Hidden in plain sight, in the middle of Ballard Ave, sits Hot Cakes.
Opened in 2008 by Autumn Martin, a 4th generation Washingtonian and a trained pastry chef, the unique cakery has two Seattle locations, both open late and both offering delectable desserts and savory sandwiches, complimented by espresso, beer, and wine.
It was a cozy kind of Friday night when I was first led to Hot Cakes. My coworker and I were feeling the weight of a long week and looking to unwind. We wanted something sweet and soulful, something to warm our bones and ease our minds.
When we arrived at the windowed store front, we were met with twinkle lights and a crowd. "There's always a line," Natalie told me. We stood there, in the chilly Seattle air making our way slowly to the front of the line. The room was small but open, the till located at the bar counter under chalkboard menus offering delectable items from a Peanut Butter Cup - a chocolate cake with peanut butter fudge, peanut butter caramel, and vanilla ice cream - to butterbeer and boozy milkshakes.
Seating was limited; vintage metal bar stools accompanied a narrow waist-height bar running along the far wall and counter and two long wooden picnic tables filled the remainder of the space.
Having made it to the front of the long, winding line, we each ordered the Dark Decadence - a molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Warmed by our lattes, we found two recently abandoned spots at the farthest of one of the picnic tables.
The dessert comes served semi-deconstructed. A thick piece of wood serves as the base, featuring a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of caramel sauce with toffee pieces. The cake is served in a recycled cardboard cup, keeping pace with the Hot Cakes ideology of "supporting local and organic farming through the creation of fine, innovative desserts." And that dedication shows in the cakes themselves: full of delicious, melty chocolate and rich caramels, balanced with delicately sweet vanilla ice cream. It wasn't just a run-of-the-mill chocolate dessert, but the kind of food that warms your soul and wards off the dementors.
The room was warm, the food was warm, the coffee was warm and on that chilly Friday night, at the end of a long week, at beginning of a new year, all we needed was a little bit of chocolate.
Hot Cakes has 2 locations in Seattle:
Ballard Shop
5427 Ballard Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
ph. 206.453.3792
Capitol Hill Shop
1650 E Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98102
ph. 206.258-2591
Winter Hours | Both Shops
Monday-Thursday 4pm-11pm
Friday 4pm-12am
Saturday 10am-12am
Sunday 10am-11pm
