Sensational Bites

HAPPY NATIONAL LEMON CUPCAKE DAY!  

HAPPY NATIONAL CUPCAKE DAY!

Name: Sensational Bites: A Dessert Cafe
Neighborhood: Lake View
Address: 3751 N Southport Ave
Map (link above): purple dotted marker
Nearest El Transit Locations:
Southport Brown Line Station
Hours: 
Tue - Thur  8am - 7pm
Fri - Sat  8am - 10pm
Sunday  8am - 7pm
Bake On-Site: Yes
Individual Cupcake Price: $2.75
Boxing/Packaging: Box without inserts
What makes this bakery special: Fresh and fine ingredients, a laid-back atmosphere, and sweet home bakin' makes this place a must-visit, especially when paired with a show at the Music Box Theater (just steps away).

Cupcakes Purchased and Reviewed:

Butterfinger

Lemon

Lemon
Cake: Lemon
with Lemon Buttercream
Appearance: 3
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 3

Butterfinger
Cake: Vanilla
with Butterfinger Buttercream
Appearance: 2
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 3



Additional Notes: 
The lemon cupcake was nice and refreshing. The cake was soft and subtle, with strong, super sweet (and slightly grainy) lemon buttercream. It's a common misconception that citrus season is the summer because it's refreshing but really winter is when citrus is in season. Delicious!

The Butterfinger cupcake was moist, light vanilla cake with thick, rich buttercream with tiny bits of butterfinger candy bars mixed right in!
Both cupcakes were delightfully fresh. Sensational bites was also very busy. No surprise there. Delicious treats for all!
While waiting in line, their display cases are very charming and appealing.
Vegan options, espresso bar, indoor seating.
Friendly staff, who handled the line well and also packaged each cupcake carefully.

Swirlz [2]

HAPPY HANUKKAH!

This side-adventure began when Swirlz Cupcakes (Lincoln Park; green marker on map--link above) posted a photo of their Hanukkah cupcake last week...
In an effort to not "double dip" by re-visiting Swirlz, I did some thorough research on what other bakeries (that I hadn't been to yet) were offering for the holiday. Yes, some other bakeries offered "Hanukkah" cupcakes, but were just themed, decorated with Stars of David and menorahs. I wanted a cupcake that screamed "Festival of Lights" and most importantly "original idea!" so I decided Swirlz was the way to go. I have no regrets!

Hanukkah Cupcake
Cake: Vanilla
with sour cream buttercream and fresh apple compote filling
and a homemade latke (traditional Hanukkah potato pancake)
Size: Large
Bite #: 5
Moisture: 3 

The cake and filling were absolutely delicious. I admit, I was skeptical about the sour cream buttercream beforehand, but it was absolutely fantastic! The buttercream was smooth and didn't have the "zing" sour cream has, which made it a perfect medium paired with the sweet cake and the latke. Also, the latke addition was the "icing on the cake" which made this cupcake, by far, the most original cupcake I've had up to this point. Great job, Swirlz!
This is a supplemental post. Please see my first <Swirlz post> for more information. 

Dinkel's Bakery

Name: Dinkel's Bakery

Neighborhood: Lakeview
Address: 3329 N Lincoln Ave

Map (link above): green dotted marker

Nearest El Transit Locations:

Paulina Brown Line Station

Hours: 

Tue - Fri  6am - 7pm

Saturday  6am - 5pm

Sunday  8am - 4pm

Bake On-Site: Yes

Individual Cupcake Prices: $2.49-3.09

Boxing/Packaging: Box without inserts

What makes this bakery special: 

Dinkel's dates back to 1922 when baker Joseph K. Dinkel and his wife moved to the U.S. from Germany. Since, the bakery has been passed down four generations, has continued using original family recipes and radiates a homestyle charm. With this warm, loving atmosphere comes an enviro-concious mission, using local ingredients, such as wheat, eggs, and dairy from Wisconsin, and eco-friendly energy use.  Also, buy-one-get-one-free-cupcake Tuesdays are ah-may-zing!

