CakeSpy

What's a ton funner than climbing a mountain, and many times more delicious?

The Blue Mountain Huckleberry Cupcake from Cupcake Royale, that's what.

That's right: it's September, and it's time for a new flavor of the month. Here's what they have to say about the new variety:

Our fine friends over at Foraged and Found collect these delicate little woodland wonders and bring them to us fresh and direct. Baskets of sparkling huckleberries, packed with sweet Pacific Northwest goodness, fill our bakery in anticipation of being baked up into the perfect cupcake. So, that's we do with them, and we top it off with a huckleberry buttercream that's as pretty as it is delicious.

These are blue mountain huckleberries. They're a little different from the ruby red gems you might be picturing. They're  a bit sweeter, akin to a very fancy wild blueberry...only better! They make for one super delicious cake, and one beautiful hue for a buttercream!

Which just goes to show that a sugar high is better than, say, a Rocky Mountain High, any day of the week.

You can find this flavor all month long at all four Cupcake Royale locations; for directions and hours, visit cupcakeroyale.com. Stay updated on their daily goings-on and the progress of their upcoming Bellevue location via Twitter!

Break out the fat pants, Bellevue: your fair city is about to get a whole lot sweeter.

That's right: a buttercream wave is riding across the 520 bridge and coming your way, and its name is Cupcake Royale. 

They have officially announced the upcoming opening of their fifth retail location in Bellevue! 

Still waiting on details including location and official opening date, but in the meantime, they are hiring! Get more details here.

Get breaking news via their Twitter feed, or check out their blog here and their website here.

Guess what? As I recently learned from a Las Vegas PR person, August is both National Sandwich month and National Dessert Month. And happily, he gave me a very detailed lowdown on how some of the top eateries are celebrating--and they sound pretty good, if I do say so myself. These eateries may not be within everyone's range, but it's fun to dream, no?

• Skybox Sports Bar and Grill at ARIA Resort & Casino is home to Vegas’ Ice Cream Sandwich Lollipops. Delicious and delectable, the dessert features a trio of ice cream flavors, including double chocolate mint, butterscotch-cappuccino and chocolate chip-vanilla, sandwiched between three classic varieties of mouth-watering cookies. The restaurant also serves Burger, Fries and a Shake, a delicious threesome that features a strawberry cheesecake slider with chocolate-dipped potato chips and a malted banana milkshake.
• James Beard Award-winning chef Hubert Keller has created a delicious twist on the classic American burger at his restaurant Burger Bar at Mandalay Bay.  The Chocolate Burger and Creamy Cheese Cake Burger utilize warm donuts as buns, Nutella or cheesecake as ‘patties’, strawberries as the tomato and passion fruit gelée as cheese. Keller’s creations redefine the taste of typical desserts with culinary precision that only a master chef can provide. 
• Created by Laurent Tourondel, Bon Appétit’s 2007 Restaurateur of the Year, the Macaroon Ice Cream Sandwich at BLT Burger at The Mirage has re-imagined the concept of dessert. Delivered in strawberry, vanilla or chocolate-hazelnut flavors, this dish delights taste buds with the sweet flavor of the ice cream and the earthy essence of the macaroon.
• The Ice Cream’wich, a twist on a traditional favorite, can only be found at ‘wichcraft at MGM Grand. Designed by legendary chef and Bravo’s Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio, this sweet sensation features Häagen Dazs vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two chocolate, coconut or walnut cookies.
• The tastiest treat at Aureole at Mandalay Bay, the Grilled Brioche with white truffle infused chocolate ganache, features dark chocolate ganache or pistachio olive oil ice cream in between two delicious pistachio lime biscotti.
• Keeping with the pool-party trend sweeping through Vegas, WET REPUBLIC, the adults-only ultra-pool located at MGM Grand, offers The Whoopie Pie. With a whipped cream center sandwiched between two pieces of pound cake, this dessert is a perfect treat while having some fun in the sun.

If you are foolish enough to think that Capitol Hill, Seattle can't get any sweeter--what with it being the home of Cupcake Royale, Bluebird Ice Cream, North Hill Bakery, Oddfellows Cafe, Molly Moon's, Old School Frozen Custard, and CakeSpy Shop (ok, figuratively at the latter, but still), and all--well, you are wrong.

'Cos guess what? High 5 Pie is opening a retail bakery on 12th Avenue. That's right: Dani Cone's pie genius will now be readily available at one wonderful place, seven days a week, with an expanded menu. Yes!

Want the scoop? Well, as reported on the Capitol Hill Seattle blog, 

The shop and production bakery will occupy the large corner spot of the Trace retail space that has sat empty since the building was completed in 2007. Cone is excited about the 22-foot ceilings and said the south wall will be big windows that will look into the bakery and cafe. Cone said the pie shop will also feature Fuel Coffee along with what she called a "classic pie shop" featuring dozens of varieties of pies and, yes, ice cream, too. The High 5 shop will also sell frozen pies and pie items to 'take n bake,' Cone said. According to Department of Planning records, the build-out of the shop will cost around $80,000.

As for opening date? Still undetermined, but hopefully before the end of 2010.

Basically, my suggestion is that if you're in Seattle, you should be very, very excited. And if you're not in Seattle, you should start browsing airfare.

Check out High 5 Pie here.

In case you had any doubt about August being the sweetest month ever, well, here's proof:

Cupcake Royale has not one, but two flavors of the month.

Raspberry Lemonade, on the one hand, sounds refreshing, and the perfect mix of sweet and slightly tart.

But if excess and rich chocolatiness are your thing (they're mine), go for the Cherry Chocolate Almond--a triple threat of awesome. 

Both flavors will be available all August long at the four Cupcake Royale locations; for directions and contact info, visit www.cupcakeroyale.com. Of course, you can keep up to date with their goings-on at legalizefrostitution.blogspot.com and via Twitter.