If you can eat it, you can pair it with wine, and Thursday night was no exception!
On May, 19th, The Grateful Palate in Ft. Lauderdale held a Cupcake and Wine pairing with the amazingly talented Spiked Bakeshop, a new alcohol infused cupcake shop owned by the creative husband and wife team, Matthew and Heidi Depante.
From 6pm on, wine enthusiasts and cupcake connoisseurs were invited to sip a carefully selected vino and nibble on delectable cupcakes while mingling at the bar, chatting with friends, and lounging on the plush chairs and love seats around the restaurant. As an additional benefit of the evening, a small discount was provided on all main entrées after guests completed the pairing event.
The night was a huge success and the laid back setting made everything very relaxed and enjoyable. We were pleased to attend and cannot wait to see what they pair next. Cheers!
What we sampled:
Strawberry and Champagne with Casa Ibidini, Insolia Sicily
The wine pairing started with a glass of Casa Ibidini, Insolua Sicily and a mini Strawberry and Champagne cupcake. This pretty pink cupcake had a sweet smell of strawberries and a light airy texture. The champagne and vanilla flavors intermingled brilliantly and the frosting was neither overpowering or too sweet. Paired with a sweet white wine with lemon zest and apricot undertones this combination rated high on our on list of favorites.
Strawberry and Champagne + Cappuccino Shooter
Cappuccino Shooter with First Drop, Blend, Australia
The second pairing included a glass of First Drop, Blend Australia and a Cappuccino Shooter cupcake. The strong aroma of the cupcake was amazing. You could smell the chocolate and coconut before the cupcake left the plate. Kahlua and Malibu were the main liquor in the cake and their flavors were incorporated perfectly to make this cupcake a dream to consume. We were told only real chocolate is used when making the cupcakes instead of the usual cocoa powder and you could definitely taste the difference. The flavor was strong but not over powering and perfectly subdued with the white wine.
Margarita with Salt paired with Oltrepo Moscato, Italy
The third pairing on our list was the Margarita cupcake and a glass of Oltrepo Mascato. The sweet vanilla lime cake was light and fluffy and the equally delicious frosting had a hint of citrus. Our cupcake sample was sprinkled with salt and it was an amazing addition. You could taste the ting of salt but is was so subtle that it made you crave more. The sweet and slightly sparkling Moscato perfectly complemented each other and together they created a pleasing combination of sweet and savory. We first tried this cupcake at the Las Olas Wine & Food Festival and were excited to see it debut again. Unfortunately, we were only allowed one cupcake per pairing so we savored every morsel and went on to the next one.
Margarita Cupcake + Chocolate Martini Cupcake
Chocolate Martini with Luigi Scarani, Sangre de Guida, Lombardia Italy
The last tasting of the evening was a chocolate martini cupcake paired with Luigi Scarani, Sangre de Guida. Chocolate and vodka were the two key ingredients in this cupcake. The strong taste of vodka that is usually found in a”real” martinis was very faint but not absent and the chocolate was creamy and smooth. The fruity red wine was a great companion to the chocolate cake and a perfect ending to a delicious night.
Foodies on the Fly 