It's been awhile since I updated this, and I think you'll be pleased to know we have moved almost entirely to using organic ingredients! Some things haven't changed, though: our commitment to taste and quality!
I still believe that desserts are one of life’s great pleasures, and I hope you’ll make our delicious offerings one of yours. Dessert is supposed to be a special treat, so it should be really worth it, right? One of my pet peeves is taking a bite of a really beautiful and beautifully-plated dessert, only to have it taste like...SUGAR (or, worse, cardboard)! I want you to be able to bite into Cakes' goodies and taste more than just sweetness: whether it's the rich creamy taste of butter; the complex, slightly bitter, fruity-woodsy flavor of dark chocolate; the sweet, zesty tang of limes or oranges; the surprising tartness of a dried cherry; the aromatic warmth of sweet spices like cardamom or nutmeg; or the subtle earthiness of a walnut, pecan or hazelnut. Desserts shouldn't just look different from one another, they should each provide their own individual taste, texture, and sensory experience! The next time you take a bite of one of our brownies, cakes or tarts, close your eyes and you'll see what I mean.
I'm an avid label-reader and am always looking for ways to make our Cakes products better--and that starts with the ingredients we use. When we make our desserts, we choose the freshest ingredients, most of them organic, and look for simple wholesome products with the fewest possible additives. While that might make our products cost a bit more, I think you'll agree that everything tastes better.
We continue our commitment not to use trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, flavorings, preservatives, or dyes--ever! We choose local and seasonal products as much as possible, and use both organic ingredients and those certified to be free of hormones (e.g. rBGH), GMOs, pesticides, or antibiotics. Some key ingredients in our baked goods (like chocolate, spices, and coffee) aren’t locally grown, so we researched where they come from and how they are produced, and are committed to using certified organic, fair-trade chocolate, coffee, and spices (even though they cost more).
Every product label lists our ingredients and specifies which are organic, and the few that are not. We also use best practices when baking vegan, gluten-free and nut-free products to minimize cross-contamination (let us know if you have any questions). We encourage you to read our labels and compare them to other baked goods you buy. We think you’ll agree that what we don't put into Cakes products is as important as what we do use! You'll taste the difference!
Here’s some specific information about ingredients we currently use.
I still believe that desserts are one of life’s great pleasures, and I hope you’ll make our delicious offerings one of yours. Dessert is supposed to be a special treat, so it should be really worth it, right? One of my pet peeves is taking a bite of a really beautiful and beautifully-plated dessert, only to have it taste like...SUGAR (or, worse, cardboard)! I want you to be able to bite into Cakes' goodies and taste more than just sweetness: whether it's the rich creamy taste of butter; the complex, slightly bitter, fruity-woodsy flavor of dark chocolate; the sweet, zesty tang of limes or oranges; the surprising tartness of a dried cherry; the aromatic warmth of sweet spices like cardamom or nutmeg; or the subtle earthiness of a walnut, pecan or hazelnut. Desserts shouldn't just look different from one another, they should each provide their own individual taste, texture, and sensory experience! The next time you take a bite of one of our brownies, cakes or tarts, close your eyes and you'll see what I mean.
I'm an avid label-reader and am always looking for ways to make our Cakes products better--and that starts with the ingredients we use. When we make our desserts, we choose the freshest ingredients, most of them organic, and look for simple wholesome products with the fewest possible additives. While that might make our products cost a bit more, I think you'll agree that everything tastes better.
We continue our commitment not to use trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, flavorings, preservatives, or dyes--ever! We choose local and seasonal products as much as possible, and use both organic ingredients and those certified to be free of hormones (e.g. rBGH), GMOs, pesticides, or antibiotics. Some key ingredients in our baked goods (like chocolate, spices, and coffee) aren’t locally grown, so we researched where they come from and how they are produced, and are committed to using certified organic, fair-trade chocolate, coffee, and spices (even though they cost more).
Every product label lists our ingredients and specifies which are organic, and the few that are not. We also use best practices when baking vegan, gluten-free and nut-free products to minimize cross-contamination (let us know if you have any questions). We encourage you to read our labels and compare them to other baked goods you buy. We think you’ll agree that what we don't put into Cakes products is as important as what we do use! You'll taste the difference!
Here’s some specific information about ingredients we currently use.
· Flour: We use King Arthur unbleached organic and conventional flours. We also use King Arthur Gluten-Free flour in our GF products. King Arthur Flour is milled from wheat sourced exclusively from North America and all products are verified non-GMO (1). King Arthur is also a certified B-Corp (short for "for-benefit" corporation).
