The Cake Bar

You Are Loved, The Cake Bar’s Valentine’s party, is back for a 3rd year. The evening will include a tasting of The Cake Bar’s cakes and chocolate fudge paired with artisanal cheeses and dessert wines.

While guests are indulging themselves in The Cake Bar’s most tempting chocolate treats, they’ll also be supporting a worthy cause: $5 from every ticket purchased and the proceeds of the silent auction will benefit the World Cocoa Foundation’s Empowering Cocoa Households with Opportunities and Education Solutions (ECHOES) Program, which provides training and education to youth living in cocoa-growing communities in West Africa. Event sponsors include: Quady Winery, Easterling Events, ACKC Cocoa Bar, Japonica Tafé, Nusta Spa, Lake Champlain Chocolates, FranScent and Tranquil Space Yoga.

Saturday, February 13th

7 - 10pm

Studio Gallery

2108 R Street NW

Washington, DC 20008

Near the Dupont Circle metro

Tickets are $20

Purchase in advance at www.thecakebarandlounge.com

For more information: contact@thecakebarandlounge.com or (202) 657-5946

Come singles, couples and friends. This party is for everyone. The Cake Bar is hosting its second annual You Are Loved Valentine's event. Enjoy our decadent cakes and liquor-infused chocolate fudge. While you indulge yourself, you will also be supporting a worthy cause: $5 from every ticket purchased will be donated to the World Cocoa Foundation’s Women in Cocoa Farming Education Program, which provides support and advice on successful farming for female cocoa farmers in West Africa. The evening will also feature a silent auction of special items donated by Arena Stage, Coup de Foudre Lingerie, Pa Dian Accents, ACKC Cocoa Bar, Tranquil Space Yoga, Japonica Tafe, E’Lantourage Communications, Valens Marketing & Consulting Group and FranScents; the proceeds will benefit the Education Program. Event sponsors include: Dagoba Organic Chocolate, Lemur Works, and Une Jolie Fete.

Tickets are $25. Purchase advance tickets at www.thecakebarandlounge.com.

All hail the sweet potato! Come give thanks to this staple of southern cuisine at The Cake Bar's pre-thanksgiving party, Sweet Potato Soul. The event will feature our unique as well as traditional sweet potato desserts, including sweet potato cake, cookies and cheesecake. Lindeman's fruit flavored lambic beer and light hors d'oeuvres will also be served. For entertainment, guests will be treated to a Thanksgiving themed poetry slam and the sounds of old school funk, go-go and classic rock and rap. Finally, everyone will get a mini sweet potato pie to take home.

Saturday, November 17th 4-7pm

Reflections Studio

631 Pennsylvania Avenue SE

Washington, DC 20003

Tickets are $20 and available to purchase in advance at www.thecakebarandlounge.com

Sweet potato desserts are our specialty. I hope some of you can make it.

Carla Durham

owner/pastry chef

The Cake Bar

Come live La Dolce Vita!

Sunday, September 9th

3-6:30pm

at Reflections Studio

631 Pennsylvania Avenue SE

Washington, DC 20003

The wines will take center stage at La Dolce Vita. Wines that go with cake that is! From a honeyed Sauterne to a citrusy ice wine, sample some of the best dessert wines. Each wine will be paired with one of The Cake Bar's luscious cakes - flavored in orange, caramel and cinnamon - and an artisan cheese specially chosen to bring out the best notes of the wine. This event's featured "cake cocktail" is Orange Cream, a combination of cake, orange marmalade, creme fraiche and Grand Marnier.

Tickets are $25. Purchase in advance at The Cake Bar

Hope to see you there!

Carla

Thanks for the suggestions Mark. I realized I needed to think differently. Usually at my events I have a dessert table. Wines, cheeses etc. are on another table. Although they're chosen to compliment the flavors of the desserts, they're not the focus. I need to think of it as though I'm serving people courses of wines and match a pastry and cheese to each. I was up thinking about this at 2AM!

Sauternes with the caramel cake. Tokaji with the carrot cake. Beaumes de Venise is fine with the cheese and fruit.

