Sweet Jen L's

We need to discuss a very important topic today and the conclusions we draw may well divide us.

"Like what, Jen?" you ask.

"Peace?"  "Politics?"  "Philosophy?"

No... today we need to talk about cupcakes.

(As a caveat, I'm not a cupcake aficionado like either of these gals.  However, I'm a fat person with a serious carbohydrate jones and I know what I like, thus I'm qualified to direct this discussion.) 

After the Whole Foods debacle, I decided to get cupcakes in lieu of a cake proper.  Since I had the time and it was my birthday, I figured I was obligated to purchase the finest cupcakes available.  I did a search on Yelp.com and fellow Chicagoans recommended Sweet Mandy B's, a twee little bakery in Lincoln Park. 

So, I set off on Mission Cupcake and drove about ten minutes from my house.  I pulled up and got to park right out front (bonus points!) and I began to enter the pastel storefront.  However, a jackass dashed in the door right before I was able to grab the knob.  This man appeared to have come directly from the movie Wall Street with his slicked-back hair, shiny suspenders, and manic energy.  While I seethed about his rudeness, he kept bounding back and forth between display cases and offering a constant stream of persiflage. 

"You know, you guys have the best cupcakes in the city.  I mean it.  Yours?  Totally primo.  And you know other bakeries are trying to do what you do?  And you know what?  They're just copying.  You guys are the original.  You guys are the best.  And you know what?  No one else does stuff like this."

I'm not sure if he was high on Bolivian marching powder or sugar, but I do know after two seconds in his presence, I wanted to kick him in the throat.  Also, dude?  They're FUCKING CUPCAKES.  Sweet Mandy B's did not INVENT cupcakes.  Cupcakes existed LONG BEFORE THIS PLACE OPENED.  For God's sake, I clearly recall bringing this exact substance to school thirty years ago because it was my birthday.  And if my mom invented the cupcake, then someone needs to cut her a check.

Anyway, Gordon Gekko bought a giant stack-o-cakes and eventually paid and got out of the way and I finally got a good look at the cupcake selection.  And can I tell you this?

NOT IMPRESSED. 

They appeared to be garden-variety cupcakes, neither large nor small.  They had the homemade look of imperfection - they were uneven, with parts of the baked cake spilling over the sides.  Strike one.  If I'm paying $2/cake, they should be perfectly uniform and I don't give a shit if it looks like they came from a commercial bakery. 

Anyway, I picked out six cakes - one lemon, one orange, one chocolate/chocolate iced, one red velvet with cream cheese frosting, one golden with chocolate icing, and one golden with pink icing.  The whole time I was making my selection, I was also being swarmed by small flying insects.  (I did ask if I could get one "without gnats" and the counter person said none of them had nuts.  Strike two.)

I paid for my cupcakes and the cashier handed me my box.  I ran the rest of my glamorous birthday errands (dropping off dry cleaning, buying dog food, mailing bills) and didn't crack open the box until I got home for I am a heroic model of self-control. Then I couldn't figure out which one I wanted, so I took bites out of the lemon, the orange, and the golden/pink.  (Perhaps I spoke a bit soon about my heroic self-control.)

Again?  NOT IMPRESSED.

Here's my problem - cupcakes should be dense, moist, and richly flavored and the frosting should be light and buttery.  Frosting is supposed to begin to melt when it touches the heat of your lips.  These cakes were dry and airy and they were covered in a thick, super-sugary confection I could use to respackle the wall next to my shower where there's water damage. 

In my opinion, cupcakes should make you ache for a glass of milk, not a toothbrush.  A good cupcake is ALL ABOUT THE CAKE.  The frosting should just be (forgive me) the icing on the cake.  Plus, the taste of these particular cakes wasn't anything I couldn't achieve with a box of Duncan Hines and some flavored extract.  (However, we are talking about cupcakes so it's not like they were bad.  They just weren't what I wanted or expected.)

So, here are my questions for today:

1)  For the local people - where should I go for cupcakes around here?

2)  For everyone else, what constitutes a good cupcake for you?  Is the light cake/heavy frosting what most people want?  Is there a variety I should seek, e.g. "You haven't lived until you tried a coconut/eggnog/Chai tea cupcake."

