j.rae's

If you haven't been to Fort Worth lately, well, here's a reason to buckle up and head out...j.rae's! I discovered j.rae's last summer and have visited several times in the past year. It is, without a doubt, one of the best bakeries in the DFW area! This recent visit to j.rae's caught me by surprise when I discovered the once stark but sleek ambience had been hit with pizazz...as in hot pink, green and black. Wow! Black stripes now lined the once white wall behind the dessert showcase. Yet, the three large framed black and white pictures were still in place which depict what j.rae's is all about...Cupcakes, Cookies and Cheesecake. The back wall was now painted a hot pink with small square mirrors outlining the wall and two open door frames were still there to give you a small peek into where the magic of baking takes place.  High-back black leather sofas with green and pink pillows were up against the walls.  This is where employees sit at the decorating station to ice the cookies. I was in the mood for one of those thick cut-out cookies in the shape of something cute and represented summer. I glanced over the flowers, turtles and other shapes, but the sea turtle with green icing and a purple sugar circular swirl hypnotized me! The cookies range from $1.50 to around $5.00; my sea turtle was $3.50. Of course, no trip is complete without the purchase of my favorite, Pink Lemonade cupcake that is like no other ($2.50)! I love to enjoy my treats there in the bakery, so thank goodness for the ultra-chic seating area in front of the large window. I sat on the white leather sofa that had two small mirrored tables on each side, a black square table in the middle, and two nice chairs on each side of the coffee table. The girly petite chandelier still hung above this seating area, and two glittery photo albums now set on the table to show the work that makes up j.rae's.  I took my cookie out of the cellophane bag and bit into the thickness. Mmmm, just as I remembered. Moist, never over-baked or hard, sweet icing and just the right size to leave one completely satisfied! The Pink Lemonade cupcake is hands down THE BEST! I love the other flavors, don't get me wrong, and they are all worth trying, but you just can't go wrong with the tangy, sweet Pink Lemonade for summer. The cupcakes are so perfectly baked with just the right texture and moistness. I once had a friend with me on a j.rae's visit and made her taste a bite of my cupcake (she was dieting and refusing to taste until I broke a piece off) and with one taste, her eyes grew wide, and she let out an, "Oh. My. Gosh!" She quickly agreed that it was the best cupcake she had ever tasted. I have yet to try the cheesecake, but I've heard it does not disappoint.  Also, j.rae's has a chiller for purchasing sodas or water as well as a nice selection of herbal teas next to the chiller. Small napkins are available, but sorry to say, no forks. A baker's rack holds j.rae's logo t-shirts as well as children's aprons you can purchase. Need to pick up a card or birthday candles to add to your cupcake or cheesecake? No problem, you can find a variety of cute supplies at the end of the dessert counter. Also, while enjoying the oh-so-chic bakery, take a look at the cute black and white picture of the owner and her sister as kids posing with their play oven they received on a Christmas morning. The same little oven is setting on a rack below the picture giving the bakery a personal feel and soft touch.  Okay, so this blog is a bit on the lengthy side, but just as I love visiting this bakery, I love talking about it. Can't make it to Fort Worth? Well, you're in luck because you can order online! However, I really discourage this due to the fact that you will miss out on the experience of their fab atmosphere! So, get going...j'rae's is open Monday-Saturday!

