and the winner is…

Krista Simmons

BUT Krista is sweet enough  to share the cake and I want to help! So I’ve added to the pot and now 3 of you (Krista Simmons, Justin Mak and Kate @ Savour Fare) win a $15 gift certificate each to enjoy coffee and a treat or a couple of sweet treats your choice at Short Cake LA!

AND if your are lucky enough to get there when Brioche Donuts are hot out of the oven get one. More brioche-y than donut-y but still buttery delicious and coated in cinnamon sugar love!

Will you have cake with me?

How about Chocolate Cardamom Cake? Deep chocolatey goodness so moist and rich with a slathering of fluffy sweet buttercream with a grated cardamom dusting. You can find this little beauty at Short Cake.

Speaking of cake and all things delicious let’s talk about Short Cake LA shall we? Short Cake bakery opened up in the Original Farmers Market on 3rd Street and Fairfax (Los Angeles) at the end of last year. It is the creation of the late Amy Pressman, well-known for her many years of incredible baking throughout Los Angeles, and it is currently helmed by the sweet and talented Hourie Sahakian.

Short Cake has quickly stolen my sweet heart.

From croissants to cookies, scones to bar, cakes to pies they have exceptional quality, impecable flavor and memorable baked creations! I’ve sampled all but 5 items on their menu and I am determined to eat them all.

Do I have a favorite? It depends on what I’m in the mood for, but here are a few of my loves… and if you follow me on Instagram you’ve seen these before. My regular visits to Short Cake make up a lot of my Instagram feed. I’m kinda obsessed.

Comte thyme croissant is my go to savory pastry and one of the best croissants in town. It is super buttery with a cheesy tender center. The thyme is fragrant and permeates the dough. The crust is fantastically flaky to the point that you are covered in croissant when you are finished eating.

The buttercup. Croissant dough in a tightly packed muffin form. Ultra buttery rich and coated with cinnamon sugar love. Croissant dough, cinnamon sugar, do I really need to say more?

Orange poppy seed tea cake is incredibly aromatic, zesty, light and satisfy. I especially enjoy the delicate crunch from the poppy seeds. It is the perfect afternoon treat.

Roasted banana cake. Think banana bread but better. A little lighter, sweeter and more complex than your average banana bread but still maintaining all the simple deliciousness that makes classic banana bread so enjoyable. And roasted bananas, um why aren’t all bananas roasted? Their bright caramel flavor enhances the whole experience.

And the shakerado pictured next to it, yeah get that too! My friend Adrianna introduced it to me and I’ve been hooked ever since. It is the beautiful love child of espresso, milk and honey shaken up into a frothy sweet work of art.

And now for the good stuff… to celebrate these birthdays I’m giving away a $25 gift card to Short Cake!

I will select a winner at random on Monday, but until then here is how you can enter to win (and you can increase your chances by doing 1, 2 AND 3). But be sure that you also give me your First and Last name and an email address so that I can contact you if you win.

1. Leave me a comment telling me what your favorite Short Cake treat is or what you most want to try from Short Cake.
2. Follow me on Twitter, Like Let Me Eat Cake on Facebook or Instagram and leave me a comment letting me know that you did.
3. Follow Short Cake on Twitter or Like them on Facebook and leave me a comment letting me know you did.

* gift card will be held under your name for you at Short Cake LA available for redemption on your next visit*

EAT CAKE!

It is a rare moment when my sweet tooth isn’t in full force, but sometimes I want something savory in the morning. When I get these cravings for salty not sweet a good savory pastry or muffin paired with some crispy bacon or sausange is just the ticket.

If you follow me on Instagram (I’m obsessed!) you may have noticed that I am always at Short Cake Bakery. I kinda love it, A LOT. Today’s muffin is inspired by one of Short Cake’s savorying morning pastry options – Green Chile Cheddar Muffins. A little sweetness from the corn, a little smokiness from the hatch chile, all of which is hugged together by the melty sharp cheddar cheese. Pair these muffins with some sausage links or a veggie hash with bacon and you have a perfect savory breakfast. Best part, you can enjoy your leftover muffins with some chili for lunch or dinner.

