Crumbs into Chocolate

Posted on June 14, 2013 by Crusader Elisa

From gift guides to giveaways, we Crusaders always have our eyes out for new cupcake related items. It really is amazing how the cupcake trend has taken the entire shopping world by storm in the past couple of years. Recently, Healthy Crusader Rebecca brought me a Crumbs Red Velvet Cupcake chocolate bar. (Of course the Red Velvet Crusader has to taste test anything Red Velvet.) As if Crumbs cupcakes weren’t grand enough, now they can temp consumers with chocolate bars too?!

Red Velvet Cupcake Chocolate Bar

(Beautifully designed packaging and “Made with Love.”)

Red Velvet cake batter in “fine Belgian” milk chocolate with bits of cream cheese frosting make up this sweet treat. Smooth and creamy with the perfect balance of savory cocoa and sweet, this red velvet chocolate bar is better than most Red velvet cupcakes I have tasted. The slightly red chocolate has the perfect texture and melts in your mouth. While I didn’t taste the cream cheese frosting bits, I could see them throughout the chocolate. I had to stop myself from eating the entire bar all in one sitting.

Who would have thought that one of my favorite Red Velvet cupcakes would become a chocolate bar? Granted, all three of us Crusaders enjoy a good chocolate bar and sweets in general, but of course we prefer cupcakes. This chocolate bar is one I would buy and eat again, and now with two locations in the Baltimore area (Columbia and Towson), and locations popping up all over the nation, you can get delicious Crumbs cupcakes or chocolate bars anytime you want. It’s great to see cupcake flavors branching out into other “foodie” realms, and the next time I am at a Crumbs you can be sure I will be buying both cupcakes AND chocolate bars.

Special thanks to Healthy Crusader Rebecca for this special treat!

- Posted by Cupcake Crusader, Elisa (Baltimore, MD)

Kupcakes & Co.’s Grand Re-Opening: Unveiling Their Boutique Celebration Room

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Crusader Jenn

Just a little over a week ago, we mentioned that Kupcakes & Co. (Elkridge, MD) would be debuting their new Boutique Celebration Room during a Grand Re-Opening. This past Saturday, the Crusaders were there to show our support, sample some new items, and get the full scoop on what the new space looks like and has to offer.

Kupcakes & Co.’s Boutique Celebration Room has three large tables, plus buffet tables and benches along the walls for additional seating, with natural light pouring in from the front windows and small chandeliers (fit for a boutique) hanging from the ceiling. For now, the space will be available for adult parties only, with table settings, various food items, and staff provided for your event. Their brochure outlines some great options, ranging from the “Standard” (which provides the basics: 1 staff member and 1 cupcake per person, while you bring in the rest of your needs), to “Brunch” (which includes: 2 staff members, place settings, non-alcoholic drink options, and a selection of brunch offerings). On the day we visited, each table was set up with a different theme to give the guests an idea of how they could use the room:

Bridal Shower Brunch

The Bridal Shower table showcased the brunch offerings, which included cupcakes and cookies, ready to eat or take as party favors. Champagne or wine can be brought in by the host to add to the celebration!

(Close-up of the packaged cupcake and provided place settings.)

The brunch package would also be great for a baby shower, tea party, or small family reunion.

Cupcake Decorating Class

I think most of us can agree that an afternoon of eating and learning how to professionally decorate cupcakes sounds like a lot of fun. I was surprised to see that the guests don’t just decorate one cupcake each, but are given six! Kupcakes & Co. even provides a cupcake for nibbling on while you decorate, that way you aren’t too tempted to dig into your creations before showing them off to your friends and family.

(Close-up of the decorating techniques that will be taught and goodie-bag.)

When you book the Boutique Celebration Room for a decorating class, you not only take home six cupcakes, but also a goodie-bag filled with tools and decorations so you can continue to practice embellishing your own cupcakes at home.

