Pittsburgh Is Home To The Best Cake In America, Says HuffPost

A map of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with its neighborhoods labeled. For use primarily in the list of Pittsburgh neighborhoods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We here at Pittsburgh Magazine are not so different from Jay-Z. We’re also all about the cake (cake, cake, cake cake). So we’ve been trumpeting the deliciousness of Prantl’s Bakery to anyone who would listen (that would be you, dear reader) for years. Thankfully, the nice folks over at the all-consuming digital media behemoth The Huffington Post have taken notice, too.

HuffPo’s Taste blog has named Prantl’s burnt almond torte The Best Cake America Has Ever Made. That’s a bold proclamation, made bolder still by the author outright trolling the inevitable New York City comment section mumblywumps right in the lead paragraph.

Read more: http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Best-of-the-Burgh-Blogs/The-412/April-2014/HuffPost-Taste-Praises-Prantls-for-Having-the-Best-Cake-America-Has-Ever-Made/

Local Bakers’ Angel Food Cake Judged Heavenly

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The key to a good angel food cake is timing.

That’s what Robert Wenger says.

The eggs must be kept at the right temperature, you can’t over beat them and you have to keep a careful eye over the cake while it’s in the oven, he said.

Those tips helped Wenger of Adamstown take home third place in the Pennsylvania Farm Show’s Incredible Angel Food Cake Contest.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=442720

Lancaster County Chef To Appear On ‘Cupcake Wars’

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Chef Susan Notter, program director of pastry arts at The Pennsylvania School of Culinary Arts and owner of Susan Notter Pastries, will appear on “Cupcake Wars” at 8 p.m. Sunday as a competitor in a special edition episode, “Cake Wars,” which will unite cake makers, sweet specialists and special effect artists.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/743503_Local-chef-to-appear-on–Cupcake-Wars-.html#ixzz27hY0dIit

Cupcakes: Small Treats Are Fueling A Big Business

Wikipedia cupcakes, an in-kind donation by Georgetown Cupcake before being devoured by Wikipedians. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Who would have thought that something as diminutive as a cupcake could be such a huge business trend?

All over Lancaster County, cupcake bakeries are popping up like spring flowers.

And some of their cupcakes are even decorated with flowers, as well as fruit and other accents.

Cupcakes have been around since the 19th century, when “cup” cake referred to the quantity of ingredients, such as a cup of butter, two cups of sugar and three cups of flour.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/631723_Cupcakes–Small-treats-are-fueling-a-big-business.html#ixzz1szcQnEtR

Hershey Chocolatefest This Weekend! A Chocoholics Paradise!

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Imagine a chocolate festival in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  That took some serious thought, LOL!

On January 15^th and 16th, Chocolatefest will take place at the Hershey Lodge located at Chocolate Avenue and University Drive in Hershey.  Festivities start at 6 p.m. on Saturday and continue on Sunday morning, starting at 11 a.m.  Doug Allen, from WGAL TV in Lancaster, will host the events.

A ChocolateBall will begin the festivities at 6 p.m. on Saturday evening.  The theme is Jamaica.  The black-tie affair includes a reception, silent auctions, a raffle, dancing and music by Class Act featuring Rita.  The cost is $100.00, per person.

On Sunday morning things continue with a reception of champagne, wine, hors d’oeuvres and a cake competition at 11 a.m.  The reception is $50.00.  The reception will be followed by two tasting sessions of confectionary samples from local restaurants, retailers, hotels and caterers.  The first session will start at 1 p.m., followed by a second session at 3:15 p.m.  Both sessions will last 1 hour and 45 minutes.  Tickets are $20.00 in advance or $25.00 at the door. (Tickets are limited)  Children ages 5 – 12 are $5.00 (there will be children’s activities) 

What is the best part of Chocolatefest?  It is a fundraiser for Keystone Human Services, a family of nonprofit organizations which provides comprehensive community-based services for children, young people, adults and families in the areas of intellectual disabilities (mental retardation), autism, mental health, early intervention and children and family services.  You can learn more about this organization by clicking here http://www.keystonehumanservices.org/

Tickets can be purchased by calling 717-232-7509 or directly from Boscov’s, The Hershey Lodge, Giant Food Stores and Metro Bank.

Food Network’s “Ace of Cakes” Coming To An End

The Food Network‘s popular show “Ace of Cakes” will be airing its final season in 2011.  The show has had a long run and “Ace of Cakes” star Duff Goldman may be continuing his association with the Food Network.

Upper Pottsgrove Township native Geoffrey Manthorne stars on “Ace of Cakes” and also works as Executive Sous Chef at Charm City Cakes in Baltimore which is owned by Goldman.