Love At First Bite

I've heard nothing but good about the tempting treats that make The Hummingbird Bakery so popular but I've never had the opportunity to witness the beauty with my own eyes.  That is until my bonne amie generously decided to buy me two of my very own cupcakes.

Maybe I should just brief you in on what The Hummingbird Bakery is all about - it first opened on Portobello Road in 2004 making American cupcakes and pies. Since then, they have opened two more stores in South Kensington and Soho and there's even a Hummingbird Bakery cookbook.

Anyway, where were we? Ahh yes, cupcakes. When I saw the white paper bag stamped with baby pink hummingbirds my eyes grew wide with interest. Pour moi? Really all for me? Nobody had ever bought me cupcakes before and the fact that they were from this popular bakery was a bonus!

I carefully slid a knife along the pretty sticker seal and was greeted by two perfectly presented Black Bottom Cupcakes - made up of a dark chocolate sponge, a cheesecake centre and a cream cheese frosting.

Now people who know me well know that I have a particular dislike to sweet treats that contain cheese - thus ruling out cheesecake and cream cheese frosting. However, completely unaware of the ingredients, I sliced the cupcake into two to share with my sister and...I was in Hummingbird heaven. The frosting was as smooth as silk and the sponge as soft as cotton candy. It was absolutely delicious! After devouring every last crumb, I started to get a slight aftertaste of cheese and asked my sister if she could taste the same. True enough the frosting was cream cheese and the sponge had a cheesecake filling - I never thought I'd say it but honestly it was scrumptious!!!

My bonne amie may have achieved something nobody else ever has - she might very well have converted me into a cheesecake/cream cheese frosting lover - only time will tell. But my opinion on the Hummingbird Bakery's Black Bottom Cupcake? It was love at first bite!