Hello Cupcake, located in Dupont Circle and on Capitol Hill, gets higher marks for its custom flavors than for its standard chocolate cupcake.
The statement “Cupcakes are just a food fad” is starting to become questionable. The number of cupcake shops in the Washington area has continued to increase over the last few years, and it looks like they’re here to stay. It is important for consumers to be aware that cupcake creation calls on the artistic as well as the scientific skills of the baker. This means cupcake quality can vary greatly from store to store, and sometimes you need to do a taste test or browse reviews prior to buying that Groupon or LivingSocial cupcake deal.
It is amazing how few cupcake stores are able to master the two most basic cupcake flavors — chocolate and vanilla. Georgetown Cupcake’s ability to produce a quality chocolate cupcake is what has made them so successful. The flavor, texture, moistness and presentation of their chocolate cupcake hits just the right note. No one is perfect, though, and Georgetown slips up with their syrupy artificial lemon and lime varieties.
Crumbs Bake Shop has chocolate cupcakes that are inconsistent in quality — moist and rich one day, dry and flavorless the next. The chocolate cupcake from Hello Cupcake calls for a beverage and is positively shouting for more cocoa. Of course, vanilla allows for no illusions, and the true character of a cupcakery can be revealed by the vanilla flavoring it uses (vanilla bean, extract, paste and powder produce very different results). JoJo’s Cupcakes & Cream, located in Annapolis and Easton, produces a superb vanilla with the ideal crumb, as well as a mouthwatering butterscotch and a top-notch lemon. Like other bakeries, JoJo’s regularly comes up with new and exciting flavors; items such as the velvet Elvis (peanut butter banana) give Hello Cupcake a boost and Crumbs’ peach cobbler is a delight for the taste buds.
Recently, the Maryland Food Co-op in Stamp started selling vegan cupcakes, which are made in-house, unlike many of their other baked goods. Only two people make the cupcakes at the Co-op; they rarely do so on the weekend, since that is when business is usually slower. Don’t try to find the cupcakes near the other baked goods, as they are kept in a sealed container by the cash register to preserve freshness. Each cupcake is about $2.50, a decent price for cupcakes in the Washington area. The question is if the Co-op’s cupcakes can compete with the baked goods (including cupcakes) that are sold regularly in front of Stamp for 50 cents to $1 by campus clubs and organizations.
These Co-op cupcakes get no points for attractiveness or design, as the icing is glopped on and there are no nifty fondant shapes or sprinkles to be seen. However, the apple cupcake is moist and fresh with a hint of cinnamon. The pumpkin frosting is a nice complement to this cake — very subtle and only slightly sweet, whereas most cupcake frostings scream of sugar. The chocolate cupcake is, surprisingly, also moist, and it’s almost impossible to tell that it is vegan. Chocolate fiends might demand a bit more cocoa in the mix, but the overall texture and flavor are pleasing. Unfortunately, the pumpkin frosting does not mesh well with the chocolate cake and even seems to subtract from its richness. Perhaps the chocolate avocado frosting (“cocovado”) occasionally gracing these desserts — depending on the bakers’ whims — is more suited to the task.
Cupcakes are a symbol of happiness and joy. Relish the ubiquity of the cupcake in Washington. Buy a cupcake today to make a normal meal special or brighten up a dreary day.