Cupcakes Purchased and Reviewed:

Chocolate with Vanilla

Cake: Chocolate

with Vanilla Buttercream

Appearance: 2

Size: Large

Bite #: 5

Moisture: 3

Price: $2.49

Vanilla with Chocolate

Cake: Vanilla

with Chocolate Buttercream

Appearance: 2

Size: Large

Bite #: 5

Moisture: 3

Price: Free! (Tuesdays: Buy one cupcake, get one free*)

Vanilla Strawberry

Cake: Chocolate
with Vanilla Buttercream (and a strawberry made from frosting) with strawberry filling
Appearance: 2
Size: Large
Bite #: 5
Moisture: 2
Price: $3.09
*filled cupcakes, such as the vanilla strawberry, excluded from Tuesday cupcake deal (fyi)

Additional Notes: 
My cupcakes from Dinkel's were so deliciously moist I regretted sharing mine with my cupcaking partner, D.E.  At least he had an opportunity to relish in the freshness with me. The cake for the "unfilled" cupcakes (the first two above) was moist, soft, and rich with flavor. The frosting, while delicious and flavorful, left a coating of sugar in my mouth, but did not take away from the experience whatsoever. The vanilla strawberry, I admit, let me down a little bit. Filled cupcakes are not included in the Tuesday Special (and understandably so) but this one--the last one, mind you-- was just calling to me. The cake was a little dry and the frosting was too much--or perhaps too little--for this particular cake/frosting pairing. To borrow words from D.E., "the filling/cake/flavor concept is great" but not quite what I had hoped for. 
The employees were friendly and welcoming (even close to closing time) and packaged each cupcake carefully.  
Full cafe menu, coffee.
Close to brown line and other bus routes.
The mind-blowing freshness the other two cupcakes provided--truly the prevailing part of the Dinkel's experience!

Southport Grocery

HAPPY NATIONAL VANILLA CUPCAKE DAY!

Name: Southport Grocery and Cafe

Neighborhood: Lakeview
Address: 3552 N. Southport

Map (link above): yellow dotted marker

Nearest El Transit Locations:

Southport Brown Line Stop

Hours: 

Mon - Fri  7am - 4pm
Saturday  8am - 5pm
Sunday  8am - 4pm

Bake On-Site: Yes

Individual Cupcake Prices: $2.50

Boxing/Packaging: Box without inserts

What makes this bakery special: 

Famous throughout Chicago for their amazing homemade vanilla cupcakes, Southport is the place to go when celebrating the beauty of vanilla cake (like, say, on National Vanilla Cupcake Day). The entire second floor is a bakery kitchen where they make most of their baked goods, including cupcakes!

Cupcake Purchased and Reviewed:

 
Vanilla/Vanilla

Cake: Vanilla
with Vanilla Buttercream
Appearance: 2
Size: Large
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 2

Additional Notes:

Southport bakes on-site, yes, that's noted above, but here not only do they bake fresh daily in small batches but they use a special old family recipe for the cake and the amazing vanilla buttercream. This magical blend of flavors has made Southport the go-to in Chicago for vanilla cupcakes. 
The frosting is has a rich vanilla flavor, is sweet but not over-sugary, and is smooth and creamy to the palette. The cake is made from a warm, rich, thick vanilla batter with love baked right in. The simplest way to describe it is grandma's homemade vanilla cupcakes with a touch of heaven blended right in.
It can get really busy here (when I went it was packed) so plan ahead. The cafe part makes it kind of confusing to get to the grocery part, so just know that you can just walk through to the counter. Also, if you go to the cafe part, try their (also) famous "cupcake pancakes," pancakes made with cake batter. When you do, comment below and let me know how you liked them! (I haven't tried them yet.)
Espresso/coffee bar.
Indoor seating (cafe).

West Town Bakery

**HAPPY (British) NATIONAL CUPCAKE WEEK**

Name: West Town Bakery and Diner

Neighborhood: West Town / Ukrainian Village
Address: 1916 W Chicago Ave
Map (link above):  yellow pin

Nearest El Transit Locations:

Chicago Blue Line Stop (then either walk or take the Chicago bus)
Damen Blue Line Stop (then either walk--I did--or take the Damen bus)

(Bakery) Hours: 
Sun - Thur 7am - 9pm
Fri - Sat  7am - Midnight

Bake On-Site: Yes

Individual Cupcake Price: $2.25

Boxing/Packaging: Fitted Clam Shell
What makes this bakery special: 

This bakery is the most sustainable that a bakery can possibly be. They do everything possible, ranging from buying local to using green products and packaging to driving a hybrid delivery car to composting! 

