Mexican chocolate cupcakes with cinnamon frosting (photos by Michelle Saunders)

D Magazine intern Michelle Saunders usually brings you healthy food recipes (like this quinoa salad), but she wants you to know that these cupcakes are an exception. She writes: “I believe that an occasional cupcake can do as much good for the body as a salad and certainly more good for the soul.”

To celebrate Cinco de Mayo this past weekend, I thought it only proper to make a Mexican-inspired dessert. I’ve seen various recipes for Mexican chocolate cakes and I’ve tried a few, but I was never quite satisfied with the result. I played around with spices and came up with a cupcake that is surprisingly complex – the cinnamon & cayenne are the perfect blend of sweet and spicy while the chili and espresso powders add another dimension of flavor to the cocoa. Although these spices are not typically included in dessert, they are the perfect compliment to the chocolate, resulting in rich, moist cupcakes with a kick. Not only were these super easy to make, but they were a hit with the non-vegans I tested them on as well.  Give them a try – you may be pleasantly surprised!

Cupcakes (makes 24)

2.5 c. flour
2 c. sugar
¾ c. cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 ½ tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cayenne pepper (you could use a bit less if you are very sensitive to spices)
1 ½ tsp. espresso powder
2 c. warm water
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 Tbs. vanilla
Cinnamon “Buttercream” Frosting
1 stick vegan butter substitute
3 c. powdered sugar
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon (plus extra to sprinkle on top)
2 Tbs. almond milk

Cupcake Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and spices.

Add warm water, apple cider vinegar, oil, and vanilla, stirring until well combined.

Pour batter into lined muffin pans, filling each ¾ of the way full.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

Cool before icing.

Frosting Instructions:

Whip room temperature butter substitute until light and fluffy.

Add powdered sugar gradually.

Add vanilla, cinnamon, and almond milk as necessary until desired consistency is achieved.

Frost cupcakes and sprinkle a dash of extra cinnamon on top of each cupcake to garnish.

Okay, sinus medication, let’s try this post again. Sorry for the confusion but head is heavier than heaven. There are two new restaurants opening: Torchy’s Taco in Allen and Southern Breeze in Keller.

Southern Breeze Market Café, owned by the culinary husband-and-wife team of Melody and Daniel Fitzgerald, will make its debut on April 10 in Old Town Keller. Melody, a former pastry chef at the Mansion, and Daniel, former front-of-the-house-man at Tillmans’ at Tillman’s Roadhouse and Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine in Fort Worth, and Morton’s of Chicago Steakhouse in Dallas, currently own and operate Sugar & Frosting, a cupcakery in Allen. The “Timeless Southern Cuisine” (trending) and “Carolina Chic, comfort food dishes seasoned with a modern-day culinary flair.”

Jump. Hard. And help me get this song out of my head.

The press release:

Bringing the tastiness of southern goodness to beautiful Old Town Keller, Southern Breeze Market Café opens April, 10, 2012, with a new perspective on lunch.  This escape from modern, daily office life transports guests to a south as home-made as mom’s pecan pie, with the inescapable comfort that both envelops your senses and also allows you to exhale as you relax into its southern hospitality. Timeless southern cuisine, made from scratch with only premium ingredients, is both modern and new at Southern Breeze Market Café in Old Town Keller.

Inspired by restaurants along the Carolina coasts, Melody and Daniel Fitzgerald, proprietors and hosts of Southern Breeze, are offering up plates of seasonal favorites that taste like home, only better. No matter which side of the Mason-Dixon they are originally from, patrons will appreciate the genuine tastes that Southern Breeze cooks up.  With inspired recipes by Melody Fitzgerald, the tastes are unmistakably “Carolina Chic,” comfort food dishes seasoned with a modern-day culinary flair.

“We wanted Southern Breeze to be all of our favorite restaurants, rolled into one,” said Melody Fitzgerald, who, along with husband Daniel, also owns Sugar & Frosting, the innovative bakery and cupcakery, also in Keller. Proving that you can have both roots and wings, the Fitzgeralds chose their hometown area of DFW to open their dream restaurant together. “We have experience in restaurants and hotels all over the country,” said Daniel Fitzgerald, “and we could imagine no other place than DFW to bring Melody’s skills as a pastry chef and my experience in restaurant operations together. We’re glad to be home.”