Red wines sometimes give me a headache not too long after I drink them. And Ports can often be so heavy, I usually reserve them for when I'm serving chocolate.

Sauternes. Everything else is in second place except for Port which, for some reason, gives me a terrible headache after only a glass or two so that option is ppretty much out.

Yes, that's the event I'm working on. I'm very excited about it. Although I usually serve some wines and cheeses at most of my events that compliment my desserts, they're still usually a bit of an afterthought. This is requiring me to give more thought to putting a "meal" together even if it mainly consists of desserts.

Sounds fun. Is this for the September 9 event that is advertised on your website?

I'm putting together a wine list for my next tasting event and could use some input. This is a different approach to my events. Usually, I create the dessert menu based on whatever theme I'm going with and then select wines that best suites them. For my latest event, I want to introduce people to sweet wines since alot of people aren't as familiar with them. It's not an official wine tasting just some of the popular categories. After talking with Jane from The Winery (where I usually buy my wines), we came up with several vintages in 7 different categories - Tokaji (obviously the most expensive), late harvest riesling, late harvest vidal (Gray Ghost "Adieu" - would go nicely if I do a peach dessert), Muscat Beaumes de Venise, Madeira, ice wine and sauterne. Would like to get it down to 4. What do I eliminate? She thought the madeira, but the other wines are so similar. Which made her think I could do without the beaumes de venise if I'm doing a sauterne. Should I keep the Tokaji to as the wow wine or same the money? Will probably be serving a carrot cake, caramel cake and orange cake, cheese and fresh fruit. Any opinions?

Carla

The Cake Bar

If you missed The Cake Bar's Birth of the Cool event, we also host events with Professionals in the City, www.prosinthecity.com. Thursday, July 12th from 7-10pm is Summer Desserts Happy Hour. The event will feature our "cake cocktails", flavored cakes with fruit fillings, topped with creamy frostings and most importantly infused with premium liqueurs. For an appetizer, To Your Taste Catering will be providing a mashed potato bar to prep your stomach for the sugar and alcohol.

For a recap of the menu at Birth of the Cool or other events, visit The Cake Bar website.

Carla

www.thecakebarandlounge.com

I gather that this business has no fixed location? I can't find an address on the website...so if you order, where do you pick up?

Has anyone tried their products? They sound scrumptious, and would like to know if this is a good option when searching for a good cake for a special event. I checked the bakeries thread and didn't see any mention of it, and all but the most recent post on this thread have been posts by the owner.

Ellen

I don't have a store front yet. But I live in Fort Washington, MD and rent commercial kitchen time in Alexandria. Usually, my customers pick up orders at my house, but now that I have more customers in DC I have had to make some deliveries. I'm in the process of looking for a place to partner with to provide some of my products in DC. Other than that, I host tasting events on my own and with Professionals in the City. I have also sponsored several charity events.

Carla

I'd just like to go on record that I think the use of 'dessert wines' is just plain wrong. 'Sweet wines' is much more appropriate since these beverages can be enjoyed not just for desser or after dinner.

So there.

Sorry to agree with you. But you're right, many of them do go well with spicy food especially.

I hope some of you will consider attending my company's 4th tasting event, Birth of the Cool on Saturday from 7-10:30pm at Reflections on Pennsylvania Avenue. It will be an evening of cool jazz and cool desserts.

On the menu is the latest in our series of "cake cocktails", Apricots & Almonds, an apricot cake flavored with Amaretto and topped with a creamy mascarpone frosting. For the summer, we're introducing Charlie Jr.'s Blackberry Cobbler. And as promised, freshly made ice creams and sherberts as only The Cake Bar can do them. Sample our Key Lime Ice Cream Pie and a shot of Southern Comfort ice cream. Taste Lindemans fruit-flavored lambic beers and Scrumpets fine quality teas chosen to compliment the flavors of the desserts. All of this set to the sounds of Miles Davis, John Coltrane and other jazz greats of the 50s and 60s and featuring an exhibit of classic jazz photography and vintage concert posters.