Cupcakes & Cocktails

Cupcakes & Cocktails…the ultimate girls’ night! You bring the booze, and Kupcakes & Co. will provide everything else.

In addition to fabulous sweet treats, Kupcakes & Co. will also provide a selection of cheese, crackers, olives, bread, and mixers to pair with your drinks. I asked if they had any plans in the works for hosting their own Cupcakes & Cocktails night and it sounds like it is a possibility, so we’ll be sure to share any information we get on future events.

The Grand Re-Opening was also the perfect platform to debut a couple of new items. We Crusaders sampled EVERYTHING that was offered (would you expect any less from us?), some of which is tried and true, and some of which was new to us, like the Cinna-bon-bons. They were amazing. But the (non-cupcake) stand out for me was the new Bliss Bar.

Bliss Bar

Appropriately named, the Bliss Bar is a cereal bar, with marshmallow, chocolate chips, peanut butter, and white chocolate. It’s light in texture and yet still rich in flavor.

Pink Lemonade Cupcake
The Pink Lemonade cupcake also made its debut. I’m very excited about this cupcake for a couple of reasons. One, it is perfect for summer! And two, it will be making an appearance at my daughter’s second birthday party (there will also be a new combination, never before done by Kupcakes & Co., so you’ll have to look out for more to come on that next month!).

The Pink Lemonade cupcake is a lemon cake with extra zest and topped with a pink lemonade frosting, then sprinkled with lemonade crystals. It definitely has a different “zing” that a lemon cupcake. I only had a bite, but Stacy was able to elaborate, saying that the frosting was very sweet and tart. Maybe too sweet for her, because she couldn’t eat it all. However, the cake was perfectly pink and citrus-y. We both loved the simple, festive, and cute decorations.

Orange Creamsicle Cupcake
Earlier in the month, Kupcakes & Co. also added their summer seasonal cupcakes back on the menu. There was one we hadn’t tried, the Orange Creamsicle, so Crusader Stacy added it to her cupcake collection (she had also purchased the Pink Lemonade above, Peach Cobbler, and Key Lime).

Stacy really liked this cupcake and said it was, “much more subtle than the Pink Lemonade cupcake, with a nice orange flavor.” She added that the, “cream flavor balanced it really well.” Sounds like one that I need to try this summer!

If you’d like more information about the Boutique Celebration Room, you can visit Kupcakes & Co.’s website or Facebook page. They have more photos on their Facebook page, so you can see additional details of the beautiful decor. I’d love to host a tea party for my friends in the new space, with cheddar chive biscuits, scones, and biscotti. The tough decision would be: Which cupcake to serve?! If you could throw a party at a cupcake bakery, what type of party would you like to have?

- Posted by Cupcake Crusader, Jenn (Westminster, MD)

A Baking Adventure: No Frosting? No Problem!

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Crusader Jenn

Have you ever found yourself wanting cupcakes when all the bakeries were closed? You have all the ingredients in the pantry for cake (or in my case, a box mix), but nothing for frosting? I know I’ve been in this situation. I was pregnant, craving yellow cake, and NOTHING could get my mind off of it until I had it. So I baked 2 dozen vanilla cupcakes, even with no frosting, or frosting ingredients, in the house. After the cupcakes came out of the oven and I devoured one (or maybe two…) with no toppings, I browsed the fridge and freezer to find creative frosting options I could use throughout the week.

I had fresh strawberries and was lucky to find Cool Whip in the freezer (actually, I pretty sure I always have Cool Whip in the freezer). It was perfect for a strawberry shortcake cupcake! The next night I decided to take it to the next level.

I got fancy and layered the cupcake with whipped cream, mixed berries, and cake. Messy to eat, but oh so good!

Being pregnant, I of course craved ice cream at some point, so I cut the top off of a cupcake, creating a little “cake bowl.” What you do with the top is up to you. I managed to save it for photos (how I resisted is still a mystery!), but no one here will judge if you eat it as soon as it’s cut off the cupcake.

