New York City Cupcake Wars
Ahhhhh cupcakes—a sweet, little taste of happiness. Today, Coke claims that happiness comes in each bottle, but did you know that the cupcake was the original happiness in a cup? After all, that's how a cupcake got its name—it was cooked in a cup.
The name cupcake stuck because the name was a Mnemonic. "Thanks a lot Cupcake." It just sounds nice.
Every town has their local bakery where they sell cupcakes. They serve the local community with birthday cakes, cupcakes and cookies. There isn't much cupcake competition in the burbs. But in New York, there is a war going on. Well, not really a war, but more of a boom. There are so many cupcake specialists around Manhattan. Each of them has their own unique taste and experience all of them feed my passion for exploring new places.
Walking the city on a Saturday afternoon (cupcake in-hand) has recently become a favorite pastime of mine and has been for Manhattan locals since Sex In The City made it famous. So the next time your in New York take a pit stop and get the full, sugar-inducing cupcake experience. Then off-you-go to explore the streets of New York.
Wondering where to start? Which one is the best? Are you diabetic and think cupcakes aren't an option? Think again. (See BabyCakes below—they have sugar-free cupcakes)
I've rated and scored the Top 5, best cupcakes in New York City based on two categories: Taste (flavor) and Brand (store, presentation, location). I then added them up to create the total value. (in my opinion).
| Description | Taste |
Brand |
Total Value |
|
| BabyCakes (a) View/Directions |
The most unique ingredients on the city. All-natural, organic and delicious alternatives free from the common allergens: wheat, gluten, dairy, casein and eggs. Most products are sweetened with agave nectar and are a safe alternative for diabetics. | 4.2 Any preconceived taste notions you may have will be lost on the first bite. |
4.1 50's-style atmosphere, plus some employee body ink. Wrapped into a vintage "feel-good" flow. Cute packaging. |
8.3
|
| Billy Bakery (b) View/Directions |
Family oriented, themed environment. It's "nostalgic from its desserts to its decor, Billy's Bakery harks back to the warm feeling of 1940's American kitchens." | 3.5 I rate this higher on presentation than taste. |
4.3 I rate this higher on presentation than taste. Consistently themed concept. |
7.8 |
| CupcakeStop (c) View/Directions |
Bill themselves as "NYC's first mobile gourmet cupcake shop.". The experience is great—you can walk away with a sampling of like 10 different mini-sized cupcakes. | 2.8 The taste is expected, but with so many options, sometimes they're a bit stale. |
4.8 The experience is original, the mini cupcakes are made for sharing. |
7.6 |
| MagnoliaBakery(d) View/Directions |
Made famous from Sex in the City. They pride themselves on the classic approach to baking—everything is made fresh from scratch on premises, all day, everyday. | 4.2 The original New York cupcake. Overwhelming and even excessive icing. 1 and done. |
3.0 The lines are usually (still) insane, and filled with tourists. Solid branding. |
7.2 |
| Sugar Sweet Sunshine (e) View/Directions |
The cool local cupcake shop your probably didn't know about. Focusing more on taste than presentation (fancy boxes etc.). Rated very highly on Zagat (and my list) and their prices are too good to be true. | 4.5 Not the prettiest cupcake in town. But it's the ace of taste and price. |
4.0 High on a bohemian vibe, a cool place to chill out, a fun area to be in. Tip: Go at night they're open late. |
8.5 |
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