Cupcakes! (Image: Karolyne Ellacott)
After her home-based baking business grew too big for its cake tins, Lisa Sanguedolce knew the time had come to move out. She snapped up The Grateful Head’ s former space, setting up Le Dolci as part store and part cupcake-design studio. “Come with your mom, your kids or your friends,“ Sanguedolce says. “It’s all about having fun!”
While working as a freelance journalist in the U.K., Sanguedolce filled up her spare moments with baking. Masterminding a weekly cake date, which involved delivering cakes around London, she realized her passion lay in pans—not pens. “From then on, I just couldn’t stop,” she jokes. Since returning to Canada, Sanguedolce has been busy whipping up events for foodies around town (she’s a regular presence on our Weekly Eater roundups).
With three to five classes a week available (mostly $80), the top pick is the Iron Cupcake Challenge, ideal for competitive workplaces (we’re told one OB/GYN crew created hilarious cupcakes with some impressively graphic details). Though cupcakes are what she’s known for, Sanguedolce stresses that there are plenty of other options available for sweet-toothed students: truffles, mini fondant cakes and macarons are just some of the picks. Upcoming classes include a joint one with Rosewood Wineries, meant to educate eaters about honey and mead. And come July, a foodie field trip will see sweet-toothed gourmands heading to Paris to turn out pastries in their native land. For those who just want the sweet without the sweat, cupcakes are available in the shop for $2.75 a pop.
145612 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) The space that used to house Grateful Head now is full of cakes Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci18-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci18.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci18.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci18/ june12ledolci18 0 0
The space that used to house Grateful Head now is full of cakes
145611 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) The view along Dundas Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci17-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci17.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci17.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci17/ june12ledolci17 0 0
The view along Dundas
145610 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci16-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci16.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci16/ june12ledolci16 0 0
145609 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) A creepy crawly kids' cake Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci15-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci15.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci15/ june12ledolci15 0 0
A creepy crawly kids’ cake
145608 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Plain vanilla cupcakes (in a cup) Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci14.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci14/ june12ledolci14 0 0
Plain vanilla cupcakes (in a cup)
145607 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Designer purse cupcakes with vanilla buttercream icing and fondant purses Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci13.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci13/ june12ledolci13 0 0
Designer purse cupcakes with vanilla buttercream icing and fondant purses
145606 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Designer purse cupcakes with vanilla buttercream icing and fondant purses Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci12.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci12/ june12ledolci12 0 0
Designer purse cupcakes with vanilla buttercream icing and fondant purses
145605 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci11/ june12ledolci11 0 0
145604 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Display cakes exemplify what can be done Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci10/ june12ledolci10 0 0
Display cakes exemplify what can be done
145603 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Cake flavours include chocolate and vanilla in addition to more extravagant options like Ferrero Rocher, toffee pecan, dulce de leche, Sicilian lemon, coconut and more Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci09.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci09/ june12ledolci09 0 0
Cake flavours include chocolate and vanilla in addition to more extravagant options like Ferrero Rocher, toffee pecan, dulce de leche, Sicilian lemon, coconut and more
145602 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci08.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci08/ june12ledolci08 0 0
145601 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci07.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci07/ june12ledolci07 0 0
145599 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Vanilla and chocolate cupcakes Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci05.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci05/ june12ledolci05 0 0
Vanilla and chocolate cupcakes
145598 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Vanilla and chocolate cupcakes Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci04.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci04/ june12ledolci04 0 0
Vanilla and chocolate cupcakes
145597 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci03.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci03/ june12ledolci03 0 0
145596 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci02.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci02/ june12ledolci02 0 0
145595 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Chocolate cupcake with vanilla buttercream icing which uses Sicilian vanilla oil Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci01.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci01/ june12ledolci01 0 0
Chocolate cupcake with vanilla buttercream icing which uses Sicilian vanilla oil
145594 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Le Dolci https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci_introB-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci_introB.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/june12LeDolci_introB.jpg 656 419 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-le-dolci/slide/june12ledolci_introb/ june12ledolci_introb 0 0
Le Dolci, 1006 Dundas St. W., 416-262-3400, ledolci.com, @ledolci