Southern Breeze entrees include favorites such as Shrimp & Grits; Seasonal Quiches made with spinach, bacon and Swiss cheese, ham, cheddar and broccoli and tomato basil with corn; and even Pulled BBQ Chicken Cups. Baked Mac-n-Cheese is also found here as an entrée – because everyone knows it’s a meal in itself anyway.  Sandwiches such as Sweet Potato Biscuits with Country Ham & Honey Butter (featuring biscuits and butter that are both made in-house), Caprese BLT and a Pimento Cheese or Brie & Apple Sandwiches are the perfect lunch treat. Soups include Beer Cheese, Velvet Corn & Crab Chowder and French Onion. An array of salads plays off the southerners’ love of anything fresh and fruity, such as Blackberry Salad, House-made Chicken Salad with Fresh Fruit and Marinated Roasted Cheese and Olive Skewers. Price points for luncheon entrees range from $7 to $9.

Desserts at Southern Breeze offer a sweet ending to a homemade lunch, and even a selection of delectable treats to save for later. The restaurant features fresh desserts, made from scratch daily, including Mixed Berry Shortcakes, Coconut Buttermilk Pie, layer cakes in Coconut Cream and Light Lemon, and Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, among others. Desserts will rotate daily and draw upon whatever is fresh and in-season at the time. Guests can also pocket a sweet something for that afternoon craving (or become the office hero and bring back something for their officemates), in the form of large Cherry Chunk Cookies or even Cheese Straws.

The fare is a modern take on southern classics, but the laid-back atmosphere is anything but modern – nestled among the historic homes that comprise the storybook Old Town Keller is the reclaimed gem that serves as Southern Breeze. Guests walk a deck to a large, wrap-around porch that belies its close proximity to the “concrete jungle” that is the Southlake/Keller area.  The lunchtime locale provides an oasis, a safe harbor for those seeking respite from a day at the office, and a southern “home” to return to – even if you’re not actually southern.  Everyone is welcome in this historic home-turned-café, which could just as easily host a Harper Lee as it could a Kathryn Stockett.

Inside, the restaurant is outfitted in a light and breezy color palette that reflects its Carolina inspiration: deep oranges, yellows and greens make for a bright and light mood in the front room. Southern Breeze’s Red Room, named for the traditional, deep rouge wallpaper that adorns the walls, is part of the everyday dining experience at the restaurant and can be rented out for special occasions like anniversary dinners, baby showers, receptions and more.

Too busy to stay a while and shoot the breeze (as they say)?  Southern Breeze offers a “to-go” component – fresh, hot and all wrapped up, just like mom used to do – for those who want to take their lunch with them. A 30-minute head’s up is appreciated so your meal is ready when you get there, but if you want to sit for a spell on the comfy benches in the historic hallway and take a breather, your to-go order can be ready to take with you in a few minutes.

Want to enjoy the beautiful spring-time weather and dine amongst the daisies? Southern Breeze is happy to fill your picnic basket to take with you to whatever outdoor dining destination floats your boat. Whether it’s a romantic outing for two or a family-style get-together, these picnic baskets are filled with southern classics to help make new memories.

Southern Breeze also offers a menu that is by kids, for kids.  Melody and Daniel Fitzgerald’s sons created the Southern Breeze Kids Menu, which features kid-sized portions of some perennial childhood favorites, such as Grilled Cheesey and Snuggly Piggies (how else would your pigs in a home-made blanket be other than “snuggly”?).

Southern Breeze Market Café is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The restaurant is located at 138 Olive Street in Old Town Keller.  More information can be found on the web at www.SouthernBreezeMarketCafe.com, on Facebook at “Southern Breeze Market Café” or by calling the restaurant at 817-337-5177.

Tully Lewis, owner of Tu-Lu's Bakery

“I’ve always wanted to move back to Dallas ever since (going to) SMU,” says Tully Lewis, owner of Tu-Lu’s Gluten-Free Bakery. Today, Lewis opens her first store in Dallas after enjoying success in New York City for the last two years. (For instance, the ladies and gents of Vogue loved her sweets so much, they admitted their latest obsession with gluten-free goods in this February article.)

Jump for eye candy.

It’s been 3.5 years since Lewis first discovered she was gluten intolerant, and that diagnosis led her on a baking quest that’s now turned into a celiac-friendly business. Her second store is a pink pom-pom of colorful, girly decorations that she claims is 50% bigger than the one in Manhattan. There’s even enough room for customers to sit, eat, and chat. “Technically, we’re not supposed to have people (dine) because of the rules here,” says Tully, “but we can if it’s for ‘consultation.’”

Tu-Lu’s uses Bob’s Red Mill flour (a trusty gluten free source) to bake her cookies, pumpkin bread, coffee cake, and cupcakes. Brides can order their wedding cakes here, and anybody can stop by for lunch to grab a panini with homemade sandwich bread.

“So, what don’t you make at this store?” I ask Tully at one point.

She laughs and reminds me that she even makes her own granola that sells in the storefront.

