Cocoa Locale cakes?
I've tried (and loved) the cupcakes at Cocoa Locale, but how are the cakes? One friend told me that she tried them at Esperanza (she was pretty sure that Cocoa Locale supplied them because the cookies and brownies were the same) and that they had too much icing.
eoj
May 24, 2007 08:31AM
Too much icing? Is there such a thing? Is this icing not the sole reason to eat cake?
Seriously, having tried manyof the cakes, they are excellent. My favorites are: Blueberry lemon cake (fabulous), Red Velvet (if you see it, grab it, the best ever. She doesn't use much food colouring, she gets the red colour from beets, and so it is healthier than the regular red velvet cake which has tonnes of red food dye in it). and the chocolate orange cake (yummmmm).
I tried the chocolate mint cake too. Normally I hate chocolate mint, but her version is very tasty, as it tastes like real mint (not like toothpaste). I was very pleasantly surprised, and would definitely get it again.
Again, I ask, too much icing?????
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Can you please tell me what exactly is a red velvet cake?
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A southern US specialty. Basically, a fine-crumb layer cake flavoured with cocoa, coloured a bright red (usually with red food colouring but traditionally with beet juice) and iced with a gooey white frosting. Cocoa Locale's version tastes strongly of cocoa, is a darker and duller red than many (due to the high proportion of cocoa and the use of beet juice, I'd guess), is less sweet than many, is not particularly fine-crumbed and is iced with cream cheese frosting. It's a winner and has quickly become one of the boutique's most requested items.
Last weekend, Reema had a key lime cake that was, of course, absolutely gorgeous.
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Red velvet cake is a cake made with cocoa to give a chocolate flavour, but it is dyed red (usually with red food colouring) to give a funky colour. The icing is usually a cream-cheese based icing (like the stuff on carrot cake). The lady at cocoa locale uses beets to give the colour (but don't worry, there is no residual beet taste)
I believe it is a southern U.S. specialty.
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moh, I second the notion that there can NEVER be too much icing.
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I totally agree. I would eat her icing out of a large mixing bowl with a spoon very happily. And then I would probably die of an icing overdose, but hey, it's a good way to go.
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Lol...seriously if the icing is good, is there such a thing as too much of a good thing?
Again, I don't like cakes that are made of flour so much. I love mousse, cheesecakes etc. But Cocoa Locale has got me eating cake AND CUPCAKES.
I haven't tried as many as moh but i love their ginger/lemon cake & the chocolate chai.
Saying that, I haven't noticed that many of a variety of cakes as moh has written about...
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I must admit, I am a bit of a regular. If you saw my belly, you'd understand.... The close proximity of Cocoa Locale to my home is a good, but bad thing...
She rotates the type of cake depending on season. However, I bet she'd be nice enough to take requests. If you like red velvet, it is definitely worth requesting, or just asking when she is next making them. yummmmm
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I've since tried the spicy chocolate cake ... it's amazing. very rich, but absolutely delicious!
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about this time last year, reema sold me a chocolate zucchini bundt cake that was out of this world good. not too sweet and certainly not keel-over-and-die rich, it was perfect as a summer dessert.
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Just had the Red Velvet cake for my bf birthday... yum yummy!!! Not too sweet, very tasty and the icing is heaven. Cocoa Locale is pure pleasure.
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Agreed 100%! I finally went there today for the first time and had the chocolate-chai cake - unbelievably dense, rich, complex and absolutely delicious. Not too sweet and utterly enjoyable. I don't know what took me so long, but I will definitely be back!
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I had the red velvet cake for the first time today - utterly yummy...
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Everything that woman touches turns to deliciousness! I'm pretty sure there's nothing she can't make taste good. I highly, highly, HIGHLY suggest the vanilla lavender. It's so obscenely good that I can't even describe it. I'm actually going to have to go there tomorrow and get one. So help me, God, I need one of those tasty treats.
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I just finished a second slice of the spicy chocolate cake (which today, is called Birthday cake for me). It's my fave from there. Hubby also picked up a vanilla cupcake and well, okay, I had to eat that too.
Hey, Cheryl and KP - did you have that cake in honour of my BD?? LOL
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Funny, huh? Hey, too bad we didn't bump into each other (and the other Chowhounders who went yesterday) - we could have had an impromptu cupcake taste-off!
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Actually, I would have gotten the vanilla lavender but she didn't have any small ones today - so I had to console myself with the red velvet...
And happy birthday, maisonbistro!
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I've only seen it once or twice, but if you ever happen across Reema's raspberry rose cake, seize the day. It's like something you wished your grandmother made.
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That sounds awesome. I've definitely never seen it, but I'll be on particular lookout now.
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Need some advice: I tried the key lime pie, the red velvet and the ginger cookie (all within 7 days I must confest)... and I was thinking of the Chocolate Chai for this sunday... is that good choice? Whats her best-seller of all time... which cake is gonna make me cry :)
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Vanilla lavender is my favorite. If no avail, I think spicy chocolate is better than chocolate chai. Not that chocolate chai is bad :)
Too bad she runs out very early. With my work killing me, I rarely have the time go to her shop, except for sundays (where she usually runs out around 2). But perhaps this is good, because otherwise I might indulge myself almost every day.
