Make My Cake Harlem

Make My Cake: 121 Saint Nicholas Avenue New York, NY

Flavors: Strawberry, Strawberry Coconut and Red Velvet Walnut

Cost $2.50-$4.00

Score: 5

The Bounty: Large Strawberry Coconut & Red Velvet with walnuts

I remember the first time I visited Make My Cake...it was heavenly. The perfectly pink shop located on 116th and Adam Clay Powell Blvd is about a 2-3 block walk from the 2 or 3 trains (although taking the 4 would be better). Walking into the shop you immediately feel at home. Their vast selection drew me in with their signature red velvet and strawberry cupcakes that are drool-worthy.   

My favorites: strawberry cupcakes 

The day of my visit I would notice that they offered two sizes for their cupcakes:regular and large. The prices ranged from $2.50-$4.00 depending on flavor and size. I wanted to get a regular-sized cupcake in each flavor but sticking to my cupcake budget and portion size was important so I ordered one regular sized strawberry cupcake and 2 large cupcakes in red velvet walnut and strawberry-coconut. My total for all three was $10.50. My mouth was already salivating.

They serve pies, cobbler, cookies, donuts, danish, muffins, etc.

Make My Cake's customer service was excellent. The line of five people moved rather quickly as the waitstaff answered every question with a genuine smile and gave change with a prompt, "Thank you!". Their warm smiles and casual conversation made me feel like a valued customer which is important when there's a cupcake shop on every corner. Each cupcake was chosen and packaged with care and all questions were answered with accurate knowledge of both the product and the store. Further, everything was pristine clean. 

I love their packaging...a happy baker

After snapping some pics, I saw that my regular cupcake was housed in a pink bag with the cutest logo. I've always enjoyed the chubby baker reaching into the oven and pulling out freshly made goodness. It screams homemade, warmth, and care. 

The awning of Make My Cake in Harlem

Before I could devour my goodies, I was knee-deep in cupcakes from my New York trip so I had to put these babies in the refrigerator for another day :-(. I was pleased to find that my strawberry coconut was as rich, smooth, and creamy as it was the day that I bought it. Fresh strawberries were bursting from the batter and the frosting wasn't too sweet but just right. 

Make My Cake's German Chocolate cake
went up against Bobby Flay on 'Throwdown'

My red  velvet cake had a great texture and was complemented by the subtle cream cheese frosting and walnuts. My mini strawberry was a treat too. Even though it was a regular sized cupcake, I felt that it lasted longer than a traditional cupcake; something that I owe in part to the homemade nature of MMC's baked goods. 

Make My Cake is also a 30 seat bakery and cafe internet lounge 

Make My Cake in Harlem was by far my favorite experience while in New York (out of 5 shops visited with Dylan's Candy Bar running a close second). I see why New York's elite (Jay-Z, Beyonce, and others) flock to the Harlem-based hideaway. 

                                                

   
                  

                                        

Cupcake Project #29: Mini Strawberry Cupcakes

Photo courtesy of Duncan Hines 

Strawberry cupcakes are my absolute favorite! And as the self-proclaimed Queen of the fake and bake (boxed cake mix with homemade frosting), this summertime recipe is just what I needed. The recipe is a Duncan Hines original; they also happen to me my preferred cake mix of choice. The recipe pays close attention to details by requiring woodstick for stems and sesame seeds for strawberry seeds- too cute. Expect to yield 48 of these strawberry minis. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 box (18.25) Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Strawberry Supreme Cake Mix
• 1 can plus 1 cup  Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla Frosting
• Red paste food coloring
• 48 thin chocolate cookie crisps (100 calorie Oreo Crisps)
• 12 spearmint leaves
• 12 wheat stickes or thin pretzels (Pringles)
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 48 mini muffin cups with red mini foil liners. Prepare the cake mix according to package directions.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake until cupcakes are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely.
Tint the vanilla frosting red with the red paste food coloring.

Spread a small dot of red frosting on top of the cupcakes and press a thin chocolate cookie, allowing cookie to overhang cupcake slightly at a point. 

Spread some of the remaining red frosting on top of the cookie and cupcake to mound slightly and make smooth. Sprinkle the top with the sesame seeds. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes and frosting.

