Cake Run 24.5: Goldilocks Chocolate Rocky Road

Another cake that really worm its way into the heart of my palate is the chocolate rocky road.

Visual: It looks like a normal chocolate sponge cake that is just light to the taste given its nude creamy appearance
                                      

Taste: Appearances are deceiving. It is actually thick but not because of the cream or the bread but due to the layered cream which is made up of 3 different ingredients: marshmallows, chocolate chips and chocolate frosting. Wow, it is one of those rare moments wherein my expectation was exceeded and I just have to share this cake. The frosting which is usually overlooked is actually highlighted in this one given the presence of the chocolate chips. It presents the illusion that you are chewing onto the chocolate cream when it is the chips that are actually doing the trick. Couple it with the marshmallows; it gives off a feeling of smooth melting on your tongue.

Actually, if it were not for these three ingredients, I highly doubt that this cake would differentiate itself from an ordinary chocolate roll. It really spelled the difference. For more of Goldilocks' fantastic product features, simply click on this link: Cake Run 24. 

Cake Run 24: Unboxing Goldilocks Triple Delight

Welcome to the episode number of Cake Run. Naming the bakeshop after a famous fairy tale character is a brilliant move on the part of the creators as it elicits fond childhood memories. True enough, this was the intent of the 3 sisters who named the business making it easier for the brand to warm up to mothers and children alike. 

Why did it took me after 23 cake entries for me to start raving about this brand? As we all know, it takes more than just a dreamy name for a shop to be successful. For a bakeshop, taste and presentation of the cakes and its pastries play a huge role in generating loyalists. As a child, I am no stranger to Goldilocks' cakes; however, I was not really impressed with their selection even as a young adult with a more diversified taste. 

It was not only up to now that I was able to have a taste of Goldilocks through their Triple Delight which was given to one of my colleagues as a surprise for his birthday.

                           

Visual: As one would expect from a mocha cake --- creamy looking and filled with icing. I wonder why it is called triple then if it looks like a regular mocha cake? Perhaps let's start eating and take a look at its insides.

                           
Taste: Surprisingly good and the cream used is soft, smooth and tasty. The breading is composed of three different layers or "delights" as the makers call it, namely chocolate, vanilla and mocha chiffon. I was already happy with the cream and not expecting much from the chiffon layers but I was impressed that all three layers were able to successfully bring out the taste that they represent. Usually, one of the most common pitfalls in most chiffon cakes is that the bread lacks taste given the overpowering flavor of the icing. This, however, was able to overcome that pitfall and is actually a far cry from the cakes that they usually make. It makes one want to try on their other cake selections. 

After that surprisingly amazing experience, I decided to give their other pastries a shot namely the Choco Cake Slice and the Golden Butter Slice.

The Chocolate Cake Slice uses the similar texture and formula as the one used in their regular cakes, less the icing and the overly decorative designs which is indicative of a cake. So, if you are up for some chocolate cake but without all that jazz, then this is the perfect selection for you.

The Golden Butter Slice is a triple wow and garnered a triple star in my books. It is not just soft but it breaks under pressure of my teaspoon which is a high indication of it not being hard and dry. Don’t you just hate cakes that are dry enough to suck the moisture inside your mouth?

Moreover, it is very light until the last bite with the skin that simply melts in your mouth. I mean wow, for a bread slice, this is an absolute delight.

Have a Golden filled day with Luck! Your thoughts on birthday cakes? Feel free to share and suggest.

Cake Run 23: Conti's Ube Custard Cake

Welcome to another episode of Cake Run. Ever tried eating a violet cake before---one that is not accomplished through food coloring? Well you are in for a treat for today's cake run called the Ube Custard Cake. 

Ube is the local term for purple yam and is widely used across many different viands in Asia.
You can choose to eat it directly which is the usual practice in China as you can see different stalls along the street and restaurants selling hot purple yams for snacks. In my locality, it is popularly used as a flavoring for desserts like ice cream, pastries and cakes. So how does an ube or purple yam cake look and taste like?

