Dessert Darling

Pumpkin Pie at Urth Cafe

Urth Cafe in West Hollywood is probably most famous for being the go-to hang-out spot for Vinny Chase and crew on "Entourage."  Known for its fresh organic menu and coffee, I was  bummed to discover that their pumpkin pie was just.. well, regular pumpkin pie... with bad crust at that.

The most appealing part of this dessert was the fresh whipped cream which had hints of custard in the flavor.  Had the crust not been chewy, bland dough, this slice might have had a shot at another cherry, but as it was, it earns three cherries for being a lovely, yet regular ol' slice of pumpkin pie.

 

 

  

Pumpkin Cheese Tart and Chocolate Bark at Goodie Bag

Oh Goodie Goodie!!  I've not only found the tastiest, most amazing homemade creations (yes, creations), but also, I've found a party planning/dessert catering company that stands for all things delicious, fun, and magical... values that rank high on DD's list.

Goodie Bag event planning was developed by Arielle Adelman to bring the simple joys and fun back into life, and indeedy it has with me.  I brought the Pumpkin Cheese Tart with Ginger Streusel and Gingersnap Crust (whew that's a mouthful!),  Chocolate Ginger Bark and these other crazy dessert balls with chocolate, caramel, and pretzels to my book-club.  The girls were in absolute awe of the dessert tray and demolished every treat before the night was over. 

If you're in Los Angeles and looking for fun, festive, and creative desserts that pack a joyful punch, or are needing to plan an event (anything ranging from b-day parties to client meetings), you must check out Goodie Bag!

For more info on Goodie Bag, click here. 

 

Dessert Tray with Punpkin Cheese Tarts, Streusel, & Chocolate Bark

 

 

 

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake at Jack in the Box

Ok, first of all, I do NOT condone fast food, that said.. Lordy Lord, Jack 'n the Box makes a Killer milkshake.  Truly, it brings all the boys to the yard.

While most of the country may be wrapped in winter coats, it is HOT in LA, and the poster for Pumpkin Pie Milkshake lured me in to the unlikely dessert stop.  

~(Heavenly Sigh)~ This tasty shake hints flavors of vanilla, egg, pumpkin spice, butter, and even scotch (a la butterscotch), blended seamlessly into a smooth creamy cup of indulgent joy.  

While I normally have a deep fear and suspicion of fast food joints, I'd venture back into the fried food frenzy just to treat myself to this delicious milkshake.

 

 

Cupcakes at Buttercup Bake Shop

Buttercup Bake Shop in NY had me at "Buttercup." 

Visions of Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Martin Short singing "My little Buttercup" in The Three Amigos movie bring me back to childhood before I even enter this delicious haven.  

An off-shoot of the famous Magnolia Bakery, Buttercup's cupcakes fare far better than their rival predecessor's with cakes that are actually moist and icing that has distinguishable and delicious flavors. With a healthy serving of thick frosting, these cupcakes pack a sugary punch that's not unlike a Sprinkles' experience. 

The Chocolate Cupcake is Perfection and the Ginger Cake with Pumpkin frosting is so exceptional, I'd consider flying back east next autumn just to have it annually.  

We run into problems with the Vanilla however. It tastes like a cup of Butter (how apropos, Buttercup) versus Vanilla.  I was reminded of Pepperidge Farm butter "Chessmen" cookies, or even pound cake.  I'm sorry, but if you can't execute vanilla/vanilla, that's going to dock you a cherry.

Overall, a fun and delicious stop. To avoid a complete sugar shock though, I recommend having only one at a time or sharing with a friend!

For more info on Buttercup Bake Shop, click here. 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Muffin and Scone at Starbucks

It's Pumpkin Week! And what better place to start than Starbucks, where we can all drop in to taste the season's spiced specialties?  

Pumpkin Muffin with Cream Cheese Topping

This item is more like a pumpkin cupcake than muffin. The cake is moist and spiced deliciously with a mild cream cheese topping.  Not quite muffin, not quite cake, it falls a little into No-Mans Land. As a muffin, it's too sweet, and as a cake, it needs more and yummier cream cheese "frosting."  Still pretty solid over all though.

Pumpkin Scone

  

My friend and I were at Starbucks first thing in the morning when the baked goods are surely their most fresh (which was evident in the muffin). The scone, however, let me down completely.  Dense, dry, flavorless, and heavy. Boom, you're out. 

Bountiful Desserts

We all know the Farmer's Market is great for fresh fruits and vegetables, but who knew I'd find the most amazing desserts amongst the rows of vegetation too?