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What's wrong with indulging every day huh???? Just because I'm going to be fat like a pig - just joking. We nearly polished off our small spicy chocolate a deux, I devoured the vanilla lavendar cupcake myself - there are some things a woman just can't share with her husband!! and tomorrow I am picking up 3 more cakes for the family version of my birthday celebration. I reserved a strawberry shortcake, spicy chocolate, and ummmm, oh darn, can't remember the third. 2 small, 1 medium all for $33 - not only ridiculously delicious but also incredibly reasonable - cheap I would even say.
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Does the vanilla lavender come in a cupcake format now? I am excited!
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Uh huh. And it's dangerous. Vewy vewy dangerous.
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I thought the vanilla cupcake was just plain vanilla.
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I'll ask her tomorrow when I go pick up the cakes, but I definitely detected more than just vanilla.
Stay tuned...
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thanks guys, i will definitely pick up a vanilla lavendar and a chocolate chai and report back..
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Oh, guys, I've been wanting to go to Cocoa Locale for a while now. Now that you gave awesome recommendations, I'm determined to go! Do you guys know if it's reachable by metro?
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The closest stations would be Laurier or Mont-Royal, from where it's about 20 minutes by foot.
You can hop the 51 bus from Laurier (or heading eastward from Snowdon, UdeM or Édouard-Montpetit) or the 11 or 97 from Mont-Royal over to Parc, then walk a couple of blocks south or north respectively.
From Place des Arts station, you can take the 80 bus to Parc and Villeneuve (1 minute from the store) or the 129 to Parc and Mont-Royal (5 minutes from the store). You can also catch the southbound 80 at Jean-Talon station and the southeastbound 129 at Côte Ste-Catherine station.
Check out the Tous Azimuts feature at the STM's website. It'll calculate the shortest trajectory from where you are to where you want to go at whatever time of day you specify. www.stcum.qc.ca/English/a-somm.htm
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The bus 55 from St Laurent station also goes close. There is a stop at to St Laurent and Villeneuve, which is a short walk to her store at Parc and Vileneuve.
I finally tried her lemon-coconut cupcakes. For the last few months, they were always sold out when I was there, but this time they were the only available items in display around 2:30 on a Saturday. I am never a fan of coconut in desserts, but Reema again did her magic and made these light and not extremely coconuty. Fantastic combination.
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Okay so here's a not so glowing review. Had the Strawberry shortcake, the orange cream (like a creamsicle) and the necessary spicy chocolate. The first two I was not that impressed at all with. They were basically vanilla cakes, with vanilla icing and a few strawberries for the first and some orange flavour for the second. Don't get me wrong, they weren't horrible or anything, there just weren't what I have come to expect from her cakes. That being said, the quality of the ingredients and the simple beautiful presentation are still notable. I just wasn't overly impressed with the tastes. The spicy chocolate was again fantastic.
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Haven't tried the strawberry shortcake. While I'm not blown away by the orangesicle, it's very popular, especially with children, which has to be one of the reasons why it's often on offer.
A flavour I like and that no one has mentioned in this thread is lemon olive oil.
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Never there when I go or call to reserve someting. Must keep trying. Must try them all. Must eat cake.
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I have it on the best of authorities that the raspberry rose cake will be making a reappearance today (Sunday).
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Ya think there will be a line up????
Last one there is a rotten egg!
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Aghh! I've already made my weekly trip (I have a rule, must only eat products once a week, otherwise I'd be there every day)
Please please please give report on the raspberry rose cake so we can all enjoy vicariously....
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Sunday's the first day of the week, you know. ;)
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carswell, that is evil, pure unadulterated evil.
It's 11:51, and I am tempted to join the queue (i live too darn close)
But now my partner is threatening to not make his cranberry chocolate chip walnut cookies if I go... YOU SEE? YOU SEE WHY THE RULE IS IN PLACE????
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Yummmy - would there be a recipe for those cranberry chocolate chip walnut cookies???? I'll trade ya for one of mine (recipes that is).
Oh yeah, the cake.... GOT ONE
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maisonbistro, haven't forgotten about the recipe, but my hubbie has been playing with the recipe. He's been watching too much Alton Brown and Hester Blumenthal. But I must say his last batch from this Sunday (in place of the Cocoa Locale cake) was fabulous, so as soon as he finishes writing in the new details to his recipe, I can pass it along. BTW how was the cake????
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Umm, I need to check out a thesaurus - 'cause I think I've already used up all the positive adjectives I know describing her cakes.
Let's leave it at: you can't imagine what you missed!!!
Thanks for the recipe - whenever he gets around to it is fine.
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"BTW how was the cake?"
