Is that Velvet?

I will admit that the subject of "Red Velvet" is fairly new to me. I remember, the first time I saw a red velvet cake, I was watching "Steel Magnolias." Julia Roberts character Shelby had a red velvet armadillo cake at her wedding. I believe it was the groom's cake. Anyway, the thought of a red cake used to gross me out. Somehow, somewhere down the road I tried it, and loved it. Never have I made anything red velvet, I do like it. Is it just chocolate with red dye? Or is it more complex than that. Without going into the scientific details, I'll just leave at it's more complex. I mentioned that in a previous blog that Molly Cupcakes has a red velvet cupcake. Also I did mention that the frosting was not to my liking. Frosting makes or breaks any kind of cake for me.
There is a bakery in Chicago that I frequent called the Alliance Bakery on Division about a block and a half west of Ashland in Wicker Park. They have a decent red velvet cupcake that's served wrapped in paper, unlike the traditional cupcake cup. Beware that it is not consistent. sometimes it's perfect, sometimes it's alright, and sometimes it's just plain dry. The frosting is better than Molly's, and that's all I can say about it. The consistency is kind of weird, as if there's shortening in it. I'm not an official baker, I just play one on t.v.. I merely, go on intuition, on most things.
Now the next place, that I'm going to mention, may not help any of you readers who don't travel outside the city limits. Long BUTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!! There's a restaurant in Lombard called "Claim Jumper" and it has the most wonderfully most and great frosting served on a plate with swirly chocolate and white chocolate shavings on top. It's right off of I-88 in the newly revamped Yorktown Shopping Center. Claim Jumper is also a good restaurant for hefty portions, and good drinks. They have Cheesecake Factory helpings. It's a good date or family restaurant. That concludes my red velvet discussion, for I'm not educated enough to talk further about it.

Sweet Unsensational

So I finally made it to Sweet Sensations on Southport here in Chicago. I must say I was not that impressed. Now I must preface that I'll try almost any cupcake within reason. Now Sweet Sensations is a quaint shop in the Lakeview area of town, not too far from The Southport Grocery and Cafe. As my sugar cravings come and go, I don't ever hear Sweet Sensations calling me since I visited. However, I will say that Molly Cupcakes call me often. That's not good, because I live on the Southside and with gas prices the way they currently are, that habit gets quite expensive. Not to mention, I'm a freelance Art Director in between gigs.

Speaking of cupcakes that don't call me, I visited another shop that seemed promising. Sweet Mandy B's. When I entered I heard a woman speak of a conversation that she had with someone, where she said it was the best cupcake that she'd ever had. That excited me, not that I knew what this lady's taste palette was like, but to hear someone have that much confidence in something is somewhat reassuring that I was in for a treat. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I like vanilla but, I'm not a vanilla person. I tried their vanilla, and I won't say I hated it or didn't like, but it just didn't move me. It was pedestrian to say the least. It maybe tasted one step up from a supermarket cupcake. I did however, try the carrot cake one, that looked like heaven. It again was just o.k.. That's as much as I can say for those treats, but I look forward to discussing my current favorite subject of cupcakes in the near future.

Cupcake Obsession

Since cupcake shops are popping up all over the country, there are so many blogs dedicated to the subject. Which leads me to the "Cupcake Crawl" that I read about on www.wearenotmartha.com.. Some Bostonian foodie, fashionistas decided to find the best cupcake in Chicago. Incidentally, I had know idea that I had already started the crawl long before I read the blog. Since I was eating all of these cupcakes, I thought that I should use my knowledge for good.

First Stop was their Last
I was out one night on the Northside (which I don't frequent anymore since I live on the Southside, boo!!) and while I was looking for a bar, I saw it in bright lights, "Molly Cupcakes." I didn't go in that night because we were on a mission to find the NBA playoffs in some bar (Good luck with that in Cubbie land). So the next day, I went back alone. The decor is all over the place. You have swings as bar stools(cool idea), with the ever so trendy gray and white marble counter tops, plastic tin wall coverings, and art reminiscent of Andy Warhol pop art in a soft pastels. However the most import design element are the cupcakes. Since my first visit, I've tried a variety of the flavors that they have to offer. My favorite is the vanilla, only because I like vanilla, but I am by any means a vanilla person. When it comes to sweets, I don't like all the fuss. It was simple, and the right balance between icing and cake. The cake does have a cornbread texture, but I don't mind that. These cupcakes unlike many cupcakes are a bit heavy, but I couldn't just get one. So every time I go I get a vanilla and a new flavor. So let's just their red velvet and carrot cake's are not my favorites. The red velvet is almost there, but the icing is no where in the vicinity. Same thing goes for the carrot cake, although there's some weirdness going on with the cake that I can't put my finger on. It's a flavor that I'm not used to having in carrot cake. The chocolate decadence is "muy" rich. I like it, it's just not my favorite, because I'm just a vanilla type of sister. Now second favorite is the pumpkin spice. Muy yummster. It would be my favorite, if I was into all the fuss, but I like to keep it simple with my sweets. It is so rich, with a mascarpone cream sauce infused in the center, topped with a brown sugar butter cream frosting. It would be perfect for the fall, but cool for any season ,because I had it in the Spring. I spoke to pastry chef and she had the same feeling that I have, that things can be served in any season. Your cravings can't distinguish the seasons. My cravings crave a Molly Cupcake at least twice a week. (BTW. Molly Cupcakes is a great alternative to coffee shops and drive by dates for adults. They have board games and wi-fi)

Second on My Stop, But Not Second in My Heart
Swirlz, is the cutiest little shop, and the cupcakes are actually pretty good, but not outstanding. The decor is very simple, streamlined and modern (A lot of white). About six people can actually sit in their with their laptops and access their wi-fi. Now let's get down to the business of FLAVOR!!! First up was the vanilla (of course). I must say I used to think that I only like butter cream, but now I'm finding that what I really like is frosting. Butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla, milk, and whatever flavoring that makes it unique. Authentic butter cream, is close to tasting like whipped cream icing, which I loathe!!!! I judge cakes and cupcakes first and foremost by the icing period. Then I pick apart the cake. Sad but true, there are few cakes that I will throw away. Scratch that, there are many cakes that I won't touch. What I trying to say is...Swirlz butter cream was not may favorite by any means. The cake was similar to Molly Cupcakes. I tried the chocolate malt cupcake. Ehhh, it was o.k., but remember I don't like all the fuss. If it's going to be fussy, it better be damn good, and it was just fair.
Third Was Memorable
Since I don't like all the fuss, next on my list was right up my alley. The Southport Grocery and Cafe in the every so trendy Lakeview. The ladies on wearenotmartha.com thought that the cake tasted like cornbread, but I beg to differ. Since the focus of this place is not cupcakes, they don't have much variety. They have no frills chocolate and vanilla, so you know which one I had. It was a white cake, with an uber rich vanilla buttery frosting. It reminded me of the butter cookies that my grandmother would by in the navy blue tin can. The cake was very light almost flavorless, but the icing picked up the slack. After having it, I kept thinking about that icing. If gas wasn't off the charts, and if I wasn't trying to watch my wait, and bank account, I would've gone back for another.

Next on my travels is going to be Sensational Bites. Stay tuned.....