Vanilla Bake Shop

In the world of LALA land is yet another bakery, Vanilla Bake Shop. This cute little bakery is filled with tons of different mouthwatering treats such as cakes, cupcakes, icebox desserts, pies, tart cookies and more! So with more than just cupcakes, i had to devour this bakery from head to toe. Starting with a fresh fruit tart that was so refreshing and a nice break from your typical cake dessert. 

The ever so adorable Icebox desserts come in shots (like what I got) or in jars. I got a Dirt Cake shot, that  had me falling back into my childhood, when you would eat those cakes that had colorful gummy worms stuck in a schlop of crumbled oreos. The shot was the absolute perfect size as the dessert is so rich and delicious. Any bigger and your simply asking for trouble.  

Your typical chocolate, pistachio and rose flavored french macarons were another treat my bestie Steph and I could not avoid devouring. The chocolate was your typical chocolate macaron, and was almost a wet texture. The rose flavor was so faint making it have a very "blah" flavor, and I still have second thoughts on it being rose. The pistachio was a lot better than the rose, but was still just a hint of flavor, but overall had the best texture. The cookie part on the chocolate and rose was not airy enough, almost wet and sticky for my picky tastebuds.

3 mini cupcakes are next; Pumpkin, Chocolate Raspberry, and Chocolate with Choco & Vanilla frosting.   The pumpkin, was alright, it was your down right same ol' pumpkin cupcake with cream cheese frosting.  The Chocolate Raspberry was so extremely rich with a strong raspberry flavor. It was pretty darn good, but was a bit too much for me, and that was a mini!!! The Chocolate with Choco & Vanilla frosting, also was so so so so rich; I honestly dont know how people do the regular size of these cupcakes!

Next time im back in my home state, I would love to hit this bakery up again to devour even more tasty treats on their menu. (Oh, and try every single icebox dessert they offer--so bomb!!) Nom Nom Nom one love

My home towns Crushcakes

In the small tiny beach side town where I was born, now lives Crushcakes Bakery, just a quick skip and a hop from Linden Avenue in downtown Carpinteria, California. 

No pink and frilly glitter covered walls are going to be found at this bakery, and thank god, cause its about time. In the bakery/cafe, Giant wooden rugged paintings hang on black and red walls that give off a hipster, tattoo-style vibe. Since Crushcakes is so close to my house, I was able to try multiple cupcakes!

I got a red velvet cupcakes topped with sour cream frosting topped with a chocolate heart.

Next was a Cookies N' Cream cupcake that was a marble cake with a Oreo cookie buttercream.

Lastly, I tried a vegan (finally a place with a vegan cupcake!!) chocolate cake with a vanilla frosting.

All of these cupcakes tasted like your typical homemade cupcakes, nothing spectacular. They almost had a box taste to them, which really bums me out. They frostings were all so sugary as well-mirgrane maker for sure! There is nothing much else I can say besides they taste like your typical housewife made cupcakes, and to me, does that really make someone deserve their own bakery? Not so much...They did absolutely nothing for me. 

I really liked that they had vegan and gluten free options, but why do they always have to be such boring flavors!? Just because im vegan, doesnt mean I dont like fun flavors---Please stop with the lame chocolate and vanilla combos!

Whodidily Cupcakes

Whodidily Cupcakes is a small "rainbow" bakery in Montecito, California that looks as though Willy Wonka and Dr. Suess attacked it with paintbrushes and glittery sprinkles.

 A case of extravagant poofy cupcakes with obnoxious names like "Whipple Scrumptious" and "Dippity-Doo-Dah". 

Being a Santa Barbara native I was super excited to try Whodidily, that I got 3 regular cupcakes and 1 mini cupcake wrapped up in a little box to go. 

First, I got a mini, that..honestly I don't know what it was, but as much as I know it was a vanilla cake with some weird buttercream, absolutely smothered to death in chocolate chips. All I could pretty much taste were the old looking chocolate chips. 

Then I got "Snicker Snocker" that was a vanilla cake with a snicker center topped with a vanilla buttercream rolled in snicker pieces. If you are going to rip off the flavors of a crappy piece of candy, make the cake and buttercream taste like the main ingredients in the candy, don't just shove the actual candy bar in and all over it.

Next was the "Lolligagger" which is a Chocolate cake with a cookie dough center topped with a foul looking lime green buttercream, with glittery sprinkles all over it.  Besides that it looked like a Care Bear pooped it out and was so artificial looking, I was excited to have a cookie inside a cupcake! But no, the excitement only lasted one bite. The cookie dough tasted like old plastic, and the rest was so sugary I couldn't stand to have another bite. And may I add, Frosting overload?!?! Seriously! 

Lastly was the "Vanilla Dream" that was a simple vanilla/vanilla cupcake. It was nothing more than your typical, too-much-sugar, head ache causing, vanilla cupcake. 

