Magnolia Bakery

Name: Magnolia Bakery

Neighborhood: Loop
Address: 108 N. State St.
Map (link above): Light Blue Dotted Marker
Nearest El Transit Locations:

Washington Blue Line Stop

Lake Red Line Stop

Randolph/Wabash Stop: Brown, Pink, Green, Purple, Orange Lines
Hours:
Mon - Thur: 7:30am - 9:00pm
Friday: 7:30 am - midnight
Saturday: 8:00am - midnight
Sunday 8:00am - 8:00pm

Bake On-Site: Yes
Individual Cupcake Prices: $3.25 - 4.00
Boxing/Packaging: box with inserts
What makes this bakery special: Magnolia is famous worldwide for their cupcakes and signature frosting swirl. Also, Magnolia is certified Kosher and donates daily to local food pantries.

Cupcakes Purchased and Reviewed:
Pistachio
Cake: Pistachio
with Pistachio Meringue Buttercream
Appearance: 2
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 3

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

Additional Notes:
The quest to find a perfect pistachio cupcake perhaps has come to an end. Magnolia's pistachio cupcakes are absolutely fantastic: lingering, rich nutty flavor, moist cake, and creamy frosting.
The vanilla cupcake had almost an overdose of delicious buttercream frosting which was paired with a light, buttery cake.
Magnolia swirls their cupcakes individually by hand and it takes sometimes weeks to perfect it. Each cupcake is carefully prepared to be devoured.
The store is cozy and warm with indoor and outdoor seating. Finding it is a little difficult because the mall it is in, Block 37, doesn't look like a mall (more like a huge business-y spaceship). From the outside the Magnolia sign is hard to see, so just look for Sephora or Puma and you'll know you're basically there.
Coffee/espresso.

Twisted Baker

Name: Twisted Baker
Neighborhood: Old Town
Address: 1543 N Wells
Map (link above): purple marker
Nearest El Transit Locations:
Sedgwick Brown and Purple Line Stop
Hours:
Tue, Wed, Thur, Sun  8am - 7pm
Fri - Sat  8am - 10pm
Bake On-Site: Yes
Individual Cupcake Prices: $2.75
Boxing/Packaging: box with inserts
What makes this bakery special: Each cupcake is frosted to order--right there, right when you want it. No hard frosting or stale cupcakes siting in a display case here! (I even like that there is a sign that says "display only" so you know that you're getting the real [fresh] deal. Nice touch!)
Also, on Thursdays cupcakes are buy three, get one FREE!

Cupcakes Purchased and Reviewed:
Key Lime
Cake: Vanilla
with Lime Cream Cheese Frosting and Key Lime Filling
Appearance: 2
Size: Average

L: Key Lime
R: Choc Cheesecake

Bite #: 3
Moisture: 3

Chocolate Cheesecake
Cake: Dark Chocolate
with Swirled Chocolate and Cream Cheese Frosting and a layer of Cheesecake Filling 
Appearance: 2
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 3

Additional Notes:
I can't even begin to describe how deliciously rich these cupcakes were. Their cupcakes are the perfect (PERFECT) example of how a traditional cake (e.g. vanilla or chocolate) can be made into a spectacular dessert. Sometimes bakeries get too overzealous mixing cake flavors with frostings, fillings, and other counterparts. Here, you'll find a delicious, rich traditional cake (I'm talking both the vanilla and the chocolate cupcakes I bought) paired to perfection with delicious fillings and flavor-punching frostings.
The Key Lime, I think, was the "perfectest perfect" example of what I describe above. It was amazing: rich, lime-y, sweet. (I may have to re-visit this post at a later date, when I'm not overdosed cupcake goodness.)
The Chocolate Cheesecake had super rich chocolate cake, a full layer (LAYER) of cheesecake gently hidden beneath the chocolate-and-cream-cheese-swirl-of-frosting. Absolutely fantastic.
My first favorite part about the Twisted experience (as mentioned above) is that the cupcakes are frosted immediately once you place your order. This can mean only one thing: the cupcakes here are fresh (I MEAN FRESH, PEOPLE) and ready to be devoured.
My second favorite part about the experience was when, upon learning I was a Twisted cupcake virgin, a staff member said, "You're in for a treat!" and I thought, you sure seem confident...but we'll see. Turns out she really meant it and I love being genuinely satisfied.
Twisted Baker has indoor seating and a lunch menu.
Coffee / espresso.

Rowie's Bakery

Name: Rowie's Bakery
Neighborhood: Budlong Woods / West Ridge
Address: 5664 N. Lincoln
Map (link above): pink pin
Nearest El Transit Locations:
Western Brown Line Stop
(then take the Lincoln Bus or Western Bus and walk)
Francisco Brown Line Stop (then walk)
Hours:
Tue - Fri  10am - 7pm
Saturday  10am - 5pm
Sunday  10am - 4pm
Bake On-Site: Yes
Individual Cupcake Prices: $1.99-2.25
Boxing/Packaging: fitted clam shell
What makes this bakery special: Strong Philippine influence! Their products use elements of Philippine desserts (such as pandan and ube) to create a fun, unique, cultural cupcake experience.

Cupcakes Purchased and Reviewed:
Buco Pandan
Cake: Buco Pandan (light coconut and pandan flavor)
with Buco Pandan frosting
Appearance: 2
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 2

Pistachio
Cake: Pistachio chiffon
with Pistachio frosting
Appearance: 2
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 2

Additional Notes:

I had been waiting for the perfect time to visit Rowie's--and this was near perfect. I was intrigued by the strong Philippine influence and couldn't wait to try the Ube and the Buco Pandan flavors, which are traditional Philippine dessert tastes. In addition, I wanted to plan my trip north on a day when they would also have pistachio cupcakes on the menu. Unfortunately, the particular time in the morning which I happened to drop in, the ube cupcakes weren't out yet, but there were French macaroons available in "ube" flavor, so I snatched a few of them up for the opportunity to try a new, unique flavor. 
Perhaps before I visit next time, though, I'll have had a chance to try ube, therefore going in with a better idea of what I'm tasting for. This goes for the buco pandan cupcake as well. It was delicious, yes, but I'm not sure I know what specifically I was tasting. I'll need to know the "traditional" buco pandan taste first. Both the buco pandan and the pistachio cupcake had a very subtle flavor, "foam-like" chiffon cake consistency, and very smooth, light and creamy frosting.
Cupcakes here are made fresh each day, throughout the day (exemplified by ube cupcakes not being available until the afternoon on the day I visited).
Also, in an effort to experience as many new flavors/concepts as possible from this trip, I tried a delicious bowl of champorado, a Philippine hot chocolate-and-rice porridge. If that sounds slightly strange to you, I recommend you try it anyway. I'm not one for rice pudding, yet champorado is a much different dessert.
The store is tiny but cozy and has a few indoor seats.
I'll be sure to return for a chance to try the ube and the green tea cupcakes!