Spook-Tacular Desserts

The editor embraces the spirit of Halloween and all the sweet indulgences that come with it, including Chocolate Fall Cake ($7.99) from Ruby Tuesday.

I may be too old to go trick-or-treating, but the sweet satisfaction of Halloween candy is still on my mind as All Hallows’ Eve draws near. With visions of lollipops, mini chocolate bars and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups leaving me salivating, I must admit my sweet tooth tends to take over my dining habits this time of year.

It all starts with a seasonal goody here and there, but before I know it, I’m on the hunt for any and every dessert under the sun. As of late, though, I can’t seem to get enough of a classic craving that never goes out of style. It’s the rich gratification of devouring a heavenly slice of cake that I’m after, and thankfully, I had no problem finding a number of show-stopping recipes around town.

The best part is, it doesn’t have to be Halloween, or even your birthday, to devour these sinfully delicious bites — because in the world of fine treats, we can have our cake and eat it, too.

LIVING THE SWEET LIFE

When it does come time to indulge in a dreamy cake, you might as well go all out. The way to do that is to stop by Ruby Tuesday for one of the newest additions to its menu: Chocolate Fall Cake ($7.99).

Ruby Tuesday’s Chocolate Fall Cake

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Now, as I recently had the pleasure of finding out, this dish is not named after the current season. Instead, it’s called Chocolate Fall Cake because a giant piece of luxurious cake is literally falling out of the fabulous glass goblet that it’s served within.

I had my suspicions that the brownie-like chocolate cake was just so richly divine that it fell right over, and boy was I right. And it’s made even more mouthwatering with a sundae-inspired presentation of vanilla bean ice cream, caramel and chocolate fudge, and whipped cream. Last, but not least, the Oreo cookie crumbles on top are absolutely addicting.

The impressive size of the dessert makes it perfect for sharing, and the festive presentation only accentuates its appeal.

“It’s fun when it comes out to the table, so people love this one,” confirms manager Ronnie Jones.

Ultimately, you can’t go wrong with Chocolate Fall Cake because it’s representative of the all-American flavors that Ruby Tuesday is known to perfect. It’s also the ideal ending to a feast of the restaurant’s baby back ribs, steaks, burgers and that famous Garden Bar. Jones adds that “next month, we’ll have a burger and beer special, offering a classic cheeseburger, endless fries and Miller or Coors Light (or a soft drink) for $12.99.”

TAKIN’ THE CAKE

When dining at Romano’s Macaroni Grill, the comfort of Italian-inspired cuisine doesn’t only come in the form of irresistible pastas, pizzas and a host of hearty entrees. It also makes its way to my heart — and tummy — via a star-studded menu of dolce, or sweets.

It’s time to get passionate about Macaroni Grill’s Lemon Passion ($6) cake.

You, too, will find it hard to resist the Tiramisu, Homemade Chocolate Cake, New York Style Cheesecake and other magnificent desserts calling your name after your meal. But if there’s one treat I’ll ask you to save room for on your next visit to the Ala Moana Center restaurant, it’s Lemon Passion ($6).

Complete with the refreshingly tart zing of lemon, yet still completely decadent, this cake comes together with a citrus sponge cake topped with lemon curd and accented with caramel. What seals the deal, however, is the whipped cream on the side, which is prepared fresh, so it’s wonderfully thick and creamy.

“This is one of those desserts where you can’t just have just the curd, or just the cake, you have to have a little bit of everything so it all melts together,” says Nawai Kekoolani, regional corporate chef of Macaroni Grill Hawaii. “You have the tartness from the curd, and the caramel on the bottom gives you sweetness, and you get the richness from the whipped cream, so it’s a great cake.”

There’s no doubt about it: You won’t regret ditching the basket of trick-or-treat candies for a bite of any of these glorious creations.