Skinnie Piggy

Name: Skinnie Piggy

Neighborhood: University Village / Little Italy

Address: 1214 W. Taylor Street 
Map (link above): Green Marker
Nearest El Transit Locations: Racine Blue Line

Hours: 
Mon - Fri 10am - 7pm 
Saturday 11am - 7pm 

Bake On-Site: 
Individual Cupcake Prices: $1.50-5.99

Piglets (mini): $1.50 ea or 4 for $5
Boxing/Packaging: 

Piglets (mini size): Non-fitted clam shell

Skinnie (average size): Chinese take-out box
What makes this bakery special: Skinnie Piggy offers different cupcake sizes: "Hogs" (large size) are available for pre-order, yet the "Skinnie" (average size) and "Piglet" (mini) are both also available for individual purchase on a walk-in basis. This is particularly special because the Piglet versions are identical to the Skinnie version; if a Skinnie cupcake has filling, the Piglet will, also! 

Skinnie Piggy also offers discounts when purchasing in bulk (half or full dozens) and offers a student discount. 

Cupcakes Purchased and Reviewed:

Banana Pudding Cupcake

Banana Pudding

Cake: Banana
with Banana Buttercream and filled with banana pudding

Appearance: 2
Size: Large (Skinnie)
Bite #: 5
Moisture: 2

Price: $3.50

Top: Chocolate Salted Caramel
Bottom: Evil Twin

Evil Twin
Cake: Chocolate 
with Cream Cheese frosting and filled with cheesecake 
Appearance: 2
Size: Small (Piglet)
Bite #: 1

Moisture: 3

Chocolate Salted Caramel

Cake: Chocolate

with Salted Caramel Buttercream and filled with Salted Caramel

Appearance: 2

Size: Small (Piglet)

Bite #: 1

Moisture: 2

Additional Notes:

LOVE! Skinnie Piggy offers three sizes of cupcakes: Hog, Skinnie, and Piglet. I love when different sizes are offered in-store. I like having the opportunity to try different amazing flavors (if you go for multiple mini cupakes) without feeling over-stuffed. Like mentioned above, at Skinnie, the piglet sizes are identical to the skinnie sizes, meaning if the skinnies have filling, the piglets do too! (Some other cupcakeries don't offer filled minis.)

The Banana Pudding cupcake had rich banana cake and delicious banana pudding filling. The banana frosting tasted similar to banana Laffy Taffy (which could make or break this cupcake for some people, I'm sure). 

The Evil Twin had super rich, dark chocolate cake, smooth, rich cream cheese frosting, and tasty cheesecake filling. Salted Caramel had a subtle salty flavor and delicious, creamy, carmely frosting. 

They offer student discounts and participate in the Belly Card loyalty program.

Indoor seating.

Flirty Cupcakes Dessert Garage

Name: Flirty Cupcakes Dessert Garage

Neighborhood: University Village / Little Italy
Address: 1030 W. Taylor
Map (link above): Purple pin 
Nearest El Transit Locations: Racine Blue Line Stop

Hours:
Mon - Sat 9am - 8pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Bake On-Site: 
Individual Cupcake Prices: $3.35
Boxing/Packaging: Fitted clam shell
What makes this bakery special: 
Flirty Cupcakes has the dessert garage in University Village but also has a cupcake truck which can be found at different locations around the city each day!

Cupcakes Purchased and Reviewed:
The McDreamy
Cake: Chocolate

with Cream Cheese Frosting and Cream Cheese filling
Appearance: 2
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 3

Curious George
Cake: Banana
with Salted Caramel Italian Buttercream
Appearance: 2
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 3

Additional Notes:
Flirty is nestled comfortably on Taylor Street along the cute shopping district. There is indoor seating within the "garage" and benches along Taylor if you want to sit outside. 
When I went, there were a few customers in the store. The experience felt a little rushed since the lady behind the counter was a little flustered.

The cupcakes tasted super fresh--these people know how to do chocolate cupcakes. The McDreamy, she said, is one of the most popular, so I went with that one and the Curious George. McDreamy is cream-cheese-city. If you like cream cheese frosting this is the cupcake for you. The Curious George had sweet, delicious chocolaty cake with salted caramel buttercream, which was smooth, thick, and had a delightfully salty kick.
At the beginning of this cupcake project (last summer), I had the pleasure of having cupcakes from Flirty's cupcake truck. While visiting the "garage" was necessary for this cupcaking project, I much prefer the experience of their cupcake truck.

