There are cakes. And then there are cakes. The recipes are as varied as the person doing the baking. Some cakes are tall, spectacular affairs -- appropriate for weddings and other events. Other cakes serve less ostentatious purposes -- layer cakes, cheese cakes, fruit cakes, upside-down cakes, and those spectacular designer cakes.
My mom made her annual fruit cake a month before the holidays began. She reminded my dad to pick up a pint of blackberry brandy. He did, also taking the opportunity to pick up a bottle of his favorite sherry. The blackberry brandy went to the kitchen, the sherry to the barn.
Mom’s fruit cakes were big, heavy affairs. She baked the thing in October, soaked it in the brandy throughout November, and we began sampling slices in December. The cherries, raisins, figs and candied fruits, along with the pecans and walnuts, left little room for the brandy-soaked batter. It was an annual holiday treat.
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Grateful Bites is a marvelous place. The geniuses here turn out artisanal signature cakes in a variety to suit any taste. Some cakes are available “off the shelf” while others can be custom-designed to your specifications.
“Our hot cocoa cake is available in different sizes,” says Ashlee Hunfbedt. “The starting size is an 8-inch cake.”
As with all cakes baked here, allow at least three days--sometimes more--before the cake is ready to be picked up. Flavor selection can change with the season, and you can’t always get the flavor you might want.
Grateful Bites is a bakery, cafe and restaurant located at 42 Route 12 in Flemington. It is organized as a nonprofit, providing employment to people needing help. The pandemic has placed constraints on visiting. This is not a place where you just walk in. These days all orders are placed online.
In addition to the dozens of cakes shown on the website, this bakery offers cookie tins, cookie and bar trays, and more.
“Our mocha decadence bars are very popular,” adds Ashlee. “So are our cookie and gingerbread kits -- these come with instructions.”
She described the pieces of a gingerbread house. The kit can provide lots of fun for the youngsters as they assemble the pieces of the house and add the icing. There is also a sugar cookie tray that can be decorated with candy and icing that comes with the kit.
For more information, visit the website at GratefulBites.org where you can place your order. A word of caution, however. You will have difficulty narrowing your choices.
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Maddalenas Cheese Cakes are popular all year, but they fly off the shelves during the holiday season. This operation dates back to 1982.
“Popular now are the raspberry swirl, the blueberry swirl, amaretto, and the keto with no sugar,” says Janet Maddalena. “They’re available as 4-pounders and 2-pounders. Most people prefer the smaller version.”
Cheese cakes are made with cream cheese, sugar, eggs, sour cream, vanilla--and many different added flavors. It’s not a layer cake, so the baking is quite different.
“Cheese cakes are baked in a water bath,” explains Janet. Pans of water are placed in the ovens, with steam surrounding the baking cakes. “When the cheese cakes come out of the oven, they are flipped by hand to unmold -- there’s no springform.”
Maddalenas is also famous for their apple crumb pies. If you want one for the holidays, be quick to place your order. This apple pie is also available double-crusted without the crumbs. This means there is much less sugar on top.
Not only does this catering operation specialize in cheese cakes, pies and other delights, they prepare full entrees that you can simply heat at home. There are more than a dozen possibilities. Act quickly. The deadline for ordering is fast approaching.
For more information and to place an order, call 609-466-7510. Visit MaddelenasCatering.com. The online order button will get you where you want to go. The store is located at 415 Route 31 in Ringoes.
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No discussion of the delights created in local ovens can be complete without pointing to Sweet Melissa’s Patisserie. The genius behind this operation is Melissa Murphy Rafano. She won many awards for her culinary skills in her early Brooklyn bakery. And the awards keep coming, now that her patisserie has relocated to Hunterdon.
Her creations include cakes, pies, cookies, tarts, petit fours, muffins, croissants and a huge array of additional sweet things. Savory items for breakfast and brunch include omelettes, pancakes, quiches, soups and more. Pandemic rules apply.
Get your order in soon, because this is a very busy place. Call 908-323-2460 and visit SweetMelissaPatisserie.rocks for more information. The bakery is located at 56 Payne Road in Lebanon.
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Not a single local bakery was found that offered fruit cakes. Fruit cakes have long since gone out of style. It’s a shame. I have a pint of blackberry brandy still waiting.
Al Warr may be reached at 610-253-0432 or AlWarr16@gmail.com.
The Link LonkDecember 14, 2020 at 06:30PM
https://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/2020/12/earthly-delights-fresh-from-the-oven.html
Earthly delights fresh from the oven - nj.com
https://news.google.com/search?q=fresh&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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