Celiacs have good reason to rejoice on this day. I tried one of Tully’s blueberry muffins (with whole blueberries!) this morning, and I couldn’t stop picking at the leftover crumbs. Tu-Lu’s soft cookies and fudge-y brownies will make you forget you’re eating allergy-friendly food. I have a feeling this bakery is going to be a big hit pretty soon, and all of Dallas will come flocking.

Welcome home, Tully. We’re glad to have you back.

Let's feast on pumpkin!

Oh, how I love anything made with pumpkin. Yesterday, I bought a dozen pumpkin bagels at Einstein’s. Starting today, I’m searching for anything made with pumpkin–desserts, soup, pancakes, bread, pasta—anything. If you see it or make it, let us know below.

Hunky Town, Twin Pricks, Tooter’s, Pecker’s Hot Italian Sausage, Tube Steak Junction, Cake Balls to the Walls, Nuts and Butts, Quickies, Long Dong Silver, Tally Whacker’s, Love Mussels, Wee Willie’s, Twig and Berries.

Ladies, the floor is open.

Photo by Desirée Espada.

We named them Best Bakery for Sweets in 2010. Before that, they were featured in People magazine for making Tony Romo’s birthday cake. Today it appears that even Oak Lawn stalwart, A&J Bakery, has gotten on the Groupon bandwagon with a 50% off deal just in time for the holiday weekend.

When it’s this hot, I’m all about making life easier. So if you, like I, need cupcakes for a July 4 picnic but don’t want to heat up your house by baking them yourself…

The PB&J cupcake from Trailercakes.

Ladies and gentlemen, a very excited Daniel Walker.

I eat way too many cupcakes.  It’s almost embarrassing.  Luckily, there is no shortage of outstanding cupcakes in Dallas.  But as seriously as I take my cakes, today, I am proud to announce that I am crowning a new king.

Perhaps you have seen them mentioned on Sidedish previously, but any “hype” you have heard about Trailercakes is true. The cupcakes are  heavenly.  Among all of the sultry flavors offered by this little operation, the PB&J cupcake is in a class of its own, and in my opinion, takes the cake as best in Dallas. Chief Frosting Officer, Heather Zidell, and Chief Cake Officer, Leora Azoulay Lesh, join forces to bring together the perfect balance of sugar and flour.  No corners are cut with these desserts.  Quality ingredients make for an exceptional product and we, the eaters, are the beneficiaries of this pair’s dedication to the humble cupcake.

Stay with me.

Taking a bite into the PB&J cupcake is a transcendental experience.  The cake is light and fresh and crumbles apart gently as it dances across your tongue.  The frosting, otherwise known as “peanut butter fluff,” is  what it claims to be: a fluffy, cloud-like consistency laced with rich, nutty peanut butter flavor.  And just when you feel your mouth is near gustatory sensory overload, you are hit with a burst of strawberry jelly hiding deep inside, begging you to release it from its prison of cake.  As each component rolls down your throat, you begin to realize how incomplete you were before this cupcake.  It’s everything you loved as a child without the pesky stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth feeling and without those annoying bread crusts getting in the way.

Until recently, Trailercakes were only available by pre-ordered, two-flavor dozens.  But recently, they have been offering “open kitchen hours,” giving you the chance to walk in and pick out a variety of flavors individually without a minimum order. You can also catch their mobile Airstream when it makes appearances around town. Just follow them on Twitter or Facebook for details.

So to anyone who has not yet bought in to the whole cupcake trend, I say, you just haven’t eaten the right cupcake. Trailercakes will make even the biggest skeptic a die-hard believer.

Trailercakes, 740 E Campbell. Richardson, TX. 214-789-1642

Humiliating Presentation: This poor little lamb flew all the way from New Zealand to have a stick shoved in its leg?

I hate rain-delayed baseball games. Especially those with 11:20PM starting times, torrential rain and hail, and tornado warnings. I like my sleep and I like the Rangers to win.

With a crabby demeanor, I begin today by tossing a rock at what I call “cute food.” I’m talking sliders, $5 cupcakes, cupcakes in a jar, mac and cheese in little iron skillets, cake balls (pops), lamb called lollipops, pickles on top of gourmet burgers, ad nauseum.  These are a few of my least favorite things. Oh, and I’ll add chicken wings because they have no purpose on this earth. Your turn. Go.

Best In Show: Team cupcake from Asian Mint. Ploy Sukhamwang and Nikky Phinyawatana.

