Laura Buzard of Laura Bee Designs. You'll see some great new items!

About Laura Bee: From hairpins to handbags, Laura Bee Designs will help you get a jump on your fall wardrobe with handmade accessories.

About CakeSpy: Dessert detective agency Cakespy features prints, note cards and many other sweet items. 

And though not officially part of the event, I would like to let you know that both Laura Bee and CakeSpy are united by both being official pug owning business owners.

Date: Thursday, Aug. 4, 2011, 12 – 2 p.m.

Location: Central Library, 1000 4th Avenue (the reception is at the FriendShop, which is on the 5th Avenue entrance level)

For directions and more, visit the SPL site. 

Cake Byte: Pie Stand Featuring Kate Lebo at CakeSpy Shop on August 6

Pie Stand returns! This time, the famous pie-maker Kate Lebo is selling pies by the slice at CakeSpy, the sweetest space in Seattle. She'll have slices and hand pies for sale, including a couple fresh fruit and gluten free pies. Pay no attention to that "end at 4" time listed--she'll be open until she sells out (which she will!), so come sooner rather than later. Kids and small dogs welcome. We'll also have her book of pie lore and poetry, A Commonplace Book of Pie, for sale at the shop.

Kate's note: This is a good time to get your whole pie orders in, so let me know now if you'd like to take a whole pie home.

The Menu:

Peach Bourbon hand pies
Vanilla Cherry hand pies
Mumbleberry Pie
Rhubarb Ginger Pie
Peach Cherry Galette
Fresh Fruit & Marscapone Pie
Lemon Shaker Pie
Apple Bacon Roquefort Pie
Asparagus Chevre & Thyme Pie

Fresh slices are $3-5, whole frozen pies are $35 for one, $60 for two. Cash only for the pie, please!

Details: Saturday, August 6 at CakeSpy Shop; 12pm Til we sell out.

CakeSpy Shop is located at 415 E. Pine Street (at Summit) in Capitol Hill, Seattle; cakespyshop.com. Please note the shop is not a bakery, it's a space for people who love baked goods. See you there!

Cake Byte: CakeSpy Socks Now Available For Purchase

We can't all have attractive feet.

But no matter what your feet look like, you can coat them with a triple-threat of awesome with these brand-new CakeSpy Socks, created as a collaboration with the lovely and amazing Sock It To Me!

Covered with cupcakes, unicorns, and robots, these socks are aptly entitled "Trifecta", and they're like a treat...for your feet! Delightful and delicious...just not to eat.

You can buy them online here, or come into the CakeSpy retail shop at 415 East Pine Street, where they are now available for purchase.