Visual: Looks like one of those hand gloves with the crisscross patterns, worn by women during dance galas. The white pattern then terminates at the circular curve of the cake, like flowers or jewelries that adorn a woman's wrist. The violet frosting are like window drapes, hiding the ube and the custard that you just can't wait to slice it open.

Getting in, we are met with 8 layers including the violet frosting on top. It is a play mainly between violets and yellows refereed by thins strips of whites and browns. Yellow and violet really do make a good match---just a side thought when pairing dresses, shirts and skirts;)

Taste: Mmmph. It certainly did justice to its name. The custard is just the right amount of sweetness and is the only thing in the entire cake that is sweet. The white cream despite its trivial appearance plays a major role in enhancing the taste of the custard. And let's not forget the main highlight which is the ube. 

The ube or purple yam when eaten directly is not really sweet, so I was quite curious as to how it will make a good flavoring for a cake. Turns out, what the makers did was that they added purple yam bits within the breading so that its taste does not get lost when eaten together with the custard; otherwise, it will just be a custard cake. Every so often you would feel something solid, breaking the smoothness of the custard and the cream. It is like your "stopper" or "humps" along the highway.

Have a Yam-my Day! I'm excited to hear your thoughts on this one; especially those who are from outside of Asia wherein yams are not usually part of your regular cuisines.

Craving for more Conti's? I invite you to check out their Choco Almond Sansrival and Chocolate Tiramisu. 

Cake Run 22: Rodilla’s Yema Cake

Welcome to the 22nd episode of Cake Run. Thank you dear readers for accompanying me in my cake journey as I aim to try all the different cakes in the world. Good Luck to my weight then! For today’s feature presentation, we will go for another traditional unique dessert in my locality which is the “yema” cake. It is pronounced as it is spelled.

The yema cake is actually a recent invention based on a traditional local delicacy which is simply “yema”. It closely resembles custard with egg as the main ingredient. While your custard is made up of eggs, milk and cream, the yema is made of eggs, condensed milk and vanilla extracts making it extra sweeter and extra thicker than its custard counterpart, making it the perfect coating for a cake as opposed to custard. It is usually sold and branded as a soft and slightly sticky candy, shaped like a tall pyramid with a really sweet thick filling inside. The outside is made of solid yema while the inside is composed of a thick liquid yema filling. 

Visual: Traditionally, is a simple yellow round or rectangular cake composed of 3 components namely the chiffon, yema and grated cheese. No wonder the cake base is made of chiffon and topped with grated cheese to balance out the overwhelming sweetness of the yema. If not for the yema frosting on top, it can very well pass as bread rather than as a cake. 

Taste: You really definitely must try this! Both bread fanatics and cake lovers would absolutely delight in this little yellow bundle of sunshine. Sweet but not sweet because before the yema overpowers your taste buds, the chiffon counters it and before you feel the blandness of it, the cheese is there to save the day and end your experience with an oh-so-yummy feeling that keeps you wanting to dig in.

And yes, it is best to be eaten all at once rather than layer it. I mean there are only 2 layers, what more can you separate? The 2 layers which are mainly chiffon is sandwiched by a thin layer of yema to add flavor to the otherwise bland chiffon. I have nothing against chiffon because aside from being a cake lover, I am also a pastry and bread lover so there are times that I would opt for these two especially if I am not in the mood for sweets and cream.

It is just that yema cake is definitely one of those cakes that have successfully blurred the line between a highly decorative bread and your traditional cake. Even if I am not in the mood for sweets and opt for bread instead, I can still eat yema cake and satisfy my appetite for either cake or bread.

Have a Yee-Ma Day! What are your thoughts on simple cakes?

Cake Run 21: Tous Les Jours Rich Chocolate Cake

 Tous Les What? Don't fret for it is just a French term which literally means "Everyday" in English. Pronounced as "tu-le-juru", it is a bakery established in South Korea and is famous for its artisan breads and cakes that are soft, light and just plain adorable.

