Lebkuchen

Right before you call me dull, boring or worse still a liar, let me have a chance to defend myself. Yes these are basically ginger biscuits and I did indeed suggest I'd at least take a break from such things; however I have reasons (or excuses). Firstly these are technically Lebkuchen and very traditional. Secondly they are more cakey and iced in chocolate. Lastly they are German and as I mentioned before makes them even more festive.

But before we get to them let us go nuts for well... Nuts! Caramelized almonds to be exact. In the last few months I've discovered a lifelong hatred of nuts was rather unfounded and have since been obsessed with making up for lost time. These things are one of those times that make me weep for such missed opportunities, what’s better than a roasted almond? One coated in sugar and then cooked that’s what.

 

More cake than biscuit

These really are great the outside is crispy and tastes of caramelized sugar, hardly a surprise really considering their name. The nut inside has been cooked and roasted well too. The combination created between sweet and savory is great with an epic crunch too for good measure. Now I have had these freshly roasted at a market and that was an experience I can tell you. These are the supermarket equivalent and despite being slightly smaller and not warm are still a delicious and probably dangerous for your health treat.

Next we have the main event, Lebkuchen. Whilst I started by saying these are more gingerbread cookies I think they are much more like a cake, true even more when you consider they usually come coated in icing. These that I have don't, instead these are covered in dark chocolate and have a rice paper base. All the layers have something in common, the fact that they all melt in the mouth nicely. The dark chocolate isn't the usual plain and bitter taste; instead it tastes nicely sweet and works well. This probably means it isn't a good quality example but that doesn't matter all the time.

Like little pebbles of joy

The cake itself isn't very gingery at all, and at this point I would start complaining. I would that is if it mattered which it doesn't. These are meant to taste fruitier than fiery I think which with the fruit peel mixed in definitely delivers. The peel itself mixes well with the chocolate topping and at times creates a Chocolate orange type of taste. These are great all round and such a shame they will soon be much missed from the shelves. They go well with a cup of tea too, multi-talented guys these.

Lastly is an odd concept, hot chocolate kit for two. Yes, on the face of it that seems a good idea right? It is a season for couples to conspire beneath the fire ECT. I would agree too, except this range comes from Toys'R'Us. Yeah things just got weird.

Overall Lebkuchen is amazing and the nuts too and make me realize I'm going to miss some of these fleeting festive treats. But then if we had them all year round they wouldn't be special.

Score

Lebkuchen - 8 out of 11

Caramelized Almonds - 7.5 out 11

Found

Both were found in Lidl

Final Thoughts

Germany really have this Christmas thing down to a T.

Curious Christmas combination

I know what you’re wondering, what could possibly have STOLLEN my attention today? Well I have a plethora of pleasantries for pursuing. I know that alliteration there was so good right, it really took the CAKE. Okay I’m going to stop with the terrible hint puns before you think me a right PUDDING. I must be driving you NUTS.

                

Definitely stopping after that one as in all honesty the one the nuts pun refers to isn’t too nut centric. Moving swiftly on for we have a few to get through today I’ll begin with the Stollen. Probably the most traditional of the four as not only is it festive but it is also German. As I have talked about before Germany is where most of our holiday hang ups originate from. Surely that makes this cake about as festive as you can get.

Thankfully it was only a small slice

 It’s an odd one too the cakes themselves are an amalgamation of soft pastry, fruit and marzipan. An odd combination that actually tastes rather nice, and like this one if made well creates an interesting cooling sensation in the mouth befitting of the season. The pastry is soft and moist and melts nicely on the tongue. The marzipan tastes of sweetened almonds and gives the pastry a nice sugary kick. Then the fruit and spice mixture brings the usual festive tastes that are ever present on our tongues right now. Altogether it creates a great Christmas treat that in my opinion I nicer than what we have adopted.

