Last time it was all about rediscovery and wonder. This time, my hopes and expectations ran high.
Bam Bam bakery's gluten-free, dairy free cupcakes
Unfortunately, my hopes were dashed on the craggy shores of my expectations.
The second Portland Cupcake Throwdown featured another batch of our fair city’s bakers and cupcake purveyors (seven to be exact) – and twice as many bloggers. Joining Kate, Uke and I were Jillian, Rebecca and Vrylena.
In the mix were Scratch Baking Co. (last round’s winner) East End Cupcakes, European Bakery, Aurora Provisions, Sugar Hill and Bam Bam.
Promising entries from Y-Limes Gourmet were ditched due to a tragic meltdown. We held this event a few weeks ago – when temps crept up into the 90’s – and the heat caused an awful buttercream explosion. By the time we rescued the bakery’s Pink Lemonade cupcake from it’s box, it resembled a vat of boiling Pepto Bismol. Quite a shame. Uke captured the result in her post. For an accurate visual of what the cupcake SHOULD look like, visit Y-Limes’ website.
Overall: While I enjoyed a frosting here and a cake consistency there, I left the event rather saddened. Perhaps it was the humidity. Perhaps the nostalgia had worn off after the first throwdown last November. Or, perhaps I simply expected too much. Whatever the cause, a scan through my notes revealed the phrases “simply flavorless,” “pasty, plastic film,” and “like a stale devil dog.”
Not a great experience.
East End's bright pink box and spiffy logo.
Sticking with grandma’s old adage about saying nice things, I’m focusing here on the glimmers of positive. For more complete reviews read the other blogger’s posts by clicking on the links above.
Visual Appeal: Both entries from East End were lovely to gaze upon. A thick hat of coconut shavings topped a lime cake and a sexy swirl of milk chocolate capped the vanilla. Presented in a bright pink box with thoughtful cardboard separators, East End wins hands-down for packaging and prettiness.
Cake Appeal: Although the frosting was a tad weak -flavored, European Bakery’s Carrot Cake offered the moistest crumb – with chunks of pure carrot, walnuts and an even grain. Pump the cream-cheesiness up a few notches and this petite pastry would be stellar.
Frosting Appeal: Creamy and buttery – with a dark chocolate wallop and a pistachio whisper – the frosting on Scratch’s entry was a sensual dream. While the cake lacked the sheer perfection of the bakery’s entries last round (Black Forest Chocolate and Banana Cream Pie), the frosting alone secured Scratch’s spot in my personal Bakery Hall of Fame.
Dietary Restriction Appeal: The gluten-free, dairy-free entries from Bam Bam – while not as fragrant and intense as the offerings from Cakeface last round – were quite pleasant. We sampled three chocolate cakes with varied frosting – vanilla, chocolate and peanut butter – and I felt all three were solid. While I still struggle with the texture of these cakes, I’m glad a few talented bakers (Bevin at Bam Bam and Jenn at Cakeface ) are providing Portland with vegan choices.
Full Disclosure: The cupcakes from East End were donated.
