The Cupcake Critic is on hiatus

Hey Cupcake Lovers! 

The Cupcake Critic blog will be taking a break until mid-May. In the meantime, check out previous cupcake reviews, articles and interviews. Also, visit The Cupcake Critic's Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram channels. 

See you in the summer Cupcake Lovers!

~ Stephanie :-)

Sprinkles Cupcakes & Ice Cream Opening in Atlanta

A few month's ago,  my 2nd vlog featured 'The Word on The Street' where I announced that Sprinkles, Georgetown Cupcake and Crumbs will be opening locations in Atlanta's Buckhead area. Today via Facebook, Sprinkles officially announced their store opening in Buckhead's Lenox Square Mall alongside a 24-hour cupcake ATM and a Sprinkles Ice Cream shop. Owner Candace Nelson was inspired by her husband's southern roots and may introduce a peach-inspired cupcake. In the meantime, check out my second blog giving you the 411 on what's going on in the Cupcake Streets! (fast forward to 3:45)

                   

                         

Sprinkles Celebrates St. Patrick's Day!

Sprinkles Green Velvet Cupcake/ Photo credit:
Sprinkles Cupcake

Sprinkles Irish Chocolate Cupcake/Photo credit:
Sprinkles Cupcake

Sprinkles is rolling out two flavors for St. Patrick's day: Green Velvet and Irish Chocolate!  The Irish Chocolate will indulge your senses with Belgian dark chocolate topped with Bailey's Irish cream cheese frosting and topped with a green shamrock. Or take pleasure in their green velvet cupcake! 

You can pick up both of these treasures between now and March 17th!

Danielle's Desserts

Danielle's Desserts (2001 international Drive McLean, VA 22102) 
Flavors: Caramel, Double Chocolate, Red Velvet, Coconut, Sour Cream Banana Walnut, and Strawberries-n-Cream
Cost: $3.25 each
Score: 4.5

L-R; Caramel, Sour Cream Banana Walnut, Strawberries-N-Cream,
Red  Velvet, Coconut and Double Chocolate

 Recently, I was contacted by the team for Danielle's Desserts on doing a review for their cupcakes. I was thrilled because I've been following Danielle's Desserts on Twitter for sometime and assumed she focused more on elaborate desserts, and not cupcakes. Within days I had a box of six cupcake faces smiling at me! My box contained flavors ranging from fruity, salty-sweet, and traditional. 

For $3.25 each, these cupcakes were a healthy size. Although I didn't have to travel to their location in Tysons Galleria, I do know that their location is metro accessible by train and bus but driving there would probably ideal. Also, for those who do drive there, expect valet parking service which is sweet!

Each cupcake had a silky smooth texture and flavor. The frosting was a bit sweet but overall an absolute treat. Check out my breakdown for each flavor:

Caramel Cupcake with bits of toffee

Caramel
The caramel cupcake was moist, very flavorful, a bit sweet but the heath candy bits were a nice addition. The cake seemed larger than the others and reminded me of Baked & Wired's cupcakes for two. The mix of salty-sweet was great, I just wish that they would have been less sweet. 

Coconut
The coconut cupcake we essentially perfect! The cakes texture was unusually delicate while the frosting strayed away from traditional super-coconut flavor and immediate sweet-ness. It was well planned, took it's time and delivered!

Red Velvet Cupcake

Red Velvet 
It's never a secret that the Critic doesn't care for red velvet anything! *cue childhood memories* But on the chance that I am forced to review a red velvet cupcake, it's really saying something if I can enjoy it- and I did. There was a balance of sweetness with the flavorful cake which didn't rely on the over usage of cocoa powder. The color was perfect and the texture moist without overkill (slow down on the palm kernel oil, folks!). 


Sour cream Banana Walnut
My initial thought was, "I like banana but in a cupcake? What a funny name..." This cupcake reminded more of a sweet muffin as the cake was nice banana (with real banana) while the frosting was delicate, it was really there to decipher this cupcake from a muffin. In essence, it wasn't bad (I wouldn't kick it out of bed) but compared to its siblings, it wasn't that great either. 

