Amanda outside Crumbs (oh, yeah, and a beautiful day in L.A.)
Crumbs
9465 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
We tried:
• Red Velvet
• Blackout
• Cookie Dough
Presentation:
Grotesque. They were just grossly enormous, and they weighed a pound each. Not appetizing.
Taste:
Moist, but almost too moist. These cupcakes tasted almost . . . damp. The Red Velvet was so oily it sort of clung to the inside of my mouth. The flavors of all three were very bland. The marshmallow frosting on the Blackout cake was closer to elastic, and the frosting on the Cookie Dough left an unpleasant chemical after-taste.
The damage--hey, we had 12 more to go!
Grade:
Bigger is not better: D
Vanilla Bakeshop
512 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
We tried:
• Spicy Carrot (Mini)
• Banana Chocolate Chip (Mini)
• Black & White (Mini)
Looks:
Sophisticated and upscale, these cupcakes took the cake in terms of aesthetics. The wide selection of minis is also a plus.
Taste:
With a mini cupcake, the delicate cake/frosting ratio is thrown out of wack, and one is left with much too much frosting and much too little cake. All three cupcakes were quite dry and not very flavorful. One reviewer discovered a hard clump of sugar in the frosting of her Black & White cupcake. A disappointment.
Grade:
Form cannot replace function: C+
Yummy Cupcakes
313 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
We tried:
• Red Velvet
• Root Beer Float
• Brown Sugar Cinnamon
Looks:
Messy and homemade. The shop looked more like a cafeteria, and with gloopy bowls of frosting strewn about, the cupcakes looked less than appealing.
Taste:
The decor and staff were off-putting, but one reviewer called this Red Velvet the best he'd ever had. It was much more chocolatey than your classic Red Velvet, and had a delectable cream-cheese frosting. The Brown Sugar had both a crumb topping and vanilla buttercream—how could you complain? And the Root Beer Float tasted just like one.
Grade:
The place was a bit off-kilter, but we can overlook that: B+
SusieCakes
11708 San Vincente Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
SusieCakes had a lot more seating, but a lot fewer cupcakes.
We tried:
• Red Velvet
• Chocolate Mint
• Chocolate
Looks:
Homey and classic. SusieCakes is a real bakery, and while they have a limited cupcake selection, it's much less a scene.
My favorite thing about SusieCakes: they had a pitcher of water and cups sitting out (hey, it's the small things).
Taste:
Rich and buttery. The cake/frosting balance leaned too far toward frosting in this reviewer's opinion. The tangy cream-cheese frosting on the Red Velvet could have been sweeter. The Chocolate Mint had a nice, although artificial, mint flavor that did not overwhelm.
Oooh, sprinkles!
Grade:
Old-fashioned deliciousness earns an: A-
The damage at Susiecakes.
Sprinkles
9635 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
It's a scene at Sprinkles
We tried:
• Red Velvet
• Irish Chocolate
• Cinnamon Sugar
Looks:
Sleek and simple. The only thing I don't like about the tiny decorations in the center is that although you can eat them, you really shouldn't.
On the left, we have Cinnamon Sugar; in the back is Red Velvet; and on the right is the St. Patrick's Day special, Irish Chocolate.
Taste:
A delicate crumb. Rich, deep flavors. What more could you ask for in a cupcake? O.K. I will register a few complaints, but I don't really mean them: the Irish Chocolate, a Belgian dark chocolate cake topped with Bailey's Irish Cream Cheese Frosting, could have had a stronger Bailey's flavor; and the Cinnamon Sugar is really more like a muffin. (It's topped with sparkling sugar, not frosting.)
Grade:
Yes, it's a scene. Yes, $3.25 for a cupcake is outrageous. But come on, live a little: A
14 comments:
I'm a little jealous that I didn't get to attend the main event, but more disappointed that you wildly underrated Yummy Cupcakes. Or whatever that one place was called that had the extremely tasty Red Velvet cupcakes. I don't remember, because I didn't get to go there. But anyway, it was indeed the best Red Velvet cupcake ever. B+? Ouch.
But a great post, if a little harsh. Congrats on the article, too.
this was a very good post. i don't even LIKE cupcakes, but it seemed like a great day. i wish i was there...
this was a very good post. i don't even LIKE cupcakes, but it seemed like a great day. i wish i was there...
I've tried both Crumbs and Sprinkles, and Sprinkles is definitely better. Fun post!