               

 Over here in England we have Christmas cake, not as fun to say and nowhere near as nice to eat. A combination of fruit, suit and breadcrumbs creating an often dry fruit cake base topped with marzipan and the royal icing. I’m really not a fan, usually when presented with these cakes I tend to eat the icing and marzipan and little else. I find it too dry and dull for my likings. To me, cake has to be sweet, moist and mostly chocolate. The version I tried is from Costa and whilst quite nice and more importantly very small still had the dryness and lack of interesting flavours for me.

                

Puddings in disguise

Next we have a deceiver in our midst for this may look like the traditional festive pud topped with sauce and holly, but take a closer look and that holly looks a bit too perfect. Another give away is that it is clearly made from Rice Krispys and chocolate. It’s a cool little thing I saw in local bakery and had to try, after all it is festively themed. However when I got home I was a little worried. The Krispys were falling off a rapid rate and they seemed a bit dull in colour. I realized that the chocolate in the mixture may have been lacking in aid of a batch bake. Undeterred however I tried a chunk and was pleasantly surprised. The cereal at first tasted a bit stale, but that was to be expected. The surprise was how the chocolate mixture tasted rather chocolaty and quite buttery. The combination worked well and tasted of sweet chocolate butter. I can tell you it didn’t last much longer and crumbled away to nothing.

                

With these Raffaellos I am really being spoiled

Lastly we have some snowball like Ferrero Roche’s, or rather their white chocolate coconut brother Raffaello. I never really eat Ferrero Roche’s that much; they aren’t the sort of thing you buy when you want a quick chocolate fix. I also don’t get invited to many Ambassador Balls and so don’t see many of the pyramid offerings of them either. Yet the fact that these versions only appear this time of year made me eager to buy a box just to try. Am I glad I did? Yes, Yes I am. These taste great with a crispy coconut outside a creamy nutty inside and a whole Almond all offered in one hit. They taste very luxurious without being too rich and filling as the regular ones have in the past. These have a great coconut and milky chocolate taste that ends with a great nutty crunch.

                

Overall I love most of today’s products except ironically the one we hold dearest to our hearts in this country. I say we adopt more German traditions and take on the Stollen.

Score

Christmas Stollen -  8 out of 11

Christmas cake - 4 out of 11

Rice Krispy pudding - 6 out of 11

Raffaelo - 9 out of 11

Final Thoughts

Only eight more days left, I can't believe it!

Tesco's finest Belgian Chocolate Salted Caramels and Mr Kipling's Frosty Fancies

One thing that occurs a lot in this season is a curious increase in social gatherings. Especially of the house party variety, not the Facebook kind of loose morals and clothing. No, the type I'm talking about is the wholesome friendly get together. A time of catching up, finger foods and forced party games.

It is lovely to see friends from far away come together to catch up and share an evening. Weird how no matter how much time has past, often you immediately start from when you last left it. The old jokes and anecdotes re-emerge, of the time John tripped over that sheep, remember that one? You get that nice table spread filled with sandwiches, cakes and small meat items that you wouldn't usually eat. On that very table is where you expect to see today's items. Although by the look of the two they probably wouldn't share.

 

They look a bit off putting with the odd lump on top.

There is one bad thing about these social get togethers, they can breed a sense of one-up man ship. You put out those really fancy cakes from Tesco's finest range because Cindy bought Salisbury's taste the difference. Really the whole concept of premium food is built upon a bit of pettiness on our parts. But then if we didn't have that I wouldn't have polarising items today, one from the finest range and one, well from Poundland.

So first up Poundland, although not like Poundlands own stuff (wouldn't want to poison anyone, would we?). These are Mr Kipling's at least so still recognisable. Mr Kipling's Festive Fancies. Another shameless display of a product re-skin for the yule tidings. Then again they were only a pound so can't complain.