Denise Assad of Bountiful Desserts has the most exciting stand with her array of freshly made treats that include her famous carrot cake (perfectly spiced), old-fashioned double chocolate layer cake (divine), Banana cream pie (so fresh you'd swear she has banana tree in her yard) and brownies so unbelievably out-of-this-world magnificent, that they earn the highest honor with the Golden Cherry (see below).  

When Denise lost her job as a designer, she used what money she had to sell her baked goods to the parents at her son's pre-school.  One year later, her desserts have become so popular that she now supports her child with the treats she makes from scratch, using her grandmother's tin recipe box.  What a sweet tale :) 

Chocolate-Caramel Brownie Puddle

 

OhmyGawd, this divine creation tangos with your tastebuds as it melts in your mouth. An outer shell of chocolate brownie envelopes a gooey, chewy, chunky center that's laced with a hint of salty-sweet caramel.  This caramel touch so enhances the experience, one learns cleary, it is the missing ingredient in other, more mundane cocoa bars. Not even my mom's brownies compare to this cosmic concoction (sorry Mom! Love you).

For more info on Bountiful Desserts click here. 

       

 

Joans on Third

These cupcakes just Look chic and delicious. After cruising by this trendy lunch stop many times, I was excited to finally try their cupcakes.  I bought a vanilla/vanilla with white sprinkles and a carrot cake.

Vanilla/Vanilla: Hm, this dense cupcake let me down.  The icing was a little bland and needed more vanilla, less sugar.  The cake was a bit dry and the topping didn't really work here.  With so many sprinkles piled on, they made for a very crispy experience..like bitting into a cookie, rather than a cupcake. The sprinkles also gave off a bit of a waxy-store bought flavor.

Carrot Cake: Mmmm, Now we're talking!  This little moist  cup of cake with loads of flavorful icing melts in your mouth and you can't put it down! To take it up a notch, they could tone down the salt and pump up the spice a smidgen.  

Flourless Chocolate Cake at The Little Next Door

Hmm, Ok, in short, this dessert was not "worth the weight."  

I love The Little Next Door and frequent it often for its amazing and fresh French cuisine, which is why I'm bummed to report that their flourless chocolate cake was a small mound of dense chalkiness.  The whipped-cream was the hero of the cake, giving it much needed moistness.  However, the cream was whipped so light-as-air that it only punctuated how dense the mound on my plate was.  

Finally, the white chocolate pirouette could have really saved the day since I love white chocolate. Alas, good white chocolate is hard to pull off and this was no exception.  

Sorry Little Next Door, may your other desserts fair better on my subsequent visits~

Rugelach from Suzanne's Sweets

Oh my.. I can't stop eating as I write...trust me, I keep trying to put them down, but every time my fingers touch the key pad my mouth goes "but wait! there's another one.. go on.. just one more bite!"

What's so delicious I can't focus on this entry? Good question!  I'm not really sure how to pronounce it myself, I'm ashamed to admit, but it's Rugelach, a traditional Jewish pastry.  Specifically, I'm enjoying Suzanne's "outrageously delicious Rugelach" from Suzanne's Sweets.

Rugelach, or the Rugel, as I shall hereby rename it for my fellow goyem, is a hearty treat with sweet fruit preserve and nut filling hand rolled into fresh layers of sour-cream dough. The rugel that continues to woo me happens to be completely dipped in a snug layer of delicious chocolate.  (Yes yes, I see and hear you dear chocolate ones, I'll get right back to you in a moment.)

I'd recommend this treat with your morning coffee or tea and find it especially suitable on chilly mornings when you want to cozy up to something special to start the day. Step aside bagel, the rugel has taken the stage!~

For more info on Suzanne's Sweets and her online store, click here.

Porto's Bakery

Just down the street from Yummy Cupcakes in Burbank is Porto's Bakery.  I walked into the large family-owned lunch and dessert stop and couldn't believe the hordes of people lined up to get their goods.  This place must have some seriously delicious food, I thought!  I admired the rows of colorful desserts that stretched as far as the eye could see and finally decided on an iced-sugar cookie, two cupcakes, and a slice of chocolate cake.  

Red Velvet Cupcake:  Mmmm, the icing was Perfection.  Not too sweet, not too salty, yet, it had a wonderful flavor.  Furthermore, it was smooth, cool, and whipped up so it was nice and light! I inhaled it.  The icing that is.. the cake was good, but a little on the dry side.  

Vanilla/Vanilla Cupcake: the icing alone was a bit sweet and flavorless, but it perfectly complimented the cake which had an appreciated hint of salt.  These cupcakes are shaped like muffins, so it's very easy to just eat the top off and then neglect the remainder of the cake.