Lastly, one night I was craving chocolate and peanut butter. I attempted to make frosting by mixing peanut butter with Marshmallow Fluff, but it still stayed fairly dense. That’s okay, it was still delicious! I also melted semi-sweet chocolate chips and spooned it on top.

At the time I wanted the chocolate to harden to create a “shell,” so I chilled the cupcakes for a little while. Looking back I think the melted chocolate would have been amazing too!

The great thing about leaving the cupcakes “naked” after baking them was that I was able to tailor each to my cravings and got a lot of variety. I’m not one to run out every time I’m craving something I don’t have. Instead, I use what I do have to recreate my craving or act as a substitute. So, the next time you think, “I need a cupcake!” but don’t have all of the obvious ingredients, think about us and get creative! Do you have any frosting alternatives that you like to use? Let us know!

- Posted by Cupcake Crusader, Jenn (Westminster, MD)

Mount Vernon’s New “Bun” Shop

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Crusader Elisa

Life in the city is always changing. Sometimes you have to say goodbye to places you love, like Sweet Bakery. That same change causes new places to be born and on April 8th, 2013 The Bun Shop opened at Sweet Bakery’s old address in Mount Vernon.

I happened to walk down Read Street one day last March and found signs on the doors for The Bun Shop. After finding them on facebook, I followed their renovation process and was excited to see they opened a month later. The entire space was completely re-vamped and renovated. It is eclectic and gilded, while fun, new wave, and inviting. It makes you feel like you are at home, and your home is clean, organized, and impeccably designed. The long family style tables, tables for two, and comfy couches give you a lot of sitting options. They even have events at the shop, including a recent Buns & Beer event with live music!

(Their simple and beautiful display, a cool gold leafed sign, and the amazing window graphic.)

Okay, okay, I know, buns are not cupcakes, but we Crusaders agreed, a new place this cool, with sweet and savory bun options, was a must try! Being the indecisive person I am, I chose three buns to try, two savory and one sweet. (And yes, I ate them all at one time.)

Spinach & Feta Twist

The employee behind the counter told me this was her favorite, and thank goodness she recommended it! The “bun” part was so light and fluffy, but had such fantastic flavor. The spinach and feta baked in created a wonderful earthy and green flavor. It really was light and didn’t feel heavy. While I love spanakopita, it has nothing on this savory bun treat.

Curry Puff

Sweet potatoes, carrots, pulled chicken, curry spices and turmeric all fold together into one delicious triangle of dough. If you don’t like a curry kick, this might not be for you, but I loved it. The dough used on this savory “bun” was totally different than the dough used on the Spinach & Feta bun, it was a bit heavier and more substantial. It never overpowered the filling though, and there was just the right amount of both.

Rotiboy

A traditional Mexican Coffee Bun, a Rotiboy is a sweet butter bun baked with a crisp, coffee-flavored topping. (When I did a little research I also found this Rotiboy brand which also mentions its Mexican origins, but is based out of Malaysia.) I saved this for last and was pleasantly surprised at its doughy flavor and donut texture. While the topping didn’t scream coffee, the faint flavor was there. And since I love butter, the savory and just-sweet-enough butter flavor of this bun made me smile. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but it was so good I savored every bite.

The Bun Shop has 10 buns to choose from right now, including a new vegan Curry Puff made with chick peas. I had the pleasure of meeting one of the owners, Andrew, on my visit and he was as warm and welcoming as the shop itself. On top of the lovely staff and fantastic buns, the shop also specializes in Vietnamese coffee, which is a double shot of espresso, sweetened condensed milk, and coffee. You can get this and other coffee and tea options iced or hot, and if you’re not into that, they have an eclectic variety of natural sodas to choose from as well.

Okay, so no, they don’t sell cupcakes, and it isn’t Sweet Bakery, but this place has been reborn as something different. A new gem in Mount Vernon, and definitely worth a stop in for breakfast, lunch, dinner or chilling! And for me, conveniently located right around the corner from work! I’d call that a win/win situation!

