Photo credit to Hot Cakes
SEATTLE, WA — On Tuesday May 21 at 4PM, Autumn Martin opened Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery, an 1,800 square-foot bricks and mortar dessert shop and wholesale production headquarters. Martin has wowed us with her unique and innovative confections, forward thinking flavor combinations, and the all-around deliciousness of her sweet treats.
Located in Seattle’s historic Ballard neighborhood, the dessert shop is a hybrid between classic soda fountain shop and dessert cafe. Guests order from the counter and then grab a seat or take treats to go.
The shop focuses on the concept of the tried and true dessert that gave Hot Cakes its name – Molten Chocolate Cake. Martin has had much success selling her take-and-bake molten cakes in mason jars and decided to create a place where molten cakes are baked to order and toppings are abundant!
Martin is serving high quality, organic comfort desserts and confections, plus a few savory items in addition to the cookies, pocket pies, and molten chocolate cake that have earned her a devoted following.
Opening menu items include:
- Molten Chocolate Cakes for $6 (dark decadence and vegan dark chocolate) and a special s’mores molten chocolate cake for $8 plus a selection of toppings for $1(whipped cream, nib toffee, double chocolate or peanut butter cookie crumbles, and rhubarb jam)
- Ice Cream (chocolate or vanilla) with one topping for $4 or two for $5
- Milkshakes for $5.25 (salted caramel, dark chocolate, malted vanilla, sweet cream, and blackberry lavender) – and boozy milkshakes for $10 – think smoked chocolate chips, smoked cocoa power, chocolate ice cream, and Laphroaig scotch
- Crème Brûlée with a side of rhubarb jam for $6
- Grilled Chocolate Sandwich with salted caramel dipping sauce for $6
- Salted Pretzel for $6 with two dipping sauces (salted caramel, chocolate, peanut butter milk chocolate, and jam)
- Pocket Pies for $5 (apple cardamom ginger, cherry fig fennel, potato au gratin, veggie pot pie, and eggs benedict on the weekends)
- Salted Caramel Cinnamon Rolls for $3.50
- Cookies for $3 (s’mores, bacon oatmeal raisin, double chocolate, salted peanut butter, and chocolate chip)
Drink options include:
Espresso from Blue Star Coffee Roasters located in Twisp, Washington. Tea, sipping caramel, sipping chocolate, kombucha, bottled beer, and selective cocktails are all available.
There is also a retail area at the front of the shop where patrons can purchase Molten Chocolate Cakes to take and bake, Hot Cakes’ line of organic Salted Caramel sauces, bags of chocolate covered espresso beans, homemade Tootsie Rolls, salted butter toffee, and bags of smoked chocolate chips.
While still at Theo, Martin set out to capture a favorite childhood flavor profile and began experimenting with smoking chocolate. Today, you can find the result of that creative experimentation in her s’mores cookies and milkshakes featuring her alder-smoked chocolate chips.
“The space is warm with buttercream-colored walls, dark woods, and soft lighting,” says Martin. “It’s inviting and friendly, kind of country with a bit of clean sophistication.”
Once the dessert shop is buzzing along, Martin plans to start working with chocolate again and plans to teach chocolate making classes. The production kitchen will soon boast a communal table that will double as an intimate event space. Think Molten Chocolate Cake birthday parties!
Hot Cakes Molten Chocolate Cakery is open Monday thru Thursday from 4pm to 10pm and until 11pm on Friday. Weekends the shop opens at 8am and serves until 11pm on Saturday and 10pm on Sunday.
Hot Cakes Confections was founded in 2008 by chocolatier Autumn Martin. A fourth generation Washingtonian, Ms. Martin is deeply committed to farmers and growers and uses only the best organic and natural ingredients in her creations. Ms. Martin’s original Hot Cakes creation, a take-and-bake molten chocolate cake in a mason jar, plus a line of organic salted caramel sauces and chocolate sauce, are available at select specialty stores and markets in the Seattle area. Hot Cakes is honored with the 2010 and 2011 People’s Choice Award for “Best Dessert” from the Northwest Chocolate Festival.
5427 Ballard Avenue NW
insiderseattle