 

Screaming both luxury and over indulgent at once

Plus I kinda like them. The fairy cake base is delightfully light and fluffy with a nice subtle vanilla taste. Now I know that wasn't anywhere near a manly description but then there is not much manliness about this product. The icing combines well, it's got an odd soggy but solid texture that creates a cooling sensation in my mouth. Frosty Fancies indeed. All was going well until I hit the cream, tasting of very little and an unpleasant waxy texture. I ended up scraping it off and enjoying the rest separately.

Next up we have Tesco's finest Belgian Chocolate Salted Caramel Petit Fours. Basically Millionaires Shortbread. They look soooo cool the top Belgian chocolate has gold sparkly glitter finish. It may not add anything to taste but it definitely looks premium.

 

The glitter doesn't sparkle in pictures quite the same.

Believe me the impressiveness extends to the taste, mostly. The top layer wasn't that great not much taste and I didn't notice it too much. But that could be it was overshadowed somewhat by the AMAZING salted caramel. Seriously the sweetness of the caramel mixed with the perfect amount of salt create bliss in my mouth. Plus its kinda crunchy too, The paste alone would have been enough to keep me happy. Though admittedly it is a bit overly sweet and that's where the base comes in. Providing a crumbly texture and a subtle butter taste that keeps these from being sickly.

Overall screw impressing people, get these finest range Petit fours and these Frosty Fancies. Then sit in a corner and eat them all flicking the cream topping at the walls. For the guests I dunno flies or something.

Score

Frosty Fancies - 7 out of 11

Petit Fours - 10 out of 11

Found

Poundland

Tesco

Final Thoughts

I need to find me some salted caramel paste, grow old and die happy!

German Christmas market sweets!

            I'm going to admit outright one of today’s products isn't technically Christmas themed. Wait though dear reader, don't pick up your pitchfork just yet let me at least explain. You never know once you have heard of its origins you may well forgive me. You see I bought both of today’s products at a rather festive event.

            Much like the fete phenomena I talked about the other day another increase in social gathers occur at this time of year. Markets, specifically German markets. Now I know that technically most of the traditions we hold dear and sacred (the tree especially) does come from Germany and other European countries. But really why every Christmas market is desperate to make sure you know its German themed. It's not like once you’re in the market everyone acts German, No in fact your lucky if you get a sausage stall at all.

It looks rather luxurious 

 But this market did just that called itself German in pretty much name alone, though there is Bratwurst on offer. I'm not complaining, I loved my time at the market and I'm a bit afraid this may turn into another rant rather than a review so let’s move on.

           

First up the non- Christmas item, chocolate coated marzipan. Thinking about it however marzipan and almonds do have a bit of resurgence in this festive time, so we're not so far away. This item looks amazing with the marbled multi-chocolate look. The chocolate shell is mostly dark chocolate and is surprisingly thick. Which is great as the bitter chocolate offsets the marzipans sweetness. The only problem is it didn’t melt very well in my mouth but the quality really made up for it.

Doesn't look too appealing but it is.

            The next items definitely more festively themed, its Christmas pudding fudge. A nice mixture of traditional pudding and an item I don't necessary with this time of year. Yet it really worked well. Cleverly the fudge itself was great tasting rum fudge. It was soft and crumbly and melted on my tongue. It was rather potent in the alcohol taste and was worried I may slur the rest of this post if I have anymore. In the fudge it is little pieces of fruit cake and raisins. The combination is very similar to having a Christmas pudding more than liberally covered in Brandy sauce. Basically the stuff the 25th is made of.

Either a shepherd or a nun

Overall both of these items were great and Christmas markets in general are lovely. My trip almost sent me back in time to the Victorian era seeing simple crafts and gifts on sale. I even went ice-skating!

Score

Marzipan Chocolate - 6 out of 11

Christmas Fudge - 7 out of 11

Found

Local 'German' Christmas market.

Final Thoughts

I'm being rather ranty lately.

Joy's Ginger buns and Frangipan Mince Pies

Wow, is it already the sixth of December? We are over a fifth of the way there to festive family fun. Goes so quickly, it won’t be long until the second of January when we emerge bleary eyed and amazed we have to wait another year. It is odd after months and months of build-up often Christmas is gone after just a week.