Visual: An absolute eye candy that you can't help but want to sink your sweet tooth on it. It has an exterior, toughened up by chocolate with syrup circling around its head, and topped with 3 adorable brown cream chairs, carrying a chocolate wafer that is concluded by a heart shaped biscuit that says "Tous Les Jours". I am perfectly satisfied with the way it looks but I just cannot help but squeal in delight when the brownish cream that resembles a pearl necklace was wrapped around the cake. It is perfection made even more perfect.
                                    

Taste: My TYPE of cake. I love cakes that are creamy, soft and light to the palate. It is my ultimate weakness and turns my senses to goo as soft as the cake's structure. Despite the cake’s seemingly tough chocolate exterior, it is actually quite thin and breaks easily under slight pressure from a teaspoon. Yes, I use teaspoons when eating cakes as this prolongs the pleasure rather than getting an ordinary sized spoon and gulping the cake in one go. But that is just me and different strokes for different people, right people?

As your teaspoon breaks the surface, it will slide down all the way to the middle since the layer after the surface is composed of creamy goodness. It is only in the upper middle portion wherein the chiffon bread becomes visible to halt the sliding of your teaspoon. Chiffon bread is thin, airy and bouncy making me feel less guilty for eating this kind of chocolate cake in the middle of the night. Oops, guilty as charged. I do eat cakes even at the dead of the night.

So what about the adorable toppings that I cannot help but romanticize in the visual portion of this post? Well, the chocolate wafer is just wafer, the heart biscuit is just biscuit, the brown cream seats are yeah, just cream but the chocolate syrup adorned with golden nuts, is the absolute X factor in the equation. The syrup has wine flavor on it or should I call it wine chocolate syrup to make it more appropriate.
                                 
Be Happy Every day, be Happy Tous Les Jours! What is the type you are looking for in a cake? Feel free to share and comment below.

Cake Side Trip 20.5: Aristocrat Beehive Cup

This is not exactly a new episode but a side trip from this episode’s main star, “The Black Forest”. While the Black Forest was a planned purchase, this beehive cup was bought based on a whim. Seeing it made me realize how long it has been since I have last eaten a brownie with faux cream on top.

Visual: It does look like a beehive but the first thing that came to mind when I saw it was a cupcake due to the faux cream on top. Having tasted something like this before, I knew that it was not really cream, rather it is made of some sort of soft sugar that melts upon reaching your mouth.

Taste: Too sweet! The inside of the chocolate top beehive is already made of frosted sugar and the chocolate coating made it even more so. Well, this bakeshop sure has a reputation of making its products too sweet as compared to its contemporaries who would rather balance out an overly sweet layer with nuts, complement with a not so sweet ingredient like dark chocolate or simply not compete with it by just using plain white cream.

Share your thoughts;) They are always welcome.

Cake Run 20: Aristocrat’s Black Forest

Welcome to the 20th episode of Cake Run. Wow, this is like my 3^rd cake visit at Aristocrat. They just offer so many selections that one cannot help but “attempt” to try them all out. No sweat though, fellow cake runners, for I will always ensure that I feature a different cake or a different experience per entry. God help me if I feature a cake from a certain bakeshop twice.

While the featured cake for the day is something we are all quite familiar. The taste and methodology of baking and choice of ingredients varies per baker. Having the pleasure of tasting different Black Forest Cakes throughout the years, none so far tasted or even looked exactly the same as another. Eating Black Forest feels like a new experience each time.

Visual: Camping Site. It looks like a clearing in the middle of the forest surrounded by white tents with the chocolate cylinders serving as piled wooden logs. The campers must had a field day traversing the wilderness with no clear walking ground as it is littered with woods and rocks that looks to be dangerous and is not recommended for inexperienced campers.

