<p>From the photos, it seems that most of the cupcakes have huge blobs of frosting on top - no matter how wonderful it is, it seems a bit much.</p>
<p>I have made a certain cupcake for years. Both of my sons asked for them to take to school every year on their birthdays, and they always asked for the same recipe for their birthday cake. Some of the other kids loved the cupcakes, and begged for seconds, and some wouldn’t touch them. The teachers always asked for the recipe. My cupcakes wouldn’t make it in one of those stores. I use a CookingLight recipe for banana cake, and another CookingLight recipe for caramel frosting, which is more of a glaze. No huge blobs!</p>
<p>So…my daughter works in one of the cupcake stores that I mentioned. ^^^posters are correct about the frosting and the cake. They really do use the best ingredients possible. No lard, shortening or garbage. My favorite is their carrot cake, sans frosting. Would I stand in line (they have up to a 45 minute wait) to get my cupcake? No. But I do appreciate a good cupcake and the difference between real and ersatz.</p>
<p>And CF, if you’re in the neighborhood…stop by. I’ll have a pre order ready.</p>
<p>I don’t like cake- sometimes I will try the vegan choc pudding type cake from the food co-op which is good- but I am not a chocolate fan either.usually.
Anyway, a few years ago this place opened in my neighborhood- but it was not worth the hype. [Cupcake</a> Royale Seattle’s Best Cupcakes](<a href=“http://www.cupcakeroyale.com/]Cupcake”>http://www.cupcakeroyale.com/). However, they have got the kinks out, and since it is open late and right next to the movie theater( w free wifi)we often stop in.
I like the chocolate ones with chili- or the mint. H likes carrot cake where ever he goes.</p>
<p>The coffee is fantastic- Verite Coffee & I admit I had to buy a tee (after I saw Eddie Vedder wearing one in an interview, although he goes to the one in West Seattle ).</p>
<p>It is a pretty hip little place although the cupcakes are hard to eat- I usually eat the frosting off with my fingers and then pick the cake apart:o</p>
<p>ellebud, we are not in the same town-- I’m a little south of you. Which means there are at least six cupcake shops between the westside and the south bay. (Not to mention the new gourmet bakery brand at Ralph’s)</p>
<p>Okay, over on the health thread, I vowed not to google cupcake shops in NJ. But I did. I found one a few miles from me (which i will *not *go to!) Their cupcakes are 1.50. It has apparently gotten rave reviews, and is going to be on Cupcake Wars, so the price is not because of fake ingredients. How are those others charging so much?</p>
<p>Here in Ohio -Michigan $2.50 is pretty much the going rate. At first it seemed like a lot to me, but a trip to Coldstone would be as much and truly one is all you need. :)</p>
<p>I saw someone demonstrating the “sandwich” way to eat a cupcake - break off the cake bottom (leaving some cake still attached to the frosting on top) and put the cake piece on top of the cupcake/frosting - now you have cake on bottom, cake on top and frosting in the middle - a cupcake sandwich. Now I wouldn’t eat mine that way, but can sorta of make sense!!!</p>
<p>Garland, I suspect the NJ cupcake shop serves petite cupcakes for the $1.50. Which is a good idea-- then you can try two flavors.</p>
<p>I don’t have the Cook’s Illustrated in front of me, but as I recall, the icing for the quick cupcakes calls for the cook to soften a stick of butter, whip until very airy, add sugar, vanilla (they used vanilla bean seeds), salt and a tablespoon of cream.</p>
<p>Another icing I like is ganache: heat heavy cream just until it boils, then add cut up semisweet chocolate so it melts. No other ingredients (ok maybe a little salt and possibly some vanilla or orange extract).</p>
<p>It is so funny that a cupcake thread has resulted in this many posts in less than 24 hours!</p>
<p>I tried a local place in Minneapolis called Cupcake. I was not that impressed with the cupcakes, they just weren’t that good.</p>
<p>Then we went to Washington, DC, and while reviewing the Chowhounds website for good food before our visit I came across a discussion of Georgetown Cupcakes. D needed a hostess gift for a stay with her BF’s family at the end of our visit, so on the last day we went there to pick up a box of cupcakes for them (and a few for ourselves!). We were there when they opened, and there was already a line (about 25 people). I can see why, they were yummy!</p>
<p>You can follow Georgetown Cupbake on Facebook (must admit, I do this even though I live far from DC). They have a cupcake of the day that you can get free if you are one of the first 100 people into one of their locations. Although D mentioned recently that since the TV show started the lines are VERY long at their stores.</p>
<p>The Seattle area went through a bagel craze about 10 years ago with at least 20 bagel stores opening in a couple years. 90% of them closed within a few years and the remaining ones are mostly originals that were here years before the craze. Yes they still exist–but not at the Starbucks level. I am very sure cupcakes will follow this model.</p>
<p>I do not remember the bagle craze to that extent - although I do admit it is more likely to see Costco sized muffins at an espresso cart than a bagel.</p>
<p>( I will buy if they have pastries from Le Fournil- especially the orange or choc croissant)</p>
<p>I miss the * good* biscotti. Plain- with cardamon- not dipped, not flavored.</p>
<p>barrons, we see eye to eye on this. The vast majority of frosting is an over-sweet waste of calories. If you serve me buttercream, it stays on the plate.</p>
<p>I make exceptions for exceptional cream cheese frosting (which is essentially a shmear of cheesecake) and for good dark chocolate ganache and fudge frostings (which are entirely worth eating on their own, just like any ganache/fudge). </p>
<p>I’ve also had some excellent homemade fluffy coconut-meringue type frosting and caramel nut frosting, though even those are only good when spread on the cupcake like butter and not glopped on top in a 1-to-1 ratio. Feh.</p>
<p>The frosting @ cupcake royale is actually pretty good- not too sweet, pretty light in texture & they don’t even cover the whole top of the cake.</p>
<p>Frosting is usually why I don’t like cake- I didn’t even want a wedding cake! ( but I did have one)</p>
).</p>