Strawberries-n-Cream cupcake

Strawberries-N-Cream
This was my first cupcake in the bunch. It was love at first sight! The vanilla cupcake was delicate and topped with an even more delicate cream frosting with perfectly sliced strawberries adorning it. All of the components came together beautifully and it was my favorite out of the entire batch.

Double Chocolate
Chocolate, chocolate and this cupcake delivered on the promise! Although it is a double chocolate cupcake, both the frosting and the cake could their own or do the tango in tandem. I could taste the coffee (used as a softener) but it was perfect and gave that excellent punch that good chocolate (cup)cake needs. 

Overall Danielle's Desserts are a treat that shouldn't be overlooked, especially for my Virginia Cupcake Lovers! 

*The cupcakes in this review were gifted however no compensation was received in connection with this review. Nor were the views of reviewer compromised or swayed. 

Katherine Berman Preps Arrival for her "Mini" Cupcake

Photo courtesy of TLC

Georgetown Cupcake's own Katherine Berman is expecting and TLC's DC Cupcakes has a front row seat for all the action! A special episode will air showcasing the entire pregnancy from start to finish and all the high jinks that ensue between Katherine's business partner/sister, mother and staff. The show is slated to air on TLC on March 12th at 10/9c.

Cool Cupcake Stuff: Cupcake Chapstick

Photo courtesy of A Thrifty Diva

ChapStick is offering limited edition cupcake Chapsticks. The cake-inspired flavors work just like regular sticks to moisten your lips with the sweet flavors of velvet cupcake and cake batter flavors. A perfect gift item, ChapStick has even made the back of the wrapper accessible to personalize. You can find these limited edition Chapsticks at Walmart, CVS and Walgreens nationwide for a limited time.

Cupcakes Actually

Cupcakes Actually (11944 Grand Commons Ave Farifax, VA 22030)
Flavors: Cherries Jubilee
Cost: $3.75
Score: 3.8

Cherrie Jubilee cupcakes

Spending a few days with a college pal in the Commonwealth, I was pleased to discover that their home was within walking distance to Cupcakes Actually. Cupcakes Actually is tiny storefront housed in a gorgeous outdoor shopping center. Decorated in full cupcake fashion, parking was a breeze and we found a spot directly in front of the store. 

I was immediately greeted with at least 8 different flavors to choose from  ranging from 'The Italian Stallion' to key-lime and cannoli. They also advertised milk shots for $0.25 cents and cake bites for $1.50. I walked away with the cherries jubilee cupcake for $3.75 and a cute box. I must note that Cupcakes Actually was next door to Pinkberry (my new obsession) so I looked forward to both cupcakes and Pinkberry. 

Cupcakes Actually's Assorted Cake bites

When we arrived back at my friend's house, we both looked at our cuppies, then to our Pinkberry, then back at our cuppies like, "which one do we choose first?" I went with my beloved cuppies and upon first bite, found it to be a solid "B" student. The frosting was abundant although heavy on the shortening. The cake was good but could have been a bit smoother. To their credit, they were replenishing their stock when we came in so those cupcake may have been made earlier in the day. Nonetheless, the cupcakes looked better than they actually tasted. 

My cherries jubilee cupcake topped with a
cherry jelly belly

Neither bad nor crave-worthy, Cupcakes Actually are a great choice for suburban-dwellers who want to be tied-over until their next cupcake-fix. 

                                                           

Sticky Fingers Bakery Debuts Spring Cupcakes

L-R: Irish Cocktail cupcake and Easter Favs from

Sticky Fingers Bakery. Photo courtesy of Sticky Fingers
Bakery

Sticky Fingers Bakery, D.C. favorite vegan bakery is debuting their spring lineup! To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, they've created an Irish Cocktail Cupcake: a chocolate stout cupcake with Jameson Irish whiskey frosting! Yum
Also, to celebrate Easter grab your favorite cupcakes decorated with Easter candies!