Houston, TX Cupcakes & Reviews
Nevermind the fact that my blog needs an overhaul...I feel like writing about cupcakes today. Maybe it's because I've been on vacation since last Wednesday and between then and now, I've visited three cupcake boutiques, the cheesecake factory, and a candy store. And maybe I just devoured the most scrumptious red velvet cupcake ever. So here's a quick run down!
Sprinkles Cupcakes - this would be where I got that red velvet cupcake this morning. I'd been once or twice before. It's SO good. Easily the best red velvet cupcake in town. The reason I don't go more often is the location. It's SO friggin tiny. And in one of the busiest locations around. It's a total pain in the butt to get to and park. I really wish they'd open another one somewhere else. I need to go on a Friday and get a chai latte cupcake cause my gosh that sounds amazing. My favorites there include chocolate marshmallow, lemon or ginger lemon, strawberry, red velvet, and pumpkin. I mean, it's all really really delicious, but I dont really go to cupcake boutiques for plain vanilla ;) $3.50/cupcake, $39/dozen
Crave Cupcakes - Easily comparable to Sprinkles. Same price for singles & dozens. Same icing technique. But bonus that they have two locations. I went to the uptown park one way back when to see what the hype was all about, and swore I'd never go again due to the crowds in the area. Then they opened the location on Kirby and well, it's love. A lot easier to get in & out of, with the same great sweet, and it's next door to a Chipotle? Score. I kinda feel like they have more regular menu selections than Sprinkles tho. And the nutella cupcake is pretty tasty. and the pumpkin? yummo. Something about Sprinkles' red velvet tho still wins in the flavor department between the two tho. But Crave opens at 8 instead of 9 and even has breakfast cupcakes. It's an all around win really! $3.50/cupcake, $39/dozen
The Sweet Boutique - Ok so this is actually in Sugarland. Who cares? Go there. The staff is always really friendly, and while they dont carry as many daily flavors as the two places above, they carry extras that those dont. Like cake pops. And macarons. and cake pops. and macarons. haha! Oh and they kind of carry the salted caramel cupcake daily. yesssssss! I haven't even tried everything there that I want to. Mondays bringe a Strawberry Cheesecake cupcake and Apple Spice & Lemon make an appearance on Tuesday. I need to go then!! I usually got on Fri/Sat/Sun and end up with Chocolate Chip, Pink Champagne, or Tiramusu on top of the daily Red Velvet & Salted Caramel flavors. I havent had a single macaron there I didnt like (Chai Tea on sundays? yes please! Rose? Strangely delicious. Caramel? Always tasty!). And the cake pops? The seasonal ones are even better than the daily flavors. Had a pumpkin spice a couple days ago and it. was. ah-mazing. They also have a rewards program. Does it get any better?! $3/cupcake, $33 dozen
What's Up Cupcake - Reason #1 to try these? They have a freaking cupcake trailer. How fun is that? Follow them on facebook and they'll tell you when/where it's at. I'm not horribly familiar with the Heights area or the location of this place, so I wasn't sure what to expect when I was heading that way. But it's a little green house. Parking in back. Could probably use more signs regarding parking 'cause I was *this* close to parking on the street. Which may or may not have been ok. But anyway - it's unlike any other cupcake boutique location I've previously mentioned. Yes, it's covered in ridiculously cute cupcake knick knacks and signs, but there's no cupcake counter & display to let the cupcakes look into your eyes. LOL. And the what looked like a little meeting area was a bit messy. That said, I wasn't expecting too much really. But I took one bite of the Nutella cupcake and was really pleasantly surprised. I don't much remember what the other flavors were that I got because I'm nice and bring some to work sometimes and give them to folks. Wait, staring at the menu makes me remember that the strawberry one was good too. I split one with somebody. $2 specials on the trailer sometimes. Worth checking out.
Sugarbaby's Cupcake Boutique - The cutest cupcake place in town! I even had a photo session there! Mostly your basic flavored cupcakes, with a couple of fun twists. The Dippity Doo-Dah sounds amazing, but I haven't tried it yet. But the strawberry and red velvet are just what you'd expect them to be. I do get a wee bit frustated as I've shown up before closing time and they're closed due to being sold out. I had even checked facebook before hand to see if they'd posted they'd closed early, which they hadn't. So I'd driven all the way there for nothing. Luckily, Crave was just one exit down! Parking is around the back of the building, and a small lot at that. But it's a fun place with more than just cupcakes, that I do suggest trying out for yourself!
Rise Cupcakes - another cute place, with some vintage flavor. Clean and bright. Located in Friendswood but very easy to get too from 45 South. My one major downfall with this place? They don't use cream cheese icing on their red velvet cupcakes. Boooo. The whole menu is also a little bit too froo froo for my liking. I get it, they're gourmet cupcakes. But I don't want to look at a sign that says this cupcake is called "Put a Ring on It" and have to wait and ask them, what's in it? Just call it freaking carrot cake or have something readily available that I can read the flavors on. I appreciate the change in cupcake flavors/ingredient combos they have tho. Makes for a nice change of pace from the norm. Had a "hound dog" (peanut butter/banana) for breakfast this morning and it was very light and tasty. I was expecting a heavier peanut butter taste, but it was perfect.
Celebrity Cupcakes - another one with a ridiculously busy parking lot. But they do use local & organic (when possible) ingredients. Cream cheese on the lemon? yummy. Pumpkin daily right now? Oh yeah. Tasty classics? Definitely. They've got minis more readily available than other places too. Will I go back? Maybe when Brandy comes to down and it becomes our mission for me to take her to every place in town. I'll go back for that. What's keeping me from going back more frequently? Well. Crave & The Sweet Boutique are easier for me to get to and I like them better. There. I said it. I had a mini fleur de sel there and I'm just glad it wasnt a big one. The chocolate ganache was thick and rich and too much for me. But like everywhere else, worth checking out if you have the time & patience ;)
Gigi's Cupcakes - Gigi's is pretty rad. The icing is sky high. And the cupcakes are tasty. They have some Gigi's all over the place. And I've never actually been to one around here (tho there's a few), but went to one in Dallas. The red velvet cupcake however was disappointing. They say it's cream cheese icing, but it doesnt taste like it much. Maybe it was the vanilla filling? I dont know. It's not a classic red velvet like I wanted it to be. I had a couple other flavors and they were good tho. They even had some samples to try the flavors. Can't wait to go try the one in Sugarland and see if I can find any new favorite flavors!
Kup N Kakes - ok the only reason I'm even mentioning this place in Pearland is because it's so uncomparable to the other places listed. I had read the reviews on yelp and went anyway to form my own opinion. It was awful. Not very moist. Not very flavorful. and rather boring overall. I wanted so bad to give them the benefit of the doubt with the previous reviews, but it was a total let down :-/
There are a couple I haven't been to yet, like Frost Bake Shoppe & Treat!. And if you know of more - let me know, cause I want to go. bwahaha. When I do, I'll update this post ;)
I think I'll go have my Smore cupcake from Sprinkles now... tehe!
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