Yesterday I attended Canada’s Bridal Show to check out what was new and exciting for 2011. As expected, I had an amazing time perusing through all the vendor booths. Just a word to the wise, if you already have a wedding gown, the best time to walk through the show is during the fashion show–trust me, it’s way, way, quieter and easier to handle. As for the overall aesthetic of the bridal show, well, it blew me away this year. Vendors from all categories–florists, decorators, etc.–really brought their best. Flowers streamed the aisles, drapes were piled high and cakes, well, there was a wonderful assortment. In 2010, we raved about how much we loved red velvet–clearly they’ve been reading our blogs because it was evident that red velvet was the “it” flavour. Every cake sample station I went to included–you guessed it, red velvet–look out chocolate and vanilla. How exciting! Now for those of you unfamiliar with the flavour, red velvet can easily be described as a rich and sweet taste similar to chocolate–but usually served with cream cheese frosting. It’s hard to truly describe the flavour of something, so the next time you meet with your cake designer, be sure to include that to your sample request selection. If you want to know what it looks like, found this delectable red velvet cake image from We Take the Cake.

And, just for fun, here’s a bit of Did You Know ideas about this delicious flavour…

Did you know? A red velvet cake was a signature dessert at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City during the 1920s. According to a common urban legend of the 1960s a woman once asked for the recipe for the cake, and was billed a large amount. Indignant, she spread the recipe in a chain letter.

Did you know? In Canada the cake was a well-known dessert in the restaurants and bakeries of the Eaton’s department store chain in the 1940s and 1950s. Promoted as an exclusive Eaton’s recipe, with employees who knew the recipe sworn to silence, many mistakenly believed the cake to be the invention of the department store matriarch, Lady Eaton.

Did you know? A resurgence in the popularity of this cake is partly attributed to the 1989 film Steel Magnolias in which the groom’s cake (a southern tradition) is a red velvet cake made in the shape of an armadillo.

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Red velevt whoopie pies from Williams Sonoma.

I was shopping at Williams Sonoma this weekend and stopped dead in my tracks when I saw their red velvet Whoopie Pie mix. Have you ever had a Whoopie Pie? Let’s just say they are a little piece of heaven on earth. I first had this all-American treat last year in Phoenix (my first pie was a pumpkin flavoured one), and came back raving about them to the Weddingbells’ girls. I then found them in Toronto a few months later at the café at Holt Renfrew and brought some pies back to the office for everyone to try. Now thanks to Williams Sonoma, I can bake up a batch anytime I want with this mix which comes paired with a special Whoopie Pie pan so you make these sweet treats properly. If you are a baker and are looking to put something fun and different on your registry wish list, the Whoopie Pie pack from Williams Sonoma is a must.

Yesterday, our staff at Weddingbells received a nice surprise–delicious cakes. Of course, I was in on the surprise with Kristin from Cake or Death, who approached me a few weeks back about dropping off some cake samples at our office. Kristin was super-nice and sweet enough to bake us, not one, but three scrumptious confections in flavours of chocolate, pistachio and red velvet. As for the designs, it was a pleasant surprise to see them mimicked to look like an actual gift box from Chanel, Tiffany & Co. and Cartier.

Just a little info on Cake or Death, for those of you unfamiliar, they’re this talented cake company located in Mississauga. Their specialty? Alternative wedding cakes. I’m talking funky/whimsical custom sculpted cakes (click here to see their most recent work). But, if you’re truly a traditional bride, Cake or Death, hands down, is also a pro in creating elegant wedding cakes.

As for their flavours? Simply put, they’re delish. I asked a few of the staff to take a bite out of each. The winner? This should come as no surprise, Red Velvet won by a landslide. Don’t get me wrong, pistachio and chocolate were quite delightful, but there was something about that cream cheese frosting that really won us over. And, just for fun, here’s Jenn, Nicole and I hard at work.

Yesterday I accidentally gave Alison’s cupcake away. Don’t ask how, it just happened! So to make it up to her, I’ll be rolling up my sleeves, busting out my good ol’ KitchenAid mixer and making her one of her faves: Red Velvet! If you’ve never tried red velvet–oh boy–you are in for a treat. It’s this rich, yet not too sweet, chocolate cupcake. I scoured the internet for a really good recipe and found this really intriguing one from Cupcakes blog.

This is what the ingredients calls for:

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 oz. red food coloring (two bottles) or 4 oz beet juice (if you use unprocessed light cocoa you can leave out the food dyes and you’ll get a warm red/brown color)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Yum! I’m already salivating at the thought of biting into one, oh but of course, I’ll let Alison have the first bite. What kind of flavours do you have in your mind for your wedding cake or cupcake? Something traditional like chocolate and vanilla? Or something more modern like red velvet? I’d love to hear.

You  know what today is? It’s cupcake Tuesday! No, I’m just kidding. I just made that up so I have an excuse to post these goodies made by Yvonne from The Cake Box. Don’t they look delish? If you’re in Kitchener or around the area, I definitely recommend stopping by her shop to peruse through a selection of her yummy cupcakes. Some of her unique flavours inclulde: Oreo Cookies & Cream, Rocky Road, Vanilla Creme Brulee, and Double Chocolate Mint. Also, if you’re requesting for custom cupcakes, ask for red velvet (it’s not on the list but it’s one of her hidden specialties).