Cupcake Wars

**I'm updating this because I feel SO differently now!!** April 2012

I'm not sure exactly when the cupcake craze started but I've always been crazy for cake. Give me my own personal portion and I'm happy. You'd think a cupcake is a cupcake right? How hard is it to make good cake? Hell, I'm not a baker by any stretch of the imagination, unless you call opening a box of Betty Crocker and following the directions a baker. If so, then just call me Buddy Valastro. My box-made cupcakes are always delish. Especially since I figured out that they get the frosting all thick and swirly with a decorator apparatus that I bought in Target. You'd assume that a place that specializes in cupcakes and has lines around the bend would give you a fabulous cup of moist cake. Unfortunately and surprisingly, that's not the case.

Back before E was even a thought, cupcakes were always on my mind. We lived in Englewood then so if the mood struck we'd just hop in the car, go over the bridge and high-tail it to Bleeker for cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery. If they were good enough for Carrie Bradshaw, they had to be good enough for me. Yet, every time, I came away sort of disappointed. I'm a vanilla kind of gal and sugar is my BFF, but their frosting could probably put someone who is otherwise healthy in a diabetic coma. It's almost nauseating. There, I'd opt for chocolate. Chocolate on vanilla cake. It was...just...ok. The cake is kind of crumbly. I wouldn't call it moist at all. In my opinion that line out there was for two reasons- One, SATC, and two, because the place is so small, there is no room for more than a few people at the time. Brilliant on their part- Want to make your place look slammed all the time? Pick a REALLY small place.

We graduated from Magnolia and found Billy's Bakery on 9th Ave. They have good stuff. Also a small place but there is usually a fun, interesting crowd, they have a good selection, and I've never been disappointed with any selection I've made there.

Now that we have a child and live further into suburbia, we can't just run to NYC for cupcakes. We make do with what's here. And more and more options keep popping up. But, as I said above, not all cupcakes are built the same and they have very distinct qualities that may sway your decision as to where to buy. Since I've gone near and far and tasted many, I feel I'm qualified to be your guide on all things cupcake in the vicinity.

I do Stroller Strides in Riverside Square Mall 3x a week so I was there when Mr Cupcake first opened a location there. Great! Do your exercises and cancel it out with cake! I was fine with that. I happen to really like their cupcakes. Interestingly enough, this is the most polarizing of all the ones I'll be reviewing for you. I've found people either love or hate them. They're smaller than some of the others, which I like- it's portion control in a Super-Sized world. They're denser and a little oilier. BUT, the thing I like most about them is that their flavors are baked IN the cake. My favorite happens to be "Cookie Jar". It's Oreo and chocolate chip cookie baked into the cake, with a vanilla buttercream frosting and some cookie crumbles on top. They basically have four flavors of frosting (that I've tasted)- buttercream, chocolate, vanilla, and cream cheese to complement the different cake flavors. I liked everyone I tasted. Some of my other favorites are Birthday cake (vanilla cake, buttercream icing, sprinkles), French Toast (it tastes JUST like French Toast), and red velvet. His prices are the best of the bunch- $2 for any cupcake. No BS about "specialty" ones, which in other places, they all end up being. No differing prices for any cupcake.

Cupcakes by Carousel came into Ridgewood a little before Crumbs. I'd heard about Carousel on Oprah. She'd raved about their red velvet cake. I couldn't wait to try it. I LOVE this place's cake. The difference though, between this and Mr Cupcake is that their "flavors" are not in the cake, but on top. For instance, their "Oreo" cupcake is chocolate cake but crushed Oreos and cream built up high on top of the cupcake. Hostess looks just like the chocolate packaged one you had in your lunch as a kid, including the vanilla pigs tail swirl down the middle. It's chocolate cake, vanilla cream inside, and then the top is vanilla cream covered in chocolate with the swirl. It's FANTASTIC. My personal favorite is cookie dough. It's a vanilla cake with a frosting made to taste like cookie dough with pieces of cookie dough on top also.  B like Brownie and Peanut Butter Cup (pretty self-explanatory).

Their cakes are basically chocolate, vanilla, red velvet and carrot. Maybe there is a specialty one here and there. I can't rave enough about the TASTE. But, the prices? Sorry- but paying upwards of $3 for a cupcake to me is ridiculous. All I know is that they start at $2.50 I think but apparently not for any I ever pick. I went in for maybe 9 or 10 to bring to someone's house gathering and it cost me $29. I could've gotten a whole cake for less.