Ordering at Whodidily was probably one of the most annoying times I have ever had in a bakery. All the cupcakes are given these weird tounge-twister names, and then you have to look at a big board and try to not get distracted with other wack names, to see what the flavor might be. Then by the time you actually eat it you have no clue what you are eating besides some brightly colored, over sugary product. 

And to make it even more confusing, if you notice, my Lolligagger cupcake is not what the description says on the wall...mine was green not pink. 

Cupcake wars or not...I was just not at all impressed, either would Mr. Wonka. 3 of us couldnt even finish half of what we got...ouch. I was rootin for ya Whodidily :( Just keepin' in real. 

The One and Only Sprinkles Cupcakes

This is where it all began, the world-wide craze of gourmet polka-dotted fist-size desserts. Sprinkles Cupcakes is the mastermind behind most every single bakery on the streets today. Sparkly crystal cases of made-from-scratch cupcakes, topped with swirled buttercream, line the walls causing every creature on the planet to stop and drool at the sugary treats. On my recent trip to Los Angeles, my bestie and I hopped into her car and took the 45 minute, 10 mile drive, to Beverly Hills to finally devour the most famous cupcakes on the planet. After they wave of paralyzation from my bellies excitement disappeared, I finally decided on 4 different cupcakes, a good 'ol traditional chocolate cake topped with vanilla buttercream, Chai, Lemon & Coconut, and a Chocolate Vanilla Hazlenut Cupcake. These cupcakes, are...well, orgasmic is the only word that pops into mind. Everything about these cupcakes are 100% right. The cake is baked to perfection, the fluffy buttercream literally melts in your mouth; I just couldn't get enough. The chocolate cupcake with vanilla buttercream was my favorite classic cupcake dominated over any one I have ever had. The Lemon and Coconut cupcake was so light and refreshing and have me gawking over it. The Chocolate Vanilla Hazelnut had a light hint of mouthwatering chocolate hazelnut buttercream, on top of a perfectly moist cupcake, leaving me to lick the wrapper.  Lastly, the Chai cupcake surely tasted like chai, but was probably my least favorite out of all of them; now that I think back I don't think we finished this one.  After chowing down into food coma, I was still, somehow, craving another cupcake - or 2.  Sprinkles, I don't know how you do it, but all I know is I wish I could devour your cupcakes every single day for the rest of my life. Thanks for living up to the rumors, and proving that you really are one of the best bakeries for the world to indulge in.

Teacake Bake Shop

I stumbled across this small, tucked away bakery in downtown Lafayette California. The vibe of the bakery is a cutesy tincey-wincy bakery, with the typical white and pink decor. 

There wasn't much of a selection of fun flavored cupcakes to chose from. All of their cupcakes were Vanilla or Chocolate topped with a couple of different buttercream favors...Whoop-Dee-Do. The cookies looked alright, but if you cant make a damn good cookie, then don't bother opening a bakery--just my thought. 

So i settled for 2 different cupcakes; the first one was a chocolate cupcake with a Dulce De Leche Buttercream. The Buttercream looked cute with its little flower decor on top of the swirled frosting, but when you bit into the cupcake, there was a bit of a crunchy layer you had to get through first before you could enjoy the soft and smooth center. The flavor of the buttercream was alright, but its not too hard to mess up a Dulce De Leche flavor. The cake itself tasted like any other chocolate cupcake, a bit on the trusty ol Pillsbury dough boy. 

The 2nd cupcake I devoured was a Madagascar Vanilla cake with a Honey Tangerine Buttercream. The tangerine flavored buttercream was very refreshing, it felt as thought I was biting into a juicy ripe tangerine. Although, the honey flavor was missing. I completely forgot that there was suppose to be honey in the buttercream, all I could taste was the citrus. The vanilla cake itself was extremely gummy and dry. It felt like I was eating a starfish, a gooey center with a dry crunchy outside...well thats what I think a starfish would taste like...anywaysss...The snazzy name of "Madagascar" vanilla, i think fools people into thinking its some exotic and forbidden like vanilla flavor, which in some peoples head makes it taste fantastic. But not me, I saw right through the fancy name and just ate off the buttercream. 

Teacake Bake shop was an alright bakery if you are in desperate need of a sugar-fix, and the Bay Bridge is closed to get to San Francisco, or your too fat and lazy to get to Walnut Creek to hit up Kara's. One this I do like is that Teacake does offer classes to learn to make cupcakes and cookies, but at $45-75 a person, this bakery is crazier than the Britney Spears circa 2007. 

I left my heart in San Francisco's Miette Patisserie

Smack down, in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the Ferry Building in the city of hippies and scenesters, is a bakery resembling what i would think a french Little Bo Peep's kitchen would look like. 

