I am a huge sugar fiend -- I can't help it, and I can't get enough of it. My biggest vice is cake.... and creme brulee, and tiramisu, oh and ice cream!!! I could go on an on! As you can see, being gluten free, casein free, and sugar free has been a huge mental hurdle for me! However, as much as I love these goodies, I hate being sick so I am very good about not eating things I am not supposed to. All of this to say that of all days, I really wanted some cake today -- my birthday.
I have been wanting to head down to babycakes in LA, the premier boutique bakery for all things gluten free, sugar free, and vegan. I had not made it there just yet because, in the past, the massive amounts of traffic, horrendous parking, and navigation of the not-so-safe downtown streets talked me out of a silly little cupcake every time. However, the nostalgia of cake on my birthday took hold of me today, and it is all I could think about all morning. [Sidenote: If you know my husband at all, you know he does not cook, and he certainly does not bake! So any hope of a homemade cake was a wasted wish. Furthermore, it is my birthday, so I was determined to not pick up a paint brush OR a whisk all day!] After several hours of going back and forth and not being decisive, I decided to go!
This wasn't an easy mission, it was just as bad as I thought it would be! We live just outside of LA county (thank goodness!!), but somehow a short distance always turns into a several hour trip! I left at 10 am, and this is the traffic I sat in (funny how this still baffles me after 6 months of living here)....
When I made it downtown, I circled the bakery about 6 times trying to get as close as I could while adhering to one way streets and roads that did not allow turns during certain hours. I finally parked a block and a half away, and if you know downtown LA, you know that was entirely too far away to be walking alone. Before I even got 50 yards down the street, a Los Angeles police officer approached me and asked where I was heading. He was so nice and walked the remaining block to the bakery with me...I was so thankful! I was welcomed by this....
...and this once I got inside....
One dozen cupcakes later, and $50 lighter (Yes, I almost fell over when they told me my total) I left with these awesome goodies that made the entire 3 hour odyssey worth every moment!
My plan is to stash some of my cupcakes away in the freezer for a later date....we will see how long that plan lasts! As far as Todd's plan...he may be more willing to bake a cake or procure a birthday cake prior to me taking things into my own hands and getting the Rolls Royce of cupcakes next year! ;o)
This has made my mouth water, I'm off to find those cupcakes!
