Recently in Notes from the Bakery Category

Me and famed french pastry chef David Lebovitz had fun making donuts (video to come!) before his book signing yesterday. Here he learning to frost his first cupcakes! Tres American!

It's no secret how much Erin adores Julia Childs. One might even say that she channelled her inner Julia when writing her second book, BabyCakes Covers the Classics . Any association with this kitchen master is welcomed by Erin.

We all remember the movie Julie & Julia (adapted from the memoir Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen) Well, Erin has her own "Julie" named Johanna, which is a charming development. She started the Bake through BabyCakes blog with the tag line "80 recipies, 2 books, 9 months." We're excited to see what the next months have in store for Johanna!

Yesterday we participated in LA's annual Donut Summit and guess what? Of the 55 competitors, BabyCakes was awarded the most excellent overall donut and thus crowned the DONUT KING of Los Angeles! It takes a lot to reign supreme over all those deep fried gluten and dairy filled donuts out there so we're really popping our colors right now. If you haven't been to our Downtown LA shop to try them yet, maybe this will motivate you.

Oh come on! How cute are these? Look hot or cool while you grocery shop whilst saving the planet! You can buy them on the online shop here.

It's no secret we love Anne Hathaway at BabyCakes but it's lovely to know the feeling is mutual! In an interview with Showbiz Spy she shares:

"I'm a vegetarian but I have a sweet tooth, so I go to this wonderful bakery in New York called BabyCakes," she said. "It makes amazing vegan cakes, which are gluten free and often sugar free, egg free and dairy free. The vegan apple pie is incredible - it's my favorite dish.I've got a cookbook from there and I've made just about everything in it. I'm an awesome baker -- I'll give myself credit for that," she said.

Awwwwwww!! Anne, if this showbiz thing doesn't work out for you we've got a uniform with your name embroidered on it. Give us a shout!
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Some of you don't know this but I do this monthly column for HelloGiggles now called Conversations and it's so fun! They let me just sit and IM with interesting females like Wendy Mullin and we just shoot the chip about business, the creative process and sometimes the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. This time around I chose Sloane Crosley the famed author of I Was Told There'd Be Cake and How Did You Get This Number which is now so popular that all I had to type into google was "How Di-" and it finished the book title for me. That's called success lovelies! Ok, go read the column now!

I met the famous, funny, freaky pastry chef David Lebovitz when he stopped by BabyCakes last year and for most of you food and pastry people out there he doesn't need much of an introduction. If, however, you aren't familiar take a look at his best selling books like Room for Dessert, The Perfect Scoop or Ready for Dessert. At first glance you'd guess he's an uptight pastry snob but he's quite the opposite. Take a browse at his twitter and you'll find he's one part Joan Rivers, one part chocolate scientist (is that even a thing?) with a Justin Bieber-like following. I guarantee you'll soon be checking back hourly for his latest updates and become a psycho fan like the rest of us, not that he needs any more stalkers.

The reason I'm blabbing on and on about this guy because he's on a slow boat from Paris to NY and will be making his way to BabyCakes on August 3rd from 6-7:30 to chat and sign books for you. We'll be selling copies of his hardcover edition of The Sweet Life in Paris for the price of the paperback which is a big deal! Please RSVP here so we know how many people to expect. Can't wait to see you all there!

I started to work at the bakery because I wanted to wear a cute uniform, eat cookies all day and hang out all day with my baker/business owner sister (Erin). I stayed because her bakery ended up being inspiring and charged with an abundance of love and passion.

Going to work was something to get amped about. I couldn't wait to see what genius invention Erin had whipped up before I had even woken up (in those days, it was somewhere around a really partied out 11:00AM, but it's still a lot to accomplish in the morning). I would imagine new ways to frustrate Sabrina with my slovenliness. At night, my worker/bodyguard, Andy, and I would spend hours dancing to Beyoncé. It was summer all year long. (Except for that one winter when the pipes froze every other day. This was decidedly not like summer at all. We would all huddle around the oven to stay warm).

Those simpler days are gone. BabyCakes NYC is no longer the endearingly ramshackle operation it once was. I miss those new bakery times, but am grateful to have been a part of the expansion process as Erin continuously redefines my position (from Counter Girl to Office Manager to FOH Manager to Work at Home Social Media Expert). We now have policies, well kept books, more than six recipes and staff members who I've never even met before.

No matter its location or décor or staff, the bakery remains a joyful place. The most important part of this happiness to me is that of the children and their parents when they set foot in the bakery for the first time. The kids do victory dances when they realize they can eat any and all the baked goods in the case. The parents' hearts seem to jump when they see that excitement on their kids' faces. I get giddy as I watch kids eat a cupcake for the first time. Parents tell me about their child's allergies and I feel sad for them. These interactions are a lovely rollercoaster of emotions.

I always really appreciated these experiences and felt honored to be a part of them. As a new mom, however, I'm now able to fully realize the magnitude of emotions these parents feel. I can understand how heartbreaking it is to know that limitations have been placed on your child's life. For some, their children have serious allergies that will worry them for the rest of their lives. Birthday parties become events riddled with caution signs and the parents must quiz their kid to remind them not to touch the pizza.

As a mom, I want nothing but pure joy for Baby Darla and it hurts me to no end when it seems she's in pain. I'm in a constant state of panic about her health and happiness; I worry that she's going to get sick or have an allergy. I dread the day that we start introducing solid foods to her and learn if she has reactions to them. I now understand that panicked look in those parents' eyes and why they have so many concerns.

I try my best to not worry about these matters and stay in the moment so I can enjoy every second of Baby Darla's childhood. For now, I just need to try to make it through the night with a reasonable amount of sleep. Then, when I wake up in the morning and start my dream-work-from-home bakery job, Darla and I can dance to Beyoncé from one end of the day to the next.

This article about the Rockaway concessions by Nona Brooklyn might be a nice voyage from the stack of paperwork on your desk this blazing hot afternoon. Did you know we opened in Rockaway (no doi...). Enjoy!

For those of you who've been coming to BabyCakes since our early days on Broome Street in the Lower East Side, you may recognize my adorable sister Elizabeth (pictured left) as the happy face behind the counter for a very long time and later as the happy face behind the counter in our Downtown LA shop for a very long time.

Last winter, Elizabeth left to have that cute bundle of happiness (also pictured left) and while we couldn't be more happy for her, we still missed her a lot. Lucky for us all, she has agreed to come back to BabyCakes and master all our social media. She'll even guest blog once a week about all things West Coast and LA. I have a feeling we'll have a lot more baby related posts popping up which is more than fine by me. Welcome back Elizabeth! We're so lucky to bask in your California light! Welcome home!

PS: I totally did her hair in that photo #Brushingshouldersoff

I'll be speaking on the Chef's Panel at the Gaylord Palms Hotel in Orlando for the 37th Annual Gluten Intolerance Group (GiG) tomorrow at 2pm. If you are in the area stop by and participate! Hope to see you there OR at our Downtown Disney location!

Artists AndrewAndrew Take Their Meals Together, Consider Themselves 'Lab Rats of the Culinary Experience'. We gotta get them to BabyCakes, right? Read their New York Diet in NY Mag here.