Roll out the spearmint leaves in the sugar making sure to keep them covered with sugar to prevent sticking. Cut out green tops of strawberries using the template and some scissors. Cut the wheat sticks into 1 1/2 inch long pieces. Poke a hole in the center of the green top and insert the wheat stick. Press the other end of the wheat stick into the wide end of the top of the cupcake to finish the strawberry. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes.

The original recipe can be found here.

                                        

Word On The Street: Haagen Daz Sells Cupcakes

So...the word on the cupcake street is that the Haagen Daz in Pentagon City Mall is selling cupcakes! The tip (and pic) came from a member of the Critic's cupcake-loving community. They haven't had the cupcakes themselves but suggest that the cupcakes hold the freshness and authenticity muster. 
Haagen Daz's assortment ranges from: sweet potato, strawberry cheesecake, chocolate turtle, Candied lemon and strawberry creme. Ummm...sounds tempting. Looks like The Critic may be making a trip to Pentagon City soon! 

Sweet Tooth Bakery

Sweet Tooth Bakery in Capital Heights, MD

Location: Sweet Tooth Bakery (56 Ritchie Rd Capital Heights, MD)
Flavors: Strawberry and Banana Pudding
Cost:$2.75 each

Score: 3.99 


Sweet Tooth Bakery is a close knit and family owned bakery located in the industrial warehouse section of Capital Heights, MD. It's bus accessible with the nearest metro station being Addison Road Metro. I decided to drive and found plenty of parking upon my arrival. 

Cakes, Pies, Parfaits, Cupcakes and Cookies at Sweet Tooth Bakery

Walking into Sweet Tooth Bakery I saw smiling faces. One of which was a couple picking out their wedding cake. The other was a mother gushing over her daughter's strawberry-filled birthday cake which was decorated pink and purple and shaped like the number 12. 

Yummy Cupcakes at Sweet Tooth Bakery

While I scoped out the treasure trove of goodies, I saw that there were two separate cases filled with cupcakes. One case had traditional fare such as chocolate, vanilla, coconut, lemon and German chocolate cupcakes. The other had more specialty cakes like banana pudding, strawberry shortcake, toffee crunch and several others. While drooling, I spotted a display cake shaped like a Louis Vuitton purse. I've been looking for such a creation for some time and knew that these folks were skilled. 

Banana Pudding Cupcakes at Sweet Tooth Bakery

The sweet faced woman behind the counter saw my keen interest (and slobber) and asked, "Baby, whatchu want?" I replied, "One strawberry and one banana pudding cupcake please". She was so sweet; and she handed me my change in a jiff while she packaged up my goodies.

Strawberry Cupcakes (Photo courtesy of Cupcake Critic)

Arriving home, I immediately tore into the strawberry cupcake. Although the frosting was great, not too sweet but moist and flavorful, I was disappointed that the cake tasted really industrial as if it were from a commercial cake mix. I put that memory aside and moved on to the banana pudding cupcake; hanging all my hopes on it. I wrapped my lips around its sweet curves and found it's pudding like flavor and super soft texture delectable. However, it also reeked of commercial flavorings. 

Banana Pudding Cupcake (Photo Courtesy of Cupcake Critic)

Sweet Tooth Bakery is a good bakery and although I understand that times are hard and bakeries are making cut backs, the purpose of going to a bakery is to get the freshly baked experience. Granted a full service bakery usually reserves their highest quality ingredients for their special ordered products (wedding, baby shower and birthday cakes) but the retail products should act as commercials not one-hit wonders. Overall I enjoyed Sweet Tooth bakery, their customer service, variety and prices. I will be back!

 

Olivia’s Cupcakes

Location:  Olivia’s Cupcakes 2318 Minnesota Ave. S.E., D.C. 

Flavors: Strawberry, Chocolate with Vanilla frosting and Red Velvet

Price: $2

Score: 3.5

“The cupcake disparity is a real issue but how do we overcome it?”

Olivia’s Cupcakes is a first in what I am hoping to be a trend: cupcake shops opening in predominately African-American neighborhoods. Walking into Olivia’s you are immediately greeted with factors beyond their control: crime, poverty, and lack of employment. Despite acting as a solution, you can’t blame them for installing triple thick, bullet-proof glass. Let me elaborate.

