By Elaina Price
Babycakes
248 Broome Street
Between Orchard & Ludlow
Babycakes is not like most other cupcake bakeries in NYC, they sell cupcakes that are either gluten free or are vegan. I could definitely tell that the spelt cupcake I had was vegan, and not in a good way. While the carrot cake spelt cupcake I sampled looked adorable (with a little purple flower piped onto the icing), it definitely wasn’t the best cupcake I have ever had. Neither the icing nor the cake were very sweet, which made the cupcake blander than I was expecting. The cake was also quite dense and dry, which made it harder to eat. The flavor of the carrot cake however had a nice, subtle cinnamon flavor that I enjoyed. I think perhaps their gluten free or their other spelt cupcake flavors are better, but I don’t suggest getting the carrot cake flavor. I hope to eventually make it back there to try another flavor just to make sure that I perhaps didn’t get a bad batch. I am hoping this is the case, because I really want to like this place!
Final Thoughts: Great concept, and the cupcakes are great for people with dietary restrictions that still want a tasty treat now and then.
109 East 42nd Street (Between Park and Lexington Avenues)
7 East 14th Street (Between 5th Avenue and Broadway)
529 Broadway (and Spring Street)
526 7th Avenue (Between 38th and 39th Streets)
Baked by Melissa may just have the cutest cupcakes on earth! They are bite size and artfully decorated, which makes them almost too good to eat (emphasize almost). Of their seemingly endless number of flavors, I selected two because the price is fairly high on these little guys. I tried red velvet and the cookies and cream, which were both pretty decent, however it was their cuteness that ultimately won me over. I would definitely pick up some of these as a gift or as a little treat hear or there because they are truly bite sized.
Final Thoughts: Adorable cupcakes, that are truly a tasty mini work of art. Definitely buy a few at a time so you get to try as many flavors as possible!
184 Ninth Avenue (Between 21st and 22nd Streets)
75 Franklin Street
268 Elizabeth Street
Billy’s Bakery is one of the few cupcake places I tried that doesn’t just serve cupcakes. They have a variety of other deserts that I would love to try, but with the purpose of the cupcake guide I had to stick to my original mission. Overall I would say that the cupcake was decent, but not spectacular. I like most of their other customers, got the chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting. I like the chocolately flavor of both the icing and the cake, but unfortunately the cake was a little dry for my taste. I think perhaps it was the time I day I went and got the cupcake, because most reviews say the cake is very moist. I am hoping in this instance that I just went at the wrong time of day.
Final Thoughts: I will definitely go back to Billy’s again to find out once and for all if the cupcakes are or are not dry. They look so good that I might just eat them anyway.
123 East 7th Street (Between 1st and Avenue A)
Butter Lane holds a place near and dear to my heart because it is located in the neighborhood of Manhattan in which I reside. It is a really cute, bright little shop that has some of the best cupcakes in the city. First off they have some really interesting icing flavors including sea salt chocolate and popcorn. I tried a banana cake with sea salt frosting and a banana cake with maple pecan frosting. Both were super moist, and had just the right balance of frosting to cake. You just got a hint of the banana flavor from the cake, and I wish I had tasted more, but overall I really enjoyed it.
Final Thoughts: Butter Lane has great fluffy, moist cupcakes that come in interesting flavors that will definitely not disappoint. Make sure to check it out!
Buttercup Bakeshop
973 2nd avenue (Between 51st and 52nd Streets)
Buttercup Bakery is a cute and inviting bakery that sells a variety of baked goods, in addition to their noteworthy cupcakes. I tried the red velvet cupcake, which is one of their top selling flavors. The cake was nice and fluffy, but the icing is what really put it over the top. Instead of the typical buttercream frosting, the red velvet cupcakes are topped with delicious cream cheese frosting. The frosting had a great flavor, and the texture was a perfect complement to the fluffy cake. I will definitely be coming here again just for the red velvet!
Final Thoughts: This bakery is in a great location for us LIM College students, and has one of the best red velvet cupcakes in the city. Make sure to check it out if this is one of your go to flavors.
43 West 42nd Street (Between 5th and 6th Avenues)
420 Lexington Avenue (Between 52nd and 53rd Streets)
1379 3rd Avenue (Between 78th and 79th Streets) (and many more!)
