I was wandering by the friendly neighborhood Cupcake Royale a few days ago when I noticed their signboard announcing the newly minted cupcake of the month for March: the Irish Whiskey Maple.  I love maple syrup and was curious to see what a cupcake would taste like with whiskey in the frosting, so I decided to try one out.

First off, the frosting is amazing. Maple syrup + buttercream is  a great idea and pancake houses across the country should be alerted of this delicious combination.  The little kick of alcohol from the whiskey is a nice touch.  If I were a whiskey connoisseur, I suspect I would have a better appreciation for it – it is Jameson we’re talking about, after all.

The cupcake itself was a little disappointing. I admit, some of this is because of my bias against vanilla cake (I’m a chocolate cake girl, myself). But the fact of the matter is, “moist” is not a word that I would use to describe this particular cupcake. Luckily for me, Cupcake Royale is never one to stint on frosting :)

Besides being (possibly) National Cupcake Day, March 3rd was also the first day that the District of Columbia allowed and licensed gay marriages. The usually quiet D.C. marriage bureau was swamped with couples that have waited for years to be able to legally tie the knot as well as crowds of well-wishers.

Now, how to celebrate this momentous occasion…what about cupcakes?  David Catania, the D.C. Councilmember who authored the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009 had just that idea. It appears that he was was so delighted by the results of his legislation that in celebration of its enactment he passed out boxes of cupcakes to the first 200 couple (of any orientation) to get their marriage license at the the Carl Moultrie Courthouse (500 Indiana Ave. N.W., D.C.).  Catania distributed vanilla and chocolate Hello Cupcakes as part of a joint celebratory gesture on the part of the Councilmember and the cupcakery.

Ok, I have to say it: that is just the sweetest thing I’ve heard all week :)

Chocolate Cupcakes on a Stick with Caramel filling $6.00

6 adorable chocolate cupcakes on a stick, filled with caramel!

Each cupcake pop come wrapped in it’s own bag with coordinating ribbon.

These are great for birthday parties, weddings or any occasion!

For a larger order, different colors or no filling, please send the seller a message!

Available at Katy’s Tiny Kitchen.

Check out their facebook page to for more information, and a chance to be entered in a giveaway.

Manly McMancakes (via the Wall Street Journal)

When it comes to the competitive cupcake markets of NYC or Seattle or LA, you really need a niche within a niche, something that makes your own particular cupcakes pop.  This isn’t easy these days since the proliferation of bakeries has meant a proliferation of specialties. But David Arrick of Butch Bakery managed to find one specialty that I’ve never seen tried with cupcakes before: masculine.

After a job abroad fell through, Arrick was looking for his next career move when he drew inspiration from Magnolia Cupcakes. Cupcakes looked to be a wildly successful enterprise. The thing was, he felt like the business was way too girly for him as it was.

“Why did cupcakes need to be magical? They’re not magical for me. Where’s the masculine aesthetic?” Arrick said. “We needed to butch it up, buttercup.” And so Butch Bakery, an online delivery “masculine” cupcakery was born. (from the Wall Street Journal)

So, what exactly does it take to make a manly cupcake? First, no fancifully patterned frosting on top – all of Butch Bakery’s cupcakes have a topper of patterned-chocolate over a straightforward dollop of buttercream.  Next, flavors are named after stereotypically manly things, like Tailgate (caramel cake with a salted caramel swirl filling with vanilla buttercream) and Homerun (peanut butter cake with banana bavarian cream & crumbled bacon).

Personally, I don’t assign gender to my food.  That said, the flavors that Butch Bakery has come up with look inventive, and they’re marketing isn’t just adorable, it’s also successful: after a pre-Valentine’s mention on Daily Candy, BB’s website crashed from too many hits and they’ve been backlogged for weeks ever since.

We received these photos and this email from Laura…

Hi there! My name is Laura and I have a little baking company called LollyLand Bakery in Miami, FL. I’ve been baking for a long time but I’m pretty new at this fondant stuff, so when I took on an order of cupcakes for a baby shower I was a little worried at first. But once they sent me a picture of the theme (Duckies and Froggies in a bathtub) ideas immediately started coming to me and it took me 3 straight days to create these!

