The Best Cupcakes, Frozen Sweets, and Canelés

Serious Eats gives a serious run down of the best cupcakes the city has to offer. The winner was Baked in Brooklyn. I have wanted to do something like this for so long but I just don't have the money or the time. I am very jealous.

Restaurant Girl offers up a list of the best places to get frozen treats this summer. Peoples Pops and Van Leeuwen made the list.

The City Sweet Tooth goes on a canelé crawl and lets us know four good locations to pick up this French pastry.

Two for One Cupcakes at Crumbs

Original photo can be found here.













Via NYC Deals.

Crumbs
87 Beaver St (between Hanover St & Wall St)

To celebrate them now being open on weekends, the above Crumbs location is now offering folks a two for one cupcake deal every weekend until the end of the summer. All you have to do is print the coupon at the above link at NYC Deals.

Review: Baskin-Robbins America's Birthday Cake

Baskin-Robbins American Birthday Cake

Cost: $7-8

Rating out of 5:




Birthday Cake is Baskin Robbins July flavor of the month, so I strongly suggest you head over and try some before its gone. This flavor is sadly hard to come by.

With its kaleidoscope of colors and laundry list of ingredients, some people are turned off by Birthday Cake, but not me. I love is this flavor something fierce.

Its got strawberry ice cream, cake flavored ice cream, a smooth blue ribbon running through it and bits of cake pieces. I got a hand packed quart and blew through it in a few days (which is actually pretty good, considering how quick I usually go through frozen treats. See upcoming post on the Corona Ice King). This is some seriously yummy ice cream, very sweet and full of fun textures, and while its not for everyone, it might be for you.

This Weeks (and last weeks) Sweet Reviews

Always Hungry: The “Shacked-Up”

Always Hungry: Spekuloos for Sale from Wafels & Dinges

Always Hungry: Terroir's olive oil cake, chocolate budino, and panna cotta

A Passion for Food: Pies 'n' Thighs banana cream pie, rhubarb pie, and apple pie with cheddar

Chow: Red grape sorbet from Il Laboratorio del Gelato

Chow: Avocado Parfait Perfection at Spot Dessert Bar

Chow: Earl grey ice cream from Van Leeuwen

Chow: Doughnut Plant

Eating in Translation: Astor Bake Shop

Eating in Translation: Brewla Bars

Life with Food and Drink: Crumbs and Billys Bakery

Life is Delicious: Watermelon Pinkberry

Blondie & Brownie: Blueberry Doughnut from the Doughnut Plant

Feast: Blueberry Tart at Buttermilk Channel and Ice Cream Cake at Quality Meats

Serious Eats: Chocolate Marquise at Spot Dessert Bar

Blondie & Brownie: Trying Out New Cupcake Flavors from Robicellis

Serious Eats: The Grasshopper at Tipsy Parson

A Passion for Food: Caffetteria

Eating in Translation: Gertel's Rugelach

Serious Eats: Tiramisu at Veloce Pizzeria and Motorino

Under the 7 Train: 2010 Roosevelt Avenue Street Crawl

Serious Eats: Blueberry Tarts at Petrossian

Lunch Studio: Lemon cupcake from Balthazar

Serious Eats: Bee Stings at Sweet Melissa

Serious Eats: Lime Cornmeal and Orange Butter Cookies at Amy's Bread

Serious Eats: Chocolate Cake at The Chocolate Room

Serious Eats: Tasting the New Concretes from Theater District Shake Shack

Serious Eats: Honey-Coffee and Blueberry Pies at Blue Ribbon Market

Cupcakes Take the Cake: 4 frosting shots at Butter Lane

Blondie & Brownie: Four & Twenty Blackbirds

NYC Tastes: New Berry Berry Mouse at Panya

NYC Tastes: Spot Dessert Shop

Fork in the Road: Lula's Sweet Apothecary's Ice Cream Sundae

Fork in the Road: Astor Bake Shop

Midtown Lunch: Cake Balls at Ma Peche Milk Bar

Serious Eats: Mari's New York

Serious Eats: Just Sweet

NY Times: Takahachi Bakery

Blondie & Brownie: Corona Ice King

Under the 7 Train: Russian Ice Cream Bars

Fork in the Road: Grandaisy Bakery's Banana Walnut Bread

Serious Eats: Mango-Passionfruit Sorbet at La Maison du Chocolat

New Frogurt Place Wickedspoon Opens

Via Fucked in Park Slope & Grub Street.