Muffins- good any time of the day!

Muffin Monday is an initiative by Baker Street. A culinary journey of sharing a wickedly delicious muffin recipe every week. Drop in a quick line to join her on her journey to make the world smile and beat glum Monday mornings week after week.

{recipe after the jump}

Green Chile Cheddar Corn Muffins

2 ½ c flour

3/4 c sugar

1 ½ c cornmeal

2 tbsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp salt

1 ½ c whole milk

½ pound unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 4oz can Hatch green chile

½ c corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

1 c grated sharp cheddar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or grease muffin cups. In a bowl mix flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Next mix in the milk, melted butter, and eggs. Stir until they are just blended. Add green chile and cheddar, stir until combined. Spoon the batter into muffin pan filling each one to the top. Bake for 20 minutes, until the tops are crisp and a toothpick comes out clean.

photo credit : Cathy Chaplin/ Gastronomy Blog

The Roy Choi Express chugs along this time to A Frame, a modern picnic.

This time Cathy and I were joined by our lovely friend and Good Girl Dinette owner Diep.

Like our first stop at Chego on this Roy Choy Choo, A Frame desserts blew my mind. Beth on the sweets is a sugar mastermind.  Innovative and perfectly executed, these simple desserts had playful and pleasing flavors and textures.

The churros are appropriately named Chu Don’t Know Mang because I had no idea churros could taste this good. Unlike a classic churros light with a hollow center, these churros are poundcake cinnamon churros that are magically dense and fluffy at the same moment.  They have thick rich custardy innards with a cinnamon sugar crusted skin almost like a French toast stick. I hate to admit it but have you ever had the French toast sticks from Jack n the Box for breakfast? They are kind of like those but 100 times better, you get the idea. They come with a luscious malted chocolate milk and a side of vanilla ice cream. Get a little of all three in one bite and then you’ll know Mang!

photo credit: Cathy Chaplin/ Gastronomy Blog

Banana Bacon Cream Pie. That is really all you need to know. That and it comes with salty crumbles of bacon brittle on top, the crust is made with bacon and the bananas are caramelized with bacon fat. Yeah. I know. The crust was a little too thick for me but the filling, I could have eaten bowls full!

So you wanna ride the Roy Choi Express on over to A Frame?

Dinner, drinks and desserts are all worth the ride.

A FRAME 

12565 Washington Blvd

Los Angeles CA 90066

This muffin Monday is brought to you by hazelnuts, brown butter and raspberries. Do you like all of these things? I hope you do because they like you! I had left over hazelnut meal from my previous Hazelnut Apple muffins but have not found a good reason to use it again until today. I used half AP flour and half hazelnut meal in these muffins and the nutty crumbly texture was incredible. I also used browned butter rather than regular old melted butter because brown butter makes everything better this is a fact. I love how the raspberries just melt into the batter when baked. The best part of these muffins is the sugar-crusted tops. Hot out of the oven the sugar tops crack like a crème brulee. These muffins are sweetness all around with a delicate tartness from the raspberries.

I am currently enjoying this beautiful spring morning eating these nutty, buttery muffins with a cup of tea while watching the newly hatched doves in my back yard. Muffins in the morning… the only way to start the day!

Happy Muffin Monday!

Muffin Monday is an initiative by Baker Street. A culinary journey of sharing a wickedly delicious muffin recipe every week. Drop in a quick line to join her on her journey to make the world smile and beat glum Monday mornings week after week.

{recipe below}

I recently returned from a fabulous four-day stay in the desert.  Cool breeze, sun shinning and gorgeous palm trees all around, there really is nothing like the beauty of Palm Springs. Before my visit a friend told me to be sure to stop for the famed desert date shake. As a native Angeleno I was a little embarrassed that I was completely unaware of the well-known Southern California desert dates and the incredible shakes that are made with them. So on our drive into Palm Springs last weekend we made the stop at Hadley’s Fruit Orchard – open since 1931- and ordered a date shake.