Miette Patisserie has pastel walls covered with candy, glowing cases filled with cupcakes, and jars filled with luscious macarons. With two San Francisco locations and one Oakland store, Miette is pretty much available to the feed the mouths of the entire Bay Area. And amen for that! This amazing little bakery has made it to my "Top 5 Bakeries to Devour" list! HOLLLAAAA!

I got a Rose Geranium Macaron that felt as though you bit into a rose with crunchy and airy petles with a  soft silky filling. This macaron had such a realistic flavor that it had you wondering if it was picked from a garden. 

Finally, I fell in love as fast as you can say cupcake. Miette's Old Fashion Cupcake is super moist chocolate cake topped with a ooey gooey marshmallow icing, that is, literally, to die for. I also got a vanilla cupcake that had a fresh refreshing strawberry buttercream, that tasted more amazing than a glass of water the morning after a hard night of drinking. I went back a second time, as said before, this place is simply amazing, and got a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. The cake was  perfectly soft and had a perfect addition of crunchy currants and walnuts, and the Cream Cheese frosting, well, who can go wrong with a kick ass cream cheese frosting. 

The only reason I am happy I don't live in the Bay anymore is I would be a hefty 300lbs living near a Miette Patisserie. I don't care if you live 30 minutes or 5 hours from the Bay, get in your car and drive to San Francisco immediately. Thanks Miette, for making my tastebuds smile like a kiddos first day ever at Disneyland.

Republic of Cake

Just over the hill from Oakland, California lives Republic of Cake, a small cupcake bakery, in downtown Orinda. Republic of Cake offers a ever changing menu that offers your traditional cupcakes, a gluten free option, as well as savory cupcakes, such as a French Onion Soup Cupcake!! 

Greeted by a man of a few words, I let his grumpy attitude slide and ordered 3 cupcakes.   

The first cupcake I stuffed into my mouth was a Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcake that was a chocolate cake with a kick of spicy hotness, topped with a cream cheese frosting drizzled in caramel. At first bite a wave of moist chocolate cake filled my mouth, when suddenly I was slammed in the taste buds with a warm spicy hint of flavor. The cream cheese frosting complimented the warming taste of spice perfectly and the drizzle of caramel added a nice little extra flavor. 

The next cupcake was a Snickerdoodle cupcake, a vanilla buttercream topped cinnamon flavored vanilla cake sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. "Blah" is the only word to describe this cupcake. There was nothing intense or exciting about the cake or the buttercream, at all! With such an easy flavor to make into a killer cupcake, I have no clue how they f*(#ed this one up. 

The last cupcake was a Lavender Meyer Lemon cupcake. The lavender cake was filled with a lemon curd topped with a honey cream cheese frosting. The cake had a light and refreshing lavender flavor, but the lemon filling ruined this whole cupcake for me. The lemon curd tasted like wet dog; my gag reflex was making me react like a cat coughing up a huge snarled hair ball.  The cream cheese frosting lacked the honey flavor, to the point I forgot it was suppose to even contain honey.

The cupcakes just did not do anything to make me want to go back for more. The only decent one was the Mexican Hot Chocolate, while the other 2 had me trying to get rid of them as fast as fast as I possibly could; but no one would take them. One thing I extremely admired about this bakery, is when you order "Sam's Very Messy Chocolate Cupcake", the R.O.C donates a percentage to a different charity that changes ever month. So not only did you get to indulge in a chocolate cupcake, but the month I was there, you also donated to help education in Africa (a big plus for my family, as my mother does work with a orphanage in Tanzania. ) So, high five to you Republic Of Cake!

2 Theatre Square, Suite 151 . Orinda, CA 94563

American Cupcake

Where can you find a place that is pure white, while still looking like a rainbow? Or a place that is filled with Bubble Gum, Cotton Candy and Booze? Why, American Cupcake in the one and only San Francisco of course!! 

This funky little restaurant/bakery might possibly have the raddest decoration, and nicest girls working there of any bakery I have been too. The rainbow balls hanging from the ceiling make you feel like you are surrounded by bubbles filled with Glinda the good witch. The menu had my mouth drooling like Augustus Gloop in Willy Wanka's factory; cupcakes, candy cocktails, beer, and even regular entrees like salads and corn-dogs. 

The first cupcake I devoured was a bright pink Bubble Gum Cupcake topped with two gumballs (which were BOTH stolen from my older sister). Remember being a kid at Baskin Robbins and getting a crunchy cone topped with slowly melting bubble gum ice-cream? Well, American Cupcake, has taken that delightful treat and turned it into a cupcake! The flavor sparked my tastebuds and sent me head-spinning into my childhood in one bite; i swear, the frosting was EXACTLY like the ice-cream. This glorious ice cream was on top of a vanilla cupcake that was pretty good, a bit to thick and had a well...gummy texture, for my liking. But who cares, the frosting flavor made up for it in a New York minute. 

