Cakes Made with Love: Love Cakes by Ann and Gan

I actually don't remember how I stumbled upon the Instagram account of siblings Ann and Gan, but the next thing I knew, I was already salivating over the photos of their gorgeous and delicious-looking cakes. I wanted to buy all of them and just taste how good they really are. Since mom's birthday was coming up anyway, I asked our uncles and aunts for financial help and decided to buy one of their cakes for her 52nd birthday.

I decided to get their 10x10 Fresh Fruit Cake since this seemed like the perfect cake for mom's age group (no offense, momma). I wanted to get the Strawberry Shortcake since I love strawberries, but I thought, this isn't for me. Their Naked Chocolate Cake and Heavenly Chocolate Cake looked tempting too, especially with the additional strawberries you could request, but the chocolate cake seemed more like for kids than mom and her amigas. The Mocha Cake was equally tempting but I wanted to try something different. We could get mocha cake from Hizon's anyway. 

They require at least a 2-day lead time when ordering any of their fabulous cakes. I ordered mom's cake a week before just to be sure. When we got the cake, it was just perfect! It was such a heavenly sight – white frosting with a ton of fresh, colorful fruits on top. It was also heavy so we all assumed this cake was siksik.

THEY'RE BAAAAAACK! BANANA!

Summer's not over! McDonald's just released their Minions Banana Festival Treats line just in time for the upcoming Minions movie. The Banana Festival line has four new products – Banana-flavored Sundae Cone McDip at P15, Honey Banana Float at P28, Banana Crumble McFlurry, and Banana McFlurry with Oreo at P50 each. In case you're wondering, the Banana Crumble McFlurry is the Sansrival McFlurry with the addition of the banana-flavored dip mixed into it. The Banana McFlurry with Oreo is the traditional Oreo McFlurry with the banana-flavored dip mixed into it.

I tried the Banana McFlurry with Oreo earlier tonight and I have to say bananas are a good combination to almost any dessert with chocolate. The only thing I wish they had done was use real mashed bananas or banana slices instead of the banana-flavored syrup dip they use for the sundae cone. Nevertheless, it was still a good summer treat. 

 The small yellow piece is the frozen banana dip they mix into the McFlurry.

I also read that the Banana-flavored Sundae Cone McDip comes in a blue wafer cone, not sure how true that is though. Head to the nearest McDonald's to find out.

As of today, these new Minions-inspired treats will be available until August 2015. Banana!

Photo courtesy of McDonald's Philippines website.

A Slice of Heaven

The best things often come in small packages. That's exactly what I got after trying out a cupcake from this newly opened store beside Jamba Juice. 

While I was waiting for Gus to get off work, I chanced upon this stall beside his workplace. I assumed it was just a temporary stall since a bigger place behind it with the same name was being constructed. Thank God for boredom. Since I had nothing to do while waiting, I decided to take a look at the different cupcakes and cookies they were selling. 

Being a baker myself, curiosity got the best of me. I wondered how one cupcake could cost as much as the ones I was seeing. It looked like regular cupcakes. I assumed people were also paying for the place where it was being sold, thus the unusually high price of each cupcake. I got one without asking what it was. I just picked the most classy-looking cupcake I could see.

I picked a chocolate cupcake with rosette icings on top, which, judging from the color and texture, was made of caramel. I paid P60 for a cupcake that looked like another cupcake I usually buy for P11. But, I had to find out. Was it worth my P60?

Chocolate Yema Cupcake

(P60)

The answer is a big, fat YES! The first bite was all it took. The cupcake was so full, the icing, to die for. The cupcake was filled with cake, not just air. It was heavy, unlike other cupcakes I tasted. I knew this was real cupcake. Not just aired batter baked to perfection. And the caramel rosettes? Turns out it was yema. Cooked condensed milk. The sweetness complimented the rich chocolate flavor of the cupcake. It wasn't a battle between two sweets. It was a union of bitter and sweet.

Wow, I can't believe how poetic I sound describing this cupcake. It really is a must try. No wonder this was their best seller. For P60, this is definitely worth it! 

Grab yours at Slice Bonifacio High Street. They are currently on their soft opening, so you can also taste their other non-sweets specialties like the Brown Arroz Caldo, and Seafood Puttanesca.

Price Range: P60-110 (for the baked goodies -- cupcakes and cookies)

5 out of 5 for Slice (their staff were very friendly and accommodating)

Slice

G/F West Superblock (beside Jamba Juice)

Bonifacio High Street Central

30th cor. 7th Street

Bonifacio Global City

Contact details courtesy of: http://www.ourawesomeplanet.com/awesome/2012/03/slice-of-pia-cayetano.html