Loyal readers of my blog are likely sick and tired of the gluten-free cupcake reviews, but it’s where my head is at right now, and it didn’t make sense to write about Magnolia, Georgetown and Tu-lu’s without giving a nod to BabyCakes in the same week. First, a bit of advice — BabyCakes may be very crowded on Saturday afternoon, but it’s a good time to go if you want lots of options. I’d been there a few times recently and not seen the amazing array of treats they had for sale today. Next a warning — it’s pricey. At $4.75, this was two dollars more than the similarly-sized cupcake I had at Georgetown Cupcake. That being said, I love BabyCakes. I’ve loved them for a long time, even before I went gluten-free. It’s got such a cool, retro vibe, they have a smart sensibility about flavors and styling, and even though not everything there is gluten-free, everything is vegan. It’s hard to explain why, but I love their vegan frosting. Lately I’ve been ordering their gluten-free cookie sandwich, made with a shmeer of frosting in the middle. I can’t vouch for all of the cupcakes, but they call this one a “brownie cupcake,” and it’s my idea of perfection. The texture of the cake is moist and rich, and the top portion of the cupcake has a nearly crispy texture around the edges. I’m not complaining about any of the other cupcakes I tried this week, far from it, but I’d gladly pay the extra buck or two for a BabyCakes cupcake any day, as long as I don’t mind walking down to the Lower East Side.
Justin, I’m there with you on the frosting. Wow. I made a pilgrimage down there a few years ago when I was visiting a friend, and then tried to bring some home to my family in Boston. I pilfered a few on the road, and when I got home, discovered that the frosting (made with coconut oil I think?) on the few I resisted does not hold up in a warm car! I’m actually one of those people who scrapes off the frosting and just eats the cake, but not on these. Well worth the trip.
that makes sense because they keep everything in those cases which are probably refrigerated. i just can’t get enough of their frosting.