Decembrrr

That icy wind blowing outside must mean it's Decembrrr.  When the sun does come out though, it's that clear, bright, winter sunlight shinning brilliantly into our bake shop! If you come inside (or if the wind pushes you through our door) you'll see a bakery in its element: making treats for the holidays! As an added bonus, the ovens in the back make the shop nice and toasty warm.

In our pursuit of warmth we have some new heart-warming (if not physically cozy) baked goodies, as well as some holiday classics. Our Ugly Christmas Sweater cookies are my personal favourite. They're perfect for stocking stuffers, holiday party favours, or presents for your favourite teacher.

Our shelves are absolutely abounding with melt-in-your-mouth shortbread, chocolate toffee bark, and crisp and spicy gingerbread cookies! Or, in case you've forgotten how fast Christmas is approaching, our cookie calendar can remind you:

December also brings with it our favourite holiday cupcakes: moist and molasses-y gingerbread cupcakes with your choice of chai or chocolate buttercream frosting, and fluffy orange cranberry cupcakes with orange cream cheese buttercream frosting. A nice plate of holiday cupcakes to share while sitting around the fire after dinner (or watching Love Actually) is a great way to spread some Christmas Cheer!

Stay tuned for other fun holiday flavours like the nutty and warm Ferrero Rocher Cupcake and the fresh Chocolate Mint Cupcake. 

Happy Holidays! Hohoho. xoxo.

Movember Mo' cupcakes!

November has arrived and with it come moustaches of all shapes, sizes, and varying levels of bushiness. We've gotten into the spirit by making some moustache cookies! We've baked them onto sticks for you to surreptitiously hold them up to your upper lip, if, perhaps, you are unable to grow your own. I must say, ours are very luxurious -and tasty!

November also brings with it a new cupcake of the month! In honour Morag's recent South African holiday, we have made a Coffee and Amarula cupcake. It's a a rich mocha cupcake with a boozy Amarula cream cheese buttercream frosting. Amarula is a South African cream liqueur made from the fruit of the Marula tree; in other words, it's pure South African deliciousness! When you bite into this cupcake it's as though you've just taken a sip of Irish -or in this case, South African- coffee! It's the perfect flavour combination for these crisp November days.

Even though November is the month between October's Thanksgiving and December's Christmas, we're still keeping the pumpkin craze going strong! (We don't want November to feel left-out!). We've made some pumpkin bread puddings with toasted pecans perched cozily on top, and I must say, I think they give last month's pumpkin pies a run for their money. Pop on by and we'll be sure to have a treat for you! After all, it's Movember, and that means mo' cupcakes.

Turkey and Pumpkin Weekend!

This weekend is a special weekend: It's Turkey Time (also known, perhaps more commonly, as Thanksgiving)! I personally think that there is far too long a hiatus between holidays where it is appropriate to eat turkey -Easter to October is unacceptable in my books. But Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful, not querulous, and I am thankful for any opportunity to eat turkey, and, more importantly: PUMPKIN PIE!  The summer pumpkin embargo is equally lamentable to the turkey hiatus.  I suppose the long break makes it all that much more delicious, and boy do we make a delicious pumpkin pie at Yummy Stuff. A creamy and smooth pumpkin filling, rich with spices, is cradled in a buttery pastry shell, just waiting for you to cut a slice!

Pie isn't the only pumpkin item we've got on our fall menu either! We've turned into pumpkin heads and gone a little pumpkin-crazy.  We've got moist pumpkin cake with candied pumpkin seeds and pumpkin cupcakes with browned butter cream cheese buttercream. We like to think that browned butter makes everything better -it's so warm and nutty in flavour! I definitely recommend you pop by and try some before they're all eaten by me by the other pumpkin heads.

If pumpkin is not your thing (fair enough), or if you like all the things (completely understandable), we've got some other tasty fall treats to tempt you. Can you say bourbon pecan pie or maple walnut tart anyone? How about apple ginger torte or gingerbread cookies? Or the ever classic apple pie featured in our last post? I am very grateful that the apple dessert season has expanded to include several seasons, not just a few holiday days!

Here's a photo or two to get you drooling, if you weren't already:

At Thanksgiving I'm thankful for family, friends, and yummy stuff!