Months of panic buying, panic preparing and panic baking. If you do it right though, it is definitely worth the hassle. Christmas creates some magical moments if you let it, especially when baking’s involved. There’s nothing quite like settling round the TV with “the folks” and enjoying a warmed mince pie. Roaring fire in the corner, bellies so full already that you can’t actually move. Yet somehow there’s definitely room for that warm pie and indeed I will have some brandy butter.

Look a candle!

That’s a lovely image to have in your head to power you through the last few weeks. In reality by the evening everyone’s fed up of each other, the kids want to play with prezzies, adults want to just sleep and Grandmas just done or said something unpleasant. But you know what keeps its special nature that homemade mince pie, you know unless it’s Mr Kiplings.

Why do I present these pictures for you? Well todays review is a little different and a little special too. I have two items for you that were homemade with love. Made by my wonderful Girlfriends mum, who is eagerly getting into the festive mood and baking up a storm. Except that last week we had a ground almond stock emergency and had to do some extra scouting to track the blighters down. In celebration of our success she baked thank you ginger buns (which I love) and Frangipane Mince Pies, which I have never tried but was more than a little intrigued.

His happiness was not to last...

Now I know, in context can I be completely impartial in this review you ask. Well not really I guess for one both my Girlfriend and her mum could possibly read this. However I will attempt to review them as I do with any item given to me and try to remain impartial. Not that I think it will be a problem the ginger buns especially are always good (don’t get me started on the crumbles!)

So first up ginger buns, that’s what they are called and essentially what they are. You may know them as fairy cakes or mini cupcakes depending on your vocabulary. Either way these are slightly more special than usual by featuring an icing topping with a miniature gingerbread man for added love. The cakes themselves taste as great as ever, with a light fluffy texture and a subtly sweet butter taste. Then you come across a small piece of stem ginger and get an intense fiery kick that adds even more excitement.

He met an unfortunate "accident"

I will admit I took more pleasure in slowly consuming the gingerbread man limb for limb than I’d like to admit. Then again that’s where the fun is, poor guy by the end he was barely a bow tie! Then I moved on to a pie, a new concept for me this one. I’m use to my mince pies being topped by more pastry, which if I have to admit I’m not found of due to the fact that I get a bit board by pie crust. So these seem like an awesome idea, instead of the usual pastry on top, is a layer of marzipan and then flaked almonds.

Tasted amazing, totally unbiased... honest

The result tastes great with the combination of buttery pastry, mince pie filling and almond topped marzipan is great! They somehow all hit you at once in a lovely blend and yet also are unique enough that you can pick out each layer. I’m not sure what parts my favourite but I’m going to hedge my bets and say the top layer, it tastes sweetly of almond and has the flaked nuts on top for added crunch and texture. I don’t know why shops don’t sell these; Mr Kipling does about five types of mince pie but all pretty much the same.

Overall these were amazing, but then again they were bound to be. No, not because I’m biased, but because they were homemade and that made them special.

Score

Ginger Bun - 8 out of 11

Frangipan Mince Pie - 9 out of 11

Found

A tupperware box presented to me.

Final Thoughts

What should I bake in return?

Mr Kipling's Winter Whirls

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Well if we are honest it’s actually been looking like that since late September really. Let’s face it further, the minute the twelfth minute the twelve bell tolls on the 25^th you know stores will be stocking Cadbury Cream eggs. (Ironically just before typing this I was at my local Premier and they already had some by the till. Though knowing them they are probably left over from this year).

               

  Before that though lets rejoice for we are now officially in advent time territory. Which means I get to open my advent calendar, YAAAAAAAYYY! Twenty-five days of tiny cheap chocolate. In celebration of that I’m going to do two things in today’s post, firstly I’m going to announce my December challenge! From now until the glorious festive day itself I will be only reviewing Christmas themed products. I know this isn’t much of a challenge right now but remember theres a lot of tat out for the season too.

