By Chuck Martin
The Cincinnati Enquirer

JoEllen Hothem of Loveland, Stuart Zanger of Montgomery and other Taste Team members sampled coffeecakes in the Cincinnati Art Museum's Garden Courtyard before deciding the beehive (top), made by Little Dutch Bakery, was their favorite. Photos by BRANDI STAFFORD/The Cincinnati Enquirer

Finally, it's warm enough to break outdoors for breakfast - perhaps a fully loaded buffet on the deck with eggs, potatoes and more, or maybe just a late, lazy weekend brunch of coffee and pastries on the porch.

If you're leaning toward the meal of less effort, there's nothing wrong with buying those pastries. After all, why bake when you could be enjoying the gorgeous weather? But, of course, you want to buy the best. So we asked the Taste Team to help by sampling 10 coffeecakes - all but one (store-bought Entemann's) made by Greater Cincinnati bakeries. (We selected the cakes based on reader nominations.)

For this tasting, we took the panel of seven to the Cincinnati Art Museum's Garden Courtyard. The tranquil setting provided the perfect atmosphere for rating the coffeecakes on taste, texture and appearance.

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After nibbling less than hour, the Taste Team settled on a favorite: The cinnamony-sweet beehive coffeecake made by Little Dutch Bakery in Mount Healthy. The panel loved the beehive's lightness, kiss of honey, sprinkling of crushed pecans and judicious smear of caramel icing. It's coffee cake worthy of spring brunch or breakfast - in the courtyard, on the deck or porch.

How the cakes rated

With the exception of the Entemann's brand, we chose the following coffeecakes based on reader nominations. The Taste Team scored the cakes on taste, texture and appearance using a 1-10 scale (1=poor; 10=excellent).

1. Little Dutch Bakery "Beehive"

Average score: 8.1

Price: $4.70/cake

Comments: Tastes homemade. Just right amount of sweetness. Extra layer of cinnamon nice touch.

2. Bluebird Bakery "Jenny's Cinnamon-Pecan"

Average score: 7.4

Price: $1/slice

Comments: Very fresh and moist. Buttery. Lots of pecans.

3. Servatii Pastry Shop "Pecan Pizza"

Average score: 7.2

Price: $4.35/cake

Comments: Nice texture and flavor. Scrumptious icing. A little dry.

4. (Tie) North College Hill Bake Shop "Apple-Cinnamon"

Average score: 6.8

Price: $4.50/cake

Comments: Very fresh. A little soggy in center. "Canned" apple flavor.

(Tie) St. Lawrence Bakery "Apple-Cinnamon"

Average score: 6.8

Price: $3.95/cake

Comments: A little dry. Liked apples. Looks homemade.

6. Entemann's Crumb Coffee Cake

Average score: 6.4

Price: $3.99/cake

Comments: Tastes better than it looks. Dry. Nice lemon flavor.

7. Bonbonerie "Blueberry-Cinnamon"

Average score: 6.3

Price: $1.75/slice

Comments: Looks homemade, but blueberries don't have much flavor. Too crumbly.

8. Graeter's "Double-Butter"

Average score: 6.1

Price: $4.75/cake

Comments: Too much powdered sugar. Rich taste. Dry.

9. Busken Bakery "Double-Butter"

Average score: 5.7

Price: $4.10/cake

Comments: Too much powdered sugar. Dry. Off flavor.

10. Mount Washington Bakery "Dixie Cinnamon"

Average score: 5.4

Price: $4.50/cake

Comments: Gummy texture. No flavor. Icing falls off.

Where to buy

• Bluebird Bakery, 29 Village Square, Glendale; 772-5633.

• Bonbonerie, 2030 Madison Road, O'Bryonville; 321-3399.

• Busken Bakery (13 locations).

• Entemann's (available at many groceries)

• Graeter's (12 locations).

• Little Dutch Bakery, 7611 Hamilton Ave., Mount Healthy; 931-3550.

• Mount Washington Bakery, 2069 Beechmont Ave., Mount Washington; 231-6071.

• North College Hill Bakery, 1807 W. Galbraith Road, North College Hill; 521-6760.

• Servatii Pastry Shop (10 locations).

• St. Lawrence Bakery, 3715 St. Lawrence Ave., West Price Hill; 921-3331.

The Taste Team

Denise Bruner is a medical records specialist at the VA Medical Center who lives in Evanston and specializes in home-cooked pasta dishes.

A Loveland resident and mother of two young girls, JoEllen Hothem loves French, Italian and other food and wines of the Mediterranean.

Tom Levesay is a photographer and graphic designer retired from University of Cincinnati Publications. A Mount Auburn resident, he loves to travel and search for the best ethnic food.

Molly Moloney works for Planned Parenthood, loves to dine out and is renowned for her fried chicken. She lives in Covington.

An Amberley Village resident, John Royer is a beginning cook who prepares meals for his 17-year-old daughter.

Former WCPO-TV news director Stuart Zanger is an independent producer whose clients include the Food Network. He enjoys cooking vegetables from his home garden in Montgomery.

Kathy Zollar of West Chester Township loves to bake desserts.

Thanks to our host

Our thanks to Natalie Wheeler of the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Bistro Group, which caters the museum's Terrace Cafe, for allowing us to taste coffeecake in the Garden Courtyard. The Terrace Cafe serves meals, including beer and wine, 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Wednesday. Private bookings are also available: 639-2955.