September Sweetness

Fall has arrived and it brings with it crisp mornings, clear sunlight, the occasional autumnal drizzle, and, of course, our new cupcake of the month! Growing up in orchard country, Autumn always meant one thing to me: apple harvest. Up early and up in the trees, we'd always nab a few apples before school, then leave the rest of the apples to be picked by the pros (our parents). Our own pros here at Yummy Stuff have taken freshly harvested apples and baked them into September's cupcake of the month: our Yummy Apple Cinnamon Cupcake.

The name just about says it all, but there's a secret filling missing... I've never been good with secrets so I'll spill! It an apple cinnamon cupcake with a bourbon caramel filling and a cinnamon buttercream frosting. It tastes like a cozy day in Nana's kitchen, and we all know our sassy grandmothers would add a swig of bourbon to their caramel. Even though I'm a grown (-ish) lady now, you can find me in the kitchen at Yummy Stuff begging to lick the spoon when our bakers are finished making the caramel!

With such an abundance of apples available in Autumn we couldn't help but bake them -instead of the proverbial blackbirds- into pies! When you cut into these buttery pies, a wealth of sweet and juicy apples spills out. Though no birds may be singing as in the nursery rhyme (if anything, they've started migrating south), you can still proclaim "what a dainty dish to set before the king!" (If Canada had a king that is. "Prime Minister" just doesn't seem to have the right ring to it). Either way, our apple treats are fit for royalty...and for you!

Feisty and Zesty August!

It’s August and the summer heat is about to break with a thunder storm outside the shop window.  Whenever the big fat drops of warm rain hit the ground I like to pretend I’m in a tropical storm –there’s so much humidity and power in the air!  When I was little my concerned father would tell me to come inside, for fear that lightening would mistake me for a tree.  (As I grew taller, this fear became more of a pressing concern.)  I still do usually tempt fate for a few minutes though before the thunder cracks overhead chase me back indoors.  I think that the element of danger and the ensuing fear -à la the Von Trapp children- make the sunshine that much better when the storm passes.

We’re channelling this stormy energy and refreshing sunshine in our featured cupcake for the month of August. On the heels of the Caribana Festival in Toronto, we present a feisty cupcake whose colours remind you of a bird of paradise:  our Yummy Raspberry Lime Zest(y) Cupcake!  It’s our signature raspberry cupcake with a zesty twist –literally! We’ve added lime zest to the cupcake itself, which already has delicious fresh raspberries baked right into it, and topped it off with a lime zest cream cheese buttercream frosting, raspberry drizzle, and lime wedge. Even its description is a tasty mouthful. They are dangerously delicious, and yet the lime wedge makes them refreshing –much like a summer storm!

Well, the sun has come out again so I’ll give you some more good news. Or should I say: S’more good news? We still have our classic S’mores cupcake that was featured in June. It’s a summer favourite so we’re keeping it around all season!  When you finally pack in your camping gear for the cool weather, only then will we pack up our S’mores recipe, ready and waiting for the next year. In case you’re new to our blog celebrating all things yummy, our S’mores cupcake is a delectable chocolate cupcake on a bed of toasty graham crumbs, topped with a marshmallow meringue frosting that our bakers have caramelized to perfection.  Remember the satisfaction of having toasted your marshmallow over the campfire and not catching it in the flames (thus creating a mini torch with which to explore lost archaeological treasures like Indiana Jones), but instead making it bubbly and gooey and perfect for sandwiching between two graham crackers and a hunk of chocolate, and then popping it in your mouth and possibly burning your tongue but it was totally worth it? Yes, that exact feeling. Our bakers have captured it in our S’mores cupcake.

                Whether you feel like sitting by the campfire or dancing in the rain (or possibly both) we’ve got a cupcake or two to suit your mood...and more importantly your tastebuds!

They're Baaack!

It's so great when all of a sudden, you wake up and it's Summer! Schools out! Nights are warm! You no longer need socks! No more sweater! Yup- it's Summertime folks, the most wonderful time of the year! Actually, Summer doesn't technically start for a couple of weeks, but the 25 degree sunny weather this week is telling me it's here! Yay! We all deserve a huge high five for getting through a terrifying Winter and a cold, depressing Spring. All of that icky weather is in the past though- from now until October we can look forward to sunny skies. Come October, I'm sure we'll be craving a warm pair of socks and a roaring fire.

