Sweet Designs (Louisiana Boardwalk)

Well well well... as I was strolling along the Louisiana Boardwalk singing that little song that gets stuck in your head ("Doing it! Doing it at the Boardwalk!' blah blah blah), when I came upon this cute patisserie. It is about time something like this came to the Boardwalk (for a place to at least escape the summer heat if anything).

I loved the cute display! SO many choices and so little space in my tummy. I got a box to share with the office, so I could have some other testers to tell me about it. After choosing some I were told were baked fresh that day, I was wondering when the others were baked. Yesterday? Last 3 days? Last week? Last year!? I was about to find out.

I tried the Red Velvet of course and became instantly saddened.

The cake was dry and the icing was not fluffy but dry as well. Rather than really beating down on this sad sad situation, I have a recommendation. At the end of the day, maybe the leftover cupcakes can be donated to a non-profit organization that holds community events or sold the next day at a discounted price. Some places can make a cupcake taste fresh for 3 days by using a lot of butter I presume, but Sweet Designs had a hard time with cupcakes tasting fresh on the same day too. Unless you can fool the consumer on the freshness, something needs to change.

I still have faith that this cute patisserie will have a chance if a change is made very soon. Otherwise, the competition with Buttercups will cease to exist. Yay competitive markets!

Overall: 1.5 of 5 Stars

Julie Anne's (Kings Hwy in Shreveport)

Because my work has put me across the TX/LA states lines, I am now continuing my conquest in Shreveport, LA for longer than previously expected (but it's a good thing!).

I tried Julie Anne's traditional chocolate cupcake with buttercream white icing. Now I have had their famous petit fours, delicious! And I have heard that some celebrities, including Katie Holmes, enjoyed the tasty cupcake treats. I thought to myself: of course it must be blogged about and spread to the world!

Back to the cupcake now. Because it is the weekend of Chocolate's biggest consumption, Valentine's Day, the tasty treats' decor was nothing less than smothered with plastic lips, pink and red colored additions, hearts, etc. Being slightly overwhelmed, I decided on the more classic cupcake flavor rather than trying their chocolate turtle, strawberry, German chocolate, or lemon cupcake.

The chocolate cake was perfect for a simple dessert! It was light, fluffy, and just the right amount of chocolate goodness. The frosting was simply a classic buttercream frosting, moreso on the sugary side but nonetheless yummy in my tummy!

As I stated earlier, their petit fours are truly divine if you are in the mood for something a little more petit than the cupcakes. Even though their petit fours are a bit on the larger size.

3.5 out of 5 Stars (4 stars for the petit fours)

http://www.julieannesbakery.com/

Couture Confections

I know, I know. It has been too too long. I AM BACK! Well, for a while. I am trying this post-holiday season healthy New Year's stuff while still enjoying the occasional cupcake.

My most recent endeavor was a pure accident. While finishing SHANGHAI GIRLS by Lisa See in one of my favorite latte spots, The Pearl Cup, I passed by this 3-week old dessert cafe to try a red velvet cupcake. First, I love the perfectly petite size. As much as I rave and love Society, I feel I need to work out for 10 hours after eating one. Couture is the place for a treat where you do not feel the guilt and still leave satisfied. Though the cost, $3.25, is a bit much. The cake itself was moist and decent, and the flavor is decent too. I was a little disappointed with the icing, because I feel that makes the cupcake as special as it is to my heart (a moment of reminiscence). The amount was fine, but the taste was a little too cream cheesy rather than buttercreamy amazingness (did I say I was a buttercream fan?).

Overall, I give this boutique a 3 out of 5 stars.

I am determined to try The Cupcakery after my next workout! Until next time, Tata!

http://coutureconfections.vpweb.com/