THE BEST: Muffins and Cupcakes

[SobaAddict70]

In another signal that adult tastes are driving the market, the Little Pie Company has fused the cupcake and cocktail trends in its new mojito cupcake, with lime and rum flavoring inside and green lime and mint frostings.

Childhood Chic (Julia Moskin) (from today's DIGEST. You may have to scroll down for the appropriate link.)

If you go to the NYTimes web site, you can hear a slide show of New York's best cupcakes and what various places are doing all over town.

What are your favorite cupcakes, and where do you get them?

Soba

[sherribabee]

What are your favorite cupcakes, and where do you get them?

Carrot cupcakes with citrus cream cheese frosting -- from my oven.

I'm not sure I've ever purchased a cupcake anywhere. That mojito thingie sure sounds worthy though.

[Blondie]

What are your favorite cupcakes, and where do you get them?

The Cupcake Cafe. I think it's on 9th Ave at 39th. They're very tasty and absolutely gorgeous to behold. The funky little storefront is a cozy and relaxing place to hang out too.

[bloviatrix]

I've been to Crumbs a number of times. The cake part of the cupcake is ok, but not chocolate-ty enough. What makes up for it is the toppings. I liked their version of the Drake's Yankee Doodle. The Reeses Peanut Butter Cupcake was enormous. I couldn't eat it in one sitting. But their carrot cupcake was the best of everything I sampled.

One thing though - Grimes complained about the size of their cupcake. In fact, they come in two sizes. And the smaller one is a perfect size. It leaves you wanting more.

[Fat Guy]

I read part of this over somebody's shoulder on the BMT this morning. The general idea is that Asimov likes cupcakes and Grimes doesn't? If so, this would be a beautiful illustration of people living up to their stereotypes.

[anusha1]

Strange how the tides turn...I was just thinking of doing a cupcake tasting in the West Village this past weekend. It must be something in the air.

My taste in cakes/cupcakes is as follows: I like a moist but not too dense cake with a nice buttercream icing that is fairly dense -- not melty like the Cupcake Cafe -- and sweet.

Anyway, I generally like Crumbs too, particularly the yellow cake with chocolate icing. But, my favorite, so far, is the Mitchell London yellow cake with chocolate icing that they have at the Fairway Cafe (and which a very nice waiter comp'ed for a friend and me when we went to have the steak dinner).

I'm not a huge fan of either the Magnolia/Buttercup or Cupcake Cafe cupcakes. I find the icing too whipped cream like, and I prefer a denser, fudgier buttercream type icing. And the cake for the Cupcake Cafe cupcake is, like the regular sized cakes, too greasy/dense for my taste.

That said, I have heard excellent things about Polka Dot, Mary's Off Jane and the Sedaris cupcakes at Joe's and hope to try them soon(hence the thought of a cupcake crawl). Anyone know if Angelina's on Orchard makes cupcakes -- their blue velvet cake is my favorite cake in the city, so I would definitely be keen on one of their cupcakes.

[herbacidal]

What are your favorite cupcakes, and where do you get them?

The Cupcake Cafe. I think it's on 9th Ave at 39th. They're very tasty and absolutely gorgeous to behold. The funky little storefront is a cozy and relaxing place to hang out too.

really? i thought the cupcakes there were absolutely ordinary.

didn't taste creamy or good at all.

they looked nice.

[Blondie]

What are your favorite cupcakes, and where do you get them?

The Cupcake Cafe. I think it's on 9th Ave at 39th. They're very tasty and absolutely gorgeous to behold. The funky little storefront is a cozy and relaxing place to hang out too.

really? i thought the cupcakes there were absolutely ordinary.

didn't taste creamy or good at all.

they looked nice.

I'm not a cake person at all, so take my opinion for what it's worth. In fact I only stopped the first time because the stuff is beautiful. I think the icing is nice, light and ungreasy, and the cake part was quite good. As I rarely have cake or cupcakes, I'll concede that they may not be the best in NY, but that wasn't the question

[bpearis]

The Cupcake Cafe. I think it's on 9th Ave at 39th. They're very tasty and absolutely gorgeous to behold. The funky little storefront is a cozy and relaxing place to hang out too.

They are beautiful and the icing is great but I've never had anything but a totally dry cake from them.

As far as Grimes vs. Azimov, it seemed like they both liked some and disliked others.

[herbacidal]

i'm not a cake person either. haven't had enough cakes in new york to compare them to those. i don't really remember the icing, but i also thought the cake part needed more work. much too dry.

just my thoughts. ignore them if you like.

[bloviatrix]

herb - fwiw, I'm not a fan of Cupcake either. The cupcakes are beautifully decorated, but I didn't think there was enough flavor. I was dissapointed by my cupcake.

[ankomochi]

I thought I was the only one who does not care for cupcakes. I tried cupcakes a few times, but I always find them drier than I want them to be. Some of cupcakes are so artistic and pretty to look at, but those artificial colorful icings turn me off.

[snacky_cat]

I was visiting NYC for a shopping trip this past weekend when, on my way to scour the racks at Marc Jacobs, I passed the Magnolia Bakery. Their cupcakes' notoriety stretches all the way to my hometown of Vancouver, BC, so I figured I'd stop in and try one of the little guys.