              

Festive fun begins

  Secondly and less exciting is that I will be reviewing a product of some kind. Shock, horror I know. I’m starting with a nice branded product to settle me in to this challenge. I’m sure many of you will be hoping that I will find more Murder Motel type dubious items which may kill me. At the very least they could have me reaching for the Brandy butter, and the sherry and Santa’s share too.

                

Todays review should be of my advent calendar really. However tradition for me dictates I open it before I go to bed. Too late for this post then. Have no fear I’ll bring it forth before you tomorrow and anyway I have an item ready anyway.

                

They do look impressive

I bring you a Mr. Kipling Winter Whirls; these are a slight variation on the classic Vienesse whirl. The items not quite a biscuit nor is it quite a cake either. One of those items that find themselves in a teatime limbo, like a Jaffa cake. Anyway he festive difference is that alongside the usual buttercream filling is some mincemeat for good effect. Sounds nice, although I’m not a big fan of usual whirls bit too plain.

I try a bite and the same problem occurs again. The biscuit/cake top and bottom are just too large. This wouldn’t matter except I don’t find them that pleasant. They are very soft and very crumbly with a little bit of a buttery flavour. The outside is dusted with sugar which does its best to add some sweetness. The texture is also quite flaky and has an almost pastry like feel about it.

Separation not so bad here, Yes I pulled a few apart.

The next problem is the amount of filling and as per regular filling tradition it’s rather lacking. Worse still when I opened one up I discovered why there’s little blend of flavour. Partly it’s because the mincemeat rather overpowers the buttercream. But mostly as they appear to have separate sides of the biscuit. I tried some buttercream on its own and found it to be a bit too sweet. It’s odd then that the flavour is so lost.

Overall they aren’t a bad start to this advent challenge, after all at least there edible. Plus these things always impress with guests so I can offload the rest of the pack there.

Score

5 out of 11

Found

Tesco's

Final Thoughts

There are some cool products I've been saving for this challenge!

Hark how the bell gets ready to toll!

Really isn't long left folks until Halloween. I am fully prepared I believe now, I have a pumpkin for carving. I have a costume for treating and some friends for surviving. I hope you guys have this much planning or plotting in place. Of course the most important aspect is candy.

Today we have a few products themed towards Halloween as part of my spooktacular challenge. We have a spooky Cadbury's cinder toffee cake bar. I like the sound of this flavor and haven't seen it offered before. We have a skeleton chocolate lolly from Thornton's, Something for the luxuriously spoilt kids. For the cheap kids like moi we have a milky bar ghost whom was on offer when I snatched it up.

Don't know what qualifies cake to be spooky if I'm honest

First up the cake bar, according to the packet each is wrapped by mummies. Now I'm not certain but judging by the packaging it's the hammer horror kind not the maternal. Not sure this is that reassuring because I don't particularly think Egyptian mummies were big on hygiene. This aside I venture inside the tomb to try one of these "frightfully good" (slightly better than mediocre then eh Cadbury's?) cake bars.
Now I'm not normally a fan of cake bars but I'll try regardless.

As soon as I did I was pleased the chocolate coating was up to the usual milk chocolate standards but that's not what hit me. I was really hit by the toffee it was fangtastic, a beautifully rich taste and a nice fluffy sponge. However I found as I ventured further I found the toffee became rather sickly. Thankfully the sponge is light and unflavoured so there is slight balance. But not enough and I came out feeling a bit over indulged. the chocolate coating was good, melted well with a subtly sweetness.

At least he has that look of someone who's long time dead and not like...

Next the chocolate lolly, I like the design they have done a cool idea in using white chocolate as a picture on milk chocolate. Not a new idea but welcome never the less, unfortunately this often means the white chocolate passes unnoticed by the tongue. As I bit into it I recognized that same reoccurring them along with the Gothic themes. Cheaper blends of chocolate, I noticed the usual quality of Thorton's chocolate but with added sweetener and less cocoa. The was a nice subtle nutty aftertaste but I don't now if I was just seeking for excitement. I had noticed half the bar had bloomed, now I'd stored this with everything else and only bought it the other day so this was a concerning sign.