3)  If I wanted to buy the world's finest cupcake, where would I go?  (And are they available online?)

Discuss.

P.S.  Yes, I did consume a cupcake while writing this post.  I had the red velvet one.  It was better in terms of density and flavor, but again, nothing I couldn't achieve at home.

Comments

[Magen]

I also would recommend Bittersweet here in Chicago.
I found Mandy B's and Southport Grocery to be the same dissapointment of too much sugar texture, not enough cake.
I want to cupcake, not a diabetic coma. (And I love me some sweets!)

[Olivia]

I hear you about Mandy B's. The part that gets me the most about that place is the fact that they are not friendly. They are so mean.
I recommend the big food court in the Water Tower. I had the best vanilla cupcake at one of the kiosks.

[Liz]

3 words: Chocolate Mocha Mousse

They're sold at a bakery called "The Night Kitchen" in PA. Definitely worth the trip thru Philly's gangsta-ist of ghettos.
Or there's always the easy way: everyone's got at least one friend that loves to play the role of Betty Crocker & will have no problem (after hearing countless hours of whining -- hey, desperate times...) whipping up a batch for you.

[Carrie]

Here in St. Louis, there is a new cupcakery that people have lost their minds over...it's called Jilly's or Jillie's. A few of us lady coworkers decided a while ago to forego the frozen Lean Cuisines and haul it to this dessert oasis for a look see.....first of all, these "cupcakes" are $3.95 a piece TO START. There are more expensive versions. Now, there are the size of a Toyota Corolla, but $4?? And all have fillings of some sort - amaretto, capuccino, etc. Oh, and enough sugar in the icing that my hair started to tingle. People were lined up out the door like Jilly was handing out the last Golden Ticket to get one into Wonkaworld. Needless to say, we haven't been back.

[chris]

My frustration with cupcakes (as opposed to highly frosted layer cakes) is a lack of frosting. On a normal cupcake the frosting/cake ratio is completely out of proportion. My perfect cupcake would consist of a frosting layer in the middle as well as on top. What can I say, I'm a frosting whore.

[chris]

My frustration with cupcakes (as opposed to highly frosted layer cakes) is a lack of frosting. On a normal cupcake the frosting/cake ratio is completely out of proportion. My perfect cupcake would consist of a frosting layer in the middle as well as on top. What can I say, I'm a frosting whore.

[chris]

My frustration with cupcakes (as opposed to highly frosted layer cakes) is a lack of frosting. On a normal cupcake the frosting/cake ratio is completely out of proportion. My perfect cupcake would consist of a frosting layer in the middle as well as on top. What can I say, I'm a frosting whore.

[Melissa]

I love cupcakes as well and have done a lot of research on the subject.

Cupcake on Briar/Belmont: HORRID, worst cupcake ever. I brought a dozen to a party and was embarassed b/c they were so awful.

Whole Foods/Ashland: ok, nothing great

Sweet Mandy B: Have had friends rave about them but thought they were only ok.

Sensation Bites on Southporth: Ok, nothing memerable though, big selection.

Southport Grocery: Pretty good, huge cupcake with very dense cake.

Dinkles: Best of the bunch, moist dense cake and light icing.

I haven't ever had a Bittersweet cupcake but I love their cheesecake since they brulee the top. YUM!

[Melissa]

Well, as far as cupcakes, I haven't found a bakery that compares to homemade. And homemade-homemade, not from a mix. Mixes have a weird, chemical taste to me. Over the weekend I made gingerbread cupcakes with orange cream cheese frosting. Yum, yum. Those were tasty. You just need to find yourself a person to make the cupcakes for you.

[Nicole E.]

I am trying to start my own cupcake business in Ohio and I believe that a good cupcake involves 3 things:

1. Size- becasue I am a fabulous fat girl, I want to be able to eat 1 cupcake and feel satisfied... not 3.

2. Cake- I like the cake better than the icing, so I want the cake to be dense, moist and flavorable.

3. Decoration- If I wanted something that looked like I could bake it, I would save the price and just make it. If I am paying someone else to bake it, I want it to be special.