Crumbs- I'd heard of Crumbs long before it came to Ridgewood. I listen to Howard Stern- any regular listener knows the trials and tribulations of the Artie Cupcake and the Baba Booey. I tried some when we were in NYC once and I wasn't thrilled. First of all, most of them are so big, they're like a meal. You can think you're just going to eat half but that never happens. They do the "stuffed cupcake" thing where there are some with flavors inside, but the ones I tasted were just really, really sweet. They're also REALLY expensive. I'm talking close to $4 or more.  I needed a dessert to bring somewhere in a pinch, went there, and almost had a heart attack when I was told it was $18 for a 12 pack of mini cupcakes. $18? REALLY? Are they made with gold flakes?

I had to try them when they came to Ridgewood and I did have a slightly different experience. They have smaller ones which I did not see in NYC, at least the location and day I was there. I went to get a few to bring to a friend in Valley Hospital when she had her baby. I got a vanilla with strawberry frosting. I LOVED it. It was normal size, the cake was moist, and I loved the strawberry frosting. It wasn't just dyed vanilla. But, I discovered the strawberry is seasonal and it was gone after that one time in September, not to return until this spring. I very much prefer this smaller, saner size. So does my ass. They are open earlier/later hours than Cupcake by Carousel which CBC should note. Hint: When you have a huge competitor down the street, would it not behoove you to make sure you're open as often as they are??

One day I made B drive with me all the way to Nutley to try "Stuffed Cupcakes".I heard about them on The Nest so I had to see what the hype was all about. For me, that's exactly what it was- hype. We went on a Sunday and they did not have all the flavors they list on their site. Maybe it was about half. We bought four and they were GIANT, like Crumbs and way too sweet. I wasn't crazy about any of the flavors we bought and it was all just too much.

Over the winter I was waiting and waiting for Baked in a Cup to open in Ramsey. They FINALLY opened in the Spring. I was there in the first week. They had some really different flavors but it was SO limited when they first opened. I picked some plain ones- vanilla on vanilla, vanilla on chocolate, etc. They are REALLY small. They're about the size of a cupcake made in a tin in your house. And they had the nerve to charge way more than they should. They are EXPENSIVE for what you get. I don't remember the cost per cupcake but I know I was shocked. I never went back. They've expanded the menu- they have different flavors on different days. And I see on their website that they have vegan selections which is great because that isn't the easiest to find. I'd try it again if I was in Ramsey but I'm not running there for a special trip.

Heavenly Treats opened in Glen Rock. I admit I didn't want to like anything in there because we were trying to open a candy store in town and it seemed like they did it right under our nose. Technically they are not a cupcake joint, but they do sell cupcakes so I'm including them. Their store is GORGEOUS. They did a kick-ass job doing up the place. I know what it looked like before they came in and the transfomation could have been featured on one of those decor shows. But, unfortunately, the cupcakes I tried were not good. To put it nicely. I got a raspberry frosted one and I'll give them that the frosting was really yummy. But, the cake- it didn't taste fresh or moist at all. A friend got some before a playdate one day about a month later and they hadn't improved. I haven't been there since spring though so you never know if there's been any improvement. I don't think most people are going there for cupcakes anyway, but if you're going to sell them, you want them done right. They're not open on Mondays. I do not understand that in this economy. My store is open six days a week. We'd lose money if we closed on Mondays. Maybe they can afford it. Good for them.

I also was eagerly awaiting the opening of A La Cupcakes, also in Glen Rock. I was a little disappointed. I'd heard a lot about it prior to it coming in so I was hoping it was better than Heavenly Treats. The cake actually IS better. But, it looked kind of half-done in there and they had very little selection. I was there when it first opened so I'm sure it's worth another try. They were just small, very small, like Baked in a Cup. They do offer a larger size for $1 more, but they didn't have any the day I was there. I think I ate it in three bites. Taste was good though so I'm not complaining. I'll go back there. But, they're not open on Mondays either. Hello? Do you get the whole competition thing? If the other cupcake seller is closed on Monday, don't you think you might open then? Maybe I'm missing something...

So, size matters. Especially when it comes to cupcakes. There has to be a middle ground on size, people. I feel like Goldie Locks but there has to be a size that's "just right" so I'll give that to Mr Cupcakes. Their cupcakes are a good size and they pack a good flavor punch for the right price. I know people will disagree but too bad- these are my reviews. Feel free to comment and give you own!