Awe! These are too cute! Great job!

February isn’t just about presidential federal holidays or your valentine…it’s also about bare-knuckles cupcake smackdowns.  The East Coast brings us the Iron Cupcake Challenge on February 28th at the Tortilla Press Cantina. Open to the amateur and the baking professional, the fifth annual Iron Cupcake Challenge will center (like its namesake) around one special ingredient: chilies.  Cost to participate is $15 for adults and $7 for kids under 12, and the proceeds from this event will go towards earthquake relief in Haiti.

From the left coast we have the third annual Cupcake Challenge on February 20th at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel. Over 20 Southern California cupcakeries will go head to head for the honor of becoming the Cupcake Challenge Champion. Since it’s LA, there’s a celebrity judge panel, but members of the public in attendance at the event also get an equal vote.  20 different cupcakes to sample, $40 at the door – if you have room in your stomach, the math works out in your favor.

My best friend emailed to inform me that she had a cupcake from Cinnabon!  At first it sounded a little strange, Cinnabon if famous for cinnamon rolls, not cupcakes but the company’s website says “After 25 years of making our world famous cinnamon roll, we’re kicking off the next 25 years by introducing the world’s best cupcake!” There are four flavors to choose from including, Cinnacake Classic, Chocolate Passion, Vanilla Bliss, and 24-Carrot Cake.

My best friend tried the Chocolate Passion (pictured above) and said that “it was really good but messy!”  She also noted that “they warm them up so the frosting melts a bit.” These cupcakes sound like they would be worth trying and  are available in 4-count, half dozen, and dozen packages.

I left the lovely Island of Martha’s Vineyard this weekend and went on an adventure to New Hampshire to visit my family and friends.

There is a little Cupcake Shop a few miles away from where the Ferry unloads, Cupcapes of Falmouth. I’ve driven by many times and never stopped and this time I did.

I walked in and immediately fell in love the the place. I wish I had taken more pictures but I didn’t get the chance.

They had a lovely display case of cupcakes right when you walk in. They also had cute tables set up, cupcake art on the wall, along with funny T-shirts to boot! There was also the cutest cupcake ornaments hanging on the wall.

I chose the Chocolate Raspberry Cupcake ! I couldn’t resist the looks of it. My favorite thing about the look of the cupcakes was the the liner that they were put it. So cute, adds so much character. And it was even put in the CUTEST cupcake box. And the lady who helped me was very nice and inviting as well. They also use all organic ingredients!

Anyone who lives in the area should definitely try and make a trip to indulge in these cupcakes! Very much worth it.

Being there gave me lots of inspiration for my own cupcake adventures! It also made the 3 hours drive back to New Hampshire much more enjoyable.

I tried to wait aslong as I could to eat the cupcake because I wanted to get proper pictures of the Cupcake and the box, that didnt last long. The delicious smell of the Raspberry and Chocolate just over took my car. And I am glad I didn’t wait because it was so worth it! The frosting was perfect and the raspberry and chunk of chocolate were da’ bomb. It cake was so moist and perfect. I enjoyed this cupcake as much as i did because it was something along the lines that I would make!

Website: CupCapes of Falmouth

Facebook Group: CupCapes of Falmouth

Also become and FAN on Facebook:  CupCapes of Falmouth

This Image was taken from their Facebook Page …

Valentine’s Day is a holiday for lovers. So what the heck are you supposed to if you’re single?  Cakelab of NYC has a solution: their Sourpuss Cupcake Pack. Instead of the usual romantic sentiments, the Sourpuss pack features conversation dot cupcakes with messages like “H8 You”, “Let it go”, and “WTF”.  You can also drown your sorrows in the accompanying Sourpuss pack flavors of banana split, chocolate chip cookie dough and black bottom.

Cakelab is not one to drive off customers – they’ve got a Sweetheart pack too, for those who have them :) This assortment comes with more conventionally messaged champagne-flavored conversation dots as well as red velvet, chocolate turtle, and chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes.

