Cake can be traumatizing. Anyone who has read my anecdotes such as, Little Boy and Caramel Cake or heard me lament about burnt cheesecake (never drink red wine and whisky whilst baking) knows I have a history with cake. Last year I splurged on what was supposed to be the most beautiful birthday cake of my life. I sent pictures to the Munich bakery, Zuckersucht, sent them details for the flavours and colours and paid 120€ in advance. Click here to see the cake I ordered and the cake they delivered to my birthday party. Do you understand the trauma now?
This article is about end of my ten-year search to find proper American cakes in Europe. Blow the trumpets, ring the bells..Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce Sugarplum Cake Shop.
The shop opened just three weeks ago and I have been three times in the past ten days. It’s not in my neighborhood so that’s saying something. I won’t venture out across town without good cause. Sugarplum Cake Shop definitely qualifies as “good cause “.
The neighborhood cat, René, who likes to stroll into the shop and steal people's seats.
The first thing I noticed when entering the shop/café was the well conceived aesthetic and concept of the shop. Alternating stone and brick walls, deft use of a colour palette that includes aubergine, creams and natural wood. The place is inviting before you ever catch a glimpse of the real reason you’re there: cakes, cookies, pies, crumbles, scones…
Whoever planned the shop’s design understood how to bring American Cozy to Paris. There’s a large dining table at the front of the shop that invites groups of friends to come in and makes you feel as if you’re visiting someone’s cool aunt for afternoon scones and tea.
All of this praise and I still haven’t gotten to the cake!
Let me say this, as interested as I am in aesthetic, when it comes to food I’m a difficult person to distract with ambiance and surroundings. The first time I entered Sugarplum Cake Shop I made my way to the counter to peer through the glass at the treats on display.
There were carrot cake, brownies, cheesecake, and an amazing looking American apple pie with raspberries. There were cookies of course but the one thing that warmed my heart with memories of childhood was the plate of Rice Crispy Treats. The owner was almost apologetic about them, saying “The French might turn their nose up at something like Rice Crispy Treats but they remind us of our childhood and we thought others would feel the same”. Amen to that!
Of all the things I instantly liked about Sugar Plum Cake Shop, it was those Rice Crispy Treats that struck a sentimental note and pushed me past that invisible threshold taking one from infatuation to true love.
On my first visit to the shop I had a perfectly moist carrot cake. My friend had the apple pie. Both were perfection.
The following Saturday another friend and I went back to pick up a dessert for the evening. This time we took what looked like a flapjack, made with dates and a blueberry crumble. One of the three partners, Laurel, told us that it was actually a blueberry crisp because it had oatmeal in the topping. Roger and I had never heard of such a difference between crumbles and crisp but we took her word for it, it was wonderful.
One warning about taking a tea at Sugarplum, when they say “full” they mean it. I’ve grown accustomed to the pathetic pots of tea Parisian cafés serve for 4.50€. The amount of hot water and tea they serve is pathetic.
But not at Sugarplum.
Really, it took me two hours to finish the full pot of tea I ordered, next time I will go with a demi. But the fact that they offer such a large pot of tea is in perfect alignment with the feel of the place. When you go in with friends and sit around the large, inviting table in the front, order a full pot of tea, eat your cake slowly and relish the feeling of being almost home again.
Information
Sugarplum Cake Shop creates beautiful wedding cakes and cakes for special occasions.
They have a: Facebook page here
Website
Their address:
-
Paris, France, 75005
- Tues – Sat:
- 09:00 – 19:00
- Sun:
- 10:00 – 17:00
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© 2010, Epicure on a Budget. All rights reserved.
E. Dehillerin is my favourite store in Paris for cooking and baking wares. The shop first opened in 1820 and is still a family business. If you’ve ever seen the Harry Potter films, you’ll understand when I say that it reminds me of the the maze-like, disorganized Ollivander’s.