http://jraes.com/index.html

Society Bakery

With plenty of media hype including being voted The Ellen Degeneres Show's Top 10 Best Cupcakes, it was time for me to take a little trip to Lower Greenville where Society Bakery calls home. To be real honest, I was a bit cynical over all the press they have received. I would be the judge on whether or not Society Bakery deserves all this attention. I pulled my car along the side street for parking and made my way around the corner of the old brick building where I entered the door of Society Bakery. The bakery is a small space that shares an open-door policy with neighbor Corner Market. One could easily grab a treat from the bakery and walk into the deli for a coffee without ever having to go outside. I knew that I definately wanted to try a Whoopie Pie, so I ordered up the Red Velvet Whoopie and relied on one of the sweet employees to suggest a favorite cupcake flavor for me to try. After a few seconds of thinking she points to Key Lime telling me that it is only available in July. Perfect! I like having a flavor that is limited time only, and Key Lime sounded fitting for a hot summer day. I grabbed my box of goodies and walked outside to sit at a sidewalk table. I didn't feel much like having a coffee, and Society Bakery didn't exactly have indoor seating. My table was shaded, so it wasn't too terribly hot, and without hesitation I opened my bakery box with curiosity as if opening a treasure chest for the first time. I've been told how "valuable" the contents are, but I really needed to see for myself. Society Bakery has a sign posted at the register asking customers not to take pictures, so I had to snap a shot of my sweet "treasures" outside. I chose to taste the Red Velvet Whoopie Pie first. If it tasted half as good as it looked, I would be pleased. I tore off a piece and popped it in my mouth...uh huh...okay...and finally, YUM!! Cream cheese frosting dolloped between two moist cakes offering the most scrumptious combination you could imagine. Light, fluffy and even better than it looked. I have to say, I certainly wanted to let out a "Whoopie!!!" for this Whoopie Pie! After dusting off the crumbs from my fingers (unforunately, there were no forks and napkins), I moved on to the Key Lime cupcake. It was big, a bit lopsided and spilling over, giving it a little muffin top look. I knew it had to be delish after tasting the delectable whoopie pie. Well, one bite of this lime-flavored cupcake proved me right...as well as proving the media blitz right. Yes, this cupcake was moist with just the right balance of sweet and tart. The bar had been raised. Oh, but wait, there's more! The center of this cupcake was hiding treasure of its own...a Key Lime filling oozed out! Are you kidding me? I didn't care who was watching me as I worked every bite of that cupcake in my mouth...fingers covered in Key Lime filling. It didn't matter if it was 10 degrees or 110 degrees outside, my senses were so enthralled in this summertime flavor of a cupcake that I was unaware of anything else. So, does Society Bakery deserve all the media hype? Absolutely. First of all, the treasures I indulged in were off-the-charts delicious! Secondly, the name Society Bakery actually stands for giving back to society, which is what the owner truly believes in. You can visit Society Bakery's website to view the long list of charities they contribute to...without the tax break! Society Bakery, you are definately a treasure chest of great worth! I'll be visiting again and again and again!
www.societybakery.com

Tart Bakery

For a gal like me who loves bakeries, Tart is THE place to be! As you can see in my picture above, it is colorful, whimsical and just plan happy. The case is filled with every type of pastry I could possibly wish for. I settle on the Red Velvet cupcake and the Chocolate Crackle cookie. It was a hard decision to make passing up all the other treats perfectly displayed. In the past, Tart had a small table for two in front of their window. This has been replaced by two larger tables that seat four at a table. Smart move! Tart is way too cute to just get your treats to go. Instead, I opt to sit at a table and enjoy my cupcake. Another star for Tart is the fact that they offer fork and napkins so that I'm not stuck licking my fingers. Now, I like my cupcakes to be on the moist side (just a personal preference); my Red Velvet was a little too dry for my liking, but still enjoyable especially with the oh-so-dreamy frosting. You can browse around their little boutique at some of the cute items they have for sale such as cake plates and birthday items. If I had guests in town, I would certainly treat them to Tart Bakery...little girls would be in heaven! The apothecary jars filled with candy make the child within come out to play. The Chocolate Crackle cookie was moist and then some. I had to slow myself down to actually enjoy every bite. This chocolate cookie sprinkled with powdered sugar was well worth the trip to Dallas. I would order a dozen and give away as gifts...sure to make me your new best friend! And the staff? They were welcoming, and obliged my request for a photo op. I only wish I had had more time to soak it all in. Thanks Tart Bakery for making me smile!
http://tartbakerydallas.com

Creme de la Cookie

For my first blog, I ventured to Creme de la Cookie located in Snider Plaza in Dallas. When I entered the door of Creme de la Cookie, I was immediatly drawn in by the excitement of a new bakery (new for me, that is). So many tempting flavors were popping out at me that I immediately went into panic mode...oh no, should I choose the Scarlet O'Hara cupcake? Perhaps one of the cookies that they are known for...oh wait, the whoopie pies displayed in a glass cake dome. It's as if each catagory was saying, "Pick me!" I settled on a cupcake. Yet, with so many tempting flavors I decided to get the advice of Counter Cupcake Gal. She informed me that Scarlet O'Hara was the top choice of customers, but her personal favorite was the Chocolate Vanilla...chocolate cake with vanilla icing. I put my trust in her and ordered the Chocolate Vanilla. While paying, I peeked over her shoulder and had an "AHHHHH" moment...the espresso machine! Now we're talking! "And I'll take a Chai Latte, please." Counter Cupcake Gal was just as sweet as the treats being served. I chose a table by the window in order to see the flat screen which was set to Food Network. However, this, I learned, was not the best place to be when drinking coffee in the dead heat of Texas summer! The bakery was a bit on the warm side, and with each customer that walked in, more cool air escaped. I peeled back the double cupcake liners and sunk my teeth into the edge of the chocolate cake. The second bite required some of the vanilla frosting with chocolate sprinkles...voila! The flavor combination was magnifique! The cake was moist, to the point of it falling into pieces. I looked for a fork, but there were none. So, like a five year old, I picked up the crumbled cupcake with my fingers which left me with sticky, icing-coated fingertips just waiting to be licked. Yep, the manners went out the door! The coffee was equally delicious...good enough to just visit for the coffee itself! I can't wait to go back and try a cookie or a whoopie pie!

http://cremedelacookie.com/