Great post! I love cupcakes! I've tried Sprinkles and I must agree that they're probably the best ones I've had thus far. LA Magazine named Dainties Cupcakes the best in LA, but I still think Sprinkles is better.
Although I don't live in LA, we have Crumbs in NY, and I totally agree that they look much better than they taste. The airiness takes away from the taste, so there's not much taste left. They look beautiful, but really, isn't it about the taste?
I've been to both Sprinkles and Yummy Cupcakes and I have to say Yummy Cupcakes would be my winner.
I found Sprinkle's cupcakes dry and the frosting astoundingly sweet. I still wonder if it's just the hype or if people actually like dry cupcakes. Personally, I think the ones from the grocery store are better...and cheaper.
How can anyone in their right mind like Sprinkles???
Their cake is super dry and their frosting WAY too sweet. The place flat out sucks and most locas know this. Majority of their line are tourists who unfortunately, are about to pay a lot of money for a horrible cupcake.
Now on the other hand, Crumbs and Susie Cakes are both awesome. Vanilla Bake Shop isnt too bad either.
What I like about Crumbs is the amazing selection they have. No other cupcake place that I have ever been too, has ever had such amazing flavors to try. As for the size, nobody is forcing you to eat it at once or by yourself. People who complain about that are just looking for things to complain about and have no basis for bitching. You are getting more for your money - deal with it.
Susiecakes - fantastic cakes!!! Their cupcakes are pretty good too, especially the red velvet. Very moist cake and the frosting is just right. Location is a little out of the way though and parking can be pretty bad.
Overall, I think there are positives and negatives in all of the cupcake stores in LA, but Sprinkles flat out sucks.
Thanks to everyone who posted a comment and who visited my blog today. I absolutely love the nasty fighting about which cupcake place is better. I have to say I was shocked myself that I liked Sprinkles so much after hearing so much negativity about it. And I agree that I'd rather go to SusieCakes and get to sit down and relax than deal with the craziness at Sprinkles.
Re: Little Miss Contrary's post: Dainties Cupcakes recently closed! The owner said that they weren't doing enough business. They're turning it into a burger place. I was totally bummed that I didn't get to try their cupcakes.
Re: Christie: I am totally with you. The unspoken truth is that I prefer a cupcake from Ralph's or Albertson's over any of these fancy cupcakes. I also think that we didn't do a great job picking flavors at Yummy Cupcakes, and I would definitely love to go back there again and give it a fairer shot.
Love,
Julia
Have been to all of those places and your assessment seems spot on. Crumbs uses shortening in their frosting...it's very obvious and very gross. I like Yummy quite a bit for certain flavors...particularly the brown sugar. But no one tops Susie Cakes for their coconut cupcake (and cake, for that matter), whoopie pies (I realize it's not a cupcake, but it's sight to behold) and adorable, low-key setting. And Susie is a sweetheart and her staff is great, too. There's going to be a major cupcake consolidation in LA before too long. No way all these mediocre shops can survive!
You missed Cake and Art in West Hollywood!! They have great cupcakes and a fun staff.... next time :)
Hey - just found your blog tonight :) And reading your reviews reminds me just how subjective cupcakes are.
On my blog I've reviewed SusieCakes, Sprinkles and Vanilla Bake Shop (and posted an opinion of Yummy)... along with Leda's, My Little Cupcake, Dots, Violets, Puddin' Out and Mrs. Beasley's.
I absolutely can't stand Yummy Cupcakes. I think SusieCakes is my hands down overall favorite. I think Sprinkles is overrated and Vanilla Bake Shop is da bomb!
But... like I said... it's totally subjective :) And what one person likes, another person dislikes. One thing's for sure.. there's no shortage of cupcakeries to review in Southern California :) :) :) I'll be checking out Crumbs this weekend!
I've followed your lead and done a cupcake safari in Atlanta, and one most recently in Phoenix on Sprinkles' opening day. I'd invite you to check out my blog for details on Atlanta, and more on the Phoenix cupcake safari next week!
Julia!
I hope you're well and that Chicago is treating you excellently. I am writing looking for a mango cake recipe. I don't want to make mango upside down cake, I just want to make like, white cake that is not white cake but is mango cake. Should I just make a white cake and blend in mango? Everyone on the internet wants me to make a mango upside down cake. I look to you for guidance and wish you a lovely fall! (hannah.crumme@kcl.ac.uk)
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