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FOOD BLOG GIVEAWAY: Win cupcakes from Kats Happy Food!

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Although I have been on hiatus for a while now, this giveaway was already in the works months before this post. I'm thrilled that Kats Cua of Kats Happy Food was on board with me on this one and made this collaboration happen. I've been putting it off because school took up majority of my time and now that my schedule's not as hectic, I figured it would be the perfect time to hold this giveaway! 

A culinary student, food blogger and baker all rolled into one, it was only fitting for Wooden Spoons & Muffin Tops to join forces with Kats Happy Food and give people another reason to make those Facebook page "likes" and "shares" count. This will be my SECOND FOOD BLOG GIVEAWAY and is just as exciting as my first one! 

 There will be 4 winners who will be selected at random and will each receive a box of 6 scrumptious Red Velvet or Tiramisu Cupcakes, which are part of the pastry line-up of Kats Happy Food! 

How to win? It's as easy as pie! Just follow these simple steps to qualify and win these scrumptious macarons!  


1. "Like" Wooden Spoons & Muffin Tops and Kats Happy Food on Facebook. (2 pts.)
2. "Follow" my blog Wooden Spoons & Muffin Tops via Google Friend Connect by clicking "Join this site" on the right side panel of my blog. (4 pts.)
3. Share this photo on Facebook and tag 5 friends. Your status must be set to PUBLIC.  :)  (5 pts)
4. Leave a comment after this blog post with your name, contact details and the steps you followed. (1 pt.)

***You will have to follow ALL OF THESE STEPS in order to QUALIFY. 

Reminders:

* Winners will be selected via Rafflecopter

*All winners will have to send a message to either the Wooden Spoons & Muffin Topss or Kats Happy Food Facebook page with their contact details once the names are announced.

             *All winners will be responsible for picking up their prizes at Megamall once the names are announced.


* Giveaway will run from April 17 to May 1, 2013. Winners will be announced on Facebook on May 2, 2013. 

* Open to residents of the Philippines.

G'luck!! :) 

I wanna thank my cousin, Paulina Solano (who happens to be made of awesome), for making the beautiful giveaway poster! :D
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cake Fest Birthday Special!

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           I know this post is two months late, but I wasn't going to carry on writing about eatables without expressing thanks to my very generous sponsors, Angela Villoria and Cukay Viray of Cinq and Cukay's, respectively, for the wonderful cakes they gifted me with for my birthday. If you've read my previous posts, you'll see that I featured their pastries on my blog here: 


         A couple of days before my celebration, I dropped by Alabang Town Center to visit Cukay's stall at the New Wing. You can imagine the huge smile that was plastered on my face while I was walking around the mall with two big boxes of Cukay's Red Velvet Cake and Banoffee Pie. I felt like Carrie from Sex & the City, gliding down the streets of New York with oversized sunglasses and painfully high heels, except that  my "shopping bags" were filled with food instead of clothes. Before I began blogging, the red velvet craze had already surfaced and as I read more about different home bakers and looked into current food trends (yeaup, fads don't just apply to fashion now), I came across several articles, tweets and comments tagging Cukay's as having the best red velvet cake out on the market. Although I haven't tried everyone's version of the famed colored cake, I will say that it's currently at the top of my list. I recall eating more than 2 slices of this the day after my birthday and every bite was guilt-free to me. 



It's tough to put your own spin on something that's selling like hotcakes and at the same time make it likeable by consumers, but it seems like Cukay worked on perfecting her winning number. It's moist, filling and the thick layer of cream cheese on top and in between is, what I believe to be, faultless. 


When you try it for the first time, you'll think that a single serving is enough..until you finish one slice and find yourself cutting another piece.

Red Velvet Cake (small round), P420
Cukay's
0917-8596244

My second destination was Angela's house at Palm Village in Makati. Most of her orders are for pick-up for obvious reasons - her cakes are as delicate as a baby. So, when I held the cake box in my hands and took a peek to see what it looked like, I wasn't sure if I wanted to even take it home cause I wanted it all to myself - it was this incredible round number covered in a glistening glaze. I say the top layer was glistening because it literally was - it's as if fairies sprinkled some of their magic dust onto the cake to make it more bewitching than it already was.



Angela Villoria wows again with her aesthetically pleasing creations. Oh, and did I mention that it tastes good too?  This is what I call an incredible edible. Even though it's been two months since I had a taste of this heavenly cake, I still find its design so overwhelming and captivating. It's like it was made to mesmerize and not be eaten. Adorned with a lavish berry selection on top and  surrounding the bottom, the fruits spell out a festive mood and quickly catches my attention while my eyes study the cake with such awe. All three berries sit on diplomat cream, which is a mixture of pastry cream and whipped cream. It has a custardy texture to it but is little lighter than the former. The white chocolate shaped like wings on the side lead me to believe that angels sent me this. Feast your eyes on more photos of the cake before I continue further, yes?