[Francesca]

Good Morning Mrs President,
I think I have found the perfect cupcake that does not have squiggles on it. (I love them personally.) These small cake baked in a cup-shaped containers can be found at a little shop called Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery on Rivington Street in Manhattan. I dropped them a line letting them know of your dessert delemna. Couldn't hurt, right? Lets see, it's 10:20am Wednesday. I have been at work since 8:30,had coffee, cookies, read your daily insights and freshened up. I guess I'll go outside and smoke. Then I'll come back up to the office and have a cup of coffee. It's cold out there. I will actually work too but it takes time to get those creative juices flowing. And that would be understandable if I had a job that required any creativity. Anyway...
Keep writing those books Jen!! You are my inspiration. Kisses to the pups and kitties and a firm handshake for Fletch,
Your friend,
Francesca

[Michelle B.]

I live in a one-horse town sans bakery, so I can't recommend where to buy a good cupcake.

But, speaking of red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, one of the best birthday cakes I ever had was from VeryVera.com. Don't ask me how I've resisted joining their Cake-of-the-Month club.

And I'm a chocoholic, so I have to give props to Wegmans Food Market for their Chocolate Dome, which is what I had for my birthday last year.

[Ang]

Has someone already suggested Dinkel's? (I haven't time to read all the comments...because, you know, I am now craving a cupcake and need to dash off and satisfy said craving with some baked good, be it good or bad)...

I like Dinkel's cupcakes. That is all.

[Suzanne]

If you're up for a road trip to the boonies, Around the Clock restaurant/bakery in Crystal Lake, Illinois, has awesome Chocolate Shannons that are bigger than a cupcake but smaller than a cake (perfect for sharing or to get over a particulary agonizing day (don't ask how I know that)). The cake is not too heavy and it is covered with a chocolate ganache-type frosting. Yummm. They also have cupcakes and other baked goodies, that I am sure are fabulous, but I always go for the Shannon.

[Megan from NC]

I'm not much into cupcakes because none compare to my mom's cupcakes (although she doesn't make them anymore) but have you tried the Ghirardelli brownies? They are to die for. Oh, and peanut butter M&Ms. YUM.

[Carey Likes to Bake]

Okay as a DePaul alumni who lived a block away, I can't hate on Sweet Mandy B's. They played a large part in my freshman 15.

The bummer about bakery cupcakes is that they have to use recipes that give the cakes some shelf-life. My favorite cupcakes are made at home. Try the Duncan Hines box mix with this homemade frosting:

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream

Add confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt to a bowl. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

INCREDIBLE!!!! Way better than a Reese's

[Melinda]

I recommend the place called "Cupcakes" on Briar and Broadway. Its a cute little place that ONLY does cupcakes, nothing else. They are definitely not cheap, but I think they are fantastic. Their website is: chicagocupcakes.com. They have fun flavors, but also have the traditional. Their hours seem to be kind of short, so check that too.

[Rebecca Marshall]

MAGNOLIA'S in NYC is worth the expense of travelling. I order three cupcakes (because I will eat whatever I order once I step out the door and that's the best I can do on self control) and then walk across the street to the little park bench and try to enjoy each little cake of goodness.

Tip for buying baked goods: Find out the time when the batches are fresh at the bakery. (I'm the type of person to make go out of my way to get the freshest...makes a big difference.)

[DG's World]

The cake part must be moist but springy. The icing part must be 1 part lard, 4 parts powdered sugar with a touch of vanilla and a dash of almond flavah. Said icing must ALSO be 4 inches in height and should have the power to clog your arteries and slow your heart within 20 minutes of consumption. It's like valium in a tidy accordian paper cup!

Sprinkles don't hurt either, but they're truly just aesthetic. I find sprinkles to taste a mite waxy. My kids love them, though.

[jodi]

I know you shouldn't have to bake your own birthday cupcakes...but I am a huge fan of D/H white cupcakes with white icing that I color pink and top with pink sprinkles! I am not opposed to a bakery cupcake, but my "go to" cupcake is the white w/ white icing. Break the cake part in half and put it on top of the icing...for a "cupcake sandwich." That is the absolute BEST way to eat a 'cake.

[Sarah (the usual one.)]

