Trailer Food Diaries
Trick or Trailer: Where to take your sweet tooth this Halloween
Cupcakes, Cake Balls, Little Pies, Cheesecakes, Ice Cream Sandwiches… Oh My! It’s time to go trick or treating, and I’m thinking a sweet tooth trailer crawl is in order. If you’re game for the wicked challenge, get dressed up, recruit some friends and hit some of these sweet spots. These are the dessert trailers—who they are, where they are, & what you shouldn't miss this Halloween season.
Holy Cacao
Location: 1311 South 1st Street at the South Austin Trailer Park and Eatery
Story: The Holy Cacao is a light yellow and rich red dessert trailer that features an image of Holly, a blue cow, ushering you up to their window. Cakeballs are their specialty but they also offer unique dessert drinks, which are an inspiration from owner Ellen Kinsey’s years in New York.
Tiff’s pick(s): The rabbit cakeball—a rich, buttery carrot cake mixed with cream cheese, dipped in white chocolate and coated with crushed walnuts. Try it with some of their Mexican Hot Chocolate—dark chocolate infused with ancho chile and cinnamon.
Hey Cupcake!
Location: Multiple locations, check out the one on the 1800 block of South Congress.
Story: One of the most iconic trailers in Austin is also one of our collective favorites. They serve creatively named cupcakes such as the Michael Jackson, or the Snowcap, sure to satiate any sweet tooth.
Tiff’s pick: The Pumpkinator! It just won ‘Best Dessert’ at the 2nd annual Gyspy Picnic Trailer Food Festival. Congratulations on another great cupcake masterpiece to some of the founding fathers of the trailer food kingdom.
Gourdough’s
Location: 1219 South Lamar
Story: This popular airstream eatery was established by real estate agents who had a good donut recipe. After showing houses all day, Paula and Ryan would spend late nights with friends developing their list of donut toppings, doing their part to keep Austin weird. For example, the ‘Boss Hog’ has potato salad and pulled pork with BBQ sauce atop a freshly fried donut. You might want to follow that up with their ‘Cherry Bombs’ which are donut holes with cherry pie filling. Whatever you order, be sure to bring a friend so you can split the goods (and the calories).
Tiff’s pick: The Flying Pig—maple-glazed donut with bacon on top (insert suggestive eyebrow lift).
Bananarchy
Location: 600 South Lamar
Story: Two, maybe three college friends plus a marathon of Arrested Development episodes equals one revolutionary frozen banana stand. Bananarchists can choose to dip and then top their frozen nanner with a variety of creative options, or they can order from the menu.
Tiff’s pick: The Afternoon Delight—all three dips swirled (chocolate, peanut butter and vanilla) then dipped with nuts and graham crackers. Has me singing Starland Vocal Band…“thinking of you’s workin’ up my appetite, lookin’ forward to a little afternoon delight.”
Kat’s
Location: 1207 South 1st Street.
Story: Homemade vegan ice cream, frozen treats and smoothies in a pretty orange trailer. To maintain vegan status, the desserts are made with soy, cashew, almond, or coconut milk.
Tiff’s pick: Rose ice cream.
Halloween Treat: Bring a pumpkin and they will give you a free treat!
Coolhaus
Location: 3600 S. Lamar (they also travel)
Story: This is a choose your own adventure trailer where you can pick your ice cream, pick your cookie and then get a heavenly homemade ice cream sandwich all in an edible wrapper. With menu items like brown butter and candied bacon ice cream, or even doggie ice cream, you’ll surely be entertained and inspired when making your selections.
Tiff’s pick: Mascarpone and Balsamic Fig with a Ginger Cookie.
Can’t go trick or trailering? Find these sweet trailer recipes in the Trailer Food Diaries Cookbook, available in local stores, or online through Amazon or Barnes and Nobles:
- Porky’s Donut (Gourdoughs)
- Fredericksburg Peach Blackberry Pie and the Fullilove Hershey Pie (Cutie Pies)
- Red Velvet Cake Balls with Cream Cheese Frosting, The Cake Shake, and Holy Cacao Hot Chocolate (The Holy Cacao)
- Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding with Cherry-Bourbon Sauce (la Boite)
- Moroccan Lemon Kisses (The Flying Carpet)
- Put-Your-Fork-Into-It Cheesecake, and Grandma’s Classic Pound Cake (Lil’ Mama’s Delicious Desserts ‘n More)
- Brownies, Brown Butter with Candied-Bacon Ice Cream (Coolhaus)
- Midnight Moons (Gonzo Juice)
Stay tuned to all things food trailers at Trailer Food Diaries.