single serving cake: bi-rite creamery at dolores park

Jun 24

Jun 24 single serving cake: bi-rite creamery at dolores park

A.W.

As most of you who read this know, I'm not really an ice cream person. It will do in a pinch, but to quell a sweet tooth, it is not my go to. It is like Chinese food to me. An hour after having it, I still want something sweet. I need heft with my desserts and ice cream is rather light and fluffy. Can't say I was always like this. Like most kids I would totally eat any ice cream put in front of me, except ones with nuts, I though they were gross then.

Strawberry, chocolate, that Neopolitan stuff, cherry and even those weird Sherbert colored monstrosity of orange, lime and whatever. I was most partial to pineapple, though it wasn't a flavor you could get in the stores. It was something we used to make at home with one of those old school ice cream makers you put ice and salt around the canister then turn it on and wait what felt like hours for it to churn into that sweet creamy concoction. Mostly we did this in summer or for birthdays as it was like a special event for pops to haul out the stuff and pull it all together. Ah, memories, I think.

Which brings me to the present. I was wandering around checking out the revamped Dolores Park area when the need for sweet struck. I knew Tartine Bakery was just a block away, but ugh, the lines, so that was out. I headed down 18th Street and saw the Bi-Rite Creamery spot (for which weirdly, there was no line) and thought I remembered they had other things besides ice cream, why not see what else they got. I'm sure their ice cream is perfectly fine, but I really need something substantial right now.

Well, not much but there were cookies, cupcakes, some pie flavor and AAAHHHHH! As the angels sang! Chocolate bundt cake with chocolate icing! Why yes, I'll have a slice to go I said as I sidled up to the counter. The server pulled the cake out of the case, retrieved a knife and proceeded to cut what turned out to be a larger than I was expecting slice all for the not so princely sum of $3.50! Sugar coma here I come!

Yeah, seriously, I did not expect such a large piece. Made with chocolate from TCHO, it is a dense, heavy, rich, moist cake generously slathered with chocolate frosting. I slid my fork through the spongy chocolate-ness making sure to get both cake and frosting. I popped the forkful into my mouth and luxuriated in it's yummy sweetness as I swear I heard those dessert angels singing again! Was it sweet? Yes and no. Of course there is a bountiful supply of sugar in here but the chocolate was on the darker side which helps to off-set it. At least for me, but remember, I probably have a higher sugar threshold than most folks.

Bite after bite, I savored the hefty cake and half way through, my sweet tooth was satisfied. That's right, I didn't eat the whole thing in one sitting. Shocking I know, however, it was such a large piece I felt okay with it and wanted to spread out my good fortune of finding this over more than one day. And answering your next question, yes, I did finish it off the following day as the moistness held up and the flavor was just as tasty the second time around.

What can I say except well done Bi-Rite Creamery, you've not only made a chocolate bundt cake to be proud, but it will also satisfy most anyone's chocolate dessert sweet tooth. If it can mine, it can for a lot folks. I supposed since this is an ice cream place first, you could always get it with a scoop on the side or something, but really, unless you just have to have some ice cream, why bother. By itself this is what cake is supposed to be. Satisfying, rich, moist and frosted! Mmmmm....now I'm starting to have flashbacks to it. I wonder how fast I can get an Uber/Lyft over there--surge pricing be damned!