I really appreciate Cakelab’s approach to cupcakes for the upcoming heart-shaped holiday. They’re willing to be typically adorable and inventively bitter, thus capturing both sides of the Valentine’s Day market.

You’ve seen it here at All Things Cupcake, you’ve seen it everywhere:  the  pink and red and heart-shaped wave has come and it’s sweeping up our favorite little confection in its wake.  Red Velvet cupcakes are enjoying a seasonal bump in popularity (no surprise there) as cupcakeries across the nation make a run on flavors in the right color range. Ex-pat bakery Little Miss Cupcake is taking the trend to Paris with their special Valentine’s flavors La Vie En Rose, Linger, & Go All The Way.  In my own hometown, Cupcake Royale just came out with this year’s version of the Deathcake Royale,  a chocolate-packed supercake that’s only available for two weeks per annum right before Valentine’s Day.

This is just a proverbial taste of what is to come.  All Things Cupcake is here to bring you daily coverage on the latest in Valentine’s Day themed-cupcakes (and cupcake shaped items!).

While looking around on Google I came across The Great L.A. Cupcake Map.  The map is comprised of cupcake shops with storefront locations in and around the Los Angeles area.  As more cupcake shops open up, the map evolves.  Makes finding a new shop to try very easy!

Today my local news paper, The News and Observer had an article titled Cupcakes for Grown-up Tastes.  For the article the author taste tested 9 cupcake proprietors in the triangle, the name given to Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  Out of the 9 cupcake stores and online shops, I am pleased to say I have tried  5 including The Cupcake Shoppe, Bliss, Kelly G’s Cupcakes, Sugar Land, and The Cupcake Bar.  The ones that I have not had a chance to try are the online order sites and I have to admit I have never ordered cupcakes online.

Out of the 5 which I have tried I would have to say that The Cupcake Bar is my favorite.  On Single’s Night they ways have fun flavors like apple cider or Mexican chocolate.  I have had The Cupcake Shoppe’s cupcakes on several occasions and found sometimes they can be a bit dry and have a little too much frosting for my preferences.  I still like them and would never pass up the chance to have one of their cupcakes.  Kelly G’s cupcakes are also really good and I enjoy going to Open Eye Cafe to do homework and have a cupcake! The article goes into detail with Valentine’s Day options and Tasting Notes for each cupcake company.

If you’ve had the opportunity to try one of the cupcake bakeries from the article be sure to leave a comment to let us know what you thought!

Love My Cake of Upper Montclair, NJ starts with all the necessary ingredients for a good cupcake establishment: family recipes, rich and delicious ingredients, and of course, a deep and lasting love of cupcakes.  Love My Cake also has what it takes to go from good to local icon status: panache.  Owner Sonya Newton has a flair not only for baking, but also for the creation of chic, and it shows in Love My Cake’s fashionably boutique design, stylish cupcakes and vintage apron collection.

Speaking of chic and unique – one of Love My Cake’s specialities is their Cupcake In A Jar. I’ve heard of mason jar crumbles before, and even mason jar pies, but this is the first time I’ve heard of a cupcake in a mason jar.  It sounds like we’ve discovered the latest fashion in baked goods –  are cookies next?

As the recession stretches on and jobs stay hard to find, more people are turning to self-employment to pay the bills.   The name of the game is to use your pre-existing skills in a venture with a low start-up cost.  Like, say, using your many years of cupcake-baking experience to start a business selling cupcakes.

Carrie Spindler of Hudson County, New Jersey did just that when she started GoodieBox Bakeshop.  After losing her job, Spindler decided to take the leap and put her fifteen years of baking experience to entrepreneurial use. Spindler started her business online and created a dedicated following (especially for her signature red velvet cupcakes) before moving into her own retail space.

Mini Empire Bakery of Seattle, Washington has much the same business plan. Christy Beaver and Morgan Greenseth started their cupcakes and more concern online this last December and have just started selling their goods in local cafes as well.  Just as Spindler did with GoodieBox, Beaver and Greenseth plan on building a following before setting up a brick and mortar shop.