Sugar Cookie: This was the most disappointing purchase.  The cookie was too crispy/buttery and the icing had a rubbery/waxy glaze feel (versus fresh frosting).

Chocolate Cake:  overall this cake was very fluffy, so if you're into dense, flour-less chocolate cakes, this might not be for you. Between fluffy layers of cake lay whipped, anemic chocolate cream. Shavings of real chocolate on top really pulled the cake together for me.  

For more info on Porto's Bakery, click here. 

 

 

 

Cakes at Susie Cakes

Over the summer I attended a gorgeous wedding that featured a table of various cakes propped on log stands from trees of the bride's home town (which looked adorable in the natural out-door setting). While everything about the affair already impressed me, I concluded that the bride had impeccable tastes when I learned that the dessert came from Susie Cakes, one of my favorite cup-cakeries in town (see review here). I hadn't experienced their actual cakes yet and was excited to try every slice and get down to business!

 

Red Velvet Cake: this slice was my favorite of the bunch and a near home-run. The red cake was a relatively natural shade (versus the fluorescent red dye that can irk me in others) and the icing was not overly sweet. Susies Cakes is really great about icing distribution, ensuring that every bite is moistened with the good stuff between layers. To achieve perfection, the icing could have had a little more flavor. I'm not sure what flavor I'm looking for, but it wasn't quite as addicting as some sour-cream/cream-cheese icings can be.

Carrot Cake: Susies' did a great job with their carrot cake. The cake was sufficiently moist with a nice texture that included walnuts, raisins, and fine carrot shavings. A touch more cinnamon or nutmeg would have further enhanced the flavor. Finally, the icing was a little dense, so a few more rounds in the whipper would have been appreciated.

Coconut Cake: this slice was the most disappointing of the four. Over all, it was simply too sweet with too little flavor. Perhaps almond or amaretto extract would have endowed this cake with a more distinct taste and zest.

Chocolate Cake: this cake burst with flavor, had the perfect texture, and was properly layered in yummy slabs of icing, but the result was not unlike a cake whipped up from a Betty Crocker mix or Duncan Hine's icing tub. If you're not expecting a decadent, dark cocoa experience, then this cake scores for the undiscriminating chocolate fan.

 

For more info on Susie Cakes, click here.

Pudding at Healdsburg Bar & Grill

Delicious!!!  

I'm not normally Bread Pudding gal.  Quite simply, it's too... "carby" for me.  All that bland, oftentimes dry, bread in a bowl hardly stands a chance against ice-cream or other sweet endings on a menu.  That said, the a Vanilla Bean Bread Pudding with fresh strawberries at the Healdsburg Bar and Grill blew me away.

I only meant to eat a few bites since it was my brother's wedding weekend and I knew I was in for a long one of pure decadence.. but WOW.  The pudding was so warm, buttery, sweet, moist, and well, mushy, that I simply demolished it.  

The Chocolate Pot de Creme did not disappoint either.  

And while I'm at it, the Truffle-Oil french fries were irresistible too. ;)

For more info on the Healdsburg Bar & Grill, click here. 

Kara's Cupcakes

I light up anytime I see cupcakes at an event.. however, the array of avant-garde cupcakes at an engagement party disappointed me.  Why so perfect looking? Were they made by human hands or aliens? 

I learned these were Kara's Cupcakes, which excited me again since I had read a good review about them.  But as I approached the dessert tray, I grew wary.  The tall poof of icing perched on top, exposed the cake's naked edges. I don't know about you, but I like my cake to be evenly covered in icing.  I guess the logic was, the icing was so tall it shouldn't matter. But then I found the height of the icing distressing.  How am I going to get this all in my mouth without getting icing on my nose? Am I supposed to eat this with a fork?  Why be a cupcake if I have to eat you with a fork??

Hmmm, this cupcake did not look like fun.  I dove right in...The icing was so airy-whipped that my teeth sliced right through as it evaporated in my mouth.  The texture, or complete lack there of, was slippery smooth.. not a good thing.  I've learned that I like resistance, texture, a little density..just a little.  

This all said, they were made with quality ingredients and had a fine flavor, and um.. I did eat five cupcakes that night (hey, a girl's gotta be sure.)  I much preferred the ones with sprinkles, which added desperately needed consistency.. and they were particularly yummy sprinkles, not like the waxy kind you buy at the store.  

While Kara's may have a following, I've gotta say...it's not my cup of cake.~

For more info on Kara's Cupcakes, click here. 

