My Dream Cake

My friends are the absolute best. After a delicious Greek dinner, inclusive of gyros, tzatziki, and wine in Astoria to celebrate my birthday, they surprised me with a cake. Now for those of you who know me, you understand that I am quite fond of this thick, fluffy, sugary dessert. Others may use the term “obsessed” to describe this affection, but that seems a little critical to me. Since I have tried most of the well-known bakeries in the city that serve cake, my friends really had to consider where to purchase this one. With that being said, I am pleased to announce that they killed the game! Erika and Ashley landed on the famous Peanut Butter & Jelly Cake from Buttercup Bake Shop. Another fun fact about me, and one that I will admit, is that I really am OBSESSED with peanut butter. It is one of those foods that you wish you could combine with every meal of every day. So as you may be able to deduce, this cake flavor was the PERFECT decision. A yellow and slightly peanutty sponge paired with decadent peanut butter icing and layers of refreshing strawberry jam. The combo is definitely not one for those who are sensitive to sweetness, because man oh man is it intense! Good thing I can withstand, and even encourage, any amount of sugar in my desserts. They don’t call me Beasweets for nothing! Thank you, friends, for taking the time to pick out the cake of my dreams. Happy eating, everyone!

#omgdessertgoals

Weeks ago my boss sent me a link to one of the best New York festivals that I could ask for. With descriptions like “a week’s worth of calories,” and recommendations to “wear your stretchy pants,” how could a foodie like myself look away from an opportunity like this?! Dessert Fest, actually the first in New York, involves 20 different SWEETS venues from all FIVE boroughs under ONE roof. Even the coffee lovers were treated with unlimited Intelligentsia coffee and demonstrations from Bodum experts. Greeted at the door with giant donut balloons, adorable signs with quotes about the importance of dessert, throwback music, and the most delicious smell of sugary waffles, we could not wait to try our first dessert! We started off in the long line for Taiyaki fish shaped waffles. These masterpieces were soft on the inside and slightly crisp on the outside. Stuffed with sweet red beans and topped with matcha soft serve, this treat was definitely the highlight of my day. The next step in our food lineup was Jae NYC Eats for an “artisanal Twinkie-inspired ‘Cakie.'” After Ashley and I split the Chocolate Baileys’ Cakie, we stopped in the photo garden out back and on the rooftop upstairs, each decorated specifically for taking beautiful foodie pictures. Finally, I ended my hour and a half time slot with fantastic Biscotti rice pudding from the Rice Cream Shoppe. Even though we were pretty rushed, I cannot wait for the next NYC Dessert Fest. Thank you, Miraya and Liang for putting together such an exciting festival. Foodies, unite! Happy eating, everyone!

The Parisians Wouldn’t Approve

After studying abroad in London and traveling to Paris for one of our weekend trips, the crew and I have had our fair share of croissants. We all know how much butter and flakiness it takes to create such a magical treat. Therefore, the newest dessert trend at Union Fare was exactly what we needed. We waltzed into this large, modern food hall with our noses up high in preparation to compare the authentic buttery goodness to America’s take on croissants. What we realized is that it truly isn’t right to make this comparison because Union Fare croissants would never even be allowed to step foot in Paris, or Europe for that matter. These sweet treats were stuffed, topped, and made into Red Velvet, Birthday Cake, Matcha, Cookies & Cream, and Crème Brûlée. What truly amazed me about these Americanized croissants is that although they were all stuffed with a thick and delicious filling, the pastry still managed to be light and crispy!! I was in bliss while eating the Birthday Cake and Red Velvet. They were surprisingly not too sweet even though the birthday cake had a funfetti filling and the red velvet a cream cheese icing filling. I wish I could try every one of these beautiful pieces of decadence. Although the Parisians wouldn’t approve, this American is very pleased with Union Fare’s newest food trend. Happy eating, everyone!