Taste: Good and surprisingly not sweet! It has the right mixture of cream and breading that the taste blends perfectly well. You get to taste the classic Black Forest which is composed of cherries, chocolate bits, chocolate bread and the goodness of the white cream (drools). I am already left wanting just by writing about it. Usually, I am not in the mood for another cake for two consecutive days; there has to be at least one (1) day of spacing in between but for this one, I am starting to consider treating myself again despite having my cake fix yesterday.

I am already happily satisfied that Aristocrat, surprisingly was able to pull off a successful Black Forest. I was already expecting it to be good but also sweet and heavy which is the usual case for most of their cakes but this one turned out, different and amazingly so.

Just when I thought that I have been surprised enough, the white cream that makes up half of the built of this cake takes on a slight different form as you dwell inside the layers. It has a sort of pinkish hue left by juices from the cherry giving it a fruity flavor. What better way to conclude a perfect cake by adding more perfection in it.

Have a Cherri-ful Day!  Feel free to share your comments and insights.

Cake Run 19: Tsoknut Batirol: "Tablea Chocolate Cake"

Welcome to episode 19 of Cake Run. Our cake of the day is still from Tsoknut Batirol and it is unforgivable to leave the shop without at least purchasing their specialty.

The Tablea Chocolate Cake is made from local chocolate tablets hence the name “tablea” and can be used in almost all recipes involving chocolate. It has many applications and can be used as a main ingredient in almost all chocolate recipes or even drinks if you are getting tired of the usual imported ones in the market. Before talking about the cake itself, allow me first to have a brief introduction of this tablea chocolate.

Taste-wise, it is already sweet but the levels vary per brand so it is up to you to canvass which one suits your recipe. I suggest that you go for the less sweet ones if you are going to use it across a wide variety for your chocolate recipes, so you have the freedom to adjust the sweetness. If you buy the really sweet ones, it is going to be a disaster when you are not really in the mood for fondue and would just like to fix yourself a cup of hot chocolate. I especially love tablea hot chocolate drink for its particles does not dissolve fast when melted in high heat, so you still get to experience its unique taste and flavor. I find it frustrating that some highly marketed chocolate powder drinks end up “watered down” when the water is too hot, leaving you to drink chocolate water instead of a chocolate drink.

Based on personal experience, usually the different tableas in the market are not really powerfully sweet. The main difference usually is in the texture. Some are chunkier and some are powder-ish when broken down or melted. Taste does not really vary whether it is of the chunk or the powder type. I guess it has more to do with the process of how it was made. Anyway, I do not claim to be the expert. I am just a certified lover of cakes with a particular tongue and eye for the chocolate ones.

When applied to chocolate cake, it has not lose its “tablea” touch given that it still possesses an air of strength that shouts “freshly made chocolates” just for you.If you watch Ratatouille, this cake gives the same feel as what Anton Ego felt when he tasted the dish called Ratatouille reminding him of his childhood. Most of the time, the taste of a recipe is also psychological. It is subjective more than it is objective especially if it is something that you have already tried in the past. We put attachments to experiences and these are called feelings with memories associated with that recipe. While I have not really tasted much table chocolate cake in my life, I sure did drink a lot of hot chocolate tablea when I was a kid. Usually, my mother prepares it for me when I am sad, tired or stressed out. Oh dear, this cake is making my eyes wet.

The inside is just pure chocolate bread or chiffon so you would not feel full after eating despite its size being a little larger than a regular slice. Even the tablea itself is not heavy, so I would not be surprised if its caloric count is almost similar to that of a regular bread pastry.

Have a Tablea and Be Merry!  Feel free to share your comments and insights.

Cake Run 18: Tsoknut Batirol: "Mangoes and Cream"

Welcome to the 18th episode of Cake Run. This trip was totally spontaneous. My friend and I were driving through one of the secondary roads in the district to avoid traffic and we happen to pass by this place. What made us look at it twice was the name. It reminded us of a local confectionery. I was not really planning to enter the shop when my friend decided to park in front of it. Well, how can I protest when she is the one driving?

