Who Doesn't Love Cake?

I don't know if I love anything as much as I love cake. Jellybeans are my favorite candy treat, but I've stayed at weddings and Bar Mitzvah's to the bitter end because I wasn't leaving without having the cake. Horrible when the cake wasn't even worth it, but I had to HAVE it. I even took home the remainder of my friend Julie's ginormous fortieth birthday cake because they let me. So I walked through the streets of the West Village in NYC with a GIANT box of cake because I knew it would go in the garbage otherwise. I couldn't let that happen.

I have two new finds for you. Get ready.

Whenever E has an audition in the city, we look for a bakery close by after if we have time. We've tried quite a few in the last year but I really couldn't write about any. Two were cookie places. While they were okay, they were JUST okay. Okay doesn't inspire a blog entry. I wouldn't call them a waste of calories, but I think of it more like a local cupcake place- I could walk by a hundred times and not go in. I'd rather drive to NYC, JUST for certain cake over going to a neighboring town to get these. Or, better, I'd rather eat Yodels than those cupcakes.

While E is in class in NYC on Saturdays, I walk around all over. If I spot a bakery, I usually get something. For awhile I was going to Macaron Cafe, which has the best French Macarons I've had since Pam at A La Cupcakes in Glen Rock (RIP, A La Cupcakes, not Pam). But they're fifteen dollars for six, which is normal, but a little rich for my blood. And I was bored of them eventually.

I was walking down 7th Ave about a month ago and noticed a little pop up shop with a banner that says "Caked Up Cafe". I looked in and saw what looked like fabulous looking cupcakes. I went in. I was correct. They LOOKED fabulous. But how do they TASTE? Magnolia looks good too. Until you eat them. 

I got four. One chocolate raspberry - chocolate cake filled with vanilla buttercream, topped with raspberry buttercream and chocolate shavings on the frosting. One vanilla raspberry - vanilla cake with raspberry buttercream. One cookie dough- not sure what the specifics are because I HAD to give ONE to E once he saw them. And one strawberry shortcake. I don't remember what the specifics were of that one either.

Ok. Everyone knows I generally don't like chocolate cake. It's usually dry and I'm just more of a vanilla person. But the chocolate raspberry is the WINNER. Put it this way- I bought four, just for me, last Saturday, and enjoyed each one like it was Last Supper material.

On top of them being awesome already, Denise, the owner was there this past Saturday. She was out of the chocolate raspberry and I was literally crestfallen. She said she'd whip me up four, no problem. She asked me if I wanted the raspberry buttercream as the filling too- I SURE DID. And she put EXTRA on top. She also told me that they can always be whipped up there if I want, so to just ask. Hi, I'm going to be your best customer. I don't know what I'm going to do when E's class is over for the session. They were perfection. And I don't share.

Just FYI- their main store is in Rockland County, NY. So if you're closer to there, have at it. Otherwise they're on 7th around 29th St in a tiny storefront. They make wedding and other occasion cakes too. They do everything. I'm having my birthday cake made from them, I decided now, for August. I ate my cupcakes before thinking to take a pic, so I stole some pics from their Instagram.

My other find was about three weeks ago. Lady M Cake Boutique. After an audition, I quickly looked up "bakery" to see if there was one nearby. Around the corner? SCORE. It's a small place. We go to walk in and I can see from the large window they're cutting cake by the slice. PERFECT. I didn't see the menu and pricing on a podium outside. I should've looked. 

I got four slices, of course. One for B, one for E, and two for me. Of course. I get up to the register, which is no longer a thing- it's just like, a tablet. The girl working says, "That will be $31.50". Come again? So, I paid $31.50 for four pieces of cake. Fabulous looking cake, but $31.50?

Obviously, I take it, because they already cut it. But I'm having a silent heart attack. E asks, "Mom, can I eat mine in the car?" And I'm all- "NO YOU CANNOT. This isn't #CARCAKE! This is cake you eat, at home, on a place, with a utensil, all fancy-like, watching a favorite tv show. SAVORED, for EIGHT DOLLARS A SLICE!". And you best savor it because it's the last time you'll be eating it. YOU, my little chickadee can go back to #carcake next time. 

Lady M

 
We ate it that night. I have to say, it WAS totally worth the cost. That's just not a sustainable cost for cake, for the D-K family, as a whole, anyway. I can't say I didn't go back a week later, just for me, but I had to go back to be able to sample another flavor. I mean, if I'm going to write about something I need to be fully knowledgeable.

The place is called Lady M. When I wrote about it on Facebook, so many people already seemed to know about it. They were like- "Did you have the crepe cake???" I guess that's what they're known for. I did actually get that one. It was really good- sort of like a really good whipped cream Napoleon. I had their strawberry shortcake too that first time and it was amazing. I had another two after and they were both just as good. I was thinking B and I should pretend to be getting married again and see if we could go for a tasting. But this is luxury cake. You aren't taking your kids here when you can get them Dunkin' Munchkins and call it a day. This is #bathcake. As in I picture a commercial with a lady in a huge tub, with candles, classical music, and a silver plate with a dome on it, housing this cake.

I'll be going back to Denise though, at Caked Up, this Saturday. Instead of four, I'll be getting seven or eight, to last me to the next week. I'm out of cupcakes for tonight and may have to run out for some Yodels. And I won't be happy about it. Those cupcakes are what dreams are made of and four, for four days only cost me fifteen dollars.