A Love Letter to the Baby Cake, and Other Valentine’s Day Treats
Vivienne's baby cakes—especially this chocolate with strawberry buttercream version—make an ideal Valentine's day treat for yourself or loved ones.
Image: Katherine Chew Hamilton
I’ve never been a big fan of flowers. The quickest way to my heart is through my stomach. While chocolates are a go-to gift, cakes and cookies somehow feel much more celebratory to me. With chocolates, I somehow feel obligated to slowly savor each truffle, stretching out the life of the box to a week or more. Cakes and cookies give you the go-ahead to devour the whole thing while it’s still fresh. Here are some last-minute options you can pick up for yourself and/or your loved ones. (Weather notice: please don’t drive in the snow! Plan to visit places you can walk to, or wait until the weather’s cleared up. It’s also best to call before heading over, since many businesses have temporarily closed due to winter storms.)
I kicked off my Valentine’s Day weekend by buying myself one of Vivienne’s baby cakes—a two-layer chocolate cake frosted with buttercream. Coming in at about five inches in diameter, this has been one of my regular treats to myself every couple weeks. I cut it into four little slices when I’m in the mood for a little treat, or into halves when I want a full-on cake indulgence. This special Valentine’s Day edition layers moist, fluffy chocolate cake with lightly sweetened strawberry buttercream, reminiscent of fresh strawberry ice cream in the summer. Rainbow sprinkles around the edges add edible nostalgia, like the birthday cakes of childhood. Just be careful not to choke on the adorable powdered sugar heart, like I did while eagerly shoveling cake into my mouth. These babies are available for online preorder and pickup Saturday and Sunday.
PoMo readers in Beaverton can head to La Rosé Pâtisserie for the Goddess’s Kiss, a cake shaped into picture-perfect, sensuous-looking red lips. The dense chocolate cake is layered with Valrhona dark chocolate mousse, with a filling of passion fruit gelée in the center that adds tangy, tropical flair. La Rosé is open all weekend for online order and walk-ins.
And for a dose of Valentine’s Day coziness, look no further than Heim Bakery, a charming Roseway bakery and café whose name means “home” in German. Owner and baker Jennifer Plitzko is baking up soft, chewy raspberry cookies for Valentine’s Day this year, adding vibrancy and color to a classic Valrhona chocolate chip cookie. Other must-tries include a mix of house-made vanilla and raspberry caramels—the latter tinted a beautiful burgundy, melding the flavors of raspberry, butter, and toasted sugar into a smooth, chewy treat. Preorder online by tonight, February 12, for pickup on Saturday, February 13.