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.

George's Ice Cream and Sweets

Name: George's Ice Cream and Sweets

Neighborhood: Andersonville
Address: 5306 N. Clark Street
Map (link above): yellow pin
Nearest El Transit Locations: Berwyn Red Line Stop
Hours:
Mon - Thur  12pm - 10pm
Friday 12pm - 11pm
Saturday 11am - 11pm
Sunday 11am - 10pm
Bake On-Site: Yes
Individual Cupcake Price: $
Boxing/Packaging: Box with inserts
What makes this bakery special: George's is what Andersonville is all about: fun, eco-concious, accepting, and laid-back. At George's, these qualities shine from the atmosphere, staff members, and products. Good customer service is a lost art and you'll be sure to find it here.

Cupcakes Purchased and Reviewed:
German Chocolate
Cake: Chocolate
with Coconut pecan topping rolled in chocolate shavings
Appearance: 2
Size: Large (tall for average)
Bite #: 5
Moisture: 3

Red Velvet
Cake: Red Velvet
with Cream Cheese Frosting
Appearance: 2
Size: Large (tall for average)
Bite #: 5
Moisture: 3

Additional Notes:

From past posts you may recall that I'm not a big coconut fan, therefore German chocolate is usually not something I actively seek out, and that I somehow missed the Red Velvet train and don't really see what all the fuss is about. Well, George's is apparently where I can find the German Chocolate and Red Velvet made to my liking.  Both cakes were smooth, rich, and fresh. The German, like at Sweet Sensations, was made of regular rich chocolate cake, not the lighter german as per expected. The topping was rich, chocolaty (due to the tasty and aesthetically pleasing chocolate shavings), and loaded with carmel-y goodness.  The Red Velvet...well, if all RV cupcakes were made like this I could definitely understand the RV craze better.
*NERD ALERT: RV, if you didn't know, is technically neither vanilla nor chocolate cake. In theory, it's a halfway point, made with cocoa powder which reacts with apple cider vinegar or another agent to chemically turn the batter a reddish brown.*
What I've experienced many a time in the past is a botch RV cupcake, with an unnecessary amount of red food dye and not enough cocoa powder (or perhaps lack of a decent chemical reaction) to give the traditional, pseudo-chocolaty flavor.  So, well done, George's! The rich cake exceeded my expectations and the rich cream cheese frosting paired perfectly.
The staff are all friendly and enthusiastic.  I regret not staying in and eating there.  Inside, it's spacious, hip, comfortable, and warm.  Aside from tables, there are gushy-looking arm chairs and couch(es?) to lounge in.  Next time I'm in the area, I'm going to take advantage of such a space to relax and enjoy cupcakes with coffee.
p.s. They also have vegan options!

Sweet Sensations

Name: Sweet Sensations Pastry
Neighborhood: North Center / Ravenswood
Address: 1918 West Montrose Ave
Map (link above): red marker
Nearest El Transit Locations: 
Montrose Brown Line stop
Hours: 
Tue - Fri  7am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 2pm
Bake On-Site: Yes - open kitchen
Individual Cupcake Prices: $2.25-3.50
Boxing/Packaging: Box without inserts
What makes this bakery special: The huge open kitchen, the chef/owner (Sharin), and the creative and unique cupcake flavors.

Cupcakes Purchased and Reviewed:
Boston Cream Pie
Cake: Vanilla
with vanilla custard filling topped with ganache and a candy snowflake
Appearance: 2
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 3


German Chocolate
Cake: Chocolate
with German filling (pecan, caramel, coconut) dipped in ganache and topped with German filling
Appearance: 2
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 3

Banana Cardamom (right)
Gingerbread Cardamom (left)

Banana Cardamom
Cake: Banana with cardamom
with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Appearance: 3
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 3

Gingerbread Cardamom
Cake: Gingerbread with cardamom
with Cream Cheese Frosting
Appearance: 3
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 3