Judging from its name, I was not really expecting much but despite my short stay, it left quite a pleasant mark on me and one that I would definitely earmark as one of the places that I would visit again in the future. For now, we just stopped by for a couple of minutes and me being me, did not pass on the chance to buy a cake or two. 

I bought their house specialty which is the Tsokonut Tablea Chocolate which I will do a review on the next episode. For this entry, I will review the other cake which is the Mangoes and Cream.

Visual: Gold and White. Quite an Angelic Presence, won't you say? It reminds me of Mango Bravo from Conti's, one of the classic bakeshops in my locality, so I did not bother second guessing in choosing this cake as my other purchase. Plus, it has the quality that I am looking for in a cake. I am into creams so when I see a cake or a pastry with the soft snowy white coating, my gaze would really linger as opposed to a cake that is cream less. 

Now onto the layering, it looks complicated, soft and boy, the slice is big. There looks to be around five levels but maybe six if you would consider the top light brown surface as two instead of one due to the really thin white cream in between. The pattern then becomes more comprehensible once you reach the brown cream wherein it alters between golden brown and light brown and ended with a white crust. To cap off its angelic imagery, it is drizzled with chocolate syrup giving it a wet look with rain spots where the syrup passed through before reaching the bottom. It looks like a city at night after a rainy day. 





Taste: Complicated. There is no dominant taste despite that many layers. It is very light and airy that the big chunk of slice does not seem daunting at all. The only thing that stands out are the mangoes. 






Layering the cake, the golden brown portion is sansrival and the light brown is chocolate cream. The chocolate cream is just average and is really just chocolate flavored cream. The crust is meringue wafer which is a plus but for a crust, it does not have a solid impact in terms of taste. Usually for cakes, if it is not the top that leaves an impression, it is up to the crust to fulfill that role but for this cake, only the mangoes that are hidden across the many layers, were sweet enough to leave a mark on your taste buds. 

Coating the entire cake is the white cream drizzled with chocolate syrup and topped with nuts. The white cream tasted normal and does not seem to be of original creation. You can say the same for the chocolate syrup as it tasted like a certain really popular supermarket brand.

Have a Golden Evening. Feel free to share your comments and insights.

Cake Run 17: Aristocrat Bakeshop: "Chocolate Velvet"

Welcome to the 17th episode. After finding out how to commute efficiently from my place to Aristocrat, which was a bakeshop I frequent with my family when I was a child, I seem cannot get out of my head the fond memories of their chocolate cake. On my second visit, I was tempted to go for the classic chocolate cake but I resisted and instead opted for another chocolate cake called the Chocolate Velvet just to try something new. After all, we cannot always stick to our comfort zone, right?

Visual: Is that a bonnet with a ribbon? It does appeal to my childhood as I am reminded of one of those fairy tale characters who frequents a bonnet on their regular getup. The character's hair is curled tied into a ponytail while using a large ribbon hairpiece to keep it in place. The ribbon tresses are neatly tied leaving no strands of hair amiss.

Taste: Fabulously Unique! It is chocolate but it is truly one of its kind. It does not taste like your usual classic milk or dark chocolate that is usually used in cakes. Gunned down with a spoon, it is sticky and chewy but smooth like silk to the taste and once swallowed, it never fails to create an impact as it does not melt easily <insert picture>. It is strong till the very end. However, it does not differ from the taste of their classic chocolate cake. I was hoping that naming it "velvet" will spell the difference.

Composed of two layers of chocolate bread held together by the very same chocolate used for its exterior coating, it is indeed a cake that every chocolate lovers must try. You will appreciate that the chocolate bread do taste like one as opposed to other chocolate cakes that has the taste of their breading pale in comparison with the overpowering taste of its own icing or cream. 

Topped with ribbon tresses of swirling whites and blacks, I cannot help but commend for not skimping off the chocolate even with just the ornaments. The so-called tresses is not just made of candy but is also chocolate. 