(Photo courtesy of Olivia’s Cupcakes)

Housed in a purple brownstone, Olivia’s Cupcakes looks like fairytale princess land. Outfitted in pink princess awnings, glitter wands and a crystal chandelier, it’s an adolescent girl’s dream. I was a bit jealous of the little girl waiting with her mother to discuss having her party in their princess room. What I wasn’t jealous of, was their long wait time only to be told the person that they needed to speak to wasn’t available.

Photo courtesy of HBO/The Wire

Although Olivia’s Cupcakes is metro bus accessible, driving there would be ideal. I decided to drive and found plenty of parking across the street. Making my way up the spiraled stairs, I saw potential cast members for the HBO drama, ‘The Wire’, standing in line for cupcakes. Recognizing my surroundings, I knew two things:

1. I needed to get in and get out.

2. The Critic is mad bourgeois

Olivia's Cupcakes Chocolate with Vanilla Frosting

At only $2 a pop I was eager to indulge all my cupcake fantasies. However once I got to the window to order, I was met with the dreaded “Ain’t no mo…” Their website boasted 8 daily flavors but that day only 4 were available. Luckily the line wasn’t long but the two teenaged girls working behind the counter were doing so in tandem versus assembly-line style. Ideally one would handle the money while the other bagged cupcakes. Nonetheless they were super sweet and a bit overwhelmed so I overlooked it.

Strawberry Cupcake from Olivia's Cupcakes

Once I made it back to my car I sunk my teeth into the chocolate cupcake which was Billie D. Williams smooth (Colt 45 Days) and Phillip Drummond rich. Equally rich was their red velvet cupcake. Moist and draped in cream cheese frosting, Olivia’s Cupcakes turned me into a believer! Finally, I managed to grab my all-time favorite cupcake: strawberry frosting on strawberry cake which may sound redundant but Olivia’s made it all worthwhile.

Red Velvet Cupcake from Olivia's Cupcakes

Overall Olivia’s Cupcakes is a venture that I want to succeed. Neighborhoods like Minnesota Avenue are often depraved of eateries (and resources) that others can take for granted. Their cupcakes are awesome and their shop is a sight to behold. Hopefully they will tweak what is within their control so foodies like me don’t mind overlooking what isn’t in their control. Besides, Georgetown can’t have the lock on diabetes and obesity.

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

Rolling Pin Bakery

Review: The Rolling Pin Bakery

Location: Bladensburg, MD

Varieties: Yellow cake with Coconut, Lemon, Strawberry, Chocolate or Vanilla Frosting

Cost: $2

Score: 2.00

After suffering from a nasty stomach flu that left me feeling weaker than an empty Capri Sun, I decided to cheer myself up with some cupcakes. I had received a flyer in the mail for a free cupcake from the Rolling Pin Bakery and thought, “Why not?” Although the bakery is metro bus accessible, driving there would be ideal. Even in a vehicle, I accidentally passed the bakery which is located in a strip mall next to Missy’s Nails and Chicken Pollo.

L-R: Vanilla, Coconut, Strawberry, Chocolate, Lemon

Walking in reminded me of the bakeries I frequented as a child. Although The Rolling Pin isn’t modern, it doesn’t exude ‘Rat-droppings sold here’ either. Their staff was cordial but don’t expect sweeping or grand gestures. Looking at the murky display case, I noticed that all the cupcakes consisted of yellow or chocolate cake with rotated  strawberry, vanilla, chocolate, lemon, butter cream or coconut frosting. There was a red velvet cupcake but it didn’t seem 
worthwhile.

Sadly, these sponges with frosting were posing as cupcakes! The cake was dry and crumbly like they had been left out for several days! The coconut cupcake, which I tasted first, was a sad clone of the vanilla cupcake with shaved coconut. Normally, I favor the lemon and strawberry flavors but the lemon cupcake reeked of commercial grade flavoring leaving me only to taste the shortening filler. The strawberry cupcake had mildly redemptive qualities but skimped on the natural strawberry and reminded me of strawberry crème sandwich cookies. The vanilla cupcake, which should be easy to master, was a waste of space and no one with taste buds would willingly eat it.

