“Sriracha chocolate cake!!??”

“Sriracha chocolate cake?” I muttered quizzically as I browsed the cupcake selection at Silk Cakes. “It’s a Southeast Asian . . .” the gal behind the counter stopped mid-sentence as I interrupted to tell her that I had indeed heard of the ubiquitous “rooster sauce.” My surprise stemmed from seeing the hot sauce namechecked at an upscale bakery instead of a pho joint or hipster sandwich shop.

The Thai hot sauce was popularized by Huy Fong Foods and these days it appears everywhere, including Subway and Taco Bell. Heinz and Tabasco have even created their own versions. So how does the garlicky red chili sauce work in a cupcake you ask? Quite well indeed. The cake itself is subtly flavored with the zippy condiment and topped with buttercream gilded with candied lime zest. At the core there’s a surprise, a smooth semi-sweet chocolate truffle.

I’ve been meaning to try Silk for quite some time, and I’m glad I tried it. I’m equally glad that the boutique which also makes exquisite cakes, is a good half anhour walk from C+M headquarters.

Silk Cakes,98-14 Metropolitan Ave., Forest Hills, 718-830-3838