(sexy shake shot after the jump)

It wasn’t what I expected. I expected to get something cloyingly sweet with thick chunks of date pieces. But Hadley’s date shake is delicious. It is smooth with hints of tiny chewy date bits. The really date like taste is subtle and soft with a bright honey profile. The sweetness from the dates envelops your mouth in a pleasing not cloying manner. The shake is rich yet balanced. I totally understand why these date shakes are so beloved. They will now become a regular dessert stop on my desert stops.

Hadley’s Fruit Orchard

48980 Seminole Drive

Cabazon, CA 92230

* right off the 10 freeway look for the big sign*

These buñuelos have stolen my heart.

You can find them at Tinto restaurant tucked away in the Saguaro Hotel in Palm Springs. They are an hour and a half drive outside of LA but so worth the trip and a great excuse to visit beautiful Palm Springs. And hey it’s Coachella weekend so why not visit Tinto while you’re in town. I know I will!

These delectable doughnuts are fried to perfection with a delicate sugar coated crust that gives way to a rich and soft center. They are served alongside spiced honey, date jam and a refreshingly delicious date olive oil ice cream.  The pairing of honey, spices and sweet dates was incredible. A bite of  buñuelo, jam, honey and cold soft olive oil ice cream and you’re in heaven.  It is a stellar combination of flavors and textures that will make your mouth curl up in a big smile as you sigh from the sweet satisfaction. These are some of my favorite buñuelos to date.

TINTO

1800 East Palm Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92264

Can we talk about nutmeg and springtime? I know nutmeg is more of a cozy winter kind of spice but I love nutmeg year round. The flavor of freshly ground nutmeg is magical.  It gives sweets that extra wow flavor. You know that extra special something that makes people stop and wonder what that yumminess is. I love adding freshly grated nutmeg to French toast batter or in cheesecake crust. Combining my love of nutmeg and beautiful early spring strawberries I bring you Strawberry Buttermilk Muffins for this Muffin Monday.  The batter is super easy to whip up. The buttermilk gives the muffins moistness and a nice tang that compliments the juicy strawberries. I coat the muffin pan with a nutmeg cinnamon sugar mix and then top the muffins with more nutmeg sugar sweetness creating a nice spiced sugar crust. One bite of these muffins and I’m sure you will become a nutmeg lover like me.

Muffin Monday is an initiative by Baker Street. A culinary journey of sharing a wickedly delicious muffin recipe every week. Drop in a quick line to join her on her journey to make the world smile and beat glum Monday mornings week after week.

Strawberry Buttermilk Muffins

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

1/4 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg, divided

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cups (1 stick) butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

1 cup 1 tbsp buttermilk

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fresh strawberries diced

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a muffin pan. Combine 1/4 cup sugar with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg; liberally sprinkle muffin tins with sugar mixture. Save remaining mixture for topping muffins.

Sift 2 1/4 cups flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg together in a large bowl.

Add butter to flour mixture and cut in with a pastry knives. Stop mixing when butter pieces are pea-sized and smaller.

Whisk buttermilk, eggs and vanilla together in a small bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture stirring just until combined. The batter will be lumpy.

Toss chopped strawberries with remaining 1/4 cup flour and gently fold into batter. Fill muffin tins to the top and sprinkle with a generous amount of remaining sugar mixture.

Bake 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when lightly pressed in the center and/or a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

adapted from Driscoll’s

Each month when Food & Wine magazine comes I eagerly flip through the pages and dog-ear all the recipes I want to make. Do I ever make them? Rarely. Not that I don’t want to. I never seem to find the time to get through the ever-growing stack of recipes I want to try. And then a month comes and goes and a new issue of Food & Wine arrives and I repeat the process.

And then there was Cornmeal Almond cake.

