Dec 13, 20154 min read

#FELinMEL Day 7: Cupcake Central, Cherries Picking, Scroll Ice Cream

For today, firstly I went to Cupcake Central, located at Melbourne Central Shopping Centre. Cupcake Central is definitely famous for their cupcakes and was started out by Sheryl, who started baking since 2004, working as an IT Consultant. She lost her job during the economic downturn in 2009. Using this opportunity, she started her cupcake online business, catering to parties and functions. However, it became so overwhelmed that the demand outgrew what she could supply from her home kitchen. In 2010, together with her partner, Thin Neu, they started their first cupcake café in Hawthorn, and have now branched out to Melbourne Central and Highpoint. They do a rotation menu with flavours that is available all year round and flavours that are available seasonal.

For summer collection, it includes Carrot, Belgian Waffle, Mango Sago, Pandan Brulee, Pavlova, Drumstick, Passionfruit Banana, Hummingbird, Coconut Lychee, Lamington, Pink Lemonade, Watermelon, Peanut Butter Jelly, Chocolate, Blueberry Donut, Lemon Sorbet, Strawberry Sundae, Jam Donut, Orange Creamsicle, Mango Sticky Rice, and Caramel Apple. These flavours are available based on a daily rotation, and for everyday flavours, it includes Salted Caramel, Vanilla Vanilla, Devil’s Food Chocolate, Red Velvet, Cookies and Cream, and Raspberry White Chocolate. Mini ones are selling at AU$2.50 each and regular ones are selling at $4.50 each.

Since I went on a Sunday, I picked Watermelon (watermelon chocolate chip cake, green buttercream, pink watermelon frosting, chocolate chip) and Pink Lemonade (pink lemon cake with raspberries, pink lemon frosting, freeze dried raspberries, pink wafer cigar), along with everyday flavours of Salted Caramel (chocolate cake, gooey salted caramel filled, salted caramel buttercream, pink salt flakes), Devil’s Food Chocolate (Belgian chocolate cake, Belgian dark chocolate frosting, chocolate curls) and Red Velvet (red chocolate cake, cream cheese frosting). Details of the other flavours can be found at their website.

CUPCAKE CENTRAL

Opening hrs: 1000-1900hrs (Mon-Wed, Sat, Sun), 1000-2100hrs (Thu, Fri).

Address: Melbourne Central Level 2 Dining Hall, 211 La Trobe Street, Melbourne VIC 3000.

http://cupcakecentral.com.au/

#1: Melbourne Central.

#2: Cupcake Central.

#3: Interior of Cupcake Central - open space concept.

#4: Baking calendar for summer collection.

#5: Cupcake Central.

#6: From back left, clockwise direction: Salted Caramel, Pink Lemonade, Red Velvet, Watermelon and Devil's Food Chocolate. Mini ones at AU$2.50 each, regular ones at AU$4.50.

Next, I took a 2hrs journey to Yarra Valley, and walked about a kilometer uphill to Chappies. Chappies is a fruit growing business now owned by the 4th generation, Mark and Steve Chapman. The u-pick business concept for berries was introduced to Australia in 1970 after a visit to the USA. There are many farms available but since I am walking up, I would have to choose the one nearest. There is a farm (Hillbilly) at where I alighted but only blueberries were available on that day, so I moved on to Chappies, which is the next nearest. For Chappies, only cherries were available for picking on the day of visit. It’s AU$9 per entry and picked cherries are charged at AU$10 per kg.

It was a hot and sunny day. We all queued and waited for the in-house shuttle bus to bring us to the orchards. There were lots and lots of cherries available for picking! And within 15mins, my bucket was already half-filled and I know I have to stop, otherwise I would have a hard time bringing those cherries downhill. Haha.. So in the end, I picked 1480kg of cherries which is another AU$14.80 on top of the entry fee. The cherries were so awesome! I have got so many of them that I had to give away three quarters of what I picked before they all start to rot.

CHAPPIES

Available Period: Summer.

Opening hrs: 0830-1700hrs (Daily).

Address: 21 Parker Road, Silvan 3795.

Cherry Picking: $9 entry fee, $10/kg for picked cherries.

Sour Cherry Picking: $9 entry free, 1st kilo FREE, $9/kg for picked cherries.

Raspberry and Blackberry Picking: $13 entry, with 1kg FREE.

Kids: $3 entry fee for any crops.

http://upick.com.au/

#7: Yarra Valley. You can take bus 663 (towards Belgrave) from Lilydale Station.

#8: This is where you alight, Hillbilly would be on your left. Walk uphill on the left side till you see Chappies, about 30mins.

#9: You will see this sign right next to the bus stop that you alight.

#10: Chappies.

#11: Chappies.

#12: Chappies.

#13: Cherry farm.

#14: Cherry farm.

#15: Cherry farm.

#16: Cherry farm.

#17: Cherry farm.

#18: Cherry farm.

#19: Belgrave Station. After you are done with the picking, walk back down to the same bus stop and board the same bus - bus 663 (towards Belgrave) to Belgrave Station. This is also where the famous Puffing Billy Railway (Belgrave Station is the headquarters) is located at.

After returning home for dinner, I headed out again to hunt for Scroll. Scroll Ice Cream is Australia’s first cold plate ice creamery inspired by the Thai street vendors. Ice cream is made on the spot upon order over the cold plate machine that reaches to temperatures below -20degC, creating ice cream that produces smaller ice molecules which makes it naturally smoother and creamier, without the need of adding in additional fat and emulsifiers. I ordered the Espresso Slam (AU$10) which includes nespresso cream with a piece of tim tam! The tim tam is then finely chopped and mixed into the cream that gradually solidifies over the cold plate. The ice cream is then flatten and rolled up like a scroll, and topped with chocolate sauce, wafer sticks and cute minion cookies! It was one of the nicest ice cream that I have ever had with lots of fillings and toppings!