Our senior cupcake editor, Allison Hatfield, was on special assignment, so we sent the newest member of the SideDish staff, Daniel Walker, to cover the first Cupcake Camp Dallas. Little did I know he’s a cupcake freak as well. Sugar-rush copy to follow:

Nowadays, it seems like every new sweet food trend is touted as “the new cupcake.”   The truth is, in my heart and stomach, that there is not anything that can ever replace a great cupcake.  Nothing compares to the harmonious marriage of cake and frosting. I resisted jumping on the cupcake bandwagon when the craze for designer cupcakes began several years ago, but now I’m riding shotgun and I’ve got no intentions of giving up my seat. Sure, it’s a bit embarrassing when your wife’s new pet name for you is “Cupcake.” However, it’s an upgrade from  “Sugar Buns.” Maybe cute at home, but a bit disturbing when she shouted it  across a crowded restaurant.

This weekend, the Dallas cupcake scene was out in full force as the first ever Cupcake Camp Dallas descended upon our fair city.  Professional and amateur bakeries from all over the area gathered at the Royal Oaks Country Club on Greenville Ave. and displayed over 4,000 cupcakes.  Participants included Society Bakery, Asian Mint, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and the highly anticipated Trailercakes (sadly their sleek Airstream trailer had to stay home). Other bakeries, all new to me, brought their A-game to this cupcake convention:  The Perfect Slice, Pure Bliss, Haute Mama Dessert Co., Cupcake FabuLous, Cupcakes2You, and Crazy Good Cupcakes.

Jump for a zillion pictures of cupcakes and those who love them.

Cupcakes from Crazy Good.

The event was organized to benefit the LEAP foundation, an organization of medical professionals who volunteer to provide health care to children in some of the poorest countries in the world.  Eating my way through 4,000 cupcakes while contributing to a good cause was a no-brainer. I filled my Camelbak with milk and headed to Royal Oaks.

Deciding which to sample was a difficult task. My favorites included the wonderful sweet potato cupcake with cream cheese frosting from Cupcakes2You, the sinfully good peanut butter and jelly cupcake from Trailercakes, and the vanilla buttercream filled with cookie dough from Haute Mama’s. I also enjoyed the banana cupcake with cream cheese frosting from Crazy Good, and the unique jalapeño-lime version made by The Perfect Slice. I admit I love almost everything at Society Bakery, especially their Italian cream, but I picked Asian Mint’s orange Mandarin cupcake with pineapple whipped topping as the best overall.

I left satisfied and happy to know that the Dallas cupcakes scene isn’t waning, it’s growing. In fact you could say that the new cupcake is the next cupcake I eat at an event like this.

Cherry chip with cherry frosting from Crazy Good.

The talented team from Haute Mama Dessert Co: Patti Puchala (owner), Tiffany Key, and Genny Lee

Jalepeno lime from The Perfect Slice.



We are proud to Formally Announce that as of Today, We Have Passed The Ball To
Mark Aguirre, 2 Time NBA Champion and his business partner Keith Fluellen. Many
changes will be made, however One Thing Will Remain The Same..THE CUPCAKES Mark Aguirre will soon announce all the exciting details. We wish Mark and his Team
great success. …Thank You DFW

Well, there’s another American entrepreneurial success story for the books.

Before you tell me to put a macaron in it, please allow me to introduce you to the very cupcake that I think might be over the edge: Trailercakes.

Jump for the rest of the glory.

On Friday I was gifted a dozen and quickly shuffled them to the office for an official taste test. We tried Hitched (white cake/white icing), RV (red velvet with just the right hint of cream cheese in the frosting), OMG (chocolate cake topped with chocolate ganache with little “sparks” of chocolate in the cake), 24 Carrot (both disappeared before I got a bite), Strawberry Fields (real strawberries in the frosting, topped with a little heart cut from a Pop-Tart), and PB&J (the smell of which had us drooling even before we opened the box). The vote was unanimous.

Here’s just a sampling of what our tasters, which numbered about 10, had to say:

“This might be my favorite thing in the world.”

“This icing is unreal.”

“It’s like the most awesome peanut butter and jelly sandwich ever.”

“Holy  moly! That’s the best cupcake I’ve ever had anywhere.”

“My! Oh! I like it! What’s happening to me!?!”

If that doesn’t make my point, I don’t know what will.

The brains behind these incredible baked goods are Leora Lesh and Heather Zidell. They both have day jobs (real estate and internet sales, respectively), and they share a passion for cupcakes. Between deals they’re baking in a commercial kitchen in Richardson. Right now, the cupcakes are available only for delivery in orders of three dozen or more. And in a matter of weeks they’ll be making those deliveries in a shiny refurbished Airstream named Bubbles. Won’t that be fun?

He admits his restaurant, World Piece Café, is a confusing name for a restaurant. Is it the stupidest name in the world? Name another.