IMBB? – A Walk Around the World in 30 Cakes

Yesterday was “blog burning day” – third time around. And this time, our kitchens were burning and fuming with the fragrant aromas of freshly baked cakes.

Cakes in all shapes, sizes, looks, styles, colors, tastes, flavors, aromas and textures. Cakes each with their own story to tell. And, yes, each with their own style to show.

So, without much further ado, may I present to you 30 delectable, scrumptious-looking cakes from around the world…

We begin our round-the-world trip in balmy Hawaii…

To get us energized and charged up for the trip ahead, Reid, who is brand new to the food-blogging community, has made us a delicious Chocolate Rocky Road Cake, served with Dark Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. A nice sweet start to the journey.

Okay, all aboard the “IMBB flying-carpet”! (Yes, I know I said “walk around the world”, but hey, why walk when you can fly). We skim across the Pacific, on to the mainland…

And to sunny (most parts anyways) California.

In Oakland, Derrick awaits our arrival with an interesting and intriguing Terrine de Gateau of Verjus Curd with White Chocolate Cream Frosting.

We stay in the Bay Area, as Charlotte has prepared a Pound Cake – all ready for us to top with clotted cream and fresh raspberries. Ah! Yes! Clotted cream and raspberries!

And oh, oh… what’s a cake walk without Cupcakes. I mean, really? And Amy has so graciously obliged. Yay!

Owen brings along an interesting and tasty concoction of a Raspberry Cinnamon Torte. Raspberry and cinnamon, now that’s not one, but two “good things”!

Pim’s away on a business trip. But guess what? She left us the keys! So naturally, we quite happily make ourselves at home chez Pim and gleefully help ourselves to her Madeleine au Citron, made from her own original recipe.

We then sweep eastwards, to the “Windy City”, Chicago, where it is a lovely sweet, caramel-y trip down nostalgia lane in the Too Many Chefs kitchen, with Barrett’s version of “Ann Tharp – Xmas ’83 – modified by Rosalind McFall” Turtle Cake.

Next stop, Cleveland. And the spirit of Anne of Green Gables comes to life in the kitchen of LadyGoat and FoodGoat with their rendition of Anne’s Anodyne Liniment Cake.

Donna in Central Pennsylvania brings a bright, cheery, sunny whiff of summer with her very pretty Hummingbird Cake with Dried Pineapple Flowers.

Staying in the area, Mark offers us each a slice of an American classic – a Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. A must-have at any cake walk, surely.

New York City here we come!

Little Ellie gurgles in amusement as we pounce on Deb’s beautiful Freckled Mocha Cake with Chocolate-Hazelnut Mousse and Vanilla Buttercream. Coffee, chocolate and hazelnut… sorry, let me say that again… coffee, chocolate and Nutella… need I say more?

We also welcome BBRUB to our rowdy cake gathering, and very happily clear some dessert-table space for her Four-Layer Cake with Lemon Curd and Lady Crumpet’s Loving Cupcakes. Chocolate and lemon curd, how can we not love such a loving gesture.

Speaking of things yellow, Jeremy of Frost Street, provides us with a light-hearted and fun moment with his Soft-Boiled Egg Cake. You’ve got to check this one out!

Josh transports us through history as he whips up a light and elegant Food Section offering of Post-Proustian Madeleines.

Our last pit-stop in the USA… Boston, Massachusetts. The girl can eat and bake. The next cake course is served. A Red Velvet Cake with Mixed Berries.

We head North across the border and catch sight of our very own Domestic Goddess. And boy! Did she have a cake waiting for us! I won’t even describe it. It has to be seen.

Time to clamber back onto our magical IMBB flying-carpet, as we soar across the Atlantic… Europe, here we come.

First stop, London – where Anthony and Simon have baked a perennial favorite – Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Carrot cake… who can resist? Always a good choice for a birthday, and this one looks quick and easy to make.

A pretty and tasty sight greets us at A Spoonful of Sugar. Coffee, Bailey’s Irish Cream and chocolate all come together beautifully in Angela’s Bailey’s Irish Cream Cake.

We continue to traverse the English Isles, and pop in for a visit at Woolfit, where Meg serves up another “adult grape juice”-inspired cake… a lovely, delicately Muscat-infused Beaumes-de-Venise cake with grapes.

Now, a quick skip and a hop across the Channel we go, onwards to the “City of Lights”, Paris.

Upon arrival, we are offered fresh strawberries, whipped cream and velvet cake. What a scrumptious trio! Meg of Too Many Chefs recalls and recreates a fond, and very delicious, childhood memory – Thompson’s Cake.

Still in Paris, we visit with Clotilde of Chocolate & Zucchini. So, you have been wondering about the creative name of her website? Wonder no more. Meet the site’s namesake… the cake version, that is. A moist, chocolatey, nutty and very creative… Chocolate & Zucchini Cake, of course.

It’s a lovely Sunday afternoon, and so we linger a little longer in Paris. We stop at Pascale’s for a quintessential Parisien afternoon indulgence… a cup of coffee and some delectable Hazelnut Madeleines.

Time to move on, as we cross the border into Switzerland, and travel towards Zurich. Oh yes, by this time, after all that flying, we are in much need of some (sorry, more) libation. And of course, Maki is all ready for us with her fantastic Irish Stout Cake with Whiskey-Sour Icing. *hick* One more piece for the road?

Next stop, Jena, Germany. There, Alberto awaits… with yes, more liqueur-infused (aren’t you just loving this trip so far?) sweet decadence. We go fruity this time with the all-German classic, “Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte”, or better known to you and me as Black Forest Cake.

Our taste-buds get a small breather as we pop over to Austria where Sasha has prepared a delectably light, tangy Lemon Tart. With palates refreshed, we are off again…

Hold on to your hats. Quickly now, we zip over mountains and across seas, onward towards Asia…

In Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, Shiewie’s kitchen is emanating tangy and fruity aromas as her beautifully colorful Apple and Cranberry Torte comes out of the oven.

And finally, we land on the little tropical isle of Singapore, the place I call home.

First, we drop in on fellow Singaporean foodie, Umami and her two cake creations – a Huat Kueh from the East and a Chestnut Orange Sandwich Cake from the West.

Lastly, welcome to the kitchen of yours truly… as we round off our whirlwind food tour on a strongly “aromatic” note with my Durian Fudge Cake.

24 hours. 18 time zones. 9 countries. 19 (maybe 21) cities. 28 food-lovers. 30 scrumptious cakes. **

Wow! It has been a glorious joy-ride. I hope you have enjoyed this spectacular sojourn around the world as much as I have. It’s been colorful, vibrant, exciting, fascinating, exhilarating, fun, and yes, very, very tasty. Thank you to each and everyone for your generous creativity and great sense of fun that has made this fantastic journey possible.

If I’ve inadvertently missed anyone, my sincere apologies. Please drop me a line, and I’ll immediately add you to the itinerary.

And as we look forward to our next international magical mystery food tour, if you have any ideas or suggestions, please drop “creative-brains-behind-IMBB” Alberto a line.

Now, if you’ll excuse me… ahem… I need to go grab that last piece of cake before it disappears…

** My apologies to those for whom I could not find information about your geographical location on your website. And may have thus wrongly placed you in the narrative and/or missed including your City in the count. Please let me know of any errors and I will very happily make the amendments.

Copyright © 2004 Renee Kho. All Rights Reserved.
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