· Fresh Dairy Products (e.g. butter, milk, cream, sour cream, buttermilk, mascarpone, creme fraiche, yogurt, and cream cheese): We use primarily certified organic dairy products, but even the conventional products we use are verified rBGH (or rBST)- free (2). Our buttermilk contains just milk, cultures, and lemon juice (unlike some brands that add stabilizers and artificial ingredients) and we make our own Creme Fraiche, evaporated, and condensed milks from organic products. We are proud to use Stoneyfield Organic Oikos Greek yogurt (the only all-organic brand that is certified to be rBST-, GMO- and pesticide-free), and Horizon Organic Unsalted Butter, Milk and Sour Cream.
· Sweeteners: We use both organic and traditional sugars, organic blue agave, or organic local honey as sweeteners. We never add high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners to our desserts or toppings, including our made-from-scratch Caramel and Marshmallow toppings. We do not use artificial sweeteners (including processed Stevia) and you will find that we use much less sugar in our desserts than commercial bakeries.
· Oils and Shortening: We use non-GMO and organic canola or soy shortening and organic virgin coconut oil in our brownies and a few of our cakes, but we primarily use (organic) butter as the “fat” in our products. We make every effort to choose products that are verified by suppliers to be non-genetically modified and as our business grows, are moving to using organic oils and shortening exclusively.
· Eggs: We currently use grade AA large organic eggs that are hormone-free and cage-free. We'll keep you posted on our quest to find the best affordable pastured eggs to use in our Cakes' products!
· Baking Powder: Some baking powders contain aluminum (uch, right?) that can leave a bitter taste in baked goods and is an unnecessary (and we think, unwelcome) additive! We use baking powder that is aluminum-free and non-GMO.
· Fresh Fruits, Veggies, and Herbs (e.g. lemons, limes, oranges, apples, carrots, zucchini, berries, peaches, ginger and herbs). We buy organic produce whenever possible, and always list that information on our labels! We carefully wash and/or peel our produce to remove surface dirt, wax or other unwanted items before we use them.
· Nuts, dried fruits, fruit and nut spreads, and purees: Our nuts, dried fruits, pureed pumpkin are certified organic by each of our suppliers. We make our own chocolate-hazelnut and fruit spreads from scratch from organic nuts and fruits.
· Coconut: We use organic unsweetened coconut. Many supermarket coconut contains artificial additives like propylene glycol (to absorb moisture and prevent clumping). Though the Food and Drug Administration generally classifies it as safe, it is known to cause irritation of the skin, as well as problems with our renal, respiratory and digestive systems...so, we say: Who needs it?? We don't!
· Coffee, Chocolate and Cocoa, and Spices: Chocolate is an ingredient in so many of Cakes' offerings, that we want only the best-tasting varieties AND those that are the most "socially conscious" (in terms of how they are produced and sold). Conventionally grown chocolate is one of the most pesticide-intense crops grown today, and both coffee and chocolate crops are problematic in terms of how the growers are treated (i.e., small farmers typically receive prices for their products that are less than the costs of production, forcing them into a cycle of poverty and debt). So, we specially blend a variety of Certified Organic and Fair-Trade chocolate and cocoa to get the flavors of our chocolate desserts and confections just the way we want them. We also use Organic Fair-Trade coffee from Raleigh's own Larry's beans in our Mocha fillings and Buttercream, as well as in some of our cakes.
· Spices, Extracts, Flavorings, and Colorings: We use primarily organic whole and ground spices and extracts. Our organic extracts and flavorings come from real (never artificial) products like vanilla beans, fruits and berries, and herbs. We do use some liquors and alcohol products that are not available in organic alternatives (like Grand Marnier), but these ingredients are generally used sparingly and their use is discussed with clients before using. We choose not use artificial food colorings in our baked goods--our cakes and desserts reflect the color of their ingredients. We use all-natural organic vegetable ingredients (like red beets, cherries, currants, blueberries, pomegranate, carrot juice, or tumeric) to add coloring to some of our decorations--but you will notice that our decorative color schemes tend to be softer/more muted, since these natural products also have their own unique flavors!
***
(1) GMO (genetically modified organisms) are added to many crops like corn, soy, canola, and cotton to make them more resistant to herbicides. While they produce greater yields at lower costs for farmers, and have been deemed safe by the FDA, many questions remain about what long term affect they have on our health and well-being.
(2) rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) is injected into cows to increase milk production but it also increases disease rates in cows and has been linked to possible increases in cancer and antibiotic resistance in humans.
