Cakelove / Love Cafe

[cjsadler]

I remember liking the cupcakes I had when CakeLove first opened. Hadn't been back lately, but stopped by the new Love Cafe (across the street from the original CakeLove store) last night. Nice digs, but man were the pastries we had bad. I had a 'sassy' crunchy foot (a mini-bundt cake with mango, cayenne and supposedly something else I'm forgetting), which was rather dry, pretty much without any discernable flavors and had a very slight hint of cayenne on the end. The cupcakes ($2 each) were also dry and topped with a buttercream icing that was, oh... 98% butter (so rich, I thought it was repulsive). Don't know if the cakes were just sitting out too long, I was there on the wrong night, or what, but you could easily whip up something twice as good as these.

[Mark Sommelier]

I remember liking the cupcakes I had when CakeLove first opened. Hadn't been back lately, but stopped by the new Love Cafe (across the street from the original CakeLove store) last night. Nice digs, but man were the pastries we had bad. I had a 'sassy' crunchy foot (a mini-bundt cake with mango, cayenne and supposedly something else I'm forgetting), which was rather dry, pretty much without any discernable flavors and had a very slight hint of cayenne on the end. The cupcakes ($2 each) were also dry and topped with a buttercream icing that was, oh... 98% butter (so rich, I thought it was repulsive). Don't know if the cakes were just sitting out too long, I was there on the wrong night, or what, but you could easily whip up something twice as good as these.

Please remember that not everyone who opens a restaurant or food store is talented. It is like everything else in life......

[babka]

ah, c'mon--there's not another lawyer turned baker in the city who can compete with the Cake Love man for looks.

oh wait...the food's supposed to inspire the drool?

actually, cjsadler, I suspect you were there on an off-day. I think the cupcakes are always pretty wretched--dry and tooth-hurting sweet, bad combination. But my new saturday morning addiction of a crunchy foot, really awful espresso, and the paper is pretty satisfying--the little bundt cakes I've had have been uniformly moist and cooked with a comparatively light hand on the sugar.

[hillvalley]

ah, c'mon--there's not another lawyer turned baker in the city who can compete with the Cake Love man for looks.

oh wait...the food's supposed to inspire the drool? 

actually, cjsadler, I suspect you were there on an off-day.  I think the cupcakes are always pretty wretched--dry and tooth-hurting sweet, bad combination.  But my new saturday morning addiction of a crunchy foot, really awful espresso, and the paper is pretty satisfying--the little bundt cakes I've had have been uniformly moist and cooked with a comparatively light hand on the sugar.

Wasn't he one of People's Sexiest Men a few years ago? The cupcakes taste better when he's around

Edited March 13, 2004 by hillvalley (log)

[morela]

Please remember that not everyone who opens a restaurant or food store is talented. It is like everything else in life......

That 'Please' is helping me remember...

If you just demanded that I remember, I might have forgotten.

[MCJB2]

I had a chocolate cupcake once, it was very dry and overpriced. I don't know why they continue to sell such horrendous cupcakes, everyone I've talked to seems to know they're bad.

[Melani]

A few weeks ago I tried one of their German chocolate cupcakes at Love Cafe. It was dry and cold--quite a disappointment. The refrigerated display case at the counter may work for cheesecake, but it seemed to have ruined the cupcake.

[Katherine]

I remember liking the cupcakes I had when CakeLove first opened.  Hadn't been back lately, but stopped by the new Love Cafe (across the street from the original CakeLove store) last night.  Nice digs, but man were the pastries we had bad.  I had a 'sassy' crunchy foot (a mini-bundt cake with mango, cayenne and supposedly something else I'm forgetting), which was rather dry, pretty much without any discernable flavors and had a very slight hint of cayenne on the end.    The cupcakes ($2 each) were also dry and topped with a buttercream icing that was, oh... 98% butter (so rich, I thought it was repulsive).  Don't know if the cakes were just sitting out too long, I was there on the wrong night, or what, but you could easily whip up something twice as good as these.

Please remember that not everyone who opens a restaurant or food store is talented. It is like everything else in life......

There's only one bakery in my town. Everything they make is overcooked or just plain dry. At one point I wanted to open a coffeeshop, but the town is too far from the nearest metropolis to get fresh baked goods delivered, so it would have to have been me doing the baking or Sysco. So I didn't do it.

[butterfly]

I noticed the same thing with the cupcakes getting dried out. They taste better when you buy them across the street at the bakery.

[otello]

Fox News Sunday just did a nice piece on Cakelove, which is located at 1501 U Street. The cakes looked really good. I haven't been there yet. Has anyone had the pleasure?

I just checked out the website. Nothing special, as it's a work in progress. The owner is a former lawyer, who determined that law just isn't that much fun. Though he's no longer a practicing lawyer, I found it funny that he's trademarking the names of his cakes.

Edited October 17, 2004 by otello (log)

[JennyUptown]

Some discussion here

[chuchelo]

I was there a few months back after hearing raves and frankly, it wasn't all that. I was seriously bummed!

[JennyUptown]

I'd rather submit to the Doughnut Nazi...oops! I mean Amernick...myself.

[DCMark]

As someone who lives 2 blocks away I can say with all honesty Cakelove is super over-rated. I just do not like the frosting. Its like eating a stick of butter.

[MCJB2]

Their cupcakes are pretty bad, I think the owner needs to spend more time on perfecting his craft & less time on marketing, but hey he seems to be doing well. If you're going to spend that much on a cake, I agree that Amernick is a better option.

[Nadya]

My friend works around the corner, so we used to go there a lot after work at some point. I was quite underwhelmed with cupcakes, and the frosting tastes rather...basic, as in butter mixed with sugar. I think people are taken more with the concept of a quaint bakery doing business in the "right" neighborhood than with the quality of its product.

[DCMark]

My friend works around the corner, so we used to go there a lot after work at some point. I was quite underwhelmed with cupcakes, and the frosting tastes rather...basic, as in butter mixed with sugar.  I think people are taken more with the concept of a quaint bakery doing business in the "right" neighborhood than with the quality of its product.

←

I think people are taken in with the owner's story, his frequent appearances in Oprah and his good looks!

What do you mean by the 'right neighborhood?

BTW, the Bear Claws are good. And they have a cafe across the street where you can get coffee that is not from Starbucks.