If you were the sort of child that imagined elaborate tea parties with little plastic play sets, whimsical creatures sitting around a table lavished with ornate sweets, then you should recognize this scene immediately. The only difference, however, is that this incredible setting is completely real.
Unicorniverse Bakery & Cafe has crafted a completely plant-based European bakery straight out of a fairy tale. Teal flowers blossom across the entire ceiling and dip down alongside gold chandeliers. Custom porcelain tea cups garnish each table, surrounded by plush chairs that genuinely invite you to be a guest and stay a while. Look closely and you’ll even find a unicorn, guarding the pastry case, or perhaps just eying it hungrily. Could you blame it? The only thing more stunning than the dining room are the desserts.
Being a “kid in a candy shop” has never rung so true as when I first walked through those doors. Layered sponge cakes filled with custard and jam; dainty macarons in every color of the rainbow, and beyond; plump, oversized croissants with a thousand buttery, flaky layers; mousses made with fresh fruits and decorated with edible glitter; comfortingly nostalgic brownies and blondies filled with dark chocolate chips; there’s no place to simply rest your eyes. These are riches beyond my wildest dreams, the elaborate baked goods that only I could bake for myself in the earliest years of my career. Finally, everyone can enjoy the same.
Before anyone makes wild allegations about preferring savory to sweet, there’s a lot here for you to love, too. A full menu of brunch and lunch options provides a hearty base to start your meal before indulging, if you so choose. Fluffy, oversized omelettes stuffed with a variety of vegetables and dairy-free cheese are a highlight for me, as a serious vegan egg-lover. These things really are huge; you could easily split one with a friend to leave more room for dessert. Salads are no slouch here either, along with a wide range of sandwiches made with breads baked in-house.
If you’re serious about your sweets, though, cut straight to the chase and eat dessert first. It may take the rest of my lifetime to try the entire menu, but I’m willing to take on the task. So far, I can attest to the prowess of the bakers through their Raspberry Almond Cake, a towering strata of sponge and cream that tastes for all the world like an oversized rainbow cookie, plus fresh fruit. The Lemon Tart, concealing a trough of sweet lemon curd beneath that plume of whipped buttercream, could put the average lemon meringue pie to shame. Blackberry Mousse Cake manages to balance density and lightness in every bite, defying the laws of physics like it was easy.
Unicorniverse is a magical place- and that’s not just hyperbole. Where else could you find all this, made effortlessly vegan? It’s worth a trip from anywhere in the world, because it will transport you to an entirely new universe when you step inside.
It’s a small world after all. The blogosphere brings together people from the furthest pockets of the Earth, and yet somehow the perception of an immense distance remains between even “real life” friends. After lurking about on Vanessa’s blog and admiring her tasty recipes for a good number of years, it would never in my wildest dreams have occurred to me that she might be closer much than I thought. Upon learning about her latest sweet venture, Hungryface Bakery, that imagined gap was compressed down to nothing when she suddenly arrived at my doorstep bearing boxes of incredible treats. Rather than ship them, it was easier and faster for her to cross a few town lines and meet me face to face. I’m still reeling at how dangerously close such a talented source of delicious baked goods is to my home!
But I’m getting ahead of myself here. Vanessa takes the same stance on baking vegan as I do, which means that the fruits of her labor are just damned good eats that happen to be vegan. No more qualifiers, no more excuses. Vegan desserts aught to be held to the same standard as any others, so it’s heartening to see this point of view in those who really can spread the word- And sweetness. Her current selection ranges from cookies to tea cakes, all available to ship anywhere in the US, even if you aren’t as lucky to be practically neighbors with the baker herself.
Heart of Darkness Brownies are the most visually arresting of the group; Bars that are this dark and dense are guaranteed to be a rich chocolate experience. Living up to their outward appearance, each bite packed a punch of full-frontal fudge goodness, offset by deep, dark notes of roasted espresso. A minefield of chocolate chips, hidden by the pitch black surroundings they’re buried in, just a few bites would satisfy even the most voracious chocoholic.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, the Moon & Stars Shortbread glittered with a topping of snowy white granulated sugar, covering a dense yet delicate, buttery cookie. Slightly bitter thanks to the smattering of toasted black sesame seeds woven throughout that soft yet crisp crumb, a restrained dose sweetness balanced out the whole equation perfectly. Periodic bites of chocolate were also a surprising delight to discover within. A subtle aroma of coconut lends a slightly exotic undertone, making it reminiscent of an Asian chocolate chip cookie.
Another standout was the Earl Grey Tea Cake. Straddling that fine line between muffin and cupcake, it’s certainly sweet enough to be right at home on a dessert platter, but has a more sturdy, substantial crumb, and of course no superfluous frosting to cover up the delicate flavors of tea. Whole tea leaves impart a floral and slightly citrus flavor throughout the moist miniature cakes, accented with a bright spike of sea salt to really draw out the full intensity of typically demure earl grey. Though packed with tea already, they would indeed make an excellent accompaniment to a cup of one, too.
Pistachio Cherry Shortbread stays true to its name and tastes like actually pistachios, which is a subtle and difficult flavor to convey in any baked good. Seemingly sweeter than the previous offerings, for some odd reason these reminded me of strawberry marshmallows, of all things. Though plenty delicious, they seemed out of place amongst the other more adventurous pairings. By comparison, it was simply a bit too tame.
Building up expectations pretty high with a name like The Sugar Cookie to End All Sugar Cookies, these flat, monstrous frisbees of cookie dough have a classically homey appearance that implores you to dive right in. Perfectly chewy, through and through, Vanessa nails the texture, which is arguably the single most important aspect of a solid sugar cookie. Subtle hint of brown sugar adds complexity, but these are really straight-forward, simple sugar cookies, sure to please younger palates as well.
My very first whiff of the Drunken Shortbread tells me that these will be a doozy. Thankfully, the cookie’s aren’t as powerfully alcoholic as they first threaten, but a comfortable undercurrent of bourbon is constantly present from the first bite to the last. Chocolate chips lined up neatly on top like the buttons on a double-breasted jacket add just enough interest to keep the cookie from becoming monotonous. These melt-in-your-mouth tender bars are sophisticated with a touch of whimsy; not too sweet, and just a little bit naughty.
The creative flavor pairings matched up in Hungryface Bakery are what set them apart from the pack, but the superb execution of each individual offering is what will keep the curious coming back. Even if you’re a passionate baker, it’s nice to take a break and let someone else fire up the oven to satisfy your sweet cravings every now and then. Rather than give in to the siren song of stale, store-bought biscuits, take the time to order online. These cookies tastes about a hundred time better and fresher because they’re all still handmade.
