More Cupcakes

Name: More Cupcakes

Neighborhood: Gold Coast
Address: 1 E Delaware Pl.
Map (link above): yellow marker

Nearest El Transit Locations:

Chicago Red Line stop

Hours: 

Mon* - Fri 8am - 9pm

Sat 9am - 9pm

*Open Mondays for advance order pickup

Bake On-Site: Yes

Individual Cupcake Prices: $3.50-6.00

Boxing/Packaging: Chinese take-out box with inserts!

What makes this bakery special: 

More offers not only many unique sweet flavors but offers many savory flavors, too! See? Cupcakes are for everyone! A few examples of their savory cupcakes are Artichoke Lemon Parmesan, Bacon Bourbon Peach, and BLT. (I couldn't bring myself to venture from sweetness this time around, sorry.)

Cupcakes Purchased and Reviewed:

S'More

Cake: Chocolate
with Marshmallow filling and Honey Cinnamon Buttercream
Appearance: 3
Size: Large 
Bite #: 5
Moisture: 2
Price: $3.50

Salted Caramel

Cake: Yellow
with Caramel filling and Caramel Buttercream
Appearance: 2
Size: Large
Bite #: 5
Moisture: 2
Price: $3.50

Red Velvet*

Cake: Red Velvet
with Cream Cheese frosting and a red candy on top
Appearance: 3
Size: Large
Bite #: 5
Moisture: 2
Price: $3.50

Additional Notes:

(I stopped in a few days after my visit to take this photo
of the display case at its fullest--earlier in the day.)

S'more cupcakes are tricky. I've had some before but none compare to this one. More's S'more cupcake was absolutely fantastic. Their combination of the chocolate cake with marshmallow filling topped with honey cinnamon buttercream is...well, I'm literally lost for words. I liked the chocolate cake instead of graham cake, like the s'mores cupcakes I've had before. The marshmallow filling made it feel more like I was eating a real s'more. And the buttercream was to die for! Rarely does frosting catch my attention!

The filling in the Salted Caramel was the best part. It wasn't too sticky or overpowering and moistened the surrounding cake quite nicely. The buttercream was pretty good, too. The caramel flavor was subtle, but not hidden.

"The cream cheese was delectable [on the Red Velvet*]." -C.D., one of my cupcaking partners, who plans on returning to More.

All packaged up and ready to go!

The display case is beautiful and super mod; it was designed to look like an exhibit in the Museum of Modern Art. We went to More around 6:00pm (about 3 hours before they closed) and found the flavor selection smaller than expected and nearly sold out. I advise stopping by More earlier in the day to ensure the fabulous selection is actually there to choose from.

Counter inside for standing/eating.

Best for quick stop in and take-out.

Some flavors that I want to try next time include Cappuccino, Chocolate Champagne, and White Russian. Whoo! (Their menu/flavors aren't listed on the website so I picked up a seasonal product list from the store. Fyi.)

Secure inserts with notches!

You can tell a lot about a cupcakery by how they box/package cupcakes. My favorite thing about More is their care for cupcakes. At first I was nervous for the cupcakes when I saw the take-out boxes but when I realized there were inserts I was thrilled! The boxes were also secured by the seal on the outside too and the bag was nice and shallow so the wind couldn't blow them easily as I walked down the street with them. Nice touch, More!

* denotes this cupcake was enjoyed by my partner, C.D.

Molly's Cupcakes

Name: Molly's Cupcakes
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Address: 2536 N Clark St
Map (link above): orange marker 
Nearest El Transit Locations: 
Fullerton stop of Red, Purple, and Brown lines
Diversey stop of Purple and Brown lines
(And the 22 Clark bus has a stop right there!)
Hours: 
Monday: Noon - 10pm
Tue - Thu: 8am-10pm
Fri - Sat: 8am-midnight
Sunday: 9am-10pm
Bake On-Site: Yes
Individual Cupcake Prices: $1.05 (mini), $2.05 ("Molly"), and $3.75 (center-filled)
Boxing/Packaging: box w/ inserts (4+ cupcakes)
What makes this bakery special:
They are famous for their center-filled cupcakes and rightfully so! They have unique combinations with generous amounts of filling.
They also have "build your own Molly cupcake" where you can choose specifics for the exact ("classic") cupcake you want and they ice it right in front of you and, further, you can personalize your toppings!

Cupcakes Purchased and Reviewed:
Kahlua

Cake: Chocolate
with Kahlua Cream Filling and Coffee Buttercream
Appearance: 3
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 3

Cookie Monster (Top Left), Kahlua (Top Right)
Ron Bennington (Bottom Left), PB Nutella (Bottom Right)

Price: $3.75

Note: This cupcake contains alcohol.

Ron Bennington

Cake: Chocolate
with Peanut Butter Filling and Ganache sprinkled with Butterscotch pieces
Appearance: 3
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 3

Price: $3.75

Note: This is their best seller!

Peanut Butter Nutella

Cake: Peanut Butter
with Nutella Filling and Nutella Buttercream
Appearance: 2
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 2

Price: $3.75

Cookie Monster*

Cake: Vanilla Chocolate-Chip
with Cookie Dough Filling, Vanilla Buttercream, and a mini cookie
Appearance: 2
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 3

Price: $3.75

Additional Notes:

The Kahlua cupcake had fantastic smooth, rich coffee buttercream that actually wasn't too overpowering and was a nice compliment to the kahlua filling. Physically, the cupcake didn't seem to be able to handle the generous amount of filling and fell apart easily (same goes for the other filled cupcakes) but this didn't take away from the delicious experience. The filling had a definite kahlua taste to it but it was in proportion to the rest of the cupcake components.

The Ron Bennington is the most popular and I knew that without the sign telling me so. The entire cupcake is perfectly proportioned out, with smooth, rich, and dense chocolate ganache and cake with creamy peanut butter filling. The butterscotch pieces on top made for a nice crunchy surprise every bite. Absolutely fantastic.

Wait, are those swings?
...YES! 

I admit, I set high expectations for the Peanut Butter Nutella cupcake and was sadly disappointed. It seemed that all of the flavors were not as pronounced as the flavors in the other cupcakes, but were still detectable. The cake tasted more like a peanut butter cookie than a cupcake and had a large crumb. Without the Nutella filling this cupcake would be nothing. 

The filling in the Cookie Monster* is what made the entire cupcake "AMAZING." The frosting was good but could have been a little thicker.

The store is actually pretty sizable for a cupcakery and has many tables indoors and outdoors.

Good for eating in or for quick drop in.

They have swings at the espresso bar. (!!!!!)

Also, I visited Molly's this past winter with my bestie (who is a huge Molly's patron!) and I got the CAKE BATTER CUPCAKE, which was absolutely fantastic! I was one of those kids who begged to lick the bowl and this cupcake brought back all those wonderful memories. I think about this cupcake often, to this day. No joke.

* denotes that this cupcake was enjoyed by my research partner, D.E.