In the March issue of Food & Wine there is a lovely recipe for Cornmeal Almond Cake with Strawberries and Mascarpone. The picture made me drool and after reading the description I knew I had to make this cake.  So I rushed to the store to gather my ingredients and begin baking. This recipe calls for 3 cups of almonds! I’m an almond lover so this was super exciting and intriguing. What would all these almonds – toasted and finely ground – do to the texture of the cake? I needed to know.

The cake took no time to make. After baking In the oven for 45 minutes, the cake is ready to cool and be slathered with a mascarpone whipped cream.

Can we take a second to talk about mascarpone whipped cream? Why isn’t all whipped cream made with mascarpone? Why? The resulting whipped cream is extra smooth with a subtle tang.  It is incredible.

And the cake. Oh the cake. Buttery, nutty, with great texture and crumble. All those almonds exude amazing flavor into the batter and create a great texture for each bite. The mascarpone brings together the crumbly cake and the sweet strawberries adding a nice silky finish. The cornmeal is really a background player – this cake is all about the almonds.

Cornmeal Almond Cake with Strawberries and Mascarpone

make one 9 inch cake

INGREDIENTS

Cake

3 cups sliced blanched almonds (about 10 ounces)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 large eggs, at room temperature

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup fine yellow cornmeal

Topping

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup fresh mascarpone cheese

3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1 quart strawberries, hulled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan. Spread the almonds on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, stirring once, until golden. Let cool completely, then transfer the almonds to a food processor and process until finely ground but not pasty.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the butter with the sugar and vanilla, scraping down the bowl, until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at time, beating well between additions. Scrape down the bowl and beat the batter until fluffy, 1 minute. Beat in the lemon zest and juice. With a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the batter, then the cornmeal and the ground almonds.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Transfer the cake to a wire rack, still in the pan, and let cool to room temperature.

In a large stainless steel bowl, using an electric mixer, whip the cream to soft peaks. Add the mascarpone and confectioners’ sugar and whip until barely firm peaks form.

Run a thin knife around the side of the cake pan and invert the cake onto the wire rack. Place a plate on top of the cake and turn the cake right side up. Cut the cake into wedges and serve with the mascarpone cream and

Tucked away in an unassuming strip mall on Overland Blvd in Palms, Chego is a fast casual rice bowl joint. Seating is limited to a few communal tables. They do not offer alcohol but you can bring your own beer and/or wine just be sure to bring your own bottle opener and cups (or be ready to fork over a couple bucks at the liquor store next door). The food is homey and filling. I highly recommend the Chubby Pork Belly, the 5 Flavor Kimchi Sampler and the Ooey Gooey Fries.

When checking out the dessert menu online, I was intrigued by the creative offerings. With names like Pina Krackalada, Rock Yer Road and Siracha Candy Bar how could one not get excited? I was eager to see what playful desserts awaited us. The Pina Krackalada is a spin on Thai mango sticky rice. It is warm, gooey, sweet rice swims in coconut goodness with caramelized pineapple on top. It is sprinkled with crisp rice cereal with gave it a nice light crunch. Everything about this dessert was enjoyable and satisfying. Who doesn’t love sticky rice?

Rock Yer Road was a creative spin on classic rocky road flavors. Chocolate ice cream is covered with brownie bites, caramel and a smathering of whipped marshmallow fluff and topped with a Luxardo cherry. The multitude of textural contras was amazing.

I’m not a big tres leches cake fan so I wasn’t jumping out of my seat when we were gifted Tres Leches cake from Chef Roy Choi. But after one bite I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this tres leches cake. There was nothing boring about this dessert. A confluence of different flavors, some hard to pinpoint but all thoroughly pleasing. In essence it tastes like a lovely Mexican hot chocolate with aromatic cinnamon and plenty of subtle spices. Chocolaty too the core.

Next stop A-Frame.

CHEGO 

3300 Overland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90034
Tue-Sat 5:30PM-11:30PM
(310) 287-0337