Where have I been?

I feel like I need to apologize to my ten faithful followers, any chance visitors and of course, my stalkers for neglecting my blog. I haven't given up on it, I have just been busy with real work so we can keep this bakery dream alive. I guess it is true what they say, "you gotta have money to make money". Boo. Anyway, this blog may seem like a ghost town for a few more weeks before it gets kicked back into full gear, but you can still tell your friends about it. ;)

P.S.- If anyone wants a lifechanging threeFifty sticker just shoot me an email. They are free!! Yay!

Sad little cupcakes

As many people might know, I am a connoisseur of desserts, mostly cake, i.e. cupcakes. And, as many of you also know, cupcakes are pretty much taking over the world. I am not sure if it is a trendy thing or a calorie thing or if it is just simply because they are delicious. In the midst of this wonderful cupcake invasion I have noticed a terrible trend going on. While everyone is rushing to get the next best cupcake out there, alot of these bakers are losing their focus. Sure, they have cool names for their cupcakes and they have fancy decorations, but does anyone care how they taste anymore? It is a shame really that it has to be so difficult to find a truly delicious cupcake these days, and yes, Sprinkles is about the only saving grace. But, the good news is, I am bringing the delicious back to the cupcake (and whoopie pies, etc.)!! Why?? Because, like I have said before, you guys deserve the best. So, remember, I put quality and taste before decorations that don't even taste good. Ok, this life lesson with threeFifty is now over, thanks for listening.

Cookies n' Cream Kicker

Well, I believe I promised a line of kickers, so here is kicker number 2. But, do not fret, there are many more on my super secret and unfinished menu. And, once again, my amateur cell phone photography does not give these little guys the justice they deserve, so I apologize for that.

This is a cookies n' cream kicker. It has an Oreo cookie crust bottom, a luscious chocolate cake middle and a cookies n' cream frosting. It's like eating one of those little chocolate and cream filled cookies, only this one comes with a kick in the mouth. It will make you fall in love all over again.

Hey, banner banner banner

A banner, because I am going to hang it on the capital building in Phoenix...or I will just use it for my farmers market booth, that way farmers and cake eaters alike can spot the little cupcake spaceman all the way across town.

Stickkkkkerrrs!!

Sticky Ricks hooked it up with some amazing stickers. Time to put them all over town, that way if it takes me 50 years to get my baked items out there at least Phoenix will be covered in threeFifty stickers. Ok, well, actually they are for my cake boxes...but, they will also be involved in some promotional ideas. So, if anyone wants a sticker, order some cake and I will throw one in there...on the house!

Box o' Pops

Another threeFifty original, taking the concept of cake pops to a whole new level (that's right Starbucks, eat your little Rocky Road cake pops heart out). This little gem consists of chocolate cake and a secret ingredient hand whipped cream rolled up than dipped into a homemade coconut marshmallow cream. Remind you of anything? (Hostess Sno Balls, anyone?) I may go out on a limb here and say this is the best thing I have ever made...until next time. I just wish the picture made them look as amazing as they taste. Where is that food photographer when I need him!?

Baby steppin'

Well, I got my first piece of equipment today for my farmers market booth. Cup cake couriers. Now I can transport cupcakes and whoopee pies safely. Baby steps, right? I also have stickers on order so I can make the cake boxes look more professional...but I still have to order cake boxes, and many more things.
I also am working on a banner for the farmers market booth. Maybe someday I will start working on the legal stuff.
I need an assistant.
So, thats where we are here at threeFifty. Keep your fingers crossed, say a prayer or rub something lucky for me.

The Original Gangstas of the Whoopie Pie

Honestly, I have nothing to say...except, Yum! Oh, and if  you put them in the freezer, they taste just like ice-cream sandwiches. Enjoy (the picture).

German Chocolate

One of the best cake recipes of all time, German chocolate cake, originally called "the German's chocolate cake" was not actually invented in Germany, but rather by a Texas homemaker. Think that's confusing? Wait till' you wrap your tongue and mind around our German chocolate cupcakes...it'll put your head in a tizzy and your palate on cloud 9. And, you may need a at least a dozen...just for yourself.

I also have a recipe for German chocolate cake truffles and maybe even a German chocolate kicker in the near future.

Cake Kickers

What's that? Is it a s'more? A cookie? Cake?

Well, if you guessed all three than you are correct! Sorry, you don't win anything, though. What we have here is a threeFifty original, it is a graham cracker crust topped with chocolate cake topped with homemade marshmallow toasted and topped with shaved chocolate. I couldn't decide between cookie or cake so they are called "kickers". Remember that.

I am currently developing new flavors of "kickers", hopefully soon I will have a whole line of them. All kickers will be 3 layers like the above picture, just different flavors.

Marshmallow Madness

Back in ancient days the marshmallow plant was used as medicinal purposes for healing sore throats. Then, the Egyptians turned it into a candy and, of course, the French perfected it.
Ok, enough of the boring tidbits that make up the marshmallow's life story, lets just talk about how delicious a homemade marshmallow is compared to a store bought one. What you see in the above photograph are vanilla marshmallows with a caramel swirl. It's like biting into a chewy cloud of happiness and caramel. Like they say over at Red Robin, "Yum".

I know a marshmallow is not a cake...it's not even in the cake family. But, I've got something coming for you that will involve both cake and marshmallows, I just wanted to give you a little sample first.

Snicker Doodle, Dude

Yes, I know what you're thinking, "isn't the snicker doodle a little amateur?" Yes, but it is a classic, just like the chocolate chip cookie. And, like they say, you don't have to be the first at something, just be the best...

Also, in case anyone is wondering what place cookies have among a cake only club, just look to the Dutch, because, cookie in the Dutch language means, "little cake". So, they are like the cousins of the cake and I say, "Welcome, little cake friends."