Yummy Cupcakes

Watch out World! Your Dessert Darling just had THE best cupcake her teeth have ever sunk into! It was called "Happy Day" from Yummy Cupcakes bakery and Oh happy day it was! Actually, I've had a bit of a trying day, but that cupcake just turned everything around for me.

I walked into the darling bakery, a cool repose from the sweltering Burbank heat, and was immediately delighted by the colorful display of pastel cupcakes that had an elegant unity while still maintaining a freshly baked feel. Furthermore, the bakery boasts a little shop to the side that features items such as adorable cup-cake patterned aprons, baking mitts, chef hats, and the Jaqua line of bath and body fragrances (if you're not familiar, they smell Delish!) 

This place meant Business! I could only imagine what the cakes would taste like. I now had high expectations and anything sub-delightful would sorely disappoint. I purchased the Happy Day (how could I not with a name like that?) which was a vanilla cake baked with rainbow sprinkles, and vanilla buttercream frosting. My first bite transported me to a heavenly place which I still have yet to leave. 

Next, I had the red velvet cake, which they claim is their most popular, along with the chocolate. While both were equally spectacular, my loyalties lingered on the Happy Day, so in comparison, I found the cream cheese frosting to be slightly salty next to the plain buttercream. 

 With flavors like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Brown Sugar Cinnamon,  Buttered Popcorn (!), and even a Vegan cupcake that looked tempting, I can't wait to go back to "Yummy Cupcakes" and try more! 

Ranging from $2.75-$3.50 a pop, these designer cakes are worth every penny for the divine experience. To impress and delight, I'd recommend these treats for any and every event. You must check out their extensive menu of unique flavors as well as the various size options for your party platters!

For more info on Yummy Cupcakes, click here. 

Happy Day (below)

A Delicious trio to try! (below)

Pastries at The Woodside Bakery

((Happy Sigh))

Walking into The Woodside Bakery is like stepping into my childhood. While the bistro has been chicly revamped to suit the upscale Silicon Valley clientele of late, the bakery and its delectables remain the same as the good ol' days.

Napoleon: A 5-Cherry pastry! This was by far my favorite, which surprised me since I wasn't in the mood for it, but the cool whipped cream, fresh berries, and sweetened filo dough had me at Hello~  

Chocolate Chip Brownie: this brick-like treat was so dense, I had to whittle my fork just to cut through it. The consistency didn't actually bother me so much as the salt-factor. If they toned down the salt, it would be a rather tasty baked-good!

Custard Pastry:  The filo was lightly sweetened to perfection and wrapped around a pool of yummy, mild custard.  A dash more sugar and salt would have amped the custard from mild to brilliant. 

Triple Chocolate Mouse Cake: While this cake looks absolutely gorgeous, I could have done without. I'm very particular about my white chocolate and found that this one fell in the trap of tasting bland and waxy. The chocolate layers below the white were lovely enough, but you're only as strong as your weakest link.

For more info on the Woodside Bistro and Bakery, click here. 

Napoleon (pic below)

Dense brownie (pic below)

Custard Pastry (pic below)

Triple Chocolate Mouse Cake (Gorgeous, see below)

Childhood on a Tray: my favorite was the cream-cheese pastry in the center row

Flourless Chocolate Cake at Cecconi's Restaurant

Hats off to Chef Porter of the fabulous Italian restaurant Cecconi's! Thanks to him I experienced an incredible trio of desserts at a friend's birthday last night.

Most exquisite of the the offerings was the:

Flourless Chocolate Cake, so cool and creamy my friend claimed, "It's smoother than George Clooney hitting on a cocktail waitress."

EGSactly. That's exactly how to describe this slab of deliciousness. Mmm, I swoon just thinking about it. If you need a chocolate fix, I urge you to visit this fine establishment. At $9 a slice, it doesn't come cheap, but for the George Clooney experience, it's well worth every penny.

Additionally, I enjoyed:

Summer Berries Pannacotta, lovely chilled, creamy custard with plump berries, and fresh mint garnish.

Peach Gelee (special of the night) This gelatinous delicacy was made with fresh peaches and Italian sparkling wine for an alcoholic kick that was tempered by home-made peach gelato.

Bravo!

For more info on Ceconni's, click here. 

    

Sampling Desserts at Blue Plate

Last weekend I had brunch with some girlfriends at the Santa Monica neighborhood restaurant, Blue Plate.  While the menu and savory selections are superb, the desserts didn't quite dazzle as much.