You can purchase tickets on our website, The Cake Bar in advance for $20 or at the door for $25.

I look forward to meeting some of you and getting your feedback on my desserts. Eventually, I hope to open my own place but in the meantime I've enjoyed hosting these themed events and have had a good response.

Carla

FOr Moscato d'Asti I prefer either Marcarini or Marchese di Gresy

I will have to try a glass of Marchese di Gresy at your restaurant with the sogno di limoncello. That sounds delicious.

Can anyone recommend a good Tokaji? If I'm going to try the expensive stuff, I want to make sure it's good.

Also consider Madeira, either the Malmsey or Bual varieties. Luscious caramel flavors, and it never oxidizes--can keep an opened bottle almost forever.

In addition, of course Suternes. I find they pair amazingly well with creamy or cakey citrus desserts, like an orange or lemon cake with creamy frosting or lemon tart.

Also consider the German Ausleses, Beerenausleses, Eisweins, and Trockenbeerenausleses. Very good stuff, and like other German wines, underconsumed in the US, possibly due to the unaproachability of the names and the German wine lebelling system.

Also consider Demi-Sec (medium dry) and Doux (sweet) Champagne.

Yes, I can never pronounce Gewurztraminer. But I like the Eisweins.

And as an alternative to Champagne, I love Moscato D'Asti but I figured out the best brand.

Muscat de Beaume de Venise

Yalumba Victoria Museum Tawny

R. L. Buller's Premium Fine Muscat

The Muscat de Beaume de Venise was recommended to me to serve with my caramel cake, but I've yet to try it. The Tawny I've served a couple of times with chocolate desserts.

I am a huge fan of the Canadian ice wines. I think they pair nicely with chocolate but are great just to sip.

I want to try out some of the Canadian ice wines. I think ice wines are my favorite so far. Jackson Triggs was recommended to me when I was looking for something to pair with sweet potato desserts. I checked out their website and the look like they have several wines I would enjoy.

Muscat de Beaume de Venise

Yalumba Victoria Museum Tawny

R. L. Buller's Premium Fine Muscat

What is the Buller's Muscat like?

What are you're favorite dessert/sweet wines?

As I've been putting together my vision for my business, which initially was just desserts, I've added wines to my tasting events. I've never been much of a wine fan, but I realize now that's because I just can't acquire a taste for dry wines. I've always preferred Asti Spumante to Champagne. But sweet wines aren't as popular or plentiful and are usually more expensive.

Luckily, cake is my passion and I'm exploring the world of sweet wines. Any suggestions? So far, Bonny Doon's Muscat Vin de Glaciere is one of my favorites. There Bouteille Call port is my favorite port so far, especially since I've done some events focused on chocolate. And was also introduced to Rosa Regale a sparkling red wine with raspberry flavor. On the cheaper side, Sutter Home's Moscato is pretty good.

I usually rely on Jane Cahill who owns The Winery in Alexandria to help me with my picks to match my menu.

The event will be sponsored by Pa Dian Accents Art & Framing, Lindeman's Farm Brewery and Scrumpets tea company.

Suited for Change Fifteenth Annual Celebration

Tuesday, May 15th 6:30-9:30pm

The National Museum of Women in the Arts

1250 New York Avenue

Washington, DC

Champagne, Hors D'oeuvres, Silent Auction and Cake Bar

Tickets are $98. Purchase online at www.suitedforchange.com

Suited for Change provides professional clothing and ongoing career and life skills education to low-income women to increase their employment and job retention potential and to contribute to their economic independence.

Carla Durham

Owner/Pastry Chef

The Cake Bar

www.thecakebarandlounge.com

SAVE THE DATE

Saturday, June 9th 7-10:30pm

Reflections Studios

631 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, DC 20003

The Cake Bar hosts Birth of the Cool

No matter how delicious the cake, it can always benefit from a scoop of ice cream. So The Cake Bar has created ice creams and sherbets to compliment its desserts.