Wickedspoon
321 9th St. (near Fifth Ave)
Park Slope, Brooklyn
347-987-4810

They are scheduled to open this Saturday and will be giving out free samples from noon-3PM. Besides frogurt they plan on offering frogurt stuffed whoopie pies from Wannahavacookie and frogurt topped Belgian waffles. And...chocolate covered crickets, which are supposed to come across as "edgy".

Crumbs Opens New Location Not Far from Old One

Original image can be found here.


Via Westside Independent.











Crumbs
350 Amsterdam Ave (76th)
New York, NY 10023
212 712 9800

The new Crumbs is located inside the Harrison on Amsterdam between 76th and 77th and has replaced the former location one block south.

Free Frogurt at Berrywild

Via Pulse JFK.

Tomorrow get a free mini cup of frogurt from the Berrywild at 2286 Broadway from 3PM till closing. All you have to do is print out the coupon and present it while ordering.

Just Sweet Opens

Via Eater.

Just Sweet
83 Third Ave

This new Asian dessert spot is now open.

Joyride Frogurt Truck

Via Midtown Lunch.

The new fro-yo truck has been spotted at 52nd & 6th. They also have coffee. Follow them on Twitter!

Mia Dona Meatball Cart Serves Gelato

Via Midtown Lunch & Eater.

Starting tomorrow, the cart will serve $6 ice cream sandwiches every weekday from 3-6PM.

$10 for 6 Scoops at Ciao Bella

Original photo can be found here.













That's 55% off! $10 gets you a punch card that's good at three of Ciao Bella's locations:

54 Grand Central Terminal
(212) 867-5311‎

27 East 92nd Street
(212) 831-5555

World Financial Center
225 Liberty St
(212) 786-4707

Get the deal here. The card is good till November 20th. Tax not included.

Lily Lolly's Ice Kitchen Opens

Via Midtown Lunch.

The Lily Lolly's Ice Kitchen cart recently began parking in front of the Macy's on 34th and Broadway, and is selling ice pops for $3.50. According to ML, they are worth the price. You can follow her on Twitter.

$1 Time Warner Ice Cream Truck is Back

Via Midtown Lunch.

The truck will be in Bryant Park every Monday through August 16th from 4-10PM. They only offer chocolate and vanilla cups or cones- without even sprinkles! But for $1 you really can't complain, or at least you shouldn't, since your money is going to help out local museums.

Free Dessert with Secret Password

Via Midtown Lunch.

Stop by the Desi Truck (on 27th and 5th) through the end of July and say “Khul Jaa Sim Sim” to get a free dessert! The words apparently mean "open the secret door".

Beny's Delice Opens in Brooklyn

Via Gothamist and Grub Street.

Beny's Delice
903 Fulton Street, Brooklyn
646-704-1315

They will be offering French pastries and savory food. Pretty sweet looking interior too.

July Ice Cream Crawl

What: July Ice Cream Crawl

When: TOMORROW, July 22nd. 6:30-9:30PM

Where: RSVP TODAY for location (rsvpfoodcrawl@gmail.com)

Cost: FREE to attend

I know this is short notice, but this is an awesome event and if your interested your going to want to RSVP ASAP. No later that today, in fact. The location will be somewhere on the West side.

Cupcake Article in the WSJ

Original photo can be found here.














The article is called New York City's Cupcake Economy, and says that cupcakes are a "legitimate driver of the city's economy". They even go so far as to quote someone who says that (after an entire decade) "This could be a fad, or not".

Or not guys!

Cupcakes and Corsets

Original photo can be found here.


Via Cupcakes Take the Cake.
















What: The Eulenspiegel Society's Cupcakes and Corsets

When: Saturday, July 17, 2010. 10PM-3AM

Where: Paddles (NSFW Link)
250 W26 st (Basement)

Cost: $25 for TES members, $35 for everyone else

21 and over, no photography permitted. Visit the TES website for more info (possibly NSFW).

From the site:
Quick-lace yourself into your best corseted finery and race to Paddles on this night because there will be FREE CUPCAKES!!! Once the cupcakes are gone, they are gone, but the corsets will remain! Well, we will save some cupcakes for you, but only if you enter a sultry and sensual cupcake eating contest for the prize of a 1-year TES Membership. Tight-laced corsets and waist-tightening pastries abound in this magical meeting of two great loves!