Bluffin' for the Muffin

A banana muffin with a Ghirardelli chocolate streusel. Delicious? Oh, yes. I just ate a dozen and so can you...

This muffin will be featured on the menu...even if muffins are the ugly cupcake, they still need lovin' too.

Drum Roll, Please...

Ah, yes, the new logo. I feel like we are finally getting somewhere. Gotta give props to PJ's Top Shop in Cali for doing a knockout job. I can already see the town plastered with the threeFifty space man.

Now, the next couple of steps will be getting my name copyrighted, (no, I have not done that and no one is allowed to steal my junk...or I'll find you!) a business license, spaceman stickers and t-shirts so I look official. The menu is still under construction but it's getting there.

Strawberry Lemonade Whoopie Pies

What's more refreshing than a glass of strawberry lemonade?
Well, turning that glass of strawberry lemonade into cake form, of course.
One bite of these bad boys and you taste the electrifying zing of the fresh lemons and the creamy strawberry frosting that makes you feel like you are floating in a strawberry field of dreams. It will take over your entire palate and say, "Hey, I'm here. Let's do this." Then, you have another...

As good as they were, I still have a little bit of work left in perfecting them, but they are close and the final product will blow you away.

Hippie-licious

Well, I had to redeem myself from my whoopie pie mishap, and these trippy little cakes definitely did the job. They are colored vanilla cupcakes with a cream cheese frosting and are actually inspired by the hippies of Humboldt county in California. Even though I am not a big fan of food coloring (or fondant), sometimes you just gotta use it to kick things up a bit.

Whoopie Fail

 I figured since I am telling you about all of my triumphs and journeys to greatness, I should probably tell you about my failures also. It just so happens that most of my failures come in the kitchen while developing new recipes. This particular failure sounds good and even looked like it tasted good, and in all reality, wasn't THAT bad, it just wasn't great. And, you my friends, deserve greatness.

 These were chocolate whoopie pies with a peanut butter filling, and some were dipped in a chocolate ganache. First off, the dipped ones were suppose to be minis but they came out as bigs, yeah I got a little too excited, and secondly the filling didn't do it for me, so, it is back to the drawing board.

The Quest

So, I am back from my journey to other bakeries in California. Really, I only went to two. But, I sampled a lot...in the name of bettering threeFifty of course. One bakery, or confectionery...whichever you please, seemed to have a steady flow of people. To me, it just looked like they dipped anything they could find in chocolate, and their cookies tasted sort of like cement. And, I think that is what happens when you lose your focus...which is why we are all about the cake. And the Benjamin's. But, mostly the cake.

The second place was much better because they were serving beignets, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beignets). Check out that link if you don't know what they are. And, if you have never had the privilege of trying those tasty, fluffy morsels of deep fried goodness that rival the manna from heaven, than please, if you have any love for yourself, go out and get ya' some. So that's what I collected from my journey...oh, and threeFifty Cakery is still a force to be reckoned with. Whaaat up.

As far as the progress of the business goes, the astronaut graphic has been sent off to a computer artist and will soon be a real logo. Hallelujah

Oooo and Ahhh

Well, I guess I accomplished the first step toward opening up my cake Mecca. I got my AZ food handlers card!!! Wooo Hoo!!! Yeah, big deal.

Also, I am in the process of developing new recipes and ways to manipulate cake like you wouldn't believe, so be excited!

And, I'll be away this weekend, I guess it is a good thing I have no followers yet,  researching other bakeries so one day they will look to threeFifty Cakery and say, "Daddy".

Peace, love and cake...or just peace out works

What's in a name?

In case anyone is wondering why we call ourselves "threeFifty Cakery", because, it is an awesome name. That, and somebody already took the name "Sprinkles", hmmm. But, seriously, the reason it is called "threeFifty" is because, as we all know, when you bake a cake it gets baked at 350 degrees F. And, I think the "Cakery" part is a given.

I have also included the first rough draft of our...brace yourselves...Logo! There is not much explanation for what inspired me to sketch up an astronaut with a cupcake for a head...too many frosting shots I think. The look we here at threeFifty are going for is a kind of urban/21st century/hip image. We strive to appeal to everyone, and everyone being awesome in their own way will love our cake.

So, back to the logo. If you will notice he has a flag in his hand. That will be changed to a big shiny whisk. And, those are sprinkles that surround our astronaut friend, in case it wasn't clear. Also this picture will be sent over to a graphic artist to get cleaned up and become digitized. So, be patient and this logo will soon be on t-shirts, stickers, cake boxes and in the hearts of many around the world.

In the Beginning...

Hello, all my fellow cake lovers. This is the beginning of something special.

Now, you might be asking yourself, "why is it special?".

Well, I am glad you asked.

What we are doing here at threeFifty Cakery is bringing cake to you in, yes, many ways that have already been done, but also inventing new ways to enjoy cake. We will be offering up cupcakes, whoopie pies, cake pops, cookies and many more tasty treats that you will just have to taste to believe.
So in the rumored words of a once famous queen, "Let them eat cake."

...Is what I would be telling you if I already were an established cakery. But, fear not, we are not far from our goal. You will soon be with the tastiest most mouth watering and moist cake you have ever laid mouth on...but first, take this journey with us as we become an official business (and by official, I mean in the eyes of county and the state.)

Right now we are heading towards our first goal, and that is to become a catering business and set up shop at farmers markets around the Phoenix metro area and various special events. Once we get our name out there and plant our deliciousness in your belly and brain and all you think about is, "CAKE!" then we will look at a catering truck and become a mobile cakery, and then the ultimate goal, an actual store front.