- Posted by Cupcake Crusader, Elisa (Baltimore, MD)

Kupcakes & Co. Always Doing New Things

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Crusader Jenn

(New limited time Boutique Cupcakes, including: Banana’s Foster, Rocky Road, and Moose Tracks.)

We visit and review Kupcakes & Co. a lot and one of the reasons is because they are always doing new things, adding new flavors, and increasing their offerings of baked goods. For example, their cheddr chive biscuits aret a brilliant idea! I recently stopped in to grab one as I was passing by in the morning because hadn’t eaten breakfast yet.

They open early and have been offering coffee and homemade biscotti for some time, but (tough as it may be) I might not have stopped in on this particular morning if I wasn’t able get something savory (because I was already on my way to pick up a dozen cupcakes…shocking, I know).

Kupcakes & Co. is what I would have already described as the best in a boutique cupcake experience. We’ve shown you pictures of their cute storefront, talked about how wonderful the customer service is, and shown you many photos of their beautiful cupcakes. And now they are taking it to the next level…They are opening a Boutique Celebration room, and I got the scoop and a sneak peek!

(Photo courtesy of Kupcakes & Co.)

The new space, adjacent to their storefront, will be available for parties of up to 24-30 guests. For now, they will focusing on adult events, such as bridal showers, but I suspect it will only be a matter of time before they host a cupcake party for a lucky little girl.

The Boutique Celebration room will be unveiled during a Grand Re-Opening event, on Saturday, June 8th from 10am-3pm. The party room will be fully decorated with all of the trimmings you’d expect (The owner, Michelle, also revealed to me that they have plans for a custom mural to be painted by a local artist). Of course you can’t have a Grand Re-Opening without cupcakes, so Kupcakes & Co. will be serving up free samples, new dessert items and will also have prizes and giveaways. The Crusaders will definitely be stopping by!

Some of the treats you might be able to sample are their new line of Boutique Cupcakes. We’ve been trying to review all of their Boutique Cupcakes, because they bring the ultimate in cupcake indulgence and are only offered for a limited time. We missed the last round, which was a pie theme (Key Lime, Coconut Cream, and Boston Cream), but couldn’t miss the latest: Banana’s Foster, Rocky Road, and Moose Tracks.

Banana’s Foster

I was expecting the Banana’s Foster cupcake to be my least favorite of the three, based strictly on appearance, but I should have known better. You can’t judge a book (or cupcake) by its cover, right? While it’s still a pretty cupcake, it didn’t seem to have the thrills (i.e. toppings) that the others had. Man, was I wrong! The banana cake was so moist and full of flavor, and the homemade caramel filling took the level of moistness up even higher. Paired with a light meringue frosting (love!), this cupcake had the perfect amount of sweetness.

Rocky Road

Rocky Road is hands down, my favorite ice cream flavor. While I was really excited about this cupcake, all in all it was my least favorite of the three because it was the most “expected.” The signature fluffy, moist chocolate cake was baked with walnuts and filled with marshmallow cream that oozed into the cake. That part was really amazing. The cupcake was then piled high with chocolate buttercream. I had to pull out a fork to eat this cupcake. If you love milk chocolate frosting, then this cupcake is made for you. It’s very rich, so keep a glass of milk nearby!

Moose Tracks

As soon as I heard the description of this cupcake, I knew it would be my husband’s favorite. It’s a vanilla cake stuffed with homemade fudge and a peanut butter cup and topped with chocolate peanut butter buttercream. If that’s not enough, it’s then also topped with another bit of fudge and a mini peanut butter cup. The fudge…oh the fudge! It’s like someone said, “I really love peanut butter chocolate fudge, and I’m going to add cake to that.” The cake was pretty much just a (delicious) vessel for the fudge. Even the frosting tasted like peanut butter chocolate fudge. My only note is that I didn’t detect the peanut butter cup on the inside, so maybe it melted in