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Frosting and Garnishes Battle it Out From Coast to Coast
Most trends come and overstay their welcome before they go, but the
gourmet cupcake trend has no end in sight. From coast to coast, these
quaint little pastries have become a staple of the city sweet life,
duking it out to be the best cupcakes around; with bright creamy
frostings and savory fluffy cakes, the leading cupcakeries of Los
Angeles and New York can always brighten a day and a palate.
Sprinkles
Cupcakes is perhaps the most famous cupcake bakery in the United
States. The Los Angeles bakery was the first shop to pioneer the haute
cupcake concept, using only the finest natural ingredients from all over
the world; the bittersweet Belgian chocolate, rich chocolate sprinkles
from France and juicy fresh fruits make Sprinkles a top destination for
visitors to Los Angeles. The sleek, simple design of each cupcake and
the interior of the shop make it evident that Sprinkles is serious about
their flavors. But just because you might not be venturing to the West
coast doesn't mean you can't indulge in these legendary cupcakes. Their
signature 24 flavors (rotating daily) have expanded to an international
enterprise. Sweet teeth can rejoice in Chicago, New York, Washington DC,
and an ever-expanding list of locations as distant as China.
For
those spending time in New York City, there are two cupcake authorities
to consider. Crumbs Bake Shop first opened in 2003 on the Upper West
Side but has made a name for itself across the city from Wall Street to
Times Square to Greenwich Village and throughout the Northeastern
seaboard. So what is it that has led Crumbs to such sugary success? Over
fifty varieties make Crumbs more versatile than competitors; with
flavors like apple cobbler, blackbottom cheesecake brownie, classic
carrot cake, peanutbutter cup and dulce de leche, the possibilities are
endless; the shop is certainly candy-inspired with decadent displays of
swirly frosting, sprinkles, chocolate chips, and more delectable sweets
adorning the delicious cakes . If the classic size cupcake is too much
or too little, Crumbs offers tasting sizes as well as "colossal" cake
versions of the top pastries; with a delivery service, Crumbs makes it
easy to indulge in any size.
 Magnolia Bakery |
A smaller
alternative to these cupcakes masters is Magnolia Bakery, also based out of
Manhattan. While it opened in 1996, Magnolia did not take off until it
found new owners in 2007, who have expanded the shop from one location
to a still modest 6. Also in available in Los Angeles, Chicago and
Dubai, this confectionary haven has all the charm of a 1950s bakery. The
same small-town effort is evident in their method of baking only small
batches from fresh ingredients, void of preservatives and stabilizers.
The designs of the cakes are delightfully simple, sticking to the
classic notion of a perfectly manicured cupcake. Pumpkin, German
chocolate, coconut, lemon, banana, and truffled chocolate are only a few
of the traditional flavors offered, and cakes, pies and pastries also
abound. Magnolia has the distinct service of national delivery, so no
matter where your craving sets in, you can enjoy the simple delights of
Magnolia.
It seems that the haute cupcake is here to stay, and
with so much care taken to create these most delightfully adorable
indulgences, there is no reason for them to go anywhere (except to
expand to more cities). With so many shops working to be the best
cupcakery, foodies can rejoice in sweet victory.
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