While I was traveling around the world, a cupcake revolution was occurring in the United States. I didn't become aware of the sugary new movement until I returned home last Summer. By then, the Washington, DC area already boasted something crazy like 30 different shops dedicated to…cupcakes. Seriously.
Don't get me wrong, I love pastry and chocolate shops. They played a big part in why I visited Belgium, Switzerland, and France. But I grew up eating cupcakes. They were the norm. Mom would buy a box of 6 at the supermarket for a few bucks. Simple.
When I returned home and the DC foodies on Twitter were all abuzz about their favorite local cupcakeries, well, I had to investigate first hand. Before the Rwanda trip, I went to Cupcakes Actually near my local REI store in Fairfax, VA. I picked out two, including Actually Dipped Peanut Butter, which was described as “ultra moist devil's food cupcake topped with our creamy peanut butter icing then dipped in our decadent chocolate fudge.”
One bite and I knew these weren't the same mass-produced cupcakes I grew up with.
So when Stephanie (@AdventureGirl) was showing me around Beverly Hills last month, and mentioned Kim Kardashian had a cupcake shop, I felt the need to compare the west coast offerings with the ones I'd had back home.
On a sunny Friday morning, just before heading to lunch, we stopped in Famous Cupcakes so I could sample the offerings. It was the biggest interior space I've seen yet for a cupcake shop. There was plenty of room for people to sit down and enjoy their cupcakes, though it was empty at the time. Given it wasn't even noon, on a weekday, I can't hold that against them.
I opted for the Chocolate Coconut, missing the fact that there was whipped cream inside the cake portion, in addition to the frosting on the top. It was rich, but a bit too much sugar for me. I realized then that I prefer a solid cake foundation in my cupcakes. I washed it down with a cold cup of milk.
Total cost? About $5 — completely reasonable for a snack in Beverly Hills.
After lunch, Steph wanted to introduce me to the Beverly Hills cupcake institution known as Sprinkles. By now it's probably a little after 2 pm. There was a 10-minute line extending outside the shop. Unlike Famous, this spot was tiny, with just a few stools inside for the odd couple of customers to sit down and consume their cupcakes on the premises.
I was still very full from my pre-lunch cupcake, and lunch itself, but I felt the call of duty. We each had a chocolate cupcake, and split the Red Velvet (my first). I liked them better than the Famous Cupcake, but it was like comparing apples to oranges. If I'm going to compare cupcake shops in a fair way, I”ll need to establish a common denominator, such as Red Velvet which seems to be an option at every shop.
After finishing my chocolate Sprinkles cupcake, I started to feel especially full. Actually, I felt ill. Did I mention I had a slice of cake after lunch too? Yea, I'd reached my limit, but I managed a forkful of the Red Velvet before tapping out altogether.
Needless to say, I took a nap before dinner.
Are you a cupcake aficionado? If yes, what's your favorite flavor or shop?
I love a good cupcake, but I'm a little overdone with the fancy, over-the-top, waaaay overpriced cupcake craze.
I think Magnolia Bakery, who arguably started the whole thing in their Sex and the City Appearance, are the best.
I have not had a Famous Cupcake, but I did just have a Sprinkles cupcake recently (which ended up making our Foodie's Guide to Orange County http://www.sharingtravelexperiences.com/foodies…) and they were pretty damn tasty.
I'm not really keen on sweets, so cupcakes aren't really for me. I do find the cupcake madness in DC to be pretty amazing. An excellent business idea in this economic climate too … who wants to spend $15 on a fancy dessert when you can get a pretty little cupcake for $5.
I'd be lying if I said I didn't call into Georgetown Cupcake on M Street every now and then to get a sweet fix!
Andy – I hear you about being over the cupcake craze, but I don't think they're overpriced. I've been paying about $2.50 on average and that's probably what I'd pay for a French pastry or a few high quality chocolates.
It is ironic that the fancy cupcake movement really took off during the economic downturn. I think the shops probably do a lot of business via catering as well. I can see it being perfect for birthdays instead of the old ice cream cake.
I have to go with Sprinkles – it's one of my favorite LA treats – a dozen of Sprinkles cupcakes last less than 2 days in my apartment when I lived in LA! :-)
Shannon – I cannot imagine bringing home a dozen Sprinkles cupcakes, that's a recipe for a stomach ache!
Yeah, it's always a bad choice but one I can never fully stop myself from
doing when I'm faced with all of the flavors…must. have. all. :-)
I was actually at a really cool event in Zurich just yesterday evening. The event is called Nacht Markt, which is a monthly market with boutiques selling secondhand and handmade ware. There was a girl selling cupcakes under the name of Oh! sweetest thing – http://ohsweetestthing.com
She said it was her first public appearance so don't know if she'll be taking part regularly at the market, but her banana and sour cream cupcakes are well worth seeking out if you're in Zurich.
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