Manila Peninsula King Oscar Cake

Almond meringue layered with custard filling and topped with shaved almond nuts and fresh strawberries.


The meringue in it were a mixture of a sugar meringue and an egg white meringue. It has the subtle airiness of the egg white meringue and the crunch of a sugar meringue. While the custard in between were different from the usual custard (in a brazo de mercedes and in cream puffs) but very delicious. They were not too sweet but very rich in taste and texture. The cake also has generous amount of almond nuts that cut whatever cloyingness you may feel (if there's any, none in my case).


My husband, who finds it absurd to spend too much on food especially on cakes/desserts, wants this cake for his birthday this December.


It's no wonder that it's one of the 20 YUMMIEST CAKES according to the Inquirer. It is fit for a king, even to the king of my heart (super cheesy :-) )


Happy Eating!

MANILA PENINSULA
Makati City

Goldilocks Chocolate Sansrival

One of the 20 Yummiest Commercially-Baked Cakes is from Goldilocks, the Chocolate Sansrival at P440. It was also included in Lucy Torres' Christmas Food List. Of course that got me curious and at the same time anxious to try it as soon as possible.


Alternating layers of cashew meringue wafers, butter cream and chocolate ganache filling, covered with chocolate ganache, whipped butter cream and toasted cashew nuts.


It is good, obviously, since I finished the entire cake all by myself. It is especially good as with any sansrival, when chilled, the ganache and the butter cream hardened already. There’s only one thing that I don’t like with or in the cake, there’s too much butter cream that can be nauseating and cloying at the same time.




Happy Eating!

Dusit Thani

Another from the 20-Yummiest list is the Chocolate Cheesecake of Dusit Thani at P135 per solo size.



Creamy chocolate cheesecake with bread-like crumb coating, topped off with bittersweet chocolate sticks and slabs.



It reminded me more of a chocolate mousse than a cheesecake. It has the consistency and texture of a mousse but with cheesecake taste.


The bittersweet chocolate sticks and slabs on top tasted like the Meiji Black Chocolate of Japan.


Anyways, it is good and I like it, but not the crumb-like coating. It’s like a wet bread and it doesn’t complement the cheesecake. It would be better if they substitute something crunchy instead.


Happy Eating!

DUSIT THANI
Makati City

Aristocrat Choco Jubilee

6 alternating layers of chocolate cake and chocolate ganache, topped with chocolate rosette and white chocolate slabs.


When I asked a staff what else was good aside from the Torta and Mucha, she immediately answered, the Chocolate Jubilee P98/slice. It is made especially for chocoholics. Isn’t it obvious already?


The verdict: The chocolate cake was moist but with a lot of lumps that ruined my cake experience. I guessed they forgot to sift the flour.

The chocolate ganache was similar in taste to that of Polly’s but has a coarse texture. It’s hard to like something less when you have tried the best.

More food to try here though, ‘til next time.


Happy Eating!

ARISTOCRAT
Roxas Boulevard, Manila

Ilustrado

Another cake from the 20 Yummiest is the Baked Cheesecake of Ilustrado at P75 a slice.


NY-style cheesecake with a dusting of powdered sugar on top.


It wasn’t as thick & rich as Mary Grace’s cheesecake but also not as airy & gelatine-like as Red Ribbon’s. When you bite thru it, the texture is thick but after a while you’ll notice a slight hint of airiness. Its crust also didn’t taste anything like graham crackers but of bread. The cheesecake was also clumpy and taste mostly of eggs especially on the sides where you can definitely see that the eggs have curdled. But aside from those, the cheesecake’s okay.



Also from Ilustrado is the Chocolate Fudge at P60.


Their best seller according to the shop attendant.


Layers of chocolate cake and chocolate ganache, encased in chocolate fudge icing and coated with white chocolate slivers.


The fudge icing was similar in taste with Polly’s Chocolate Cake’s icing, but that’s their only similarity. The chocolate cake inside was not moist and the ganache not fudgy. But as a whole, with the white chocolate slivers and the fudge icing, it’s quite okay.


Another cake from them is the Mini Toffee Cake at P60.



3 layers of chocolate cake, filled and iced with toffee.


I like their toffee (aka yema) which tasted and looked like yema, what I don’t like was the chocolate cake inside, which was dry and spongy.




Happy Eating!

ILUSTRADO
Mall of Asia

Polly’s Chocolate Cake

Since I eat it almost every day there’s a few things I have learned that I wanted to share.


First, chill it first before eating.


Doing so makes the icing fudgier. If you don’t believe me try it out yourself.

Second, if you can, buy the 7-inch round than the 8x8 or any other size.


The 7” round’s icing is proportionate and most of the time, more than the chocolate cake itself, which is a very good thing if you know what I mean.

Well, that's about it. Enjoy your Polly’s Chocolate Cake.


Happy Eating!

Sugarhouse Cashew Toffee

Since I want to try the 20 Yummiest one at a time (2 at the most), here’s another cake included in the list, the Cashew Toffee of Sugarhouse at P120 (baby size).


I have been eyeing it for quite some time now, way ahead of the Inquirer’s list.


Chocolate chiffon cake with chocolate mousse encased in caramel buttercream and coated with cashew and toffee bits.



In my opinion, it tasted like a sansrival, with the buttercream, nuts and all.
Also, the taste of the toffee was too prominent that you can’t anymore taste the chocolate in it. Toffee lovers will definitely love the cake ‘coz that’s all you’ll be tasting from start to finish, a good cake nonetheless.


Happy Eating!

SUGARHOUSE
Powerplant Mall