Dream Cupcake Bakery Tour of America – Part 1

This is a list I have been compiling in my head for a number of years. Accountants and lawyers probably do not wish to do accounts and read legal books once they leave their offices. But cake makers, we are a different kind of people. We tune in to Great British Bake Off, YouTube, the vastness of the internet and continue looking at cake pictures, watching cake videos and imagining cake details. Fact. Dear Reader, if you are such a person, do leave a comment, lets connect!

American cupcakes and cakes are hugely influential on the internet, there is no denying it. They are unapologetically scrumptious. Here is a list of the top ten American cupcakes that we drool over, this side of the pond. And, as soon as we land on the other side of the pond, we make our way to one of these bakeries:

1. Sprinkles: I had to start with Sprinkles. perhaps the most successful cupcake business of them all. Sprinkles have stores all over the US, from California to New York, they even have a Cupcake ATM! What’s not to like? Here is a picture of the cupcake ATM:

And here is a Sprinkles Cupcake, pure and simple:

2. Georgetown Cupcakes. This has to be the second big American cupcake bakery that makes it on to this list. Georgetown Cupcakes started in Washington DC, and have been steadily expanding the number of their stores. Their cupcakes look very eatable – you know? How some cupcakes you’d rather just look at and some you want to sink your teeth into? These are definitely the latter. Here is a sample.  I chose a Christmas cupcake picture, because, you know, October is almost over.

3.B A legendary Bakery: But we cannot say their name because their lawyers have just (in August 2017, two years after this article was published) sent us a cease and desist letter. How very dare we publish the name of a bakery on our lowly website? Anyhoo, here is the inoffensive rest of the post, you’ll just have to Google which one it is!

How can we possibly leave this out of the list. Ever since Carrie and Miranda sat outside this bakery in NYC and ate them cupcakes, we have been in love with these mini mountains of pink frosting. The queues outside this bakery are legendary! One day, I will plan a day in NYC around a visit to this bakery (maybe not, going Ben the circumstance!!)

 

4.  Baked By Melissa. Is another New York Cupcake shop that has been doing the rounds (news rounds, that is) in the baking circles. Unlike other cupcakes, these look entirely different. First of all, they are almost all mini. Tiny little cupcakes! Also, there is a strong emphasis on flavours. For instance, here is their offering from last winter. Have you ever eaten a doughnut cupcake? See what I mean?

And, of course, there are these beautiful cupcake-scapes that they make. We love it when cupcakes are elevated to art! Here is a 40,000 cupcakes art installation, created by Baked By Melissa:

It says “Imagine Peace”. Of course, celebrities love them too. Here is Oprah with her 60th Birthday Cupcakes. If these are good enough for Oprah, they are good enough for us.

5, Butterlane Cupcakes.comes in at number 5. This is one shop that is being heard. First of all, the shop is GORGEOUS., It looks cosy and inviting. Who wouldn’t want to pop in for a hot drink and cake?

Second, the name itself – Butter Lane. How lovely is that? Third, they have a YouTube channel. These things impress me. Fourth, this is what their cupcakes look like – pure delight. Exactly how you would make it yourself at home, if you had the time, ingredients, time, clean oven, correct recipe and skills. And time. Exactly.

So there you have it, my top five US desitnations for cupcakes. Have you been to any of these? If so, do leave a comment below and let me know what you thought!

Part two coming soon!

Sx

ps: All images from the businesses’ Facebook pages.