Personally, my official sign that Summer has arrived is when the bakers whip up a batch of our famous S'mores cupcakes. To me, they mean the following things: fun long weekends are on the horizon, barefoot is the new norm, mosquito bites on my ankles and campfires! Especially campfires. I really feel like Summer wouldn't be Summer without a S'mores cupcake from Yummy Stuff. Of course, that's why I'm checking in with you today, to let you know that my Summer began on Tuesday morning, when I was happy to come into work and smell the smell of toasty marshmallow meringue.

For those of you who are new here, let me first tell you that our S'mores cupcake are an official Yummy Stuff classic. They are the favourite of many customers, who ask for them every time they come in. Our S'mores cupcake is a moist, chocolate cupcake with this delicious buttery, graham crust sitting on the bottom of the cupcake- so, when you bite into it, there's this little hidden surprise mound of yummy crust at the bottom. Totally unexpected and completely drool-worthy. The topping of this cupcake gets me every time, it's not a butter based frosting, but rather a whipped, marshmallow-y meringue. Once it's piped onto each cupcake, the bakers torch it to crispy perfection with a little torch. The smell transforms me to a warm summer night under a starry sky sitting in front of a campfire and lighting marshmallow after marshmallow on fire. We all love them!

The wait is over...

Seems as though Spring has FINALLY sprung over here in our neck of the woods! It was a long haul of a Winter, and I'm sure everyone can let out a sigh of relief that it's behind us.
We've had a busy Spring so far here in the shop- Easter kicked things off, then it was the annual "Spring into Parkdale" event (Success!) Then, last weekend, we spent time on tons of Christening and Communion cakes and Spring wedding events. Some really great looking cakes have been walking out or doors these days.

It's so great to see everyone out and about again- our little area of Parkdale certainly is seeing a renewed amount of interest, with so many great new shops opening up Parkdale is the perfect place to spend a sunny Spring afternoon!

With the ground warm and green and these lovely sunny days, we wanted to give you a cupcake this month to put a little Spring in your step. Something that is full of flavour, but still light and yummy. After much deliberation, we choose to give you something with a serious punch of flavour. I give you: a ginger lemon cupcake with a lemon cream cheese buttercream frosting. Of course, we also topped these little devils with a piece of candied ginger. These flavours go amazingly well together and pack a big bunch of flavour into a cupcake. Why not enjoy one this Saturday afternoon while perusing our great 'hood!

In other news, we've started featuring freshly baked bread at Yummy Stuff on Saturday mornings. This bread is particularly delicious and getting quite a lot of positive feedback from the entire city- it's made by Simon at Blackbird Baking co. Blackbird has finally opened a brick and mortar shop in Kensington, if you can't make it to Kensington for a loaf, c'mon by Yummy Stuff on Saturday morning! As a local resident of the neighbourhood, I'm happy to know there's a new option for some seriously delish bread!

Happy Spring!

Happy Spring people! Yay! We made it! 

I should leave it at that, I don't want to get overly excited and jinx it- there is still a chill in the air and I've not yet placed my Winter boots in the closet, from which they cannot make another appearance until at least the last week of November. I've gotten overly excited about the impending warm weather and started eyeing my bbq- is it too early? I feel somewhat weak admitting that the Winter took the best out of me, but I'm certainly not alone. How do I know? Because of all the happy people filing into the bakery with smiles on their faces, jackets unzipped and regular shoes on their feet- regular shoes! All of whom are more excited every day about the promise of long, warm days, flowers and green!

So, lets toast the arrival of Spring with something yummy, shall we? We're bringing back a favourite of mine from last year. Something about looking at these little gems just makes me feel happy- probably because of the way they look: 

These cupcakes really do pack a punch, there is something seriously magical about the batter- with chopped up maraschino cherries throughout and the sweet, lovely taste of almond in every bite. I absolutely love  maraschino cherries, so much in fact, that when I was young, I considered them as an important part of a fruit filled diet. I'd never thought adding maraschino cherries to a cupcake batter would be so life changing. But, trust me, its a good lesson learned. We've topped these little lovelies with a (teal blue) vanilla frosting and a whole cherry on top. Why teal? Why not!? 

March!