Additional Notes:
I love Sweet Sensations! The chef/owner, Sharin Nathan, and her amazing pastry chef develop a heaven close to home. They both work hard to create delicious treats and savory goodies from the finest ingredients in one of the largest open kitchens I've seen yet. I love open kitchens because not only is it fun (and oftentimes educational) to observe people at work, but it's also nice to see how things are done, how the kitchen is kept, and what the environment the food I'm about to eat came from is like.  
At Sweet Sensations, the atmosphere is comfortable and laid back.  It was fun to sit back, enjoy coffee and cupcakes, and observe the regulars come and go, each showing familiarity with Sharin and vice versa. That's pure gold star customer service right there. I've always wanted to be a regular who is greeted warmly by name and only has to say "the usual" to place my order. 
~*~*~
Flavor combinations here can be super unique (like banana cardamom) or deliciously classic.  D.E. and I couldn't narrow our flavors down so we opted for two cupcakes to split to eat in and two to split to go.  
I have to say, I'm not big on the texture of coconut and picky with coconut flavor, therefore, am not much of a german chocolate kind of girl.  For those of you who also don't really enjoy the coconut texture but like the idea of pecans and caramel (the other two components of what makes german filling what it is), these germans are the cupcake for you.  The cake was rich, ultra-moist chocolate (not the light german fluff most bakeries offer) with sweet delicious ganache.  For those of you who do enjoy german chocolate coconuty goodness, have no fear; these cupcakes are topped and filled with the ooey-gooey filling you expect and love. Still, this is ideal for those who could do without the coconut (like me!).
The Boston Cream cupcake was everything I had hoped for.  The sweet vanilla cake enveloped the rich vanilla custard filling perfectly.  Add the same delicious ganache from above and you've got perfection. Seriously, absolutely nothing was off with the Boston.
The Gingerbread Cardamom cupcake was like a dense, yet fluffy, gingerbread cookie, with subtle but noticable cardamom flavor. Think of the deliciously light cream cheese as a supporting actress--kind of overlooked, but it wouldn't be the same without it.
Lastly, the Banana Cardamom (yes, we were intrigued by the cardamom cupcakes) had the consistency of a fresh-baked banana muffin with subtle cardamom notes and a scrumptious unique chocolate cream cheese frosting! LOVE!
Overall, these cupcakes--all four of them--were obviously fresh-baked, full of flavor, and made in small batches. I now have even higher hopes for every cupcake I eat henceforth.
Indoor seating (and presumably outdoor seating in the summer--wide sidewalk).
Coffee!

Bulldog Bakery

Name: Bulldog Bakery

Neighborhood: Avondale
Address: 3207 N Elston Ave 
Map (link above): Blue dotted marker
Nearest El Transit Locations:
Blue line, California or Belmont stops. I took the California bus from the Blue line.
Bake On-Site: Yes
Individual Cupcake Price: $1.92 each, with tax
Boxing/Packaging: Box without inserts
What makes this bakery special: Kosher Dairy!

Cupcakes Purchased and Reviewed:

Carrot
Cake: Carrot
with Cream Cheese Frosting
Appearance: 2
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 2
Chocolate/Chocolate
Cake: Chocolate
with Chocolate Buttercream
Appearance: 2
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 1

Additional Notes: 

Bulldog Bakery is really easy to find. A few different buses drop you off right at the corner. Inside is small and cozy and the baker herself came out and helped me. It was so intimate.
The cream cheese frosting on the carrot cupcake was delicious, smooth and rich. The cake was a little dry, but tasted like good ol' homemade cake.
The chocolate cupcake had rich frosting, the the cake was dry. The frosting made the cake much better.
I admit, I visited Bulldog about 30 minutes before they closed so it may be safe to say that it's best to go early. Again, I liked how cozy and intimate the experience was. Sometimes customer service makes more of a difference than product.
Bulldog also is Kosher Dairy and both the carrot and chocolate cakes are organic!
They also offer sugar-free, gluten-free, and vegan options.
Since pistachio cake is one of my all time favorites, I'll be sure to come back to Bulldog for a chance to try their famous pistachio nougat cake!

The Cupcake Counter [2]

To celebrate the first week at my new job I stopped by The Cupcake Counter (it's close to my new building!). Below is a "lite" version of a cupcake entry. Please see my first/original Cupcake Counter post for more information.

