valentine's day Watch Rachel on Throwdown with Bobby Flay judging mini cupcakes February 9th

I was a judge on Throwdown with Bobby Flay and you can watch it on Food Network February 9th at 8:30 pm ET. See their site for official details, also pasted below:

What happens when a 6 foot 5 inch guy decides to open up a bakery that makes the best cupcakes around? You get 'Big Man Bakes" of course! Cupcakes are the hottest food trend, but William "Chip" Brown was ahead of the curve when he opened "Big Man Bakes" now LA's biggest little bakery in town. What will happen when chef Bobby Flay brings his best mini's west to put them to the test against LA's sweetest tastemaker. It's a mini cupcake Tinseltown Throwdown!

valentine's day Rachel in Bay Area and Los Angeles next week

I'll be in the Bay Area (for all of two days, January 27-28), and then in Los Angeles January 29-February 1st. Looking forward to meeting as many cupcake bakeries and eating as many cupcakes as I can. To arrange a meeting, email me at cupcakestakethecake at gmail.com - so far I have plans to visit Cupkates cupcake truck in Oakland on Thursday, and am also going to be tasting and reviewing the frozen yogurt cupcakes (frocakes) by Los Angeles' Half Baked Co. I'll probably be back in both places at some point, but if you have any tips, let me know. I'm hoping to meet up with Kimmie again, who drove down from the Bay Area to go to CupcakeCamp LA, again, so we can compare cupcake notes.

valentine's day Cupcake art by Will Cotton at LA's Michael Kohn Gallery

From Mediabistro blog UnBeige:

Will Cotton has been whipping up confectionary canvases since before reasonable people began lining up to pay $4.50 for softball-sized cupcakes, but the artist’s latest solo exhibition is a timely treat. On view through February 26 at Michael Kohn Gallery in Los Angeles, the show features new paintings that incorporate figures into his signature sugary landscapes as well as several portrait-format works. Cotton painted the models wearing items of clothing that he created, including a dress based on a foil cupcake wrapper and one made of the pleated pastel papers themselves. There’s also a skirt made of cotton candy, candy tiaras, and the fetching croquembouche chapeau pictured at near right.

And the official gallery site where you can see some photos - one is titled "Katy," as in Katy Perry, of cupcake bra wearing fame, wearing a candy tiara. I'll be in LA the weekend after this one so can hopefully check it out and report back!

valentine's day Red velvet chocolate-covered strawberry and cherry cupcakes for valentine's day

BlakeyCakes in Los Angeles is baking up these valentine's day cupcakes. Via their Facebook page.

Specifically, these are:

"Red Velvet cake filled with a flowing lava of chocolate fudge inside with valentine's cream cheese frosting adorned with fresh, luscious chocolate dipped strawberries, fresh, juicy, Bing chocolate covered cherries, and even a cake-heart-cut out as a topper too!"

Email b.arias101 at hotmail.com to place an order.

valentine's day Half-Baked Co. features frocake (frozen yogurt-filled cupcakes) and cupcakes on a stick!

I've been meaning to write about a lot of the people I met at CupcakeCamp LA, and now, as I get ready to head back to California, I have to accept that I am only human, and simply don't have time to blog about all the amazingness that I encountered at that event. So my apologies, but I will be posting as time allows, but please understand that I cannot possibly blog about all the cupcakes I encounter, much as I'd like to.

One of the cupcake companies I discovered at that event was Half-Baked Co. but I didn't realize until just now that they combine two of my favorite things: frozen yogurt and cupcakes! In the form of frocakes...with these flavor options:

Cookies ‘n Cream

chocolate cupcake filled with

cookies n cream froyo

vanilla buttercream

crushed oreo rim and oreo on top

Mint Chocolate Chip

chocolate cupcake filled with

R.F. mint choc. chip ice cream

mint buttercream

chocolate chips

Root Beer Float

chocolate cupcake

filled with vanilla froyo

root beer buttercream

chocolate sprinkles and cherry on top


I found some others on their Facebook wall, including this amazing candy cane frocake: chocolate cupcake filled with candy cane frozen yogurt, green mint buttercream and crushed candy cane pieces.

There's more! The "Half" in their title comes from this:

Welcome to Half Baked Co. where we bake with half the fat, calories and sugar. We are an online bakery based out of Burbank, CA that uses only the finest ingredients in our deceptively healthy baked goods.

We always use local and organic products and carry a variety of vegan, gluten-free and reduced sugar options.

This allows us to create freshly inspired treats available for pick-up from our commercial kitchen or for delivery within the San Fernando Valley. Shipping is also available across the U.S. for select products.

Cupcakes on a Stick come in pink heart, death by chocolate red velvet or salted caramel. And also seasonal flavors, like the ones below, from their holiday pie collection (pumpkin, apple and pecan):



Other cupcakes:


cotton candy cupcake!


s'mores cupcake


cutie cakes in 8 colors


Mardi Gras king cake cupcake


Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Cupcake

You can also find them on Facebook and @HalfBakedCo on Twitter.

