Magnolia Bakery — New York City

Three wheat-free cupcake reviews in three days? Yeah, that’s how I roll. Actually this treat from the famous Magnolia Bakery came to me via “special delivery.” At first I’d heard Magnolia makes this cupcake only on Fridays, but this one was bought on a Tuesday, so my first bit of advice is to call ahead. And in line with a comment on my last gluten-free cupcake post, I should mention that Magnolia is a really small bakery. I can’t say this for sure because I didn’t ask about how they prepare them, but there’s got to be a pretty high chance of cross-contamination if these are baked on premises. So try this at your own risk — you probably know best how sensitive you are. In fact I don’t think Magnolia uses the term “gluten-free” at all because they likely don’t want to over-promise. It’s sold as a “flourless cupcake.” I felt just fine eating it though. So how did it taste? I’d say this is another treat for people who can’t have wheat but are missing their cupcake fix. If I had to complain, it would be about the frosting. I bet that looks like a lot of frosting, right? I think it’s meringue buttercream, so it’s actually really light, more like whipped cream. My complaint or confusion is why they don’t just top it with their famous (pastel-colored) frosting. Love it or hate it, the frosting is what Magnolia is best known for. I bet they’d say the cupcake itself is too soft for the firm, signature frosting. But if you’re in the area and don’t mind the lines, it’s worth a try. Note, I don’t know if this cupcake is available at all Magnolia locations.