It was the single most dreadful cupcake I have ever encountered. And I have done battle with many a cupcake in my time. Not only was it frightfully overpriced (my all-time favourite cupcake is 69 cents Cdn., which is roughly 0.000001 US cents), but it was so horrible I gave up halfway through. The cake itself was dry and tasted extremely floury - so floury that it was impossible to recognize it as a vanilla cupcake. The icing was just way too sweet as well. The sole virtue of the cupcakes was they looked absolutely adorable all lined up in the window.

Sadly didn't make it to Cupcake Cafe or another cupcake joint I was told about in the Nolita area, but I have to admit that after the Magnolia's poor showing, I was wary of wasting another $1.75 on something that tasted like a failed HomeEc project.

What does everyone think about the Magnolia Cupcakes? Did I just happen to pick the wrong one (it was vanilla, with pink icing), or are they generally weak? And why is that such a little cupcake spurred my most vitriolic eGullet post yet?

[emmapeel]

I'm such a sugar addict that I did not realize they were that bad, but I am inclined to agree with your opinion, because I think the cake is lame. I will however, say that the experience at Cupcake Cafe would have pleased you, unless they have changed in recent years. The cake is rich and dense, and the icing is unlike any butter cream I've had. It's sort of like silky, creamy butter, but flavored. It's the type of frosting that wouldn't last ten minutes in the sunlight. I ordered a birthday cake from them once and it was extraordinary.

Edited March 8, 2005 by emmapeel (log)

[zeitoun]

I am not a big fan of cupcakes to begin with, so when i started coming across so many people raving about magnolia bakery cupcakes a few years ago, i decided to give it a shot, hoping it would make a convert out of me.

Frankly, i just cannot tell the difference between those cupcakes and the ones that can be purchased packaged in my office cafeteria's vending machine. I decided to give cupcakes a pass, indefinitely.

[JennyUptown]

I have loved Magnolia's cupcakes for years (especially the years when I lived just a few blocks away). On the other hand, I thought Cupcake Cafe's stuff was yucky.

To each, her own.

[greenwich st]

Ugh, I hate that place! Horrible cupcakes and the service is about the snottiest I've ever encountered! I live a few blocks away, and it really bugs me to see the lines wrapping around the block every evening. (Cupcake cafe does make better c.c.'s, served with a lot less attitude, and their birthday cake-decorating is divine!)

[Bond Girl]

As a sugar fiend, I must admit to loving the cupcake at magnolia. In fact, I'll even confess to having stood in line that stretched around the block to get a taste of that icing during PMS blues. Sure, it's yucky and pastey tasting, but who cares? It gives me the jolt that I wanted when I am feeling like a bitch on wheels and nothing else in the world will do.

[Luckylies]

I live on bank st (or did, moms house)

all I can say is ick ick ick. expensive (cute) dreadful dry unflavored cake with shortening sugar frosting dyed to be remotely edible (not so much) the flourless chocolate cake is good..but the cupcakes "hom ec disaster" the service has always seemed nice enough, but how else would you sell a terrible cupcake? I've heard very nice things about their bananna pudding, but have not tried it. A few places in the 'hood have ripped off their style (WHY??...oh, money) but really it's sad and bad. if sugar addiction is the only way to justify eating these things, we see a sad day here on egullet...

on the upside these cupcakes may just be how mom made them. right?

[bpearis]

I live on bank st (or did, moms house)

all I can say is ick ick ick. expensive (cute) dreadful dry unflavored cake with shortening sugar frosting dyed to be remotely edible (not so much) the flourless chocolate cake is good..but the cupcakes "hom ec disaster" the service has always seemed nice enough, but how else would you sell a terrible cupcake? I've heard very nice things about their bananna pudding, but have not tried it. A few places in the 'hood have ripped off their style (WHY??...oh, money) but really it's sad and bad. if sugar addiction is the only way to justify eating these things, we see a sad day here on egullet...

on the upside these cupcakes may just be how mom made them. right? 

←

Coulda sworn NY Mag dissed them too, but now i've lost the link.

Edited March 8, 2005 by bpearis (log)

[sarashrugs]

A co-worker brought a bunch to share at work. Everyone was raving about them and I was once again reminded of how little it takes to impress the people I work with. I didn't have more than two bites of the one I tried. Cupcake Cafe is better but still no better than an average grocery store cake in my opinion.

[mmmichele]

I got a dozen cupcakes (since theres a limit) for Valentines Day, hoping to suprise my Sweetie with 'em. When he saw the pastel pretties his eyes lit up! When he took a bite, he almost SPIT up. I havent tasted them prior to that. They tasted like bland corn muffins with Play-Do/Sugar fondant on top. Bleh. They're nasty. I dont even know why there's a dozen cupcake limit or a line going around the corner. Ah, the persuasive power of Sex in the City!

Smelled Delicious in there, I must say.

Also, never had the cakes, either, and Im not really anxious to try them.

[yimay]

i think they are pretty good. perhaps people/sex and the city talked them up too much because they weren't as good as i had expected. i actually kind of like less sweet, flour-ey cake. i'm not a fan of icing, usually wipe the sugary pink stuff off. their chocolate cupcakes suck. vanilla is much better. but i agree, there are better cupcakes out there.

[Luckylies]

the cupcakes of doom were pretty popular before sex and the city, the line thing started before all that press! can you believe it?

[bookluvingbabe]

I'm a fan, along with Billy's Bakery. I've done taste tests along with Cupcake Cafe's and the Magnolia ones are so much better, IMO. They remind me of what my mother's cupcakes were like.

I almost always manage to work in a visit to either Magnolia or Billy's when I'm in NY.

Jennifer