Half Baked. Co.
Los Angeles, CA (LA delivery, nationwide shipping)
halfbakedco at gmail.com
310-880-8380

valentine's day Los Angeles visit January 29th-February 1st

I (Rachel) will be in Los Angeles from January 29th to February 1st, probably staying downtown. If any cupcake bakeries would like to have me visit or arrange a tasting/review, please email me at cupcakestakethecake at gmail.com with "LA" in the subject line. Thank you!

I'm making a list of the bakeries and custom cupcake companies I've yet to visit try, like Famous Cupcakes and Blue Cupcake, and hoping I can get to them and meet some people like the women who run Frosted Cupcakery, who I've missed on my last few visits. And also taste cupcakes I discovered last year and adored, like B Sweet Catering and BlakeyCakes. So yes, I will have plenty to blog about during my stay...and maybe even, um, can catch up on posting about November's outstandingly organized (by Bakespace) CupcakeCamp LA.

I'm also looking forward to hopefully getting to eat cupcakes again with our new cupcake correspondent Elise Wallace of The Cupcake Activist, who truly has her pulse on Los Angeles cupcake happenings.

valentine's day Bellini cupcakes for New Year's Eve by BlakeyCakes

The bellini cupcakes below are by BlakeyCakes, aka Blake Arias, who makes custom cupcakes and delivers them in the Los Angeles area, via their Facebook page. They're "A fluffy, moist, sweet peach cake filled with a fizzy Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) cream infusion." they're $39/dozen, or $26/dozen for mini cupcakes, and you can contact him at b.arias101 at hotmail.com and see more on his main site.




Blake and me in LA




coffee cake mini cupcakes

valentine's day You're wrong, L.A. Times, cupcakes aren't over by a long shot

Enough said. They are just wrong, and they will see. Cupcakes are not a "trend," despite the media hype around the idea of them as a trend. You can see from our steadily growing listings on the right-hand side, from the fact that the major cupcake bakeries (Magnolia Bakery, Sprinkles, Crumbs) are constantly expanding, from the explosion in events like Iron Cupcake and CupcakeCamp and online events like Cupcake Hero. Also, if that's the case, why is there always a giant line at Sprinkles in Beverly Hills? (I haven't been to Crumbs or Magnolia Bakery in LA so can't personally attest, but I've never been to Sprinkles when there wasn't a huge line.)

Los Angeles Times, "Goodbye to These Tired Trends of 2010"

Gourmet Cupcakeries

Sprinkles, Crumbs, Magnolia Bakery – the high-end cupcake racket has spread like a muffin top over the waistline of Los Angeles.

valentine's day Tron cupcakes by B Sweet Catering in Los Angeles!

I will freely admit to you that I hardly know what Tron is; I'm not saying I'm against it, maybe I'd like it, and I'm dimly aware that TRON: Legacy is about to be released.

But even though I'm not sure what "old school" and "new school" mean in relation to Tron, I do love cupcakes, and I'm sure some of you will be intrigued by these cupcakes by Los Angeles custom catering company B Sweet, who also have an extensive sandwich, food and other dessert offerings, along with cupcakes. They're based in downtown LA but deliver all over the Los Angeles area. These photos are all from their Flickr account, with a bonus non-Tron reindeer cupcake photo thrown in, because it was too cute to ignore!


TRON: Legacy cupcakes


B Sweet's custom "Old School Costume" cupcakes.

Inspired by the original "Tron" movie.


Old School Tron "Bad" Cupcakes

B Sweet's custom MCP and Sark cupcakes. Inspired by the original "Tron" movie.


reindeer cupcakes

B Sweet Catering
B Sweet Catering
3380 ½ S. Robertson Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
310-963-7213
bsweetorders at gmail.com

valentine's day Strawberry flambé, peppermint chocolate cheesecake, and cranapple cider POP! cupcakes from LA's BlakeyCakes

When I was in LA a few weeks ago, I got to meet Blake of custom and delivery cupcake company BlakeyCakes and try his sinfully delicious banana chocolate drizzle cupcakes, which I will post about...when I can. I still haven't posted about cupcakes I tried on my visit to LA in September, that's how behind I am!

But since these are seasonal, and look amazing, I wanted to share them with you now; photos and descriptions from this Facebook album:


Strawberry Flambé
Making its way into the BlakeyCakes hall of fame, the strawberry flambé! Contained within this complex wonder is a strawberry fruit filling flambéed with Gran Marnier smacked with a dollop of custard! This wonder filling is sandwiched between two moist vanilla cakes topped with a deluge of chocolate ganache and a decadent chocolate dipped strawberry.


Holiday Peppermint Chocolate Cheesecake
This holiday cheesecake is baked with a chocolate graham cracker crust, a creamy cream cheese center with a chocolate ganache swirl, and infused with just a whisper of peppermint. The topping is your standard homemade whipped cream lightly dusted with ground up peppermint candy canes.