The event will be sponsored by Pa Dian Accents Art & Framing, Lindeman's Lambic Beers and Scrumpets tea company.

Carla Durham

Owner/Pastry Chef

The Cake Bar

www.thecakebarandlounge.com

301-419-8103

The Cake Bar's first Sunday afternoon tea, Tea Infusion, on April 22nd honored Southern tradition, but added new twists. The event was an introduction to spring with purple and lavender tulips decorating Reflections sun-filled studio on Capitol Hill and fresh fruit and vegetables complimenting the pastries and teas.

On the dessert menu was:

• Limoncello 6 - lemon cake layered with lemon curd and a lemon mascarpone frosting and infused with the famous Italian lemon liqueur
  
• Cake by the Pound - a traditional bundt poundcake
  
• Highlanders - brown sugar shortbread
  
• Florida Keys - key lime sugar cookies drizzled with a key lime glazed
  
• Beignets - served hot and covered with powdered sugar
  
• Mint Julep fudge - rich chocolate fudge flavored with bourbon and fresh mint
  

Teas served by sponsor Scrumpets, www.scrumpets.com:

• Ring Ben's Bell - an organic Earl Grey
  
• Life's Lemons - a lemon flavored black tea was served on ice
  
• Bermuda Triangle - a mango and pineapple flavored green tea
  
• Nawlins' Nilla - a vanilla flavored red tea
  
• Peach Fuzz - peach flavored white tea
  
• Cleopatra's Chamomille - an Egyptian herbal tea
  
• Karamel Choco Chai - an Indian masala chai with notes of caramel and Belgian chocolate
  
• Nomad's Travels - a jasmine and orange flavored oolong tea
  

To compliment the menu flavored cheeses from Cheesetique, Lemon Ricotta and Stilton with mango and ginger, and Sutter Home's Moscato, a light-bodied dessert wine with flavors of honeydew melon and orchard peaches.

The event featured an exhibit by Nigerian painter Lola Akinmade and poetry readings and spoken word from Winona Addison, Dominque Hollins, Fred Joiner and DeWayne Alston.

Pictures from The Cake Bar's April 22nd event, Tea Infusion.

It's come to my attention that the link to purchase tickets to Tea Infusion wasn't working properly. So if you attempted to buy tickets, your order did not process. If you haven't attempted, run, don't walk to www.thecakebarandlounge.com to get your tickets in advance to this fabulous event.

Also, I would like to share with my new found and future friends on the board that the event was listed in Wednesday's Food Section of The Washington Post in the "To Do". I consider this my first foray into Pastry Celebritydom.

Carla Durham

Owner/Pastry Chef

The Cake Bar

Not a fan of dainty china and cucumber sandwiches. Don't be afraid, The Cake Bar is turning the southern afternoon tea on its ear. A green tea flavored with mango and pineapple, jasmine and orange oolong... and a classic iced tea.

This event's featured liqueur cake is Limoncello, lemon cake soaked with the delicious Italian lemon liqueur, filled with lemon curd and topped with a light lemon mascarpone frosting. And it wouldn't be a southern tea without mint juleps or in this case, mint julep fudge.

And while you attend to your sweet tooth you’ll be surrounded by the vibrant art of Lola Akinmade and hear the affecting words of poets Winona Addison, Dominique Hollins, Fred Joiner and DeWayne Alston.

by Lola Akinmade

I am...

a contradiction to common sense yet the essence of truth

actions reminiscent of the common lost soul

amid an existence as significant as your next breath

------ Dominique Hollins

Little BLACK girl am i,

bad, ugly, nappy, hair have i.

In the kitchen gettin' it fried,

"Fried, dyed, laid to the side."

------ Winona Addison

from Hair Memoirs, Perspectives and Unspoken Truths: from black girlhood to Black Womanhood

Buy tickets in advance at www.thecakebarandlounge.com.

The Cake Bar hosts an Afternoon of Tea, Cake, Art and Poetry

For more information: contact@thecakebarandlounge.com

To purchase advance tickets visit us at www.thecakebarandlounge.com