Cupcake Purchased and Reviewed:

Left: Peach Cobbler
Right: Salted Caramel

Peach Cobbler (vegan)

Cake: Vanilla with Peaches

with Vanilla Frosting and Cinnamon Oat Streusel Crumbs filled with Peach Chutney

Appearance: 3

Size: Average

Bite #: 3

Moisture: 3+

Salted Caramel

Cake: Salted Vanilla

with Caramel Frosting sprinkled with salt filled with Homemade Caramel

Appearance: 2

Size: Average

Bite #: 3

Moisture: 3

Additional Notes:
I love this place! Honestly, it's a shame it's so close to my house; I already want to go back but I can't double visit bakeries yet because there are still so many others to go!
Everything here revolves around sustainability and inclusivity--two topics I find important as well. Sustainable by the products, practices, and beliefs. Inclusive by the products offered: vegan, nut-, sugar-, soy-, gluten-free options.
The full display case, even at 8PM, is stunning. Finally I was able to get me a peach cupcake--something I've tried to get my hands on all summer...and it's technically not even summer anymore! The Peach Cobbler met and exceeded my expectations: full flavor, moist cake, and the inability to describe it. You'll have to trust me on this one. It's good. Very good. The frosting had a grainy sugar texture which actually matched the cinnamon streusel topping brilliantly. I regretted having to split this one with D.E.  I just knew I should have just bought two.
The Salted Caramel was also very delicious. The frosting had a rich "earthy" caramel flavor (to quote D.E.) and went very well with the cake. The cake had a rich salted vanilla flavor (but was by no means "salty") and the moistness was secured by the caramel filling. Yum!
The employees were not only super friendly but the delightful lady who helped me out actually went out of her way to find an answer to a question that she didn't know the answer to. Excellent customer service is so very rare these days and I definitely know where it's at in good ol' West Town: it's here, at West Town Bakery. Thanks for that!
Indoor and outdoor seating.

TipsyCake

**HAPPY (British) NATIONAL CUPCAKE WEEK**

Name: TipsyCake

Neighborhood: Bucktown
Address: 1944 N Damen Ave
Map (link above): dark blue pin

Nearest El Transit Locations:
Damen Blue Line stop

Walk-In Hours: 

Tue - Sat  10am - 7pm

Sunday  12pm - 5pm

Bake On-Site: Yes

Boxing/Packaging: Chinese take-out box

What makes this bakery special: They offer cupcake decorating classes at a very reasonable price: $15 for 3 hours and offer other classes such as fondant classes. 

Cupcake Purchased and Reviewed:

Cookies and Cream

Cake: Vanilla

with Cookie Cream Buttercream

Appearance: 2

Size: Large

Bite #: 5

Moisture: 2

Price: $2.74 (with tax)

Additional Notes:

I admit, this shop is a little intimidating upon entering--it's quiet and nobody (save for two employees) is there. The facility is hosts events, such as parties,  and they focus more on large orders, such as weddings. At the counter to the left, there is a small display case (that honestly looks like part of the rest of the decorations in the shop) with a couple plates of cupcakes for sale. The cookies and cream cupcake I picked was boxed so adorably in a snug Chinese take-out box, wrapped in tissue paper. So dainty! The vanilla cake was a little dry but was nice and buttery. The frosting was where the party was at. It was a perfect blend of creamy, smooth, cookie crumb goodness. Easiest way to describe it: light, fluffy cookie dough. I do think this frosting would have been even more amazing if it were on a chocolate cupcake.
I sincerely look forward to taking some of their classes soon! 