***UPDATE!! 4-23-12***NO NO NO!!! My WINNER is A La Cupcakes in Glen Rock!! One, I was wrong on the sizes- I must have gotten a mini cupcake in there the first time. The regular cupcakes are around the same size as Mr Cupcakes and SO MUCH BETTER. I went back into A La Cupcakes months & months ago and I've been a 100% convert ever since. I'm literally there EVERY OTHER DAY. I'm addicted. I can't go anywhere else. My friend had Mr Cupcakes at her baby shower last weekend and I wasn't even tempted. I'm having Pam at A La Cupcakes do my birthday cake- I decided this a month or two ago and my birthday is in August. My son loves her sprinkle cookies so much, the promise of one is the only way to get him out of my store down the street to go home. I'm so nervous people won't know she's there and I NEED her to be there- she's not ON Rock Rd. She's on Glen, across from the senior apartments. Around the corner from Rocca. She sometimes makes me a vanilla with raspberry inside and I dream about it, it's so good.

Oh and she makes regular macaroons and French macarons and they're sick. I've tasted others that are all the same size, shape, "perfect" and they don't taste anywhere NEAR the same as Pam's do. She makes little mini pies which B really loved. He tried the pecan and sent me back for another the same week.

A La Cupcakes (Glen Rock)- http://www.alacupcakes.com/
Baked in a Cup (Ramsey)- http://www.bakedinacup.com/
Billy's Bakery- http://www.billysbakerynyc.com/
Crumbs (Ridgewood & other locations)- http://www.crumbs.com/
Cupcakes by Carousel (Oradell, Englewood *new*, & Rockland)- http://www.cupcakesbycarousel.com/
Heavenly Treats- https://www.facebook.com/heavenlytreats.nj
Magnolia- http://magnoliabakery.com/home.php
Mr Cupcakes (Riverside Sq Mall, Oradell, Clifton)- http://mrcupcakes.com/
Stuffed Cupcakes (Nutley, *also sold in many retail shops around NY/NJ)- http://www.stuffedcupcakes.com/

I'm going to give a mention to Cupcake Cutie. What I've been told is that it's a mobile cupcake shop. From Facebook, it seems like half the people I grew up with know the girl, Sonja Kramer, who owns this company. All I've heard raves for her cupcakes. I read on her site that her cupcake truck roams all over Bergen so I'm waiting till it roams on over to Glen Rock. It sounds like a cool idea and if the cupcakes live up to the hype, I'll be all over that testimonial. Check her out- http://cupcakecutieusa.com/


Another mention is Cake Pops for You. I'm pretty sure they're sold out of Chestnut Deli- they don't have their own separate store. I bought a deal for one dozen cakepops for $15 from Suburban Momma. Normally I guess a dozen goes for $30. It's a bit steep but this isn't just a cupcake. These are more of an art. It's crumbled cake mixed with icing, formed into balls then dipped in chocolate. I did get to taste these at the Ridgewood sidewalk sale. The ones I tasted were amazing. They were chocolate cake though and that's not really my favorite so I'd like to experience the other flavors. I'm sure they'll be just as good. I know it's in a way more elite catagory than Entenmann's "pop 'ems", but they're about the same size, on a stick, and since I love the Entenmann's, I couldn't imagine not loving these too. Perfect size if you just want a taste. If you're looking for something more substantial, I'm afraid, you'd probably eat these all in one sitting by yourself. The price would have to be less for me if I was to do them as a favor or an acoutrement to other desserts even. I don't know what they do on price for bulk orders. https://www.facebook.com/cakepopsforyou?v=info

Lastly- I'm going to add Babycakes NYC. This is the vegan bakery to the Stars. I'm pretty sure I read about them in US Weekly. I bought them for E's 1st birthday party because you never know what kinds of allergies kids can have and these were pretty much "everything-free". I'm sure to a vegan they are fab. To someone who enjoys regular old cake, not-so-much. I did really like the frosting though. I don't know what it's made of, but it was an interesting taste and consistency. The kids really liked them and I felt okay letting a one year old eat it knowing it wasn't filled with processed crap. They make cakes and if you really are concerned about ingredients, they're the way to go. They're a little pricey but they deliver or you can pick them up. I opted to pick them up and I was there and back, to the Lower East Side during a weekday, mid-day in an hour and a half.  http://babycakesnyc.com/

I think this enough information for you to find your sugar high cake of choice. I'm not going to turn down a cupcake but I definitely have my favorites and ones I might trade for box-made brownie....