Alright, that right there was a classier version of food porn. Now, let's get back to the food talk. Notice how even the blueberries look like small constellation balls? I don't know Angela does it, but I do know her dessert boutique Cinq is on its way to making a long-lasting impression on the minds and tummies of people. Clearly, her cakes have made their mark. This one in particular doesn't have a name yet, and I jokingly told Angela to name it after me. Okay, I wasn't joking...maybe just a little? 



              Divine, isn't? This one definitely takes the cake! It is almost literally the queen of all cakes. If this dessert took the form of a woman, she would walk about with such fine elegance and carry around a crown of fruit. This is not to bash the date bar in any way, although I believe that the title "Food For The Gods" should be entrusted to this multi-layer chocolate truffle cake. The white layer, known as almond dacqiouse, holds another blanket of fruit. Dacquiose, which is French for "of Dax", a town in southwestern France, is a cake with layers of almond and hazlenut meringue and whipped cream and is normally accompanied by fruit. One taste of this and you will find yourself whisked off from higher ground and into the heavens. I'm not kidding when I say this, but this cake was praised like a goddess by my family and I.



       The chocolate truffle layers beam with a mix of sweet and bitter tastes attributed to the dark chocolate that was used to lift the level of sophistication of this cake. Marrying the flavors of chocolate and fruit bring about a rich and luxurious treat. You have the tartness of the berries combined with the bittersweet taste of the truffle layers, all you need is a glass of wine and you'll find yourself dining in the splendiferous areas of France.

          Do check out Cinq's Facebook page to see what other exquisite cakes they offer. Contact Angela Villoria through any of the following numbers to order your very own piece of heaven: 0917-625-2611 / 890-6858. 






Thank you once again to CINQ and Cukay's for making my birthday extra special! Our tasetbuds and hips were very much pleased. 


Happy Holidays everyone! :) 

Southern Dessert Stop: Larcy's Cupcakerycafe

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         The first cupcake stop in the B.F. and Alabang area has finally opened! Passing by Aguirre Street every so often, the huge signboard with the words "Larcy's Cupcakery Cafe"was enough to intrigue residents and even those who just happen to drive by the area. A first of its kind, Larcy's Cupcakerycafe has just fed the cupcake trend even more by giving enthusiasts a chance to select a freshly baked cupcake on the spot, sit down, drink a nice cup of coffee or maybe pair it with a nice meal (they also offer savory dishes). 

          When it finally opened, my aunt suggested that we give it a try. Of course, I would never say no to dessert..or anything food-related for that matter. So on a sunny Sunday afternoon, we headed off to check out the newly opened cafe. Upon entering, I noticed that it was well-lit, with added lighting from the huge windows facing the road. Everyone was busy either eating, picking out the cupcake they wanted to try or being acquainted with the cafe's  interior.




        I mentioned earlier that Larcy's Cupcakery Cafe also serves savory dishes. You'll find in their other menu, which is hung on the rightmost part of the counter, breakfast entrees such as Vigan Longganisa with scrambled eggs, Smoked Bangus Belly with scrambled eggs, Mushroom Truffle  pasta, and even sandwiches with either pandesal or ciabatta. Why not wash down all those desserts and palatable servings with either seven coffee drinks to choose from or shakes. 


These are the packaging options customers have in case they wanna take some home or give the cupcakes as gifts. 




A small spot of the cafe is dedicated to the merchandise, such as shirts and mugs, available for sale to reminisce about your cupcake experience at Larcy's. 


Some of the cupcake flavors on their baby pink wall boards.


            Next to the counter, you'll be able to watch the staff "bake behind the scenes" and see how the cupcakes and cakes are made. I always enjoy eating places that give their customers the a glimpse of the ingredients and process that all the food has to go through before putting it on display or serving it right before our very eyes. I've always loved Willy Wonka and being able to gawk at food this way makes me feel like I'm one step closer to winning the golden ticket. Perhaps one day I'll eventually get to fly to an actual chocolate factory and drown in fudge. Hmm. Anyway, let's not wander off too far now. I'll save that adventure for another post. 


Cream cheese frosting being piped on the Pink Velvet Cupcakes. 



You can to hold onto these cute pink buttons while waiting for your orders.  

Larcy's Chocolate Obsession Cake, P125
         A chocolate cake with a thick fudgy center and an even thicker topping, the Chocolate Obsession Cake is enough to feed two or three people because each bite carries itself swiftly into your mouth like a 3-pound morsel. Plated on a thin bed of cream and a little drizzle on top helps create a certain evenness between the bold taste of the cake and the lightness of the cream. I feel like I'm describing a Yin and Yang attraction here, where opposite forces interrelate wonderfully. *laughs*

Pink Velvet Cupcake
              The term "cupcake holder" was taken to a whole different level as the cupcakes we ordered were served on dainty stands of different heights. Notice how there are light pink sprinkles atop and each cupcake is lined with  pink and shimmery liners. I don't think you'll have to think twice as to why it was given the name Pink Velvet Cupcake, which is also dubbed as their "Cupcake for the month of December."


