Napoleon of the Stumptown: Portland Coffee Takes Seattle

Stumptown Coffee has opened in Seattle, and it's caused quite a stir in the
city. To some, it's seen as an invasion in an already saturated boutique coffee market: are Caffé Vita, Espresso Vivace, Caffe Ladro and Uptown Espresso really not sufficient? And yet at the same time, there are the coffee enthusiasts who are flocking to the newly-opened Capitol Hill location.

But Cakespy is here to report on something much more important than coffee alone: what's going on in their pastry case?

Well. We're happy to say that Stumptown has embraced their new hometown by stocking their pastry case with lovely carbohydratey treats from Seattle favorites Mighty-O Donuts and Macrina Bakery. Beautiful cake doughnuts, biscuits, dill scones with cream cheese--we have to say, they have a major leg up on nearby Caffé Vita's pastry case, which always looks a little sad.

Oh, and the coffee is pretty good too; their espresso was strong and smoky yet still remarkably smooth; in fact, our only complaint is that they serve their French press coffee from a pump-top dispenser (which, granted, might just be a personal thing).

Stumptown Coffee Roasters, 1115 12th Ave (near Madison St.); second Capitol Hill location opening soon at 1605 Boylston Ave. (at Pine St.); online stumptowncoffee.com.

Who Takes the Cake?: A Cupcake Tasting for the Ages

There's a lot of emphasis put on labels these days. Organic, pre-owned, skinny, punk-rock: you'd be surprised how frequently people will judge something before considering the whole package. People will often choose (or reject) things because of preconceived notions...and even seemingly innocent things like cake can fall prey to this! There are people who shun cake mixes because they're too fake, people who won't try vegan cakes because they're too hippie; at the same time, there are those believe that homemade by nature must always be the best. So who's right? Hard to say, but in a recent cupcake tasting hosted by Cakespy, we tried to challenge some of these notions! Here's the lowdown:

WHAT: A "blind" (though not blindfolded) cupcake tasting including three batches of cupcakes: homemade "regular" cupcakes, vegan cupcakes and from-a-mix cupcakes (below, from left to right in order of description). To try to keep things fair, we made each batch the same flavor combination: vanilla cake with chocolate frosting.
Cakespy Note: There were some inherent variations between the cakes, but we tried to keep them as similar as possible. The homemade dairy cupcake recipe came from Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans; the vegan cupcakes recipe came from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World! by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero, and Sara Quin; the Mix was courtesy of Betty Crocker.

HOW: Each participant was given three cake samples labeled A (homemade "regular"), B (vegan) and C (from-a-mix), as well as a scorecard. Upon tasting each sample, filled in their cards with guesses on which cake was which, and voted on which one they liked best.

WHO: Cupcake testing is serious business, so we assembled an equally serious and eclectic group of tasters:
WHY: To see if people could tell the difference between the three batches; also, to see which ones tasted best.

RESULTS: Well, nobody had any trouble picking out the vegan cakes from the others; of course, their frosting texture was noticeably different and the cake much more dense. Nonetheless, we didn't see anyone who left the vegan portion uneaten, which in itself is very telling! A few people did mix up the homemade and mix-made cupcakes though.

But most importantly, which one tasted best?

The tally came in as follows: Homemade "regular" cupcakes came in first with 4 votes; Mix cupcakes and vegan cupcakes tied for second place with three votes each.

CONCLUSION: When it comes down to it, cake is an innately good thing, fulfilling both mentally and physically. Our testers' comments reflected this very much; while the denser cake was "spongy and satisfying" to one tester, the mix cupcakes brought on memories of "childhood sugar highs", and yet another noted that the dairy homemade cupcakes reminded him of those his mother used to make. Cake is about comfort, and no matter what the label, if it's made with love and enjoyed in good company, it's bound to be a rewarding experience. Awww.

For more information on the great cupcake experiment, feel free to email jessieoleson@gmail.com.

This is Your Brain on Chocolate: Recipe Notecards by Greg Clarke

Is he a wannabe boyfriend, or a stalker? Is she a cat enthusiast, or a creepy cat lady? Hey, sometimes cute vs. creepy can be a hard call indeed.

In the case of recipe notecards by Greg Clarke, while the struggle is there (strangely surreal pastry and beverage-headed characters wearing their party best), ultimately cute wins. Strange heads or not they're charming, and the sentiment wins us over: each notecard is imprinted with a chocolate-themed recipe like Triple Chocolate Brownies or Overly Indulgent Cupcakes; they'll make your letters or thank you notes that much sweeter.

While still being just a little bit creepy.

Available online at fredflare.com.

