Showing posts with label international cupcakes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label international cupcakes. Show all posts

Friday, February 24, 2012

Tour de Cupcake

Last summer, I went to Europe under the guise of a honeymoon, when really I was on a covert cupcake recon mission! My accomplice and I visited London, Paris, and Bruges, and in each city, we scoured the streets for some tasty cupcake goodness. This is my report -

London - home of the infamous and decadent Harrod’s! This was literally a baker’s heaven. They had an ENTIRE room devoted to desserts and one wall exclusively to cake. My partner in crime insisted that – in the name of science – I try one of these gorgeous looking cupcakes. But which to choose? I wanted a fair comparison... so I went for the white icing with milk chocolate shavings on top of chocolate cake (to the bottom right). It was… kind of bland and a little dry. Maybe in the US we are used to super rich and sweet stuff, so my taste buds are on classic American over drive. But I confess myself disappointed. To be fair, this is my all time favorite flavor pairing, so I set the bar pretty high. Though it still was a blast! I took as many pictures of cupcakes as of the London architecture!

On a day trip to double date with our buddies Will and Kate, we meandered through the town of Windsor. It was adorable with its quaint cobbled streets and small kitschy shops. One of these was a bakery and fudge shop. I sampled the fudge, and it was excellent. So good that I bought some to bring home to my mother… however, it sadly melted long before we ever landed in LA. Nonetheless, it was fun to look at all the cupcake flavors that were alongside the fudge. There were so artfully decorated! Fit for a… queen?! (t-hehe)




And so we ate our way through Belgium
to the small town called Bruges- sanctuary to the chocolate! There, we found chocolate nirvana. Chocolate shops lined the streets, and as if to affirm the reason I married this man, my husband suggested we sample from each! Surprisingly, I did not see too many bakeries with cupcakes. But honestly, my purse (and tummy) were so brimming with chocolate by the time we left, that I’m certain my jeans could not take one more bite!

By the time we rolled ourselves in Paris, we on quite the sugar high. On our first night there, I had the creme brulee, which was, and I'm not exaggerating... divine. Easily the best dessert I had on our honeymoon. Thus, I proceeded to eat that instead of any other dessert with dinner. Best meals. Ever.

To satisfy any further curiosity about European baked goods, check out the other wonders I found (in England):


SO freakin cute! (Harrod's)


My future birthday cake!!


I love this! I'm totally making it!


More from Harrod's - SIGH

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

The Psychology of Cupcakes

Cupcakes are in the news again!

If it's in Times Online, then it must be true! The Psychology of Cupcakes - an article that details the social science behind our love of the sweet goodness that is the cupcake during the economically depressing time - is a wealth of rationalization. The cupcake is said to have been "the affordable treat that you don't have to share" and reminds us of a more prosperous time as in the 1950s. However, they go on to ruin the article with the nutrition facts - if you're eating a delicious dark chocolate cupcake with white, fluffy frosting, then you're not thinking about the calories. DUH UK press!

They also attribute the rise of cupcake popularity to the Sex and the City series... I beg to differ! I love Sex and the City as much as any city girl, but cupcakes have been hot since I was five! They are fun, festive, and classic. In a society so focused on weight control, cupcakes provide the perfect indulgence and portion control. Not to mention they are freakin adorable!

What I found fascinating however, was the list of popular British cupcake bakeries as well as the explanation of "fairy cake" a popular dessert in the UK (pictures to the right), which is similar to a cupcake but the icing is thinner and flatter... any UK Cupcaketeers out there who care to elaborate? All I know is that I need to try British cupcakes and these mythical fairy cakes - for research!

IN THE NAME OF SCIENCE.

Here are some of the hot shops in the UK listed in the article:

Cupcake

www.cupcakeglasgow.com/
*includes "cocktail cupcakes" with vodka and rum





Hummingbird Bakery

www.hummingbirdbakery.com/flash.html
*sells the iconic Magnolia Bakery ‘Red Velvet’ cupcake



Indulgence Cupcake Company

www.indulgence-cupcakes.co.uk/
*famous for its ‘Or-Eh-Oh!’ cupcake - count me in!!




Macaroon

www.macaroonbyalisonseagrave.co.uk/
*serves light cupcakes and, of course, macaroons



Primrose Bakery

www.primrosebakery.org.uk/
*popular with local celebrities, uses rose and ginger in some cupcakes




Sweet Tooth Cupcakery
www.sweettoothcupcakery.co.uk/
*showcases the ‘Kylie’ raspberry-dotted vanilla sponge with real raspberry buttercream





Well, that's settled. I'm booking my trip to London ASAP :-D