Oh...and of course Fletch liked them, I'm sure someone told him Rachael Ray made 'em.

[Sarah (the usual one.)]

Cupcakes..hmm...let me think. There is a bakery in OKC (Oklahoma city) that makes the most delicious cookies (I know, not cupcakes) but it was there that I had the best cupcake-ish experience. I say "ish" because technically it wasn't a cupcake per say...it was a petit four (for?) but that's just a square cupcake, right?

A little moist square chunk of golden yellow spongy goodness drenched in a creamy ganche-like vanilla frosting, and when I say drenched it was as if they had poured the concoction over every inch, save for the bottom which was obviously sitting on a rack or something...then they piped the cutest little flowers over the top. OMG it was heavenly.

The website is down for some reason but I am pretty sure they ship. Check back in a little while ....

and seriously you have to try the cookies...for my last 2 birthdays I forgo the cake and just have those cookies...oh wow are they good.

mm...dang it, now I have to go, seeing as they are just down the street from my office. thanks..I needed a new ass cheek.

http://www.ruthssweetjustice.com/

[Amy M.]

Amen, Jen!

And welcome to the Sweet Mandy B's experience. Where obnoxious, self-absorbed i-bankers, trophy wives and assorted brats order overrated baked goods from staff who couldn't give a damn. Ah, the joys of Lincoln Park living.

After visiting the much beloved and despised Magnolia Bakery in NYC, I went on a personal Chicago cupcake quest and here's what I found.

Sweet Mandy's - in addition to the problems you so aptly described - has very, very food-coloring flavored frosting. Blech! Overrated.

Swirlz - should be shot (or at least shooed out of existence). Safe to assume the post above raving about it is from one of their own owners. That's what happens when marketers open a cupcake shop. And Swirz, if you're reading - and we can assume you are - get some real frosting why don't you?

Alliance Bakery in Wicker Park - also sucks. Grody.

Southport Grocery - pretty good. I guess. But not worth a special trip.

The best I found:
Fox and Obel's. Hands down.

And if I were in the market, I'd try Dominick's. (Oh the horror!) Their cakes rock. And this is coming from a snotty foodie who loves foie. So I'd assume their cupcakes might be similar.

Good luck to you, bravo for nailing the yuppie hell of the Sweet Mandy B's experience, and please, keep us posted on your findings.

[Beth]

I can't speak for any of the Chicago area places, but if you're on a book tour or something and find yourself in Raleigh, NC and have a major cupcake jones, steer clear of The Cupcake Shoppe unless you want a cupcake-shaped crouton w/ icing that has the texture of the grainy crap the dentist polishes your teeth w/ every 6 mo. Worst. Cupcakes. Ever. And, hi! This is Raleigh for crying out loud-- not a "real" city... I think they charge like $3.50 for one of these cakes of wretchedness.

[DCer]

To DCfullest:

I honestly don't think CakeLove is all that great. To me, their frosting is too light, its like cool whip. The best cupcakes I have had in the area are from Buzz, in Alexandria on Slaters Lane right off the GW Parkway www.buzzonslaters.com

[maggie]

Per my husband - the best chocolate/chocolate frosting cupcake is the one I bought at Starbucks at Barnes & Noble. Starbucks gets them from the Cheesecake Factory. Or should I say that my local B&N does.

[Trixie]

Happy B-day.

Not sure about their cupcakes, but everything I get from Deerfield's Bakery (in Deerfield and Buffalo Grove) is awesome.

People sometimes invite me to parties just because they know I will bring Deerfields' pastries with me.

Try the Queen Liz cake. Or any pastries.

[Jen]

I too was underwhelmed by Mandy B's. It was tasty, but nothing mind-blowing. I haven't gone on a big cupcake hunt, so I can't make any solid recommendations, ALTHOUGH the cupcakes at Lovely on Milwaukee look delicious and beautiful. Also, Alliance Bakery on Division slightly screwed up my anniversary cake and so they offered me some free cupcakes. I'll let you know how those are once I take them up on it. Our cake was actually very good (just had the wrong filling) so I imagine their cupcakes will be, too.