Besides the relative ease and low-cost of starting up an online catering company, these cupcake entrepreneurs have one more thing on their side: the robustness of the small luxuries market. While many of us can no longer afford big luxuries,  we still have money for little luxuries like cupcakes. Thus cupcake-making is a potential source of jobs as well as sweetness, even in tough economic times like these.

Sometimes dietary restrictions can make it hard to enjoy the finer things in life…like cupcakes. But in LA, things became just a little bit easier for the dietarily-restricted cupcake lover with the opening of Babycakes earlier this month. This New York transplant serves up the sweets with the health and allergy-conscious in mind – all of their offerings are egg, soy and dairy-free, and many are refined sugar and gluten-free as well. While their ingredients are restricted, their menu has plenty of options. Babycakes features red velvet, vanilla, carrot and chocolate cupcakes along with a plethora of cookies, crumb cakes, muffins and other delicious baked goods.

Just this last Friday, Beverly Hills’ haute-cupcake bakery Sprinkles jumped into the game with the introduction of their vegan and gluten-free red velvet cupcake.  Is this the start of a health-conscious cupcake war in LA?  If so, I can tell you right now: the cupcake lovers will be the winners.

Cupcake Royale's "cupcake fit for The King"

Seattle is a big cupcake town, so it’s no surprise that new styles and flavors show up all the time. Nor is it too surprising to have a flavor named after a celebrity. But Elvis’ famous favorite snack, the banana and peanut butter sandwich, transformed into a cupcake in celebration of The King’s 75th birthday? That’s original. And that’s the Velvet Elvis, Cupcake Royale‘s newest creation and present cupcake of the month.

I stopped by Cupcake Royale’s Capitol Hill location to try a bite-sized version of the banana bread cupcake with peanut butter and chocolate frosting a few days ago. It was sweet, but also rich, with a depth of flavor that is often lacking in cupcakes. If you’re a cupcake fan swinging through Emerald City, I recommend giving it a try – it’s well worth the stop.

Yummy Cupcakes is a bakery out of California. They offer unique cupcake products.

First they have Cupcake on a Stick

They also have  Cupcake in a Jar

They also have a Cupcake Party Kit that contains all the fixings to frost 12 cupcakes from the comfort of your home.

You can find all of the above treats  HERE

They also offer a Vegan Menu! And 198 flavors! (and growing)

Outside Crumbs Bake Shop in Westport, CT

While on a trip back home to Connecticut last week my best friend and I visited one of Crumbs Bake Shop newest locations in Westport.  We absolutely loved the cupcakes!  When visiting cupcake shops, we have a system, we each pick one that we really want then one we agree on for a total of three cupcakes then we share all three.  When choosing the flavors we try to pick three that are all different to get a good idea of what the shop has to offer.

Our three cupcakes: grasshopper, good guy, and coconut

We ended up with the following flavors: Grasshopper, a chocolate cupcake with chocolate ganache filling and mint buttercream frosting.  The Good Guy which was a funfetti cake with vanilla buttercream frosting and lots of sprinkles.  And a chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream frosting and coconut shavings to top it off.

Inside the Grasshopper cupcake

After trying all three I would have to say my favorite flavor was the Good Guy.  A classic cupcake with a slight twist is always good.

What was left of the Good Guy

Crumbs Bake Shop has over 25 locations in the tri-state area and California with more opening soon.  The company offers shipping which is perfect for those looking for a sweet Valentine’s Day surprise.  Additionally there is a wide variety of flavors too choose from including classic and more unique flavors.

One half of the cupcake case at Crumbs!

Who says that luxury items are always big and expensive? There are some luxury items that you can enjoy with your friends without burning a hole in your pocket. St. Cupcake which is a small bakery in Portland, Oregon is one such luxury.

The cupcakes from this bakery are unbelievably popular. The cupcakes are available in wide range of flavors and are made in home baking style. Plus, you can get these home delivered to you or send them to your friends and family as present too. The owner of bakery Jami Curl got the idea to deliver the cupcakes via mail order when many of her customers suggested that they would like to send them to their friends and family. They have now launched online deliver of their cupcakes.