Left: Pumpkin. Right: Mint

Pumpkin

Cake: Pumpkin

with Cream Cheese Icing

Size: Average

Bite #: 3

Moisture: 3 

Mint

Cake: Chocolate

with Mint Icing

Size: Average

Bite #: 3

Moisture: 3 

Comments: As expected both cupcakes were moist, full of flavor, and fresh baked. The mint icing was strong. I wish I had eaten this one second because I could still taste the mint while I ate the pumpkin one. The pumpkin one matched the thick, creamy cream cheese icing well. Delicious!

Chicago Cupcake (Truck)

Name: Chicago Cupcake
Chicagoland area
See twitter for weekly truck locations.

Cupcakes Purchased and Reviewed:
Cupcake Price: $3.25
Boxing/Packaging: Fitted clam shell


Red Velvet 

Cake: Red Velvet
with Cream Cheese Icing and Chocolate Wafer Crust
Appearance: 2
Size: Average
Bite #: 3

Pumpkin Patch

Cake: Pumpkin
with Vanilla Italian Buttercream and (Graham Cracker?) Crust
Appearance: 2
Size: Average
Bite #: 3

Comments: Ok, so I've been absolutely dying to try some Chicago Cupcake. Essentially, I've been trying to "hunt" the truck down for about a month now. You're right, I'm not supposed to hunt cupcake trucks for the purposes of this project but you have to understand that Chicago Cupcakes are different. Way different. I actually wasn't on the hunt today and guess what...There was the beautiful red truck, on my way to the train station, waiting for me. My excitement was so noticeable it was embarrassing. Oh well.

So, a "Chicago cupcake" has three parts: the fabulously unique crust, the ultra moist dairy-infused cake, and the airy icing/frosting. See in the photos? THREE DISTINCT LAYERS! Brilliant.

I'll take this layer by layer. First, the crusts for both cupcakes absolutely added a unique texture and flavor to the cupcake experience. Both were like delicious sugar-packed pie crusts. Then the cake. Oh, the cake. So, Chicago Cupcake "infuses" their cake with dairy, creating a extra, extra moist cake which creates the texture similar to that of fluffy cheesecakes. FABULOUS! Last comes the icing. The cream cheese icing on the red velvet was the perfect balance of cheesy, creamy, and sweet. The buttercream on the pumpkin patch was so light it created the illusion that I was eating pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top. To make this even better, they don't use preservatives, food coloring, etc. ALL NATURAL, BABY! I mean, I love this stuff! It's too bad that I shared! Ha! To sum up, this is something I can't really put into words. You'll have to hunt them down and try a cupcake (or two or three) to see for yourself. Enjoy!

Sweet Cakes Bakery

**HAPPY (British) NATIONAL CUPCAKE WEEK**
*Information updated as of Feb 2014

Name: Sweet Cakes Bakery

Neighborhood: Bucktown   *they've moved! 
Address:  1223 N. Milwaukee Ave. 

Map (link above): pink pin

Nearest El Transit Locations:

Division Blue Line Stop 

Hours: Mon - Sun 7am - 2pm *new hours!

Bake On-Site: Yes

Individual Cupcake Prices: 

Boxing/Packaging: Box without inserts

What makes this bakery special: 

Cupcake Happy Hour! When it's Happy Hour, cupcakes are buy two get one free. This is particularly refreshing not just for the free cupcake(s) but it ensures a sell-out-each-day meaning a guaranteed freshness the following day. Watch Twitter for updates. 

Cupcake Purchased and Reviewed:

Red Velvet

Cake: Red Velvet

with White Chocolate Cream Cheese

Top Left: Masala
Bottom Left: Butter Pecan
Right: Red Velvet

Appearance: 1

Size: Average

Bite #: 3

Moisture: 3
Price: $3.00

Masala Spice (mini)

Cake: Spice

Appearance: 2

Size: Small/mini 

Bite #: 1

Moisture: 2

Price: $1.40

Butter Pecan (mini)

Cake: Butter Pecan

Appearance: 2

Size: Small/mini

Bite #: 1

Moisture: 2

Price: FREE! (Cupcake Happy Hour)

Additional Notes:

