Give me cupcakes or give me death!

September 29, 2008 5:18 AM

Where can I find awesome cupcakes in D/FW, D.C., and Boston?

After (finally) purchasing a baker's dozen of cupcakes from Sprinkles Cupcakes in Dallas, I've come to the realization that I want to seek out other cupcakeries both in my hometown, and upcoming travel destinations. I'm in Arlington, Texas, so, Sprinkles in Dallas is/was a rather far drive (albeit worth it IMO).

All that being said, I'm really wanting to find some great places to get great cupcakes. And, I'm not talking about your run of the mill Mega Mart kind that come in a plastic container. I'm talking about the gourmet type with amazing flavors like Ginger Lemon and Key Lime.

First and foremost, I'm interested in bakeries in the Arlington/Fort Worth, TX area. Ideally, these bakeries wouldn't be much further west from Arlington than downtown Fort Worth already is, but, I'm willing to drive if the cupcakes are mind blowing.

Secondly, I will be traveling to Annandale, VA/Washington, D.C. in October, and Boston, MA in November. I'd love to check out cupcakeries while I'm there if at all possible.

Bonus points if you've actually frequented your suggestion and can recommend your favorite flavor.

So, help me, Hive Mind, you're my only hope!

posted by mrhaydel to food & drink (29 comments total)

I think for Boston, by its very definition, you want to try Kick*ss Cupcakes/
posted by miasma at 5:25 AM on September 29, 2008

CakeLove in DC (and some of the surrounding suburbs). I'm intrigued by all of the buttercream frosting flavors, and sad that I only tried one before moving!
posted by sarahsynonymous at 5:28 AM on September 29, 2008

i am going to have to disagree with the recommendation of kick*ss cupcakes. despite their name there is nothing kickass about the place; they are overpriced and mediocre at best. last time i was there one of my friends commented that the cupcakes were not even as good as the premade ones from the grocery store.
posted by phil at 6:13 AM on September 29, 2008 [2 favorites]

For DC, check the washingtonpost. (This search should help).

2 quick links:
Cupcake wars
Queuing for Cupcakes
posted by inigo2 at 6:27 AM on September 29, 2008 [1 favorite]

In the comments on one of those pages someone linked to their blog, which is allegedly "All things cupcake in the DC/metropolitan area".
posted by inigo2 at 6:29 AM on September 29, 2008

Hello Cupcake is okay. It's pretty expensive (of course) and it's on Connecticut Ave in Dupont Circle near the SunTrust Bank. I don't know the exact address. There's also some cupcake place in Georgetown. Again, I have no clue where it is but it's there.

You must hate the Hostess cupcakes, huh?
posted by onepapertiger at 7:48 AM on September 29, 2008

Oh, I'm talking about DC.

http://www.hellocupcakeonline.com/

1351 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Just south of Dupont Circle, across from the Metro

http://georgetowncupcake.com/home.html
1209 Potomac Street NW
posted by onepapertiger at 7:50 AM on September 29, 2008

Have you tried Cupcake Cottage on Camp Bowie in FW? They have a limited selection of flavors each day, but they do take requests in advance.
posted by toastedbeagle at 7:54 AM on September 29, 2008

the girls at work love these (D/FW)
posted by svenvog at 8:04 AM on September 29, 2008

Georgetown, DC: Baked & Wired
posted by knile at 8:09 AM on September 29, 2008 [1 favorite]

Sticky Fingers in DC makes awesome vegan desserts (especially cupcakes, of course). They're close to the Columbia Heights metro station, too.
posted by god hates math at 8:12 AM on September 29, 2008

I'm a CakeLove fan but admit that sometimes the "cake" of the actual cupcakes can be underwhelming. I'm an icing person though, and their icing does it for me. I like the vanilla buttercream, chocolate dipped, and raspberry flavors, and sometimes they have lemon. I prefer their location in nearby Silver Spring.

Haven't checked out Georgetown Cupcake or Hello Cupcake yet, but at least in the beginning there was regularly a line for G'town, so get there as close to opening time as possible.

There's also some raves over Lavender Moon Cupcakery that just opened at 116 S. Royal Street in Old Town Alexandria. They have a peach-basil one that has been mentioned in a couple places: http://cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/2008/09/just-opened-lavender-moon-cupcakery-in.html.
posted by luckyveronica at 8:14 AM on September 29, 2008

Boston: South End Buttery -- 2007 Winner - Best Cupcakes | Improper Bostonian.
posted by ericb at 8:29 AM on September 29, 2008 [1 favorite]

Seconding miasma's rec of Kick*ss cupcakes. I was just there this morning, and they are quite tasty. Right in Davis Square.
posted by nat at 8:45 AM on September 29, 2008

Another vote for CakeLove in the DC area - I could only love them more if they made more cupcakes than they do today.
posted by ersatzkat at 9:20 AM on September 29, 2008

I forgot to mention that the places I listed are for D.C. Metro area.

