Sugar Bliss [2]

My ongoing search to find the perfect pistachio cupcake continued today. As this week's Sugar Bliss seasonal flavor, it did not disappoint. Simply opening the carefully packed cupcake box gave my nostrils a delightful overdose of the fantastic nutty aroma I expect from a pistachio cupcake. Pistachio is a bold, pronounced flavor and here, you'll find it.

Pistachio
Cake: Pistachio
with Pistachio Buttercream topped with Pistachios
Size: Average
Bite #: 3
Moisture: 2

Fluffy, tasteful cake matched with creamy, sugary, pistachio-y frosting satisfied the taste buds. Like I said the last time I tried Sugar Bliss, the frostings are packed with flavor, but are a little too sweet for my taste. Even still, their pistachio buttercream is my favorite overall so far.

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.

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!

Luscious Layers Bakery

**HAPPY (British) NATIONAL CUPCAKE WEEK**

Name: Luscious Layers Bakery

Neighborhood: Bucktown
Address: 2315 N Damen Ave
Map (link above): pink marker

Nearest El Transit Locations:
Damen Blue Line stop

Hours: 

Tue - Fri 10:30am - 5:30pm

Saturday 10am - 2pm

Bake On-Site: Yes

Individual Cupcake Prices (walk in): $1.00-2.25

Boxing/Packaging: Box w/out inserts

What makes this bakery special: 

Luscious is literally the closest you can get to a bakery-in-a-kitchen...outside of the kitchen of course. The storefront is a expansion of a home kitchen that went from baking for friends to baking for weddings and other huge events. Everything is extremely fresh and offers you a great opportunity to try the flavors without committing to a full cake. 

Cupcake Purchased and Reviewed:

The Watergate Cupcake

Cake: Pistachio

Chocolate Hazelnut (Left) and Watergate (Right)

with Vanilla Frosting and Pistachio Cream Filling

Appearance: 2

Size: Average 

Bite #: 3

Moisture: 3

Price: $2.25

Chocolate Hazelnut

Cake: Chocolate

with Chocolate Frosting and Hazelnut Mousse Filling

Appearance: 2

Size: Average 

Bite #: 3

Moisture: 3

Price: $1.00

Additional Notes:

First, the facility is absolutely breathtaking. Seriously. Immediately upon entering my nose and brain filled with the most delicious, fresh-baked smells I have ever experienced. The walls are decorated simply but elegantly with half tiered cakes protruding in an eat-me-now fashion. Yes, the display case is small, but it's packed with delicious, unique flavors. Luscious Layers really is more about wedding cakes (and other orders) but gives us, the community, the special opportunity to taste their creations at the individual cupcake level. I feel honored. 

The Watergate Cupcake was pistachio (!!!) cake with fluffy, creamy, almost savory filling--this was my favorite part. The cake flavor was a little subtle, but the pistachio was definitely detectable. The frosting was extremely sugary and I wish the cupcake was iced with the delicious filling. Seriously, I was all about the filling. Yum! 

*If anybody knows the Watergate reference with pistachio please let me know (comment below). 

The Chocolate with Hazelnut Mousse was amazing and most definitely worth the ONE DOLLAR I spent on it. I actually felt guilty for paying such a low price when I realized how fantastic it was. The cake was super moist and fresh, with delectable hazelnut mousse filling. The frosting, oh, the frosting...it was more like styled fudge than chocolate frosting--extremely thick, rich, and smooth. Like my cupcaking partner D.E. noted, "It was a better Nutella cupcake than the Peanut Butter Nutella Cupcake from Molly's." I agree wholeheartedly. 

Last--and this may seem silly but--the cupcakes were in decorated paper baking cups (polka dots and shiny green) which really added to their appearance. Beautiful!

I will definitely return to Luscious. I can't wait!

(And again, the prices were more than fantastic!)