Butterscotch Pudding: the waitress said this was the most popular dessert item and I can see why. Made with real sour cream, maldon salt, Makers Mark alcohol, and a touch of whipped cream, this sugary concoction almost alarms the taste buds with it's powerful flavors.  Mmm, I think.. but, a bit salty, and a bit too sweet. One bite is enough.. but wait, one more, I like the grainy consistency within the cream, mm, another bite.. salty.. but mm, I can't stop.  That's how the pudding went down~

Carrot Cake: I really appreciated it when I learned that a costumer makes the cakes at home from scratch. It's a lovely cake with a generous slab of icing in the center, walnuts on the side, and nice chunks of all the good stuff. That said, the flavors were very mild.  We all agreed something was missing.. all-spice in the cake? Sugar in the icing?  While lovely.. it lacked.

Caramel Apple Crumb:  This dessert was not too strong, not too mild, but juust right.  Chef Berggman brought his mid-west comfort food to the restaurant with warm baked apples, sugary-cinnamon crumbs with hazelnuts, and a scoop of delicious vanilla ice-cream.  

For more info on Blue Plate, click here. 

Butterscotch Pudding (below)

 

Carrot Cake (below)

 

Caramel Apple Crumb (below)

 

Susie Cakes Cupcakes

Susie cupcakes taste like a birthday party in your mouth.   The frosting evokes childhood and has a certain, dare-I-say.. hint of store-bought flavor that comes in Betty Crocker tubs.  However, I know it's all made from scratch with the freshest and finest ingredients, so I don't question this twist of taste.  The pastel colors are fun and fanciful and each cake is adorned with just a tasteful amount of sprinkles to give it a delightful crunch in a few surprising bites.

But perhaps the most unique trait of the Susie cake is the hole they poke out the middle and fill up with extra icing, ensuring that almost every bite is frosted. Oh how special!

Now, if I'm to get picky here.. the cake itself might have leaned a bit on the dryer side. Overall, these cupcakes earn 5 cherries for the carefree sentiments of childhood that they evoke in addition to the fresh and delicious taste!!!

Click here for more info on Susie Cakes.

John Kelly Chocolates

MMMmmmmmmm

MMMMMMMMMMM

OHmyGod, YES!

Mmmmmmmmmm

This is how I can best describe John Kelly "chocolates." I put "chocolates" in quotations because to put these heavenly creations in the same category as Hersheys, Nestles, or any other run of the mill cocoa treat, would be like saying Meryl Streep and Lauren Conrad are both "actresses."

To be fair, John Kelly calls his treats "Truffle Fudge Bites."  How well put Mr. Kelly.  A thin layer of hard chocolate envelopes a mound of divine, melt in your mouth, flavorful, not quite truffle- not quite fudge, dreaminess that is so mind-blowing, it converts even the haters.  

The "Dark Chocolate with French Grey Sea Salt" has that sweet and salty combo that has made chocolate covered pretzels and chips so popular of late, and the "Chocolate with Walnuts" melted in my mouth like eating my mom's homemade brownie mix before it hit the oven.

Hats off to John Kelly.. I've never tasted chocolate so seductive as your's.  You put a spell on me~

Click here for more info on John Kelly Chocolates

Cupcakes and Cake at Sweet Lady Jane

Don't judge a cupcake by it's cover. Boy did I learn this lesson from Sweet Lady Jane, the bakery made famous by stars like Jennifer Lopez and Bruce Springsteen for having their wedding cakes made by this chi chi cakery on Melrose. Once you know one, you can spot a SLJ cupcake from 3 tables away. They're the most darling creations you ever did see, a harmony of pastel colors blossoming into beautiful floral creations. They look like the perfect addition to any tea-party, young and old. 

Just don't bite into one.  I did so last night at a birthday dinner and wanted to spit it out immediately. The "frosting" was so dense it was like biting into a cold stick of butter, but even Butter has more flavor than the bland, sculpted brick topping these cakes. I'd been to SLJ a few years ago to order a friend's cake.  I sampled everything and was extraordinarily disappointed by the lackluster cakes, steep prices, and rude service (It's a cake shop! Where does "mean" factor into the equation? Should be the happiest place on earth to work!) The one cake that passed my palette was the Dulce De Leche. This was the only sample that had any flavor (like brown sugar) and some semblance of texture in the frosting (versus a smooth, hard stick of cold lard). 

I'm told some people enjoy the fact that SLJ cakes aren't overly sweet. Well, if you don't want something sweet, how 'bout not having dessert? There's always butter in the fridge. Just a thought~

Click here for more info on Sweet Lady Jane