Thanks for Baked and Wired, kniles! I loved their cookies when I worked in Georgetown and will have to try their cupcakes.
posted by luckyveronica at 9:26 AM on September 29, 2008

Kickass Cupcakes are just fine. But they do not compare even remotely to the cupcakes at the South End Buttery.

So if you're really serious about a "best of cupcakes quest" in Boston, you must go to the South End Buttery. If you just want a tasty cupcake and you're in Davis Square, then Kickass is a good choice.
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:27 AM on September 29, 2008

@onepapertiger: Haha, actually, I don't mind Hostess cupcakes (or at least I didn't when I was younger). Sprinkles had a chocolate marshmallow cupcake that was pretty similar (but, way better of course).

@toastedbeagle: Cupcake Cottage sounds like a very likely first stop on my continuing education in cupcakes. Not too terribly far either from where I am.


All of these suggestions are awesomely wonderful. I can't wait to read more, and start creating my Cupcakes Map in Google [rubs hands together]...

Keep 'em comin'!
posted by mrhaydel at 11:01 AM on September 29, 2008

Boston: Kickass Cupcakes are such a gross rip-off. Sorry, I have very strong feelings about cupcakes and KC gets my ire up. Too expensive, too overcooked and dry, too tiny, and I don't want to see the counter staff licking frosting off their fingers as they hand me my cupcake.

The best I've had in metro-Boston is Lyndell's in Ball Square (very close to Davis Square), Somerville.

The South End Buttery is good, as is Petsi Pies, but until this past weekend I have never had any cupcakes that top Lyndell's. This weekend I had a divine cupcake in New York that was the best thing ever (Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery)
posted by banjo_and_the_pork at 11:24 AM on September 29, 2008

Baked and Wired is my pick for DC. Much better than Georgetown Cupcake and only a few blocks away (and Baked has shorter lines! and more than just cupcakes! and trendy in a way I like more!). They vary their exact selection, but I tend to get either Karen's Birthday Cupcake (which is, I think, a chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting) or their red velvet. As the above says, their cookies are great and their brownies are among the best I've had.

And now I want to walk and get a cupcake...

(As an side, you may never go there, but Sweet and Sassy Cupcakes in Newark, DE, right next to U of Del, is surprisingly good. Even if more than half of their normal offerings are mixed-drink themed. Margaretta, daiquiri, etc.)
posted by skynxnex at 11:28 AM on September 29, 2008

Oh, also in Boston- in Southie (not the South End), there's a bakery called Joseph's, and their cupcakes are amazing.
posted by banjo_and_the_pork at 11:44 AM on September 29, 2008

In Salem, MA there's a great bakery called Coffee Time. No unusual flavors, but SO good.
posted by FlyByDay at 9:53 PM on September 29, 2008

Oh, and Party Favors in Brookline, MA has the most deeelicious cupcakes and cakes I think I've ever had.
posted by FlyByDay at 9:54 PM on September 29, 2008

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I'm going to map these out, see what's doable, and I'll come back and update this thread and let you know which ones I got to try.

If anyone else continues to have suggestions, drop 'em here!
posted by mrhaydel at 5:07 AM on September 30, 2008

Any chance you are interested in sharing that cupcake map? I am in the DC area and would be happy to help you out by taste testing and "researching" when I get a chance...
posted by kenbennedy at 8:50 AM on September 30, 2008

@kenbennedy: Sure! I've created the map, but just haven't put any locations on it.

I'd link it up here, but it wouldn' t really do you any good b/c I don't have your email address to add you as a collaborator. Either post it here (or in your profile), or drop me a line at michael dot haydel at gmail dot com.

For anyone else interested in the map, let me know, and I'll add people as I get their email addresses.
posted by mrhaydel at 1:54 PM on September 30, 2008 [1 favorite]

New/updated article in the Post.
posted by inigo2 at 8:43 AM on October 2, 2008

An update: I just got back Tuesday afternoon from our trip to Annandale, VA and Washington, DC, and...

We wound up going to Hello Cupcake on account of the fact that without a car, stuff out in Georgetown was rather difficult to get to on the Metrorail (there might have been a Metrobus stop, not really sure).

That being the case, Hello Cupcake was very close to the Dupont Circle stop, so we opted for that.

I was actually pretty impressed with their cupcakes. They were smaller than Sprinkles, but $0.25 cheaper ($3, instead of $3.25). Their flavors were just as unique (Velvet Elvis = peanut butter and banana, Prima Donna = strawberry and chocolate, etc.). I got a dozen to share with my SO, and her relatives, and everyone enjoyed them thoroughly.

One thing though, and this is just personal nitpickiness, was that the frosting on the cupcakes was piled very high in the center of the top of the cupcake. Great for looks, but, makes it rather hard to both eat and/or split one with someone without the frosting toppling over or getting a face full of frosting (not necessarily a bad thing, but, you get my drift).

Once again, I appreciate everyone's recommendations, and I'll be sure to update this question after the Boston trip.
posted by mrhaydel at 7:55 AM on October 15, 2008

An updated article on going out gurus going through DC-area cupcakes.
posted by inigo2 at 12:49 PM on November 5, 2008