The Killa Vanilla

Everyone in New York has heard of Black Tap; the hour long waits to get in, the ridiculously big milkshakes, and unfortunately, the underwhelming feeling after consumption of these milkshakes. Although this restaurant has been on my list, it’s always been low priority. Don’t get me wrong, I know I would still enjoy these decked out shakes, but I would much rather eat one without having to wait in mile long lines and feel cheated by another expensive NY restaurant. So as you may be guessing, my patience granted me the pleasure of a new shop, Buns Bar!! I would compare these two restaurants to each other except for the fact that Buns Bar gives you more milkshake and less trouble for the same price. Plus, the waiter might add a shot of rum to the top of your shake if you’re lucky 😉 These giant glasses of decadence are, as I like to say, “doing the most,” but in the best way possible. Allow me to explain my Killa Vanilla shake: the maybe-20 oz glass filled with my vanilla milkshake was topped with a large piece of vanilla cake and covered in a thick layer of icing. On top of the icing were all kinds of fun treats, including your favorite childhood cereal, marshmallows, and sprinkles. This whole concoction was topped with a heaping dollop of fresh whipped cream. Let me tell you, if you are looking for an incredibly fun and unnecessary dessert, you need to check this place out. Happy eating, everyone!

Better with Butter

For those of you who claim you know anything about me, you must be fully aware that Amy’s Bread is home to the best cake slices I have ever had. With that being said, the texture and flavor of its cupcakes are not quite up to par. I typically stay away from these small cake wannabes wherever I go because the moist texture you get in a slice of cake always seems to be missing. That is, until I tried Butter Lane Cupcakes. These little babies are the Amy’s of cupcakes. That, my friends, is a bold statement. I guess it makes sense, though, granted it is on The Daily Meal’s list of 75 Best Bakeries in America. I personally believe that if someone can make a cupcake delicious enough to stand on equal playing fields with a slice of cake, that is one special person. Founder, Pam Nelson, you are a magical person. The setup of the cupcake selection process is a little different than you typically encounter. You have the option between a vanilla, chocolate, or banana cupcake. Next, you get to choose one of the smooth and creamy icings to top it off! I selected the banana cupcake base with honey cinnamon frosting. Let me tell you, this combination was more than perfect. Butter Lane gives you just the right amount of frosting (with the signature decorating touch that offers its identity) to truly appreciate both the sweet topping and the flavor of the cake. Please, please take the time to venture into the city to try one of these mind-blowing, game-changing treats. Happy eating, everyone!

K-Town for Dessert

Chocolate Forest Cake

After I tried and fell in love with authentic Beef Bulgogi Bibimbap for the first time, my friends and I found ourselves right by the Spot Dessert Bar yet again. Eli and I split two of the small desserts so we could save a little money and try different things. We got the Birthday Cake and Chocolate Forest Cake! I have to admit, we were pretty disappointed in the Birthday Cake because the sweetness and flavor were completely missing. The top two layers separated from the bottom two which was an automatic turn off. Luckily, we had better luck with the Forest Cake. The moose was delicious and the chocolate filling oozing out of the center was a great addition. Next time I will definitely stick with the standard desserts Spot is known for. Although a bit pricey, it is worth the few extra dollars to actually love the calories I am putting into my body. Better luck next time, Spot.

Birthday Cake

Two Little Red Hens

Peanut Butter Fudge Swirl

Last night a large group of us got together to celebrate my friend and summer roommate, Irene’s, birthday. Our first stop was Luke’s Lobster and then we headed to Two Little Red Hens to pick up a cupcake. This was actually the best cupcake I have ever had. I ordered the Peanut Butter Fudge Swirl which is chocolate cake, crunchy PB buttercream filling, and PB chocolate fudge swirl frosting. The cake was incredibly delicate and moist which I find hard to accomplish in a cupcake. I cannot get over the crunchy peanut butter filling. It wasn’t very sweet which was an AMAZING complement to the rich cake and frosting. I couldn’t even resist biting into this beaut before we reached the park. I am typically satisfied after one dessert, but man I could have eaten another one. The other show stopper here is the Brooklyn Blackout, which is chocolate cake, chocolate pudding, and fudge frosting. Stop by and give this cute little bakery a try. Hopefully you will be able to make it to Central Park around the corner to enjoy the scenery as you dig into the most delicious cupcake. Happy eating, everyone!

Momofuku Milk Bar

A Momofukin Delicious Cake

Also called the Milk Bar, Momofuku, is home to some of the best sweets I have tasted. These include, the “Candy Bar Pie,” “B’day Cake Truffles,” and this “Birthday Cake.” My friends and I all split the cost of this cake that Emily picked up for her roommate, Erika. With three layers each of moist birthday cake and vanilla icing, and cake truffles to top it off, this was a splendid way to celebrate our great friend’s twentieth birthday. The Milk Bar is also known for its buttery “Crack Pie,” “Cereal Milk Ice Cream,” and the “Compost Cookie.” This bakery is a must try because there is a delicious option waiting for any type of a sweet tooth.