I had to close the box on these

Finally for this review, the chocolate cupcake would be the team’s franchise player. Any points derived rode on the shoulders of the chocolate cupcake. The frosting was rich and not too sweet. I actually enjoyed eating it where the others proved difficult.

Overall, the cupcakes are more useless than a bike with two-flats. Although only $2 per cupcake, this is the first time in history that I actually wanted to march back into a bakery and ask for my money back! I was tempted not to even write about The Rolling Pin but I want to diversify the selection of cupcakes and include suburban areas- which I shall continue to do.

*Originally published on 11/15/2011

Crumbs

Crumbs Cupcakes
Location: DC on 12 & G
Flavors: Strawberry & Vanilla
Cost: $3 each
Score: 2.5


Crumbs bakeshop is metro accessible via the Metro Center station and is quaintly located next to the standard Monday through Friday lunchtime fare. Although they offered other treats such as cookies, brownies, and coffee beverages, nothing in the glass encased treasure trove struck me as inviting even with over 15 different flavors of cupcakes. Further the cupcakes were unusually big to be so lackluster. The frosting was adequate but they lived up to their name in that the cupcakes were crumbly and subsequently messy. Their customer service is poor and the ambiance lackluster as well. The upside is that $3 is an adequate price for abnormally large cupcakes.
*Originally published July 2011

Enjoi Cupcakes

Enjoi Cupcakes

Location: Delivery (DC)

Flavors: chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, lemon, kahlua and red velvet

Cost: $2.75

Score: 5

I was first acquainted with Enjoi Cupcakes while at a brunch in Baltimore. The owners of Enjoi and their mascot, The Cupcake Princess, walked in with tiers of luscious cupcakes and adorned in their insignia baby-tees. The mother and daughter duo behind these cupcakes provided me with an exorbent amount of free samples in the flavors mentioned above. One month later I would be blessed with one of their ‘Cupcakes-in-a-Jar’ which featured three cupcakes; freshness encased in a mason jar with a spoon attached. Talk about presentation!

From their mini-sized option to their full-sized portions, their variety of flavors are not frivolous but well-thought out with the taste to match. Not too sweet but a perfect mixture of texture and authentic color. My favorite Enjoi cupcake is strawberry: a coupling of strawberry cake and strawberry frosting- it’s no less than perfect. If you are a true fan of lemon then you cannot pass up the Oma's lemon cupcakes which burst with authentic flavor.

Traditionally I don't like chocolate cake or frosting but I eat theirs and ask for more. Their vanilla cupcakes offer authentic flavor and ingredients that dance harmoniously on your tongue. For those who require more kick, Enjoi also offers liquor infused cupcakes whose flavors include: rum, Kahlua ®, Bailey’s Irish Crème ® and mojito- owwww! Currently, Enjoi cupcakes are made to order with free delivery throughout DC. Deliveries require a minimum purchase of two dozen ($35). With a touch of love in each bite Enjoi cupcakes are just right.

Hello Cupcake (Dupont Circle)

Location: Hello Cupcake 1351 Connecticut Ave NW, DC

Flavors: Princess Strawberry, Vanilla on Vanilla, 24KT Cake, Chococo

Cost: $3.25

Score: 4

(Clockwise): Vanilla, 24KT, Choco-coconut, Princess Strawberry)

Hello Cupcake is located in bustling Dupont Circle, just a few blocks from the metro. The staff was very friendly staff and despite the off-putting smell that occurs each afternoon as they drain the fry vats (why do they need fry vats?), the overall ambiance is cool. My friend and I ordered four cupcakes each and washed it down with a carton of organic milk.  

First, I tried the traditional vanilla on vanilla which was rich in texture and flavor. The princess cupcake was delectable in addition to its flavorful cousin the 24KT cupcake (a carrot cake cupcake with cream cheese frosting). After acting as a true foodie and saving room for the coveted chocolate-coconut cupcake, I was not disappointed. The flavors merged well together without overcompensating one for another. Overall they are a decent size for the price requested and their pink and white motif appeals to my uber girly side.

*Originally Posted in March 2011