The Third Annual Great American Pie-Off

Via Serious Eats, Diners Journal, and Eating in Translation.

What: New York Theater Experiment's Third Annual Great American Pie-Off

When: July 10th, 4-7PM

Where: Galway Hooker
7 E 36th St. (between 5th & Madison)
Private upstairs room

Cost: $10 (for two pieces of pie), $20 (for a piece of ALL the pies!). Buy your tickets here & here.

This is a pie contest that will be judged by Top Chef Season Six contestant Ash Fulk, Daniel Gritzer of Time Out NY, and Ron Silver owner of Bubby’s Pie Company.

Guests can also take part in a silent auction and get the chance to vote for an audience favorite.

You can still register to enter the contest in person the day of the event! Just bring your pie and $20 for the entry fee.

Bainbridge Bakery Re-Opens with a New Name in the Bronx

Via Bronx News Network.

Bainbridge Bakery was destroyed twice in a Bronx shopping center fire, but they're back again and are set to open today at 8AM! I wish them the best of luck :)

The bakery will now be called Anna's Bakery and Cafe and is located at 2125 Williamsbridge Road (between Pelham Parkway and Lydig Avenue).

Stop by today for some free coffee (and possibly other free goodies too).

Best Chocolate Cake in the World Now Delivers

Original photo can be found here.


Via Grub Street.










Best Chocolate Cake in the World (at 55A Spring St) will now deliver anywhere in Manhattan for $5. Call 212-343-2253 to order.

This Weeks Sweet Reviews

Life with Food & Drink: Gelato at Ciao Bella

Daily Candy: 13 Ways We All Scream for Ice Cream

Serious Eats: 10 Ways to Beat the Heat

Eat to Blog: Blood-Orange Infused Balsamic Vinegar at Big Gay Ice Cream

Eat to Blog: Banana Puddin’ Across Town

Eatery Row: L'Arte del Gelato

Eatery Row: Fat Witch Bakery

Always Hungry: The Red Cat’s Pistachio Semifreddo

Feisty Foodie: Dessert at Landmarc

Feisty Foodie: Dessert at James Beard House

Serious Eats: Arctic Circle at Aquavit

Serious Eats: Ice Cream Cakes at Quality Meats

Serious Eats: Banana: Nilla Wafer Ice Cream at Cafe Cluny

Serious Eats: Where to Buy Gulab Jamun in Jackson Heights and Elmhurst

Fork in the Road: Takahachi Bakery's Almond-Miso Cookies

Fork in the Road: T.E. Key Lime Caramels

Fork in the Road: Battle of the Chocolate-Filled French Breakfast Pastries: Falai Panetteria vs. Pain d'Avignon

Feisty Foodie: 17th Annual Top Ten Pastry Chefs In America, The Finale

Queen Bakery Opens in Chinatown

Via NYC The Blog.

Queen Bakery has opened on 150 Mott Street and is "serving buns, cakes, and you tiao".

Pure Dark on Bleecker has Closed

Via NYC The Blog.

Pure Dark on Bleecker St has closed, but you can still buy their chocolate at any of the following Food Emporium locations:
1175 Third Ave
405 E 59 St
810 Eighth Ave

$21 for 10 Small Cups or Cones at Tasti D-Lite

Get $43 worth of of ice cream & frozen yogurt from at Tasti D-Lite for $21. Get the deal from Buy With Me here.

Hester Street Ice Cream Available this Saturday Only

Via NYC Food Guy.

This Saturday check out Hester Street Fair ( at the intersection of Hester Street and Essex Street) for some exclusive frozen goodies offered for one day only.

Guerilla Ice Cream will be offering Redcoat a spicy cranberry shaved ice with pop rocks and Chinatown Tea Party, a Steel Buddha Tea sorbet with Chinese walnut cookies and fresh dragonfruit.

La Newyorkina will be offering Watermelon Paleta.

Ice Cream in NYC!

Original photo can be found here.












The Post gives a a rundown of ice cream concoctions at Otto, ABC Kitchen, DBGB, and Popbar.

Fork in the Road offers a guide to restaurant ice cream carts.

Feast brings us a map of unique ice cream flavors.

