The Importance of Taste Testing

Chella enjoys one of our Strawberry Sensation cake pops

So Kat and I stopped by the cupcake boutique at our local mall the other day.  We pass by this little shop every time we go to the mall, and I find myself drawn by its bright, vibrant colors and its promise of delectable treats in which to indulge.  The cupcakes in this shop all look soooooo yummy!  And they're out there on display in big glass cases, just beckoning to me to try one.  Most days, I suppress my desire for this bite-size yumminess and let Kat lead me right on past -- after first stopping to get a good eyeful, of course!

This day was different.  I insisted on at least trying their Red Velvet because I have to know what it's supposed to taste like.  Not being a previous fan of Red Velvet myself, I have been guessing that my Red V cake pops taste like they're supposed to even though they don't have much taste to me.  People tell me my Red V is great and they love it, but I'm just that insecure...... and looking for a reason to buy one of those mini cupcakes from that boutique!  So Kat acquiesced and I bought a beautiful Red Velvet mini cupcake.  And a Chocolate Peanut Butter mini cupcake, too.  Hey, as long as we were already making a purchase, right?

These mini cupcakes were lovely to behold!  Absolutely beautiful in presentation -- so much so that it almost seemed a shame to bite into them.  But after duly admiring each one, Kat and I both tried a bite of each (my eagerness far surpassing hers, I admit).  We were sorely disappointed.  The cakes were so dense that they seemed downright stale -- akin to biting into a piece of floral foam.  No, really.  I kid you not.  Both mini cupcakes had the same consistency.  And the frosting was so sickeningly sweet that it totally overpowered the cake flavor.  So I tried a bite without the frosting.  And promptly understood why they wanted to mask the flavor of the cake.... or was it that they were just trying to add some moisture so I wouldn't think I was biting into the Sahara Desert?  Either way, Kat and I were definitely not happy.  We won't go back to that shop again.

So the lesson I took away from this little adventure -- I had to get something for my $4.00, right? -- was this: TASTE TEST YOUR PRODUCT.  Yes, presentation is important and we definitely have a high standard for that in our cake pops.  But taste is just as important.  Every batch we make, we will try one of the pops.  Just to be sure it feels right and tastes right and is a joy to devour (or daintily munch, whichever the case may be).  I do not ever want someone to have one of our pops and experience what Kat and I experienced at that little cupcake boutique.  Ever.  So we'll eat however many pops it takes to ensure the right taste and consistency in every batch.  It's a sacrifice we're willing to make.  :)

~ Pia