Sweet and Savoury Specials – Bell’s Bake Shop

August 16, 2012
Bell’s Bake Shop, Richmond BC
~
Maple Bacon Cupcake
Raspberry Cupcake with Lemony-Goat Cheese Buttercream
~

I love sharing. It certainly allows for more variety. Thankfully, my friend had not left for college yet, so we were both able to enjoy what may be two of my last cupcakes in Richmond this summer. Bell’s Bake Shop had three special flavours on this particular afternoon, including the apple one I had ate two days ago. Not knowing when I will be eating these again, I made sure to at least try the seasonal flavours.

The first, which they make every once in a while, is the Maple Bacon Cupcake. Not only were there maple-coated bacon bits on top of the maple buttercream, there were plenty of these chewy sweet pieces scattered throughout the maple cake. Neither the cake nor the buttercream were too sweet in this cupcake. Perhaps this was done on purpose to balance out the bacon, which, with the maple glaze, actually stood out in sweetness. Nonetheless, the buttercream was still sugary and good while the cake was soft. The bacon bits stole the show, though, with their incredible chewiness and sweet maple aroma, with just the slightest savoury undertone.

The second flavour is also a beautiful blend of sweet and savoury, the Raspberry Cupcake with Lemony-Goat Cheese Buttercream. This cupcake was a little too complicated in my opinion. The raspberry cake had a pretty pink shade and was soft, moist, and not too sweet. The raspberry flavour was rather light but the texture had raspberries and the seeds mixed into it. The buttercream was also light and refreshing with a strong lemon flavour. There was only the slightest goat cheese taste, making it barely savoury. Along with the pink sprinkles, it was certainly more sugary and tart than anything else. However, there were some goat cheese crumbles on top that gave the cupcake a little more of a cheesy kick. I actually enjoyed the cheese with lemon so a little more of the goat cheese would have been okay. While the buttercream was delicious, I do not think a raspberry cake was the best choice. Perhaps a simple vanilla or lemon cake would have been better.

I love how Bell’s Bake Shop is constantly coming up with seasonal flavours, many of which uses fresh, local fruits and ingredients. Especially in the summer when a wide array of fruits become ripe, finding out about special flavours and making the trip down there for a delicious sugary bite has been a memorable adventure this summer.

 

Advertisements

---