You can choose your favourite flavor, icing, and color of the sprinkle etc. on the net. Basically, you can design your own cupcake and create your own unique taste. The bakery offers all kinds of flavors from vanilla to pumpkin spice and carrot.

http://www.luxist.com/2010/01/17/st-cupcake-offers-bespoke-mail-order-cupcakes-yum/

Limited Edition Pink Vanilla Buttercream Cupcakes

These sublime little cakes conceal an irresistible surprise inside – a luscious center of Godiva chocolate ganache. Our rich, moist, chocolate cupcakes are offered by the half dozen, all iced in pink vanilla buttercream especially for Valentine’s Day, or three each in chocolate and vanilla buttercream for a romantic weekend’s worth of indulgent nibbling. Sure to delight youngsters while sending adults into a state of chocolate bliss. 6 pcs. (1 lb., 5.5 oz)

They also have Chocolate Cupcakes.

Please visist Godiva for more information.

Ready for the cupcake explosion?  Each year in the months of January, May and October, the Taylor’s Bakery in Auburn, Alabama creates 20 distinct flavors of cupcakes. The bakery bakes about 50 dozens of cupcakes for the January explosion, but for the other two months, the scale is increased to 120 dozens.

The event in January is celebrated to welcome the students back in the town.  Jan Taylor, who is the founder of the bakery says that through this event, they want to show the people that their bakery is much more than just a bake shop.

She says, “It’s about a three day event in the kitchen. This morning, when we put them in the case it was like, ‘Whew, we can breathe!’” The thirteen year old event has been a part of the bakery’s calendar ever since it opened. Taylor says that even though she loves the classic cupcakes flavors, but she also likes to add innovative tastes to the menu.

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Deanna and Phil Watkins started a small bakery in their hometown, St. Charles four years ago. It started as very small establishment, but slowly the craze started to rise and has now reached a height that even the Watkins can’t believe.

The craze for their cupcakes has made them reach a milestone that most bakeries in the world would envy.
The Sweet Dream Desserts bakery has now officially sold one million cupcakes. Their cupcakes are so popular that they have now opened a branch at Route 64 in a town called Wasco which is near St. Charles.

Even Deanna Watkins can’t believe her own success. She says, “People have gone crazy for our cupcakes. I knew cupcakes were trendy but I had no idea.” They sell many varieties of cupcakes including vanilla, chocolate, red velvet and chocolate ganache among others. All cupcakes are baked by Watkins herself from scratch.

Katja’s Kupcakes offers a wholly bespoke design service to ensure your cake is crafted to your specific requirements and is truly unique.

Unlike other British cake-confectioners, Katja hand-pipes each decoration using American Butter Cream instead of the more commonly used sugar craft. Katja can work with any given theme or idea; drawing on her background as an Arts graduate to ensure that each cake is a truly different and inspiring work of art.

Before returning to the UK Katja spent three years training at Manhattan’s famous Cupcake Cafe where she decorated cakes for the likes of Madonna, Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey.

Award winning chef, Duncan Poyser of the 39 Steps Restaurant & The Baker adds his artisan touch to baking the cakes so they taste as good as they look. This also means that your choice of cake is as bespoke as the decoration.

Please visit Katja’s Kupcakes for more information.

The Cupcake Cauldron gave her friends and co-workers some of her favorite Holiday flavors this holiday season. She chose Egg Nog, Peppermint Mocha and Gingerbread with Cream Cheese frosting to give as gifts!

What a great gift idea! They look so delicious! Thank you for sharing your cupcakes with us!

Cupcake toppers…

Vanilla cupcakes topped with chocolate ganache plus sprinkles of dessicated coconut and fondant topper…

Bonita from Macau sent us an email about her cute ginger family. You can see these photos and more by visiting her Cream Me Bake Shoppe.

Thanks for sharing your creative cupcakes with us! They looks awesome! :)