Holiday Goodies from Essential Baking

Christmas Eve is here and Christmas Day is right behind it! Here are some fast and fabulous holiday treats from Essential Bakery.

• Really cute Snowman cake serves one ($3.50 – $5.95) and is made with rich almond-chocolate cake topped with dark chocolate mousse then covered in white chocolate snow. Available at Essential Bakery Cafes, Town & Country Market, Central Market, Metropolitan Markets, and Whole Foods.
• Traditional Yule Logs come in two sizes: a small Buchette($5.95) and a foot-long Buche de Noel ($40-$45). A Grand Marnier-soaked chocolate cake with chocolate ganache filling is rolled to look like a log, then covered in chocolate ganache, meringue mushrooms and chocolate leaves. Buche de Noels can be special ordered from Essential Bakery Cafes until New Year’s Eve, and are carried at Town & Country Market, Central Market, and Metropolitan Markets
• Holiday Cakes from Around the World come in a cluster of three ($11). The South Indian cake is spicy with cardamom, coffee and orange, and has cashews, currents and a splash of brandy. Port wine and orange liqueur, plus pecans and dried cherries and apricots make the Creole cake so southern, and the Mexican cake is spiked with a little tequila, white pepper, cinnamon and lots of chocolate. Three cakes serve 6-8. Available at Essential Bakery Cafes.

Call the bakeries before you go to be sure they still have Yule logs, cakes and snowmen. They are going fast.

Essential Bakery Cafe, Madison Valley, 2719 East Madison St., 206.328.0078, essentialbaking.com        Essential Bakery Cafe, Wallingford, 1604 N. 34^th St., 206.545.0444, essentialbaking.com