Arriba!: Mini Mexican Wedding Cakes

Pop Quiz! Would you rather eat:

A. a Snowball
B. a Russian Tea Cake
C. a Mini Mexican Wedding Cake

Well, in truth you’d be eating the same thing: all of the above are slight variations on a small, gorgeously crumbly, nut-buttery round cookie finished off with a dusting of sweet powdered sugar. But what a difference a name makes. While there’s nothing wrong per se with a Snowball or Russian Tea Cake, you’ve got to admit that eating a Mini Mexican Wedding Cake sounds like the most fun. Traditionally made only for weddings or special occasions, they’re now an everyday treat thanks to Montlake Mousse, whose 16-ounce containers of the ambrosial treats (freshly made, preservative free) are now available in various Metropolitan Market locations.

But watch out: they have a fiesta-in-your-mouth inducing reaction which naturally makes it impossible to eat just one.

Available at Metropolitan Market; for locations, visit metropolitan-market.com.

Cakespy note: Not in the Seattle area? We also found a great recipe for Mexican Wedding Cakes, thanks to Cooks.com!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. flour
2 sticks butter
1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
1 c. chopped nuts
Soften butter, cream with flour. Blend in sugar. Add nuts. Form balls the size of walnuts. Bake in 350 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Yield 4 to 5 dozen.

Batter Chatter: Interview with Robin Koelling of Bittersweet Originals

There are cakes--and then there are the cakes you remember forever: perfect pink-frosted birthday cakes from childhood; Grandma's secret-recipe chocolate cake; dream-inducing holiday bûche de Noël. Cakes are very much connected with memory, and nobody understands this more than Robin Koelling of Bittersweet Originals. Her cakes have an instantly-nostalgic feel that you can't help but fall in love with; while she only works by special order in McPherson, Kansas, Cakespy predicts that her beautiful cakes are bound for a bigger audience! In an email interview, here's what we learned about life, cake, and what flavors rule in Kansas:

Cakespy: First off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started in cake design? Are you formally trained in cake decorating?
Bittersweet Originals: I would say "formally trained by trial and error"! My grandmother bought me a Wilton starter kit (with plastic decorating bag, a few tips, and little tubes of food coloring) for my birthday when I was eight. I was hooked! I've always made my kids' birthday cakes, treats for school events and holidays, but didn't really start thinking about it as a business until about a year ago.

CS: Do you work primarily by special order, or is there a retail location where individuals could sample your work?
BSO: I work primarily by special order and word of mouth. Sometimes I go out and about with samples of my marshmallow fondant decorated vanilla sugar cookies along with a business card and gift certificate and just introduce myself to people. Cakespy note: Although it is not a good idea to eat candy from strangers, we would probably eat a marshmallow fondant vanilla sugar cookie from Robin if she approached us on the street.

CS: What are some fun occasions you've done cakes for (other than weddings)?
BSO: Mainly birthdays I would say. I've also done decorated teacup and pocketbook shaped sugar cookies for a Mary Kay Cosmetics event, which was cool.

CS: What is the most important aspect in making a great cake?
BSO: Having a plan! That and not trying something on a cake before you've actually practiced it!

CS: Are you totally OD'd on cake, or do you still enjoy eating it?
BSO: I love cake. Actually I think it should be a food group. I have a habit of eating the cake first and saving the icing for last.

CS: Are you noticing an upward trend in cupcakes for weddings? It's all the rage here in Seattle.
BSO: Definitely! I think they're a nice departure from the traditional tiered wedding cake. With so many different, unique ways of decorating these days the possibilities are endless!

CS: What is the ideal beverage to accompany cake, in your opinion?
BSO: Tea, good coffee, or a light, not too sweet type of punch.

CS: What is your most popular cake flavor?
BSO: White almond sour cream or citrus.

CS: Do you have any cookbooks or bakers in particular who inspire you?
BSO: I like the Cake Doctor's cook book. I'm inspired by decorators like Kylie Lambert, and baker's such as Paula Deen and Martha Stewart.

CS: What are your most memorable baking experiences?
BSO: I like decorating cakes and cookies for my family's birthdays and events. It's just really satisfying for me to make something special for them that they'll enjoy.

CS: Have you ever had a cake get ruined en route to a delivery? What did you do?
BSO: I haven't had a cake ruined en route yet...knock on wood! I have however come back into the room to find my to youngest kiddos eating handfuls of cake!

CS: Do you have any guilty pleasure store-bought desserts? Be honest.
BSO: I love cheesecake, any kind. And I've been known to wait in a long drive through line of cars at Starbucks for more than one of their Cranberry Bliss Bars!

CS: What is next for Bittersweet Originals? Any goals or plans for the future?
BSO: I'd like to expand my business to make it full time and open a studio. Right now my primary job is in Health care, but decorating is a way for me to be creative and I love doing it!

To find out more, see her designs or to contact Robin about a custom cake order, visit bittersweetoriginals.blogspot.com.