Cranapple Cider POP!
POP-ing with apple and cranberry goodness, these holiday cupcakes just pour forth a festivity of glee! Just imagine being able to bite into a fresh, juicy apple with hints of spicy cinnamon and nutmeg; then being welcomed by a gush of homemade cranberry filling and finally unified by a dollop of cream cheese glaze.

BlakeyCakes
b.arias101 at hotmail.com
Los Angeles, CA
818-577-8302

valentine's day Paul Frank cupcakes and more by For The Love of Sugar

I found this Paul Frank ad in a magazine, and thought it was cute:



Then I went searching for "Paul Frank" cupcakes and look what I found by For the Love of Sugar! They serve Los Angeles and Orange County, and can be reached by emailing Sarah at ForTheLoveofSugar.com and you can also find them on Facebook. Click here to see all their designs and here for their flavors, which include samoa, key lime pie, junior mint, heath bar blondie, pumpkin and more.



Below are more photos from their site:


wedding cupcakes




Toy Story cupcakes






LA Lakers cupcakes


polka dot cupcakes

valentine's day City of Los Angeles issues CupcakeCamp LA proclamation

Very cool news - CupcakeCamp LA, which takes place this Saturday, November 20th - I'll be there wearing a magenta t-shirt that says Cupcake on it! - has received a proclamation from the City of Los Angeles. I'm pasting the official text below, via CupcakeCamp LA. Looking forward to meeting many, many cupcake lovers. See you there! If you can't find me, email cupcakestakethecake at gmail.com - I'm especially eager to talk to and photograph/film local cupcake makers and bloggers.



WHEREAS
Cupcakes evoke fond memories of childhood, family gatherings and other good things in life

WHEREAS
Baking and eating cupcakes is a blissful, simple tradition and a source of joy

WHEREAS
Cupcakes have undergone a contemporary revival that transcends nostalgia to become one of the world’s most popular desserts and the ultimate “comfort food”

WHEREAS
Los Angeles is home to some of the world’s best known and most creative cupcake shops

WHEREAS
These new cupcakeries have sprung up across Los Angeles to help spur neighborhood revitalization

WHEREAS
The variety of these shops and the cupcakes they offer is as diverse as the city itself

WHEREAS
Cupcake Camp events have been held in major cities across the globe, but never on a scale as ambitious or befitting the show business capital of the world

WHEREAS
Los Angeles-based BakeSpace.com is bringing the Cupcake Camp phenomenon to Los Angeles for a truly hometown event to raise funds for worthy nonprofit organizations

In recognition of Cupcake Camp L.A. Thank you for your delicious offerings and your service to the City of Los Angeles.

valentine's day Rachel in Los Angeles this weekend

A reminder that I, Rachel, will be in Los Angeles this weekend from Friday-Sunday, so my posting from now through then may be light, but I will be covering CupcakeCamp LA on Saturday and would love to meet readers! I don't drive, so my planning of bakery visits is a little iffy, but I'm looking forward to checking out some ones I've missed in my travels. I'm staying in downtown LA - if any bakeries want to get in touch, email me at cupcakestakethecake at gmail.com - the best time for me to meet is at or before/after CupcakeCamp LA on Saturday, but I may have time Friday and Sunday.

CupcakeCamp LA details (click for the official site):

CupcakeCamp LA is THIS Saturday, Nov. 20th!

A tasty celebration for cupcake lovers to benefit non-profits.

The global “Cupcake Camp” phenomenon is finally coming to Los Angeles for a uniquely delicious charity fundraiser with a style befitting the showbiz capital of the world.

On Saturday, November 20th, Cupcake Camp L.A. will give local cupcake lovers a chance to sample creations from the region’s best commercial and amateur bakers, several of whom are planning to debut unique holiday-themed and wedding cupcakes.

Register for Cupcake Camp LA - a tasty celebration for cupcake lovers to benefit non-profits. in Hollywood, CA on Eventbrite

General admission tickets are $15 and kids five and under are $5. Tickets may be purchased in-advance at: http://cupcakecampla.eventbrite.com.

Proceeds from Cupcake Camp L.A. will benefit nonprofit organizations including Angel Acres Horse Haven Rescue (a nationally-recognized rescue that prevents equine abuse and saves retired racehorses from slaughter), InvisiblePeople.tv (which empowers homeless people to tell their stories and connect with support services via online social media) and American Tortoise Rescue (which provides sanctuary and advocates to protect turtles and tortoises all over the world).

Produced by Los Angeles-based BakeSpace.com, the family-oriented event will feature a special kids cupcake decorating section and even a college football viewing lounge next door (with special drink rates for Cupcake Camp attendees).

November 20th, 2010 | 12pm-5pm
The Music Box
6126 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA

valentine's day Red velvet Elmo cupcakes by B Sweet

I can't believe it's been two months since I got to try B Sweet's cupcakes in Los Angeles - time flies, and now I'm heading back there this weekend for CupcakeCamp LA. I will post more about their delicious cupcakes and unique flavors (like green tea!) but wanted to share this photo (via Flickr) of Elmo cupcakes they made for little girl's birthday.