New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)
Edible Couture creates sweet works of art
Tisha Hudson started out as a home baker, sharing her creations with friends. After having success with custom cake orders, she bought a truck, bringing her treats to private parties as well as public stops in Bridgeport.
Three years after launching the Edible Couture truck, in the summer of 2020, she partnered with Poreyah Benton of Vegan Ahava to launch a combined New Haven storefront on Court Street. Hudson sells her cupcakes, cheesecakes and other specialty sweets alongside Benton’s vegan comfort foods. It was the first brick-and-mortar space for both women, as Benton also has a food truck. “Right in the middle of the pandemic; everybody thought we were crazy,” Hudson says. “And actually, it worked out really well for us.” Edible Couture’s menu also offers several vegan options.
The visit
Hudson and her dessert truck blessed the Hartford area with a recent visit to GastroPark in West Hartford on a beautiful spring Sunday. Her menu features cupcakes in flavors like strawberry shortcake, Almond Joy, red velvet Oreo and tres leches, along with cheesecake, cake cups and banana pudding cinnamon rolls.
My serotonin levels were already high after lunch there, between the sunlight, the fish tacos from Taphouse Street Kitchen and a spicy mezcal canned cocktail from Drink Mechanics. But then I dug into Edible Couture’s cupcakes. The Reese’s version was indulgent, with moist chocolate cake and peanut butter frosting, topped with a generous chunk of peanut butter cup. But the banana pudding cupcake is an absolute showstopper, with a fluffy cake base reminiscent of fresh banana bread, a creamy pudding center and a thick, rich cream cheese frosting. Caramel drizzle and a Nilla wafer cookie crowned the masterpiece.
It turns out the banana pudding items are Hudson’s best-sellers, and for good reason. “That’s what I look for when people eat my desserts,” she says, adding that she’s hoping for future GastroPark visits. “I want them to feel happy about it.”
This article originally appeared in Connecticut Magazine. You can subscribe here, or find the current issue on sale here. Sign up for the newsletter to get the latest and greatest content from Connecticut Magazine delivered right to your inbox. On Facebook and Instagram @connecticutmagazine and Twitter @connecticutmag.