I love Cupcake Happy Hour for three main reasons:
   1) Like I mentioned above, happy hour is a way for Sweet Cakes to productively sell out of cupcakes each day...
   2) ...which is also a way for us, the customers, to feel comfortable knowing that our sweet treats are baked fresh daily.
   3) Who doesn't love free cupcakes? (Buy two get one free!)
The Red Velvet was fantastic. I admit, I'm one of those people who doesn't really understand all the hype when it comes to red velvet (although the fact that the "red" comes from a chemical reaction is pretty fascinating) but I'll occasionally try one then and now. This time it was absolutely worth it! The cake was not soaked with red food dye (as a matter of fact it didn't seem dyed at all, making it even more authentic Red) and was the moistest red velvet I think I have ever had. Match this cake perfection with white chocolate cream cheese and you have yourself heaven on a plate! Seriously, if you're one of those Red Velveters I am telling you right now that you should stop reading at this point and go to Sweet Cakes immediately...hurry, they close at six!
The minis were also extremely flavorful and unique. The Masala cake was packed with spices as well as the frosting. The Butter Pecan cake had delicious pecan chunks in it and the frosting was smooth and buttery. Also, I like when bakeries offer minis for individual sale because if you're feeling caught between two or more flavors and/or if you just want a small, guilt-free indulgence they're just the thing you're looking for.
The owner is super friendly and was nice to talk with. It's always nice when owners are out on the floor working, socializing, and taking pride in their products. He also carefully packaged the cupcakes, tenderly cushioning them with tissue paper, so they didn't roll around in the box during commute.
Coffee, other pastries, wifi, indoor seating.

Lovely: A Bake Shop

**HAPPY (British) NATIONAL CUPCAKE WEEK**

Name: Lovely: A Bake Shop

Neighborhood: Noble Square / West Town
Address: 1130 N Milwaukee Ave
Map (link above): bright blue pins

Nearest El Transit Locations:
Division Blue Line stop

Hours: 

Mon - Fri  7am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 4pm
Other Chicago Location: 
Edgewater, 1138 W Bryn Mawr Ave

Bake On-Site: Yes (at both locations)

Individual Cupcake Price: $1.75-3.00 (dependent on size and flavor)

Boxing/Packaging: Box w/out inserts

What makes this bakery special: Lovely is the perfect authentic neighborhood bakery example. The owners are known for being social butterflies, they bring true Southern-ness to their baked goods, and they both graduated from Chicago's own French Pastry School.

Cupcake Purchased and Reviewed:

Red Velvet "Mini"

Cake: Red Velvet

with Cream Cheese Frosting

Appearance: 2

Size: Average (even though they call it "mini"!)

Bite #: 3

Moisture: 2
Price: $2.00

Chocolate "Mini"

Cake: Chocolate

with Chocolate Buttercream

Appearance: 2

Size: Average (even though they call it "mini"!)

Bite #: 3

Moisture: 2
Price: $1.75 

Additional Notes:
This surprisingly-not-so-small bakery welcomes guests with delicious smells and a comfortable, small farm town general store feel. The displays are warm, wood furniture items which, somehow, makes them seem even more appetizing.
The chocolate cupcake had a smooth, rich chocolate buttercream which matched the rich, spongy cake wonderfully.
The red velvet was obviously the product of true Southerners: creamy, smooth cream cheese frosting with cake that wasn't saturated with red dye (a problem with many other red velvets).
Cupcakes can be found in two sizes here: jumbo and mini. The mini's, as noted above, are actually the average size of homemade cupcakes--averaging a 2" diameter--meaning, matched with the prices and quality, are a terrific value!
Spacious indoor seating.
Full espresso bar.
Full menu.

Gigi's Bake Shop (Truck)

Name: Gigi's Bake Shop
Chicagoland area
See twitter for weekly truck locations

Cupcake Purchased and Reviewed:
Price: $3.50
Boxing/Packaging: Cup with lid

Carrot

Cake: Carrot
with Cream Cheese Icing
Appearance: 1
Size: Average
Bite #: 3

Additional Notes:

I finally had the opportunity to have some Gigi's! Carrot was one of my childhood favorites (yes, I was a strange kid) so I went for that one. The cream cheese icing was super fluffy and full of flavor. The cake was moist and totally hit the spot. A wonderful dessert to the day!
Purchased on 8/25/2012 at the West Town Food Truck Social.

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.