             As I undressed this well-received dessert, I couldn't help but ogle at the color of the cupcake. The shade of red was hypnotizing, but the real star here is the frosting. Once you sink your teeth into the cupcake, you wouldn't care for the base as much as the topping. It's that good. But of course, the cake is not to be underestimated - both make a good pair. I must confess, I was trying to see if I could spot the ingredients they used in making cupcakes since I bake myself. I let out a mental "AHA!" when I caught site of Anchor butter as one of their main ingredients. That explains the richness and creaminess of their icing! 


My cousin Neo and his Oreo Freeze

           Not only are the cupcake holders fancy, but their water bottles are just as lavish. At first, it would seem like we were having wine to go with our cupcakes but don't let the photo fool you, this is just a luxurious approach to hydrating ourselves. 

Larcy's Oreo Freeze
           Tall, (slighty) dark and delicious are three words to describe the perfect man..I mean, milkshake. It's been a while since I've had one of these babies and I think that if I wasn't too bashful to sip the whole shake in one go, I would have. Milkshakes always have this certain effect on me - they remind me of diners and my childhood. So as I sipped away, it was a delightful mix of recollecting and basking in the taste of the shake.
















Larcy's Cupcakery Cafe
178 Aguirre St., 
BF Homes, Paranaque

Cukay's Cakes & Pastries

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When I first came across the name "Cukay's", I honestly did not know what to make of it. I wondered if it was a fancy way of saying "cuckoo". However, the cakes, cookies and pastries were enough to make me forget or even ponder some more about the reason behind the name. After several conversations with the owner of Cukay's and a good amount of crumbs left on the table from eating the mini cupcakes and cookies, I found out more about the real reason behind the name and where you can get hold of these delicious treats! 



1. Your business has such an interesting name. Why did you decide to use the name Cukay's? 

Cukay is my real name and I figured that if I use my name, it would be something that will catch anybody's attention. It's unique and it makes you wonder the meaning of the name.  It's just my nickname, usually used in spanish families and true enough, most of my clients, ask my sales ladies, "what is cukay?" "Is it a name?" "Is she pretty?" (lol), etc. So it worked just fine. It leaves everybody curious.

2. Have you always been into baking? How did your business start? 

I started baking since I was 16 and till now, I still use some of my baking cups.  I attended short courses and enjoyed them a lot.  When i was 18-19, I started selling cookies in school.  When I got married, would practice cooking for the family until I started selling spanish food then in 2004, when all of my kids were out most of the time, I enrolled in a long course of baking and I started making use of what I learned. In our school there is 1 specific cake that I loved so I started to master it until relatives loved it, friends started loving it until 1 would order, then 2 until it became a word of mouth.  I started selling the lemon torte one cake a month until it started growing, started to join bazaars and after 2 years, it boomed especially the red velvet and the smore's cookies. I have been actively joining the bazaars for almost 3 years now.

4. What are your best sellers on the menu?

My bestsellers are the Red Velvet, Decadent, Lemon torte, cookies and the sans rivals.

5. Where do you get ideas for the flavors of your pastries? Who are your target market?

 I get my ideas from my own taste and what my children tell me.  I always ask my girls, ages 18 and 21 what they think would sell because it is usually their age group that buys a lot until my daughter started working and they find out Im her mom, then office would make it a regular thing to give away to clients, then my son in csa would take a slice to donate or something then classmates will find out and buy, bazaars really a hit too especially ATC and ROCKWELL.  My target market are the teenagers and moms.  

6. What's something your customers can look forward to in the future?

When you are in the business, little by little, you will learn from experiences and all and you will also feel if you are getting bigger.  You will notice you already lack mixers, refs, stocks getting more and more so you will just have to go with the flow and that is how I do it.  I really join bazaars for exposure number one and marketing. As much as I want to be there to meet my customers, I am stock in my production area to make sure everything is in order but there are sunday's when Im don baking, I make it a point to go and visit .  Regarding expanding, eventually I will have to open my own coffee shop bakeshop because clients have been texting me to do so but until I can keep my expenses down while I am growing, I think that is important. It is so hard to have many overheads like rental, people, etc so maybe I would want to supply coffee shops and join bazaars, accept orders until I have enough capital to open one of my own.


Red Velvet mini cupcake
Assorted mini cupcakes: Carrot, Mocha with espresso buttercream, Chocolate with peanut butter, Dulce de Leche and Red Velvet

S'mores Cookie (left) and Oreo Stuffed Cookie (right), both P60

Sneak peak: Gooey marshmallows



What's inside? Graham crackers layered with chocolate and marshmallows

The Dulce de Leche was definitely my favorite. Once I took a bite, it literally dissolved in my mouth. The topping was even thicker than the cupcake itself!

At first I thought there would be too many flavors going on with the S'mores cookie since I usually just enjoy eating plain chocolate chip cookies. But I guess you can't go wrong with chocolate, graham crackers, marshmallows and a soft cookie base!

Apart from buying from their bazaar stalls in Alabang Town Center and Rockwell, you could also order through text and have it picked up in any of Cukay's stalls or in her own home (address and contact information below).


Cukay's
844-5707 / 0917-859-6244
1632 Dian St.
San Isidro, Makati City