Petsi Treats

Petsi Pies, as their name may suggest, is known for their excellent pies and tarts. This Somerville bakery also offers a variety of other treats, which a few us sampled after lunch today. I may have found the best cupcake in Boston, as well as other inspiring cakes and cookies.

• Whoopie Pie Cupcake - this cupcake was better than any whoopie pie I have ever had, and could be better than the products of most cookie-cutter cupcakeries in the area. (Yes, the excellence of this item makes me question my earlier devotion to Sweet!) The cake part proper is dense and fudgy, with moist crumbs. I could see the rich semisweet chocolate used in the batter being equally at home in fudge, or a dense chocolate sauce. The cake eclipses average cupcake content and could be served as a torte in the finest restaurants. The center of the cupcake is injected with a refreshingly light, whipped vanilla cream. This cream comes as a surprise, though, since the cupcake's top is covered in a thick layer of smooth dark chocolate ganache. The union of these three flavors and textures is just perfect, and I found myself sad after taking the last bite.
  
• Carrot Cake Cupcake - this confection pushes the boundary of what a cupcake can be. Most carrot cakes are sweetened, or deprived of certain savory ingredients, to better pass as a traditionally sugary and dainty cupcake; Petsi Pies does not take that step. A hearty helping of carroty, nutty, raisiny cake is frosted in a dome of barely-sweet cream cheese icing. The requisite carrot accent of orange and green icing is the only concession to cuteness this cupcake makes. I respect them for not compromising the integrity of their standard recipe; though, as someone who doesn't go for nuts or raisins in baked goods, I won't order this one myself.
  
• Ginger Molasses Cookie - This large, thick cookie is crunchy at the edges, but becomes chewier towards the center. The taste of light molasses, reminiscent of a generous helping of brown sugar, is the dominant flavor, while ginger serves as an accent. Each bite includes a bit of sugary crunch and sweetness, thanks to the cookie's sparkly coating of turbinado sugar. In other words, this cookie is a great interpretation of a winter classic.
  
• Sweet Potato Crumb Cake - I thank this bakery for introducing me to my first sweet potato cake. A moist sour-cream-based crumble coffee cake conceals a center of mashed sweet potato mixed with hearty brown sugar crumbles. What an unexpected treat! You may see an attempt at recreating such a treat chronicled in this blog come fall.

I had visited Petsi once prior, and thoroughly enjoyed a lemon scone that was pertly flavored with zest and topped in a strong, tart glaze. I will also be enjoying one of their blueberry muffins, purchased to go during today's visit, for breakfast tomorrow. After that, I might have to go back for a fruit or chocolate pie!