BTW, you need to make this entry a Yelp review. I'm addicted to Yelp! (mllejennifer.yelp.com)

[Jessica]

If your local Trader Joe's has them, the miniature carrot cakes in their baked goods section are just super-sized carrot cake cupcakes with a healthy slathering of cream cheese frosting. THEY ARE DELICIOUS, and the husband has physically barred me from grabbing them every time we go to TJ's. Seattle has Cupcake Royale, but I wasn't impressed, especially at the price. I'm going to have to stick with Betty Crocker as the best kind of cupcakes outside of Trader Joe's.

[sarah]

I've always liked these little "one bite" cupcakes you can get at any grocery store, the one I find them a is often Raily's or BelAir. They're fabulous, and they're little so you don't feel so bad!

[Nicole]

Sorry the cupcakes weren't what you had hoped for. But I have just the thing for you FatDaddyBakeShop. These are the most amazing cupcakes I've ever had and I can buy them online, meaning I don't have to bake or leave the house. They come in cute little mason jars too. There are so many flavors I am sure you'll find at least one you love (I really recommend the Butterscotch Bad Boys!!!)

[LLori]

Happy Birthday Sweetie!!! (2 wks ago/b-day also). Listen, no great cupcake insight but I gotta tell you lately ... handfuls of Snickers! Take care & Merry Merry!

[Allison]

Sorry, I do love Sweet Mandy B's (the banana pudding and ranger cookies are awesome). However I have other recommendations... if you are downtown shopping on the mile go to Sarah's on Oak St. her cupcakes are fab...if you are in Deerfield go to Deerfields Bakery on Waukegan. If you are in the mood for german chocolate/banana cake go to Bittersweet on Belmont. Angel Food is good not great (on Montrose in Lincoln Square). And if you want a 3-D Penis cake go to Roesers Bakery you can't beat it! Can you tell I battle the bulge?

[Aimee]

I know this probably won't do much good for your birthday, but I had to chime in... Next time you are in SF, there is a wee little organic bakery, Miette, in the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero. They do little cakes and cupcakes that are the most perfect confections you have ever seen. And because the ingredients are all organic, they are AMAZING. My fave is the gingerbread with cream cheese frosting, but the old fashioned are by far the prettiest. Heck, you should come out here just for the food at the Ferry Plaza alone. Plus, it's November and, you know, it's still 70 degrees!
http://www.miette.com/gallery_1.html

[Cassie]

There is a cupcake place that opened in down town Birmingham here in my home state of Michigan. It's called "The Cupcake Depot" or something similar. Whilst walking by I thought "ooo! Cupcakes! Who doesn't love a cupcake? Why has no one thought of making a cupcake store sooner??" And then I went inside.... There were literally about 10 random cupcakes behind some glass, all of which were labeled unappitizing flavors. I have never been so dissapointed in my life.

[Meredith]

Buttercup is sooooo much better than Magnolia if you're in NYC. The cupcakes are better and you don't have to wait in a ridiculously long line with tourists trying to live out a Sex and the City fantasy. Plus, it's owned by one of the founders of Magnolia.

[Carolyn]

You have to go to Bittersweet. They are on Belmont in East Lakeview. Best flavors of cake, best decorations, best customer service.

And god help them if they screw it up, I will stop using them. I am a wedding planner, and they will suffer.

[the governor of jennsylvania]

UPDATE - Fletch just had a cupcake and declared them the most delicious thing to ever exist.

I guess opposites do attract.

[Teresa]

Oh honey, if it didn't sound crazy-stalkerish, I'd make you a batch from scratch. I am not a fan of store-bought baked goods, but Dinkel's is the place to go if you're not going to make them yourself. There used to be this great bakery called Biel's in the Old Irving Park neighborhood, but it closed. I would not recommend Cupcake in Lakeview - if you can find anywhere to park and if they bother to have any cupcakes in the shop, the frosting is sort-of medicinal and the cake is just meh.