Oak Mill Bakery

**HAPPY (British) NATIONAL CUPCAKE WEEK**

Name: Oak Mill Bakery

Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Address: 2204 W North Ave
Map (link above): green pins
Nearest El Transit Locations:
Damen Blue Line stop
Hours: 
Tue - Sat 8am - 7pm
Sunday 10am - 6pm
Other Chicago Locations: 
Belmont Central, 5753 W Belmont Ave
Clearing West, 5747 S Harlem Ave
Bake On-Site: Some items
(and have local distribution center)
Individual Cupcake Prices: $1.95-3.25
Boxing/Packaging: Box w/out inserts

What makes this bakery special:
Oak Mill has deep, proud Polish roots. The founder has keeps involved with the Polish-American community, including donating to local charities, such as Gift from the Heart.

Cupcake Purchased and Reviewed:
Vanilla (?)
Cake: Vanilla
with Meringue (?)
Appearance: 1
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 1
Price: $2.25

Additional Notes:

Left: Mouse (not a cupcake)
Right: Vanilla Cupcake with cookie

Oak Mill Bakery is the bakery I discovered on my way to Bake a few weeks ago. I was really looking forward to getting a cupcake from here because when I stopped in that first time their cupcakes on display were decorated all fun and exciting (for example, one had goofy cross-eyes). I was also taken by the beautiful mousse treats they had on display next to the cupcakes. When I stopped in today, however, I admit I was a little disappointed. There were no fun cupcakes, just some small plain ones on a cake stand. The (nice) employee didn't even know what flavor the one I got was (she guessed vanilla). I'm sure you're wondering why there is a mousse dessert next to the cupcake in the photo above, huh? Well, to make this trip more worth the time I decided I would give in and purchase outside of the cupcake limits--just this once! I'm glad I did. The cupcake was dry and I have doubts that it was vanilla; it was kind of like angel's food cake but I'm not exactly sure. (With the combination of the frosting and the cake I expected it to be lemon, but I certainly didn't taste lemon.) The frosting was meringue, or if I'm wrong it was very fluffy, sticky (in a good way) vanilla frosting. Overall, I wasn't impressed with the cupcake but the mousse was fantastic and I do want to maybe stop in another time for one of the fun cupcakes I saw a few weeks ago. Now, in their defense this is a European-style pastry shop, so as long as the other European desserts are tasty I say kudos for even carrying cupcakes.
Indoor seating.

As mentioned above, the owners/founders are very involved with the Polish-American community, regularly donate to local charities, donate leftover desserts to local food banks, and recycle what they can.

Alliance Bakery

Name: Alliance Bakery

Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Address: 1736 W Division St
Map (link above): purple pin

Nearest El Transit Locations:

Division Blue Line stop

Hours: 

Mon - Sat  6am - 9pm

Sunday  7am - 9pm

Bake On-Site: Yes

Individual Cupcake Prices: $3.00-3.75

Boxing/Packaging: Plastic Cup with Lid

What makes this bakery special: 

This Polish bakery turned French pastry offers beautiful desserts while keeping neighborhood history alive. The neon sign outside has been there since 1947!

Cupcakes Purchased and Reviewed:

Vanilla Passion Fruit

Cake: Vanilla

with Passion Fruit Curd Filling and Toasted Meringue

Appearance: 2

Size: Large (taller than "average")

Bite #: 5

Moisture: 2
Price: $3.75

Double Chocolate

Cake: Chocolate

with Chocolate

Appearance: 2

Size: Large (taller than "average")

Bite #: 5

Moisture: 3
Price: $3.00

Additional Notes:

Even though I went to Alliance near closing time, I was pleased to find a nice full display case with many options.

The Vanilla Passion Fruit cupcake was delicious. Usually I'm not a big fan of filled cupcakes but I just couldn't pass this one up. I loved that the "plain" vanilla cake flavor allowed the curd filling to take the spotlight and the sticky, mouth-watering toasted meringue put a terrific finish to the experience.

My favorite classic cupcake is definitely choc/choc and Alliance didn't disappoint! The cake was super moist and fluffy and the frosting was smooth and light (the chocolate flavor of the frosting, though, was a little subtle). Delicious!

The bakery itself seems small upon entering but, along with a sizable separate wifi room available for customers to lounge in, the back kitchens are nice and spacious with special areas for each dessert to be created in; don't let the seemingly small shop fool you!

Before becoming the French pastry it is today the bakery used to be a Polish bakery and still holds historical significance for the surrounding neighborhood.

Terrific for staying in; a lot of seating indoors and outdoors.

Also fine for take-out.