Baked and Wired

The strawberry fields cupcake (Photo Courtesy of The Cupcake Critic)

Location:  Baked and Wired  1052 Thomas Jefferson Street NW

Flavor: Strawberry Fields

Cost: $3.85

Score: 4

“If hippies had money, this is where they’d buy their cupcakes.”

For some time now I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz about Baked and Wired. Located in Georgetown amidst the growing problem of obesity and diabetes, which can only be attributed to the glut of local cupcake shops, *obvious sarcastic snicker*, Baked and Wired sits on the side street of Thomas Jefferson where the gondolas perch. Walking in reminds me of a very cool science lab from a John Hughes film; that meets a New York artist’s loft, which meets a very wealthy university’s library. There were serious students doing serious things on their laptops while drinking very serious albeit unpretentious fair trade coffee.

At $3.85 a pop, it's large enough for two (Copyright: The Cupcake Critic )

Overall though, I dug the space. It looked like where all the cool people go to do cool things and of course eat cool cupcakes. Three young people stood behind the counter: two trendy young men and one young woman who resembled a hippie. I assume to watch paint dry as that would be more exciting than waiting on customers. After all, that’s not what cool kids do. The young female hippie at the register held lengthy conversations with the gentlemen in front of me whose girlfriend obviously got lost in the bathroom.

Prim yet disheveled; wealthy yet disavowed. Well mannered albeit intolerant, there was no line per se or even a rush to service. People just gathered by the register and around the array of food which was only for show. The actual goods were held in the back like art pieces purchased at auction.

Photo courtesy of Baked and Wired

I counted at least ten different variations of cupcakes and each had its own descriptive name like Razmanian Devil (lemon-raspberry) or Pretty Bitchin’ (chocolate & peanut butter). I went with a safe bet and ordered the strawberry fields cupcake which had fresh strawberries baked into the cake batter. This would prove annoying later but I digress. After doing something un-cool like saying, “Ummm… excuse me lady who just wandered up here and didn’t stand in line I’m next!”, I was surprised when the young-hippie told me that my total was $3.85! (To date this is the most that I’ve paid for a single cupcake!) I guess it pays to be cool.

Finally home, I dug into the long awaited treat. The gentleman warned me that there were fresh strawberries baked into the cupcakes. I love a good strawberry cupcake with both strawberry frosting and cake however the authenticity of this cupcake reminded me of the intensity with which my phys-ed teacher told us to use rock crystals versus deodorant because it was “natural”.

Strawberry Fields Cupcake (Copyright: The Cupcake Critic)

The cake was ridiculously soft and offered a fresh taste with each bite. I know I complain alot about artificial flavors and cheap fillers but the level of authenticity that this cupcake offered was more than what I bargained for. It was the cupcake equivalent of a very attractive doctoral candidate who wants to discuss their thesis on the first date; a lot to handle but too attractive to let go.

I’ve expressed before that Georgetown isn’t easily accessible to non-Georgetown-ians. Be prepared to drive and look for parking or take the metro to Foggy Bottom and then walk or cab it up to reach M Street. Overall I was happy and might be back to try the Smurfette; a blueberry cupcake with lemon-blonde frosting with which I’m intrigued by. Cute, right? Who knows, Smurfette may only have a Master’s?

Originally published on 11/17/2011