February was quite lovely, wasn't it? despite the absolute freezing cold, lack of sunshine and all the snow, it was still just great. The Winter Olympics helped get me (and, I'm guessing most Canadians) through the slump of knowing that we're still in for at least another 6 long weeks of Winter weather. Also, there was a nice break at the end of February when the sun emerged and melted enough snow that I was able to emerge from my house without Winter boots on (although, I promptly changed my mind. It's still Winter, after all). The mild weather and bare sidewalks didn't last long, but knowing that we are officially "in" the month that Spring begins really helps brighten my mood.  

So, here we are. It's March. It's still -20 and it snowed yesterday. But Spring starts in 2 weeks! 2 weeks, people! Let's celebrate, shall we? How about celebrating with a cupcake? How about with our feature cupcake flavour for March? 

I get deja-vu every time I write a post for March. We've done the same delish cupcake now for years. It's become one of our signature flavours- people call and order it up all year round, but I'm so happy when we have it for the whole month straight, and I can snack on it any time I feel like. It's also the most perfect cupcake to celebrate the other reason March is great- St. Patty's day! 

In case you're new around here, this month (and every March), we're featuring a Guinness cupcake- yes, a cupcake with Guinness in it. The darkness and dryness of the stout really compliments the chocolate in the cupcake nicely. We top this charming little fellow with a cream cheese frosting spiked with a veeeery generous amount of Baileys. 

So, swing by the shop and pick one of these coveted little gems up- Let's celebrate the impending arrival of Spring!

Happy February!

In the time it will take me to write this post, about 5 centimetres of snow will fall, add that to the other 10-15 centimetres that has already fallen, and you get a nice reason to hunker down and get cozy. Seriously people, I haven't spent this much time in socks and sweaters in years! We've been under an almost constant cold weather alert for weeks, and the snow just keeps coming! All this being said, we can handle this. We will get through it. We are Canadians. Spring will come- until then though, ignore everything on your "to do" list and really try to enjoy the coziness that results from all the snow and cold. My favourite way to enjoy this time of year involves my couch, a blanket, Downton Abbey, tea and cupcakes.

Newsflash! Valentine's day is less than 2 weeks away. Have you gotten your sweetheart something yet? How about something sweet? How about something from us?! Luckily, we've got you covered with tons of yummy stuff for Valentines day. Even better? We've got a killer feature cupcake this month, guaranteed to get you through this snowy, freezing cold, windy cozy February.  How about a Passion Fruit cupcake topped with a dreamy and delicious chocolate whipped cream? What if I told you we took this amazing cupcake to the next level and added a passion fruit curd filling? Yes- we did. Yes, it's delicious! This cupcake tastes like a decadent dessert, but is so light and fresh with the whipped cream on top and the punch of fresh, tangy curd in the middle. I'm hoping you can pick some up at sometime this month, if the snow stops for long enough to let you outside to run up to our shop. If not, stay on your couch... we deliver!

Happy New Year!

After a great Christmas and a fabulous break, I'm glad to wish all of our customers and friends a very Happy New Year!

How was your holiday season? Ours was jam packed; we made a record number of gift boxes & baked a record number of cookies!  I wish I could give you an exact number our hard working bakers pumped out this year but we lost count. After the craziness of our holiday orders, we were able to take a nice. long. break. We closed up shop and relaxed!

It's hard to believe we've only just begun the Winter season.  Let's keep our eye on the prize (Spring!) and stay in hibernation mode.  We can help keep you in a nice, cozy, pajamas-all-day state of mind (cupcakes are a great hibernation food!).  Our feature flavour this month is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. I could just mention that it's got Nutella in it, and that would likely win many of you over. You'd say something like "you had me at Nutella!"  But I'm not stopping there.  It's a banana cupcake- just so you know, our banana cupcake is the best thing ever. I'm a BIG banana cake/bread fan, and I'm not quite sure how all of the banana flavour gets into one little, perfect mouthful, but it does! Hidden inside of the banana cupcake is a little surprise dollop of Nutella. The whole delicious thing is topped off with an absolutely fabulous Nutella buttercream. You really couldn't get yummier if you tried!

Resolutions, Schmesolutions! It's already January 14th! Which means you only have 17 more days to enjoy one of these little nuggets of deliciousness. Better start eating now!