Local Flavor, Vegas Edition: Cravin' Cake Bakery & All About Catering

Who doesn't want to get an invitation to a VIP Cake Tasting Event? It's probably the best thing that could ever pop into your email box. So you can imagine how delighted I was when I received my VIP invitation to Cravin' Cake Bakery's Tasting Event on May 15th. A buffet of sweet goodies for only $18 a person? Great way to jazz up a Tuesday evening! Supporting a local business owner, an "entrepreness", made it even better. Brittney Belanger is the owner of Cravin' Cake as well as the cake decorator and pastry chef. In her white jacket, she looks the part of someone who has a Pastry Arts Degree from College of Southern Nevada and has worked for Jean-Philippe Patisserie. All that training and experience reveals itself in her confections. They are delicious! Every single thing my husband and I tried (yes, I brought him along to share munching duties) was super yummy. Some things were supercalafragi-delicious. Like the Slivered Almond & Coconut Haystacks and the Cinnamon Twists. Brittney made Crispy Rice Treats look elegant by dipping and drizzling them in chocolate. The Chocolate-Covered Bananas were substantial and playful, coated in multi-colored sprinkles. Brittney bumped up the cinnamon in the Cannoli filling and added chocolate chunks, as if they weren't rich enough already. My husband's favorite treat was the Chocolate Pudding Cake Cup, generously topped with cocoa. It was deeply chocolaty, creamy and very moist: wonderful mouth-feel. Brittney is equally gifted with savory items like her Puff Pastry Pizzas and Cheese & Bacon Hard Rolls. Not being one to hog the spotlight, Brittney invited Alexis Amity, co-owner of All About Catering, to add her creations to the mix. I'm so glad she did! Aexis' three appetizers were outstanding. The purple Mashed Potato, Bacon & Chicken Bites were as lovely to look at as they were to eat.  The Chicken Quesadilla Triangles were topped off with a dollop of guacamole and a flavorful pineapple salsa. The Watermelon Slices with Arugula, Soy Nuts, Yellow Raisins & White Wine Vinaigrette were unbelievably good! I was hestitant to try them because I don't like watermelon. But, they looked so pretty, and Alexis encouraged me to give them a chance. I was very pleasantly surprised. The crunch and mild sweetness of the watermelon was the perfect foil for the tang of the vinaigrette, the salty soy nuts and the fresh arugula. Alexis commented that they try to be as 'green' as possible in their business, and she felt this was the ideal, eco-friendly finger food that didn't require a plate or utensils. All I know is that they were delish. Now to answer the question I know you're dying to ask me. How does one go to an event like this and not pop the button on your pants? The key is embracing the word "tasting". I limited myself, mostly, to one or two bites of an item. I had enough to give me a good sense of the food and then set it aside. I felt some pangs of guilt when I tossed half-full plates into the trash, but I reminded myself that moderation is a virtue. Our money was well spent for this event, and I would highly recommend both of these ladies for any events you have coming up in Vegas.