CheapEats.ie - a blog about food and value

Ellen’s Cake Update: The Cake Cafe & The Green Bench

Our pal Ellen was in touch last week to ask where to buy tasty, tasty cakes in Dublin 2. Y’all helped out like the stars that you are, and Ellen sent on her Big Tasty Cake report today.  Plus some thoughts about the Great British Bake Off.

Carrot Cake from the Green Bench Cafe

I got a carrot cake slice from the Green Bench which was a very reasonable €1.50 but their selection was limited, so Fiona and Dave got a brownie and a vanilla cup cake from The Cake Café which came to €5.20.

The carrot cake looked lovely and tasted pretty good, but I was a bit distracted by the sprinklings on top and the frosting was a bit sour. Still enjoyed eating it of course, but it made me think of the carrot cake I got last week in Cracked Nut (also on Camden St.) which was nicer I think. I should say that the sandwich I got in Green Bench was outstanding. They really know how to make something special in there and the punters know it.

Fiona and Dave enjoyed their cakes too, and confirmed that the Cake Café is a reliable source of excellent food stuffs. The staff are lovely too in there and you can feel their dedication to baking when you go in. Their baked eggs are a great way to start the day too.
Brownie and Cupcake from the Cake Cafe

Brownie and Cupcake from the Cake Cafe

Watching the Great British Bake Off was enjoyable as ever, and the judging is getting harsher as they near the final. It was an episode without any mention of ‘Crème Pat’ too which was a relief. Some weeks it seems to be all they are saying and I can tell how much I like a contestant based on how I feel when they say it. If it sounds like they are discussing Eastenders it makes me annoyed on behalf of the French. If they make an attempt at the full words and then settle on a timid abbreviation, or avoid saying it altogether, I warm to them like a Chelsea bun in the proving drawer.
Next week will involve more cakes. Will venture to a patisserie I think.

So what do you think? Have you tried The Green Bench and The Cake Cafe? Are you watching The Great British Bake Off? What on earth is Creme Pat? Do you like cake? CAAAAAAAKE?

2 Comments

  1. So has anyone seen the horror that is the Great Irish Bake Off!

  2. TGBBO? love it, down to the last 4 now, and it is getting better all the time.

    TGIBO? It just doesn’t work. I think the judges are too “nice”, they never seem to have anything proper to say, but always seem to declare everything as being “nice”, “that’s nice”, “very nice”, etc. I have yet to hear them properly criticise anyone on that show.

    Also, why are there only two challenges on each show, always either a signature dish round and a technical, or a signature dish and a show-stopper. On the TGBBO there are always 3 challenges, and it makes for more opportunities to see how the bakers are doing, and get to see some lovely cakes.

    Apparently the franchise holder is very strict about the format of the show, so I’m surprised that this major difference was allowed.