Review: Salerno Pastry Cafe

Salerno Pastry Cafe
153-71 Cross Island Parkway
718-357-4808










Items ordered:
Creme Brulee
Creme puff with cannoli cream
Creme puff with traditional cream
Creme puff with chocolate cream
Rainbow cookies

Rating out of five:




Salerno's has such an unassuming exterior, and since its tucked away deep into the Whitestone Shopping Center, its easy to completely miss it even if you know where it is. I also found it odd that their business cards list a website that is no longer active.

















The creme brulee was good, but I wish the top has been harder- there should be a crunch to it that just wasn't there.
















The creme puff with the cannoli cream didn't taste fresh, and over-all I didn't think the two went well together. But the puff with traditional creme was delicious. I'm not a fan of hardened chocolate on anything, so obviously I wasn't a fan of the puff with chocolate.

















The rainbow cookies tasted better than they looked, but still weren't good. The almond flavor was too subtle.

This bakery isn't terrible, but there are such better places to spend my money in Whitestone (like Little Cakes!).

Dessert Truck Back on the Street

Via Feast, Midtown Lunch, and Fork in the Road.

Last year the city forced the much loved truck to shut down do to permit problems, but now the truck is back! And they will be with us till October.

Follow the truck on Twitter & Facebook, and don't forget to stop by their brick & mortar shop DT Works at 6 Clinton St.

This Weeks Sweet Reviews

Always Hungry: Dark and Stormy Float at The Redhead

Food in Mouth: Fay Da has a shitty red bean ice

Scoop on Cones: Patches of Star Dairy

Scoop on Cones: Cake and Shake

Life with Food and Drink: Billy's Cupcakes

Life with Food and Drink: Grom

Life with Food and Drink: Midday desserts and coffee at Brasserie Athenee

Serious Eats: Fig Milkshake at Il Laboratorio del Gelato

Serious Eats: Strawberry Pudding at Billy's Bakery

Eat to Blog: Van Leeuwen vs Blue Marble

Serious Eats: Maple Hill Creamery's Maple Yogurt

Serious Eats: The Best Chocolate Cake in the World

City Sweet Tooth: Frozen Truffles at Borne Confections

Blondie & Brownie: Oreo Cookie Jar Blizzard from DQ

Fork in the Road: Guerrilla Ice Cream

NYC Tastes: Grand Central Magnolia

Cupcakes Take the Cake: iEatTreats: a review

Serious Eats: Waffles & Dinges

Lunch Studio: Walnut Cookie Crisp from Village Tart

Feisty Foodie: Eddie’s Sweet Shop

Fork in the Road: Battle of the Dishes: Fourth of July Berry Pie Edition

NYC Tastes: Bee Desserts

Life with Food & Drink: Sweet Revenge

The Lower Eastside Girls Club Opens Celebrate Café

Via Fork in the Road.

Celebrate Café
308 Bowery

Located inside the Bowery Poetry Club and owned by the Lower Eastside Girls Club, Celebrate Café is used as a job training and employment program, and offers pastries from their Sweet Things Bake Shop on Avenue C.

Kelvin Natural Slush Truck Opening Soon

Via Grub Street.

Kelvin Natural Slush is an "all premium, all natural slush company". The truck should be up and running soon, check their Twitter page for current locations. Expect to see flavors geared towards adults, such as Spicy Ginger, Tangy Citrus, and Green & Black Tea.

Macaron Cafe Opens Second Location

Via Midtown Lunch.

Macaron Cafe
625 Madison Ave (59th btwn Park & Madison)

The cafe opened last week and is now serving lunch along with authentic macarons. Click the above link to see the inside of the cafe.

You can also visit their original location on 36th between 6th+7th.

Jello Mold Competition, Unfancy Food Show, and Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America

Check out lots of awesome photos from the 2010 Jello Mold Competition on Eater and Gothamist.

Take a look at all the sweet offerings at the 2010 Unfancy Food Show on Cakespy.

Then also visit Feisty Foodie here and here for in-depth coverage of The 17th Annual Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America 2010.

Free McDonalds Frappe

Via Pulse JFK.

You can get a FREE McDonalds Frappe in mocha or caramel July 2nd & 9th, from 7AM-7PM. Call your local McDonalds to see if they are participating, the Manhattan location at 160 Broadway apparently offers the deal.