Crumbs, which is regarded as one of the largest cupcake bakery chains in NYC has multiple locations all over the city. I have been to several of their locations, but I frequent the one on Lexington between 44th and 45th the most because they have places to sit down and enjoy your cupcake if you aren’t in a rush. Crumbs cupcakes have many things going for them; they have a great variety, the are quite large, and they are made fresh each morning. The cupcakes at crumbs are very sweet though, sometimes too much so, so if your sweet tooth only goes so far, I would look for another bakery. I have had so many of the flavors here, but my favorite is definitely the half-baked (I mean who doesn’t like cookie dough?). Since the cupcakes here are so big though, I often take half of it to go, which actually makes them a great deal because you are getting two for the price of one.
Final Thoughts: Crumbs is a great cupcake bakery for those who like very sweet cupcakes, and like lots of interesting toppings and flavors. They are really big though, so it would be best to save half for later!
401 Bleeker Street (and West 11th Street)
1000 Third Avenue (Between 59th and 60th Streets)
200 Columbus Avenue (and West 69th Street)
Grand Central Terminal (Lower level dinning concourse)
1240 Avenue of the Americas (and West 49th Street)
It is clear to me that Magnolia Bakery has a cult-like following. I have seen tourists and New Yorkers alike standing in long lines snaking around the block. Right off the bat, Magnolia’s sets the stage for a great cupcake eating experience. Their décor is slightly shabby chic and retro which only ads to the cupcakes more homemade feel. They continuously provide fresh cupcakes throughout the day by baking several new batches throughout the day. Trust me; you will not get a stale cupcake, even at the end of the day. I tried both their s ’mores and chocolate truffle flavors, and both were good. I did however feel that the cake was more dense than fluffy, but it comes down to personal preference. The frosting is where Magnolia shines however, because it is not overly sweet and ads the extra much-needed flavor to the cupcake.
Final Thoughts: Magnolia Bakery is for those who love a homemade cupcake taste, and who aren’t afraid to battle the long lines and crowds. You definitely have to try it at least once to see for yourself what all the hype is about.
780 Lexington Avenue (Between 60th and 61st Streets)
Sprinkles was and is still, a west coast sensation that made its way to the big apple, and for that I am thankful. Sprinkles is a chic cupcake bakery that manages to produce stylish cupcakes that still taste great. This makes them a go to parties or other important events. I sampled both the salted caramel and the chocolate marshmallow, at the suggestion of one of the employees. Overall they were good, but I wasn’t blown away. The salted caramel was a little too salty, but the sweetness of the caramel icing underneath made it manageable. The cake itself was a little denser than I like, but overall it was a decent cupcake. The chocolate marshmallow was fairly bland, and unfortunately neither the chocolate flavor nor the marshmallow filling left much of a lasting impression.
Final Thoughts: When it comes to sprinkles I would definitely purchase their cupcakes for their appearance, especially if I was throwing a fancy party. On taste alone though, I would go somewhere else.
126 Rivington Street (Between Essex and Norfolk Streets)
Sugar Sweet Sunshine is a great little cupcake bakery that turns on the charm. From the bright yellow and orange walls, to the colorful sprinkles on each cupcake, Sugar Sweet Sunshine wants you to feel happier. They have all of your typical flavors such as vanilla and chocolate, but I went with the more interesting flavor of strawberry and cream cheese. I don’t know what it is about that combination, but it was absolutely perfect. The flavor of the cake was subtle, but not overpowering, and the icing was creamy with just a hint of cream cheese flavor. The cupcakes here are super moist and fluffy, and their flavors are subtle, but still noticeable. The cupcakes here are also some of the most affordable I found in the city, costing only $1.75 for an average sized cupcake.
Final Thoughts: Everything about Sugar Sweet Sunshine is bright, colorful, and delicious, just as their name suggests. They have the most affordable cupcakes that I know of in the city, which makes them even sweeter.
1652 2nd Ave (Between 85th and 86th Streets)
While Two Little Red Hens is not the bakery most people think of when they hear the word cupcake, but it definitely should be. In fact, I have to say that Two Little Red Hens may just sell the tastiest cupcakes in Manhattan, and as most of you know that is quite a feat. I sampled both the Brooklyn Blackout and the Key Lime Pie, and I only need one word to describe them…delicious! The Key Lime Pie was chilled and tasted just like a key lime pie should, sweet and tangy at the same time. It provided a truly refreshing experience. The Brooklyn Blackout is for those of you who can’t get enough chocolate. The chocolate flavor could be found everywhere, and its richness could not be ignored. Both of the cupcakes that I sampled were very fluffy and moist, which are two characteristics that I find to be completely necessary in a cupcake.
Final Thoughts: By far the best cupcake bakery in Manhattan (at least in my opinion). Don’t be too chicken to stop here, I guarantee that you will not be disappointed.
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