The chewiness of the chocolate is further emphasized as you try to eat the ribbons separately, the chocolate just sticks to it, leaving you no choice but to eat it at the same time. I really love how clingy and protective the chocolate coating is, as it ensures that for every bite you take, you will not be left wanting with just the bread. Don't you just hate it when you are forced to eat cake that is like only 20% cake and 80% bread? I mean if I am going to eat bread, why would I buy cake in the first place?

The downside however is that the cake itself is too sweet. Usually the ornaments are your usual life saver in contradicting the overpowering taste of the main cake such as adding nuts, sprinkling with really thin swirls of chocolates or just stick with dark chocolate, but for this, the ribbon ornament is even sweeter than the cake itself. Only at this level do I see a slight difference from the classic chocolate cake, the topping or the ornaments for the classic one are roses with green leaves which tasted like chocolate mixed with icing. Perhaps I might do a separate episode for that one. Let's see.

Have an Aristocratic Tuesday. Feel free to share your  comments and insights.

Cake Run 16: Portobello "Red Velvet Cheesecake" Part 2

Welcome to the 16th episode of Cake Run. Another cake from the cute pastry counter in the middle of a bustling mall will be featured in this entry. Since the shop only offers a few selection of cakes, around 4 different kinds to be exact, I cannot shy away from the red velvet once again. 

However, this is a level up to the other red velvets I have tried as it cheesecake. As a cake lover, you cannot not have a special place in your heart for cheesecakes.

Visual: Purity! How can you be so white and yet so red? It reminds me of an office lady who commands the presence of her entire staff via domination of the white blazer and white heels. It really does flash a vivid picture of that kind of lady this cake represents.

In contrast with other red velvets wherein there is only a play of white and red colors, this one poses its identity as being a cheesecake by having its presence sponged in between the reds and the whites. Imagine boss lady coming into work wearing gold bangles around her wrist. Wouldn't that be a delight?

Taste: 3 in 1 package deal. I love it! You have cream, red velvet and cheese...what more can you ask for? The white cream is quite a disappointment. I was expecting it to be cheesy cream but it tasted like ordinary cream with a little after taste. The red velvet has a good texture and has a presence that does not lose with its neighboring layers. Usually, it is quite challenging to bring out the taste of the breading as the cream, icing, cheese, crust and the like tries to dominate your palate but this one was able to stand out amidst its formidable foes. The cheese is quite good with its soft texture but it is sadly ordinary tasting, meaning lots of cheesecakes employs the same type of cheese. Plus, I was looking for the salty factor that usually surprises your taste buds and is a presence in the most revered red velvets.

Have Velvet-y Sunday . Feel free to share your playful comments and insights. For those of you who are into chocolates, you might be interested to check their Chocolate Ganache. 

Cake Run 15: Portobello "Chocolate Ganache" Part 1

Welcome to the 15th episode of Cake Run. Coming across a mini pastry shop in the middle of a bustling mall is quite a feat and a feast to one's eyes. At a glance, you would not get hooked with the pastries but rather with the shelves of designs reminding you of a lady's room. 

It is quite obvious as to which particular market the makers are targeting, which according to my tastes, is quite successful. Before I know it, I was already browsing the cookies, pastries and of course the cakes that this pastry counter has to offer. 

Cake selections are quite few but it has to take more than just quantity as a criteria for me to judge whether a pastry shop is worth a shot.

Chocolate Ganache

Visual: Looks Filling! The thickness of the chocolate ganache almost resembles the chocolate breading. The surface resembles a bed of flower petals, glamoring the cake further enriching its taste through its looks.

Taste: Delightful! The breading has a soft texture but is quite compact so it is very filling. The ganache as expected is creamy and would surely make you want more. However, having tasted lots of chocolate cakes that makes use of ganache, it has to take more than just that for me to consider it special or unique. But given the price and the not so little slice, you can consider it as a chocolate cake worth its name.

Feel free to share your playful comments and insights. Stay tune for Part 2:)