It lived up to my fond memory. Saying it's a vanilla cake studded with raspberries and subtly perfumed with rose doesn't begin to do justice to its balance of sweet and tart, bland and bright, fruit and flower, or to convey its uber-homey quality -- what I was trying to get at by describing it as "like something you wish your grandmother had made." Faced with such riches, who can choose between them? But it may be the cake that best captures Reema's special genius.
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Mental note: next time Carswell gives me an excuse to go to Cocoa Locale twice in one week (Sunday's the first day of the week...) just do it. And of course, today is Tuesday, and she's closed, and so I'll have to wait at least 24 hours...
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OK, you guys, you are making me seriously doubt myself. I tried Cocoa Locale a few months ago and although I wanted to love it, I just didn't. I got 2 cupcakes, the vanilla and the chocolate chai, at the end of the day. Reema was indeed super nice. The vanilla cupcake had some background flavor (?lavender) that I didn't like and the icing seemed a bit old(?) and the chocolate chai seemed delicious at first but as I had more, it felt too dense yet crumbly at the same time, with a heavy aftertaste. I could not finish it. Did I just get a bad batch or had they sat out too long? Hearing all these raves I am tempted to go again and give it another shot. Maybe the cakes are the way to go? I prefer simple flavors, maybe plain vanilla or plain chocolate. Does Reema do that? Although raspberry rose sounds like a great combo. I've had great cupcakes in the US (San Fran and NYC) but I didn't feel Cocoa Locale was that...gasp... special. Please don't hate me and tell me what I should try there to join in all the love for Reema and her goods! :)
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Listen, no need for doubt, people can have different tastes, and that's ok. It may very well be that the chocolate chai is too dense for your liking, there is no question that it is a very dense rich cupcake. I also like light fluffy cupcakes, and so there is no need to feel you're missing the boat. There is more than one boat! If you like simple flavours, then it may be worth trying the red velvet cake. This is a great cake. Her chocolate orange cake is also very nice, it does not have the same flower-based flavours or strong spice flavours that some of the other cakes have. I find the orange flavour of this cake to be very subtle, so it might be less overpowering than the lavender flavours in the vanilla products, and the chai/chile flavours in the chocolate cakes. In the summer, her blueberry lemon cake is really very nice, one of my favorites. I also had her apple crumble cake, it was also excellent. But goodness, if they aren't to your taste, don't worry! Leaves more for the rest of us! And more power to you if you can resist them. I've put on 5 pounds since she opened up....
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A recipe for Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies has been split to the Home Cooking board - you can find it here:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/464499
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Just got my paws on one of the raspberry-rose cakes! just as you described it! My partner found the icing a bit sweet, but I liked it just fine. I thought the tart raspberries balanced the sweetness well. And the vanilla is so perfect. Went very well with a nice vanilla-scented black tea. An ideal way to spend a cold grey afternoon.
Oh, important information: Reema will be open on Christmas eve which is a Monday, closed X-mas day then open the regular days the week after. But then SHE IS CLOSED FOR ALL OF JANUARY. So prepare for one month off, just in time for all of us to go on our post-holiday diets. I don't know if this is good or bad. Between this and Bombay Choupati being closed until near the end of January, I don't know what I'll eat.
(Just kidding, there is plenty to eat.)
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Say it ain't so Joe (okay, I know your name isn't Joe, but well, it's the song).
Man, a month without cocoa locale????? a whole month??????
Crap maybe I will end doing that diet thing after all. I mean, dessert just isn't worth eating if it isn't from Reema....
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OK: RUN DON'T WALK! Just tried the eggnog cake! Vanilla cake base flavoured with eggnog and spices, and a cream cheese icing. OMG! She really manages to capture the luxurious eggnog experience in cake form. I might even like it better than the red velvet (blasphemy...) Don't forget she is closed all of January. I suspect we'll have to go back again before the weekend, thus breaking the once a week rule.
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Oooh ...that sounds good! I may have to reconsider my stance on Cocoa locale! How big is the cake and until when are they open?
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As I recall, she's open this Saturday, Sunday and Monday till she sells out (which was about 2 p.m. on Monday, the 24th) and then is closing for January. You can always call and ask: 514 271-7162.
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We got the small cake for $8 and it is enough to serve 4-6 people (But the way we eat it, 2 large servings for two). Then she has her bigger size cake, which can serve 8-10 people. I always err on the side of less people, the cakes are pretty popular...
Chocolate Orange with Christmas spices? you've got to be kidding... I didn't see that! Now I'll have to cry until I get solace through the last half of the eggnog cake.
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Haven't tried the eggnog cake but took a seasonal CL cake to dinner a few nights ago and everybody -- including grandparents, fussy kids and the I-never-eat-desserters -- swooned: chocolate orange with Christmas spices. I should have known we were in for a treat because Reema, modesty personified, let slip that she was really pleased with how it had turned out. What's crazy is that not only am I not normally a cake fan, I've never liked dessert spice mixtures (pumpkin pie, spice cake, gingerbread, eggnog and kin all get a big bleh from me), yet there I was wondering whether to fight for thirds.
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We got an eggnog cake and I cannot wait until next year's batch! Soooo yummy.
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