Next up was the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake topped with a small peanut butter cup (which also was stolen by my sister!!) Im not going to compare it to a Reece's Peanut Butter Cup because that would be rude. This was on par with REAL peanut butter cups, not some hershey's crap. The smooth fluffy frosting tasted like real peanuts on top of a rich chocolate cake that both, flavor and texture, worked perfectly. 

American Cupcake's frosting flavors are so unique and fun that you could put it on a sea urchin and it would still taste fantastic. Although, the frosting flavors are what makes me love this place, I doubt I would care for a traditional vanilla/chocolate combo cupcake. We even took home 4 to share with the fam, which now that I think of it, I have never done before. If you live in the bay, a girls night/birthday/bachelorette party would be amazing at this fun and happy bakery! 

American Cupcake

1919 Union Street

San Francisco CA 94123

You want one? Well thankfully they are on EVERY CORNER!

This little gift was waiting in my inbox...a review on Starbucks peanut butter petite from my Old Man aka. Pop aka. Dad aka. Mike Botto

"A delicious SWEET treat. The cake was very moist and flavorful. The frosting very sweet peanut butter. Too sweet for me actually. The piece of peanut butter cup was unnecessary but great for the presentation. The price was worth every penny.  Had a free coupon! Also it went well with my bold coffee. Which was not free. A petite blonde (girl) will only get you in trouble and debt, next time try a Starbucks petite.

See you next time!"

HAHAHAHAHAHA, such a dork, love you
Ps. Dad...work on complete sentances haha

My name is Alli and I am a Cinnaholic

If Cinnamon Rolls were what Amy Winehouse was refusing to go to rehab for...i now understand. Cinnaholic is a 100% Vegan Cinnamon Roll Bakery in Berkeley California (Located right across from UC Berkeley at 2132 Oxford Street) that is one of the Veg News Magazine "99 Things You Must Do".  At Cinnaholic you can build your own right out of the oven roll with anything your belly craves ranging from crazy flavored frostings, to fruit to brownie chunks! 

My mom brought me out a box of Cinnamon Rolls to Colorado with an assortment of different frosting flavors; Traditional, Almond, Maple and Pomegranate.

Let me just say that these Cinnamon Rolls were fantastic..and for being born the day before!! They were soft doughy goodness that was not too sweet and melted in my mouth. The Pomegranate frosting such an amazing flavor that had me licking the plate- no joke...

Cinnaholic would make anyone, even a meat muncher, a believer in vegan baking. Beware of adopting a new addiction to Cinnaholic- Hey, at least its not crack!

Kara's Cupcakes Video Review

A big thanks to Mr. Alfie Dang for making me do a video blog, and editing it!!

Enjoy...

one love

This little Piggy...went to Miglet's Gluten Free Bakery

Miglets Gluten Free Bakery, located in Danville, California (East Bay) was started by a girl whose mother had celiac disease, and wanted to give her the option to indulge in desserts like everyone else. Not only do they carry cupcakes, but they also have breads, cookies, muffins and pies that are also 100% Gluten Free, (as well as some Vegan options!)

I got 3 mini GF cupcakes, and 1 vegan and GF cupcake to try and see if they would satisfy my sugar craving.

The Red Velvet, was once again an obnoxious "clifford" color red, that just freaked me out at the sight if it.  The cream cheese frosting was a bit too sugary for me, and tasted much like Dawn Foods Cream Cheese Frosting.

The Double Chocolate cupcake was alright, it tasted like Hershey Chocolate (and I am a picky Chocolate person) which turned me away after a bite.

The coconut cupcake reminded me of laying on a beach sucking down a Pina Colada. It was a very strong coconut flavor, with pieces of real coconut in the actual cake. This one was by far my favorite.

Last but not least, I got a Pumpkin Vegan/ GF Cupcake. I was extremely disappointed in this one. There was absolutely no hight to the cake, in other words, it was "wanky". Trying to cut into this cupcake was worse than trying to slice stale bread; next time ill bring a machete to cut it. To my surprise there were chocolate chips in the cake, and I am sorry but I strongly don't believe chocolate and pumpkin go together, as said by my Dad; "The pumpkin should be able to stand on its own".And the the frosting on the vegan cupcake had the texture of rubber cement glue. I was just NOT a fan of this cupcake at all. As you can tell my Mom and Sister couldn't stand it...

I will say that, for being gluten-free, you could barely tell! So for any person who is denied their love of sugary goodness because of being gluten intolerant, i would recommend some of their products. But if you are vegan, go somewhere else...PLEASE!!! And beware, they only have a 6 flavors of cupcakes to choose from, so you dont get much variety.