[Angie]

Here in the South, we like eggnog cupcakes with Bourbon caramel cream cheese frosting. I don't really like eggnog, but these are so good they will make you want to slap your momma. And for store bought,
Sprinkles is def the way to go...so, so good and, good news...
Coming Soon to Chicago

[Denise]

So I am not really a sweets person, I would rather a big plate of buffalo wings with extra blue cheese and a side of loaded nachos. Give me fried and greasy over sweet anyday. However, about two years ago, I had a cupcake from the Baltimore Cupcake Company www.baltimorecupcakecompany.com and it changed my whole world. These are the cupcakes dreams are made of. The frosting is the purest of buttercream (having a defib on hand isn't a bad idea) and the cake itself, no words can describe! If you ever come to Baltimore, make sure you make a stop there. They too are a bit pricey but these are the Target of cupcakes, not the Wal-Mart, anyway it is money well spent.

Happy belated birthday and thanks for all the laughs!

[cayce]

I don't usually buy cupcakes (because I make them myself - 24 cupcakes for about $6) but I hear people raving about the cupcakes at Southport Grocery all the time. http://www.southportgrocery.com/

[Jo]

Cupcake (not just a clever name) on Broadway and Briar is pretty good. I've been there twice and I remember the frosting being a tad rich but still good.

But sadly, the yummiest cupcake I have consumed in Chicago came from a random Starbucks. I don't even think they carry them anymore, but damn, that was a good cupcake...

I've also heard wonderful things abour Dinkel's, but I've never been there. It's on Lincoln - can't remember exactly where, but I want to say around Irving Park. I'm fairly sure it has a 4000N address.

[Michelle]

Try "Sprinkles" in LA. Perhaps they would ship you some? Also, "Busken's" here in Cincinnati, rocks the cupcake fo' sho :o)

Cheers!
Michelle

[Nia]

I can give neither advice nor direction on the best place to get a cupcake because I am anti-commercial cupcake. Why? I worked in a bakery for a couple of years in my hometown. Some items we made, and others we had delivered to us. And we got our cupcakes delivered to us - frozen. We then had to decorate them so they appeared fresh. Of course, we had to wait until they thawed. Therefore, I lack the trust in store-bought cupcakes. So I've learned to make my own, and honestly? There's nothing better than chowing down on some still-warm-frosting-slightly-melted-piece-of-heaven. It actually doesn't take that long, either, and if you tinker (use milk instead of water, and melted butter instead of oil) with the box mix, it's pretty awesome.
As an endnote, I'd like to say that while it's mostly about the cake (hence, cupCAKE), I think it's about the mixing of the cake and the frosting. Alone they are good enough, but together, they can make your eyes roll back in your head.

[Steph T]

I'm all about the moist, dense cupcakes with buttercream frosting. My favorite place in the Chicagoland area is Deerfield Bakery. Although, I have heard that Angel Food Bakery has great cupcakes. I'll have to stop by this weekend for a test run. I'll update you! :)

[tracy]

Jen -

Happy Birthday!

Next time you are in Boston, check out Lulu's on Hanover Street in the North End. They are newish but also pretty darn good and have some interesting flavors.

[Alyssa]

You're insane. Sweet Mandy's is the best. Ever. I teach in Lincoln Park and believe me, we get these cupcakes for birthdays at least twice a month and I STILL can't get enough. I whole-heartedly disagree with you. Next time (and go again...not everyone who lives in Lincoln Park is a prick, just 80%) try the peanut butter brownie...Good Lord.

[Kristabella]

OMG, I FEEL your pain. We had a sales conference at the Hard Rock Hotel last week and because I do all the planning, I picked the cupcake break in the afternoon. Naturally. AND I got to pick the cake and frosting. It was going to be the best day ever.

They sucked. And for what they were charging us for those cupcakes, I should have asked for a refund.

I've heard all about Sprinkles and am dying to try them whenever I am in LA next. Hopefully for New Year's.

I like Jewel's cupcakes. I know, I know. But they aren't bad.

When you find a good place in Chicago, let me know.

[kalisah]

I missed yesterday's comments b/c I spent my b-day working late. Which is to say Hi! We share a birthday. And which - as I'm sure you know - is also a big holiday in England (where I do not live) called Guy Fawkes Day. He was the guy who plotted to blow up parliament. Apparently they celebrate that over there:

Please to remember
The fifth of November,
Gun powder, treason and plot.
I see no reason
Why gun powder treason
Should ever be forgot.

Or something like that.