This guy who looks too happy and hyper and being deceased!

But I moved on to the last item a milkybar ghost. Not much to say really it is exactly the same chocolate we all know and love but in a spectral form. Although rather lazy at least they aren't scrimping on quality.

Overall I think the milky bar was the nicest although I could have just bought a regular version and been just as happy. The cake bar started so well I'm rather disappointed that it was a bit too much sweetness. However I may try the other one before it skulks off for another year.

Score
Cinder Toffee cakes- 6 out of 11
Skeleton Lolly- 5 out of 11
Milky bar Ghost- 6 out of 11

Found
Sainsbury's for the cake bars, Thornton's for the skeleton and Superdrug for the ghosty

Final Thoughts
What happens to all the shops Halloween items?

Lemon and Slime- bad pun time!

Ok, so yesterday proved two things. One that I have built up a rather impressive stash of Halloween treats for you guys. Two thankfully I can and will be reviewing several of them in one post from now on in order to catch up with myself. Today we have two items that have both been waiting for their time in the spotlight for a while and deserve to be heard.

They are both however Halloween varieties of Halloween items so sadly I’m not expecting much from either of them. Although both have some differences that may make a difference but nothing unique or new on show here. That seems to be a running theme at the moment; it’s a great opportunity for a company is Halloween. We don’t care about the holiday enough over here to justify totally new ideas, so brands can just alter their packaging to suit the season and little else.

Bit disappointing the plain outside!

Thankfully with Christmas we are a bit pickier and new products seem to arrive, or old ones reappear that get the dust brushed off them when the festivities take them. For instance Cadbury snow bites a chocolate treat I love but only get to experience once the snow starts a dropping.

The first item up today however is something I don’t actually mind they don’t change too much as I love the regular item anyway. It’s a Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkin, it’s by Reese’s so I already know I’ll love it and the less they mess with their formula the happier I am. As soon as I take it out the packet I’m a happy undead bunny (if I were alive it might be too much like Easter!). I’m greeted by a lovely chocolate and peanut butter aroma and the chocolate on the outside is slightly melted and gooey, both are very good signs.

Though the sheer amount of filling makes up for looks

I snap it in half to judge the chocolate to peanut ratio is on offer here and I am surprised instantly. The peanut butter seems to make up the majority of this much thicker than their usual cups. My mouth starts a watering at this and I can’t keep myself from it for too long. I bite in and find the chocolate has great fudge like texture although a disappointing lack of flavour. This is made up immediately however by the amazing as always peanut butter. A lovely nutty sweet, yet salty taste that takes over the chocolate flavour immediately. No wonder with such a thick slab too, it’s not been blended too fine either so you get tiny little nutty bits for added texture.

It’s good but I’m not sure it’s up to their usual quality and nowhere near as amazing as my favourite white chocolate cups. I think they have definitely sacrificed some of the chocolate quality and quantity here. On the flipside the peanut butter is better and more than usual so it kind of balances out. At least they haven’t scrimped on quality too much here. One thing I am slightly disappointed about however is the lack of design on the item itself. I was expecting a jack-o’-lantern type face to be on the surface but unfortunately it’s rather plain.

Impromptu photographic skills required in the field

The next item I have is a festive edition of much loved Jaffa cakes. By the way in case you wondered these are definitely cakes and not biscuits as many believe (Biscuits go soft when stale, these like cakes go hard #science). These are quite a cool idea as these Halloween editions have a different flavoured jelly, instead of the normal orange we have lemon and lime (sorry SLIME, get it) on offer here. McVities are really impressing me with the effort they are making towards Halloween as there digestives yesterday did well too. These taste great the new flavour really compliments the basic formula well and the flavour seems to have infused with the sponge. I hope this isn’t a passing visit as I’d like this to become a regular variety. Having said that if it did it would make the product no better than the other products I chastise for not changing.

Overall I was happy with both of these products, although if we are honest the Reese’s was the same basic cup but I didn’t complain because of favouritism. Secondly my thought on the new flavour becoming available all year round would create the problem I complain about. Can we ever truly be happy?

 Score

Pumpkin- 6 out of 11

Jaffa CAKE- 8 out of 11

Found

Pumpkin is from a local sweet shop that sells American sweets, the Jaffa Cakes I got from Sainsbury's but are widely available.

Final Thoughts

Wow I am a bit of a hypocrite this week aren't I?

Cupcake conundrum

Have no fear readers I am still alive. Yes I managed to stay at the Murder Motel and come out unscathed. It appears as if my insanity was too much even for the ghosts and ghouls that roam those halls. Either that or the Blood Bag yesterday was actually edible (barely) and wasn’t as toxic as it looked/tasted.

So onwards with our adventure to the foulest and most fun day of the year, Halloween. While yesterday’s review may have been a washout the principle of an item I have yet to touch is maintained in spirit today. For like yesterday todays item or rather items are things I never buy, mainly because I don’t usually like them

Today’s review is of two Halloween themed cupcakes, one from Gregg’s and one from a local baker. I don’t know what it is about cupcakes that I don’t like they just always seem a bit disappointing. Before you all arrive at my door pitchfork and torches in hand let me expand on my opinion. I know that it probably is one held by few especially it seems at the moment when cupcakes with unique and exciting toppings are all the rage.

To be fair perhaps the eyeball one would be more Halloweeny

The problem is however indeed those unique and exciting toppings. Gasp, shock, and horror I know. It’s just yes those toppings are cool and tasty but the cakes underneath are usually all the same and the majority of what you’re eating. There are only a few varieties of flavour that you see underneath and most of the time it’s vanilla. The toppings are where the makers focus all their efforts as they know it’s where your attention is. Sneaky folks these bakers (no offence it’s a clever ploy after all!) However I thought in all things new experiences I would bite the sponge (probably vanilla) and try a couple to see if my tastes have changed.

So first up we have Gregg’s cupcakes, they had two types in stock I picked the left hand one in the photo with orange buttercream icing. It looked nicer and at least it has some chocolate so I’m not too far from my comfort zone. I may go back and try the eye one but the topping just didn’t look so nice (see even I’m a sucker for looks). I took a lick of the topping and found it to be a rich butter cream as I had expected, a bit too rich really. Although when I bit into the cake as a whole finding vanilla (knew it!) I also found that actually a planer sponge taste compliments the sweetness well. Anything more would be too sickly, after all this comes close as it is.

How much is that ghosty in the window?

Yes it was nice but I’m afraid nice doesn’t make me a lover of cupcakes from now on. The second one I tried from a local baker came as a result of not absolutely hating the first. Also the one I saw made me chuckle and when that happens I’m in love. The one I plumped for is the cheerful little ghosty at the front as he captured my heart. The buttercream on top of these were described as cream cheese frosting so I had high hopes to begin with. Again I started by giving the topping a lick first and found it to be subtly sweet with a good cheesy afterthought. I plucked off the icing ghost too and ate him separately. He was nice although I did feel a heavy pang of guilty as I knew his hopes for life (this worlds and the next) had now been crushed. As a whole the cupcake tasted ok, sadly the cake underneath wasn’t carrot cake. Strange that they didn’t go for a carrot cake bottom considering how the top was cream cheese. They may have missed out on some extra brownie points there.

Overall they were nice but they neither surprised me nor turned me into a cupcaker. After all the toppings were the main attraction again.

Score

Gregg's ghoulish offering- 6 out of 11

Bakers benign treat- 8 out of 11

Found

Gregg's and high street baker

Final Thoughts

Never seen a cupcake with topping underneath, could be interesting and errrm messy