· Fresh Dairy Products (e.g. butter, milk, cream, sour cream, buttermilk, mascarpone, creme fraiche, yogurt, and cream cheese): We use primarily certified organic dairy products, but even the conventional products we use are verified rBGH (or rBST)- free (2). Our buttermilk contains just milk, cultures, and lemon juice (unlike some brands that add stabilizers and artificial ingredients) and we make our own Creme Fraiche, evaporated, and condensed milks from organic products. We are proud to use Stoneyfield Organic Oikos Greek yogurt (the only all-organic brand that is certified to be rBST-, GMO- and pesticide-free), and Horizon Organic Unsalted Butter, Milk and Sour Cream.
· Sweeteners: We use both organic and traditional sugars, organic blue agave, or organic local honey as sweeteners. We never add high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners to our desserts or toppings, including our made-from-scratch Caramel and Marshmallow toppings. We do not use artificial sweeteners (including processed Stevia) and you will find that we use much less sugar in our desserts than commercial bakeries.
· Oils and Shortening: We use non-GMO and organic canola or soy shortening and organic virgin coconut oil in our brownies and a few of our cakes, but we primarily use (organic) butter as the “fat” in our products. We make every effort to choose products that are verified by suppliers to be non-genetically modified and as our business grows, are moving to using organic oils and shortening exclusively.
· Eggs: We currently use grade AA large organic eggs that are hormone-free and cage-free. We'll keep you posted on our quest to find the best affordable pastured eggs to use in our Cakes' products!
· Baking Powder: Some baking powders contain aluminum (uch, right?) that can leave a bitter taste in baked goods and is an unnecessary (and we think, unwelcome) additive! We use baking powder that is aluminum-free and non-GMO.
· Fresh Fruits, Veggies, and Herbs (e.g. lemons, limes, oranges, apples, carrots, zucchini, berries, peaches, ginger and herbs). We buy organic produce whenever possible, and always list that information on our labels! We carefully wash and/or peel our produce to remove surface dirt, wax or other unwanted items before we use them.
· Nuts, dried fruits, fruit and nut spreads, and purees: Our nuts, dried fruits, pureed pumpkin are certified organic by each of our suppliers. We make our own chocolate-hazelnut and fruit spreads from scratch from organic nuts and fruits.
· Coconut: We use organic unsweetened coconut. Many supermarket coconut contains artificial additives like propylene glycol (to absorb moisture and prevent clumping). Though the Food and Drug Administration generally classifies it as safe, it is known to cause irritation of the skin, as well as problems with our renal, respiratory and digestive systems...so, we say: Who needs it?? We don't!
· Coffee, Chocolate and Cocoa, and Spices: Chocolate is an ingredient in so many of Cakes' offerings, that we want only the best-tasting varieties AND those that are the most "socially conscious" (in terms of how they are produced and sold). Conventionally grown chocolate is one of the most pesticide-intense crops grown today, and both coffee and chocolate crops are problematic in terms of how the growers are treated (i.e., small farmers typically receive prices for their products that are less than the costs of production, forcing them into a cycle of poverty and debt). So, we specially blend a variety of Certified Organic and Fair-Trade chocolate and cocoa to get the flavors of our chocolate desserts and confections just the way we want them. We also use Organic Fair-Trade coffee from Raleigh's own Larry's beans in our Mocha fillings and Buttercream, as well as in some of our cakes.
· Spices, Extracts, Flavorings, and Colorings: We use primarily organic whole and ground spices and extracts. Our organic extracts and flavorings come from real (never artificial) products like vanilla beans, fruits and berries, and herbs. We do use some liquors and alcohol products that are not available in organic alternatives (like Grand Marnier), but these ingredients are generally used sparingly and their use is discussed with clients before using. We choose not use artificial food colorings in our baked goods--our cakes and desserts reflect the color of their ingredients. We use all-natural organic vegetable ingredients (like red beets, cherries, currants, blueberries, pomegranate, carrot juice, or tumeric) to add coloring to some of our decorations--but you will notice that our decorative color schemes tend to be softer/more muted, since these natural products also have their own unique flavors!
***
(1) GMO (genetically modified organisms) are added to many crops like corn, soy, canola, and cotton to make them more resistant to herbicides. While they produce greater yields at lower costs for farmers, and have been deemed safe by the FDA, many questions remain about what long term affect they have on our health and well-being.
(2) rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) is injected into cows to increase milk production but it also increases disease rates in cows and has been linked to possible increases in cancer and antibiotic resistance in humans.
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