An American in Paris: Sugarplum Cake Shop
My parents and sister sped off to Paris on the Eurostar on Friday morning. This means I can finally post this long overdue entry on my blog. Allow me to explain…
My sister and I are, er, competitive, to put it bluntly. Don’t get me wrong, we’re the best of friends, but we also maintain a rather childlike (OK, completely immature) rivalry when it comes to parental privilege, particularly around the issue of travel and who-got-to-go-where. Typically it would go something like: “No fair, Mum took you to Italy to watch the figure skating and she didn’t take me anywhere!” I swear, my sister still holds a grudge that I went on one more trip to Europe when we were teenagers than she did. (Yes… I am aware that we sound like spoiled brats 🙂
So last November when my parents and I went to Paris for a few days, there were murmurs of, “Ooh, we’d better not tell Ele we’ve all been to Paris together without her”. We managed to keep this little secret for a year, people. I was quite proud of this feat of deception, so it was actually a bit of a disappointment when she did recently find out. There was virtually no reaction at all! I guess we’re becoming more mature in our old age.
Sugar Plum, Latin Quarter, Paris
Anyway, onto Paris. My parents always stay in this hotel in the quartier latin when they visit Paris. And last year we discovered the most delightful bakery and cake shop right across the street. Sugarplum Cake Shop feels like the least French place in Paris – it’s an American bakery (though there are Canadians and Scots involved in the venture too, from the accents I heard) serving authentic US-style treats and producing very impressive couture cakes, too.
The bakery itself is warm and cozy, with a nice selection of specialty teas and cakes. The signage and the service were both in English (I’d be shocked to hear French in this place, to be honest!). And if you’re a Martha fan, there are stacks of Martha Stewart Living lying around, to provide cake inspiration.
Sugar Plum Bakery – cakes in window
There’s lots going on at Sugarplum – when we were there one of the owners was in the middle of a wedding cake consultation with a bride at a nearby table, and you can see through the shop’s back door into the action in their next door bakery. Oh, there’s also free Wifi.
Most impressive about this place, though, were the cakes on display. Obviously I don’t know what they tasted like, but the wedding cake in the window was gorgeous (see below for proof) and the bakers clearly have a sense of humour – check out the hilarious Halloween-theme they had going on. A jack-o-lantern throwing up candy – genius!
Wedding cake at Sugar Plum Bakery
Sugarplum Cake Shop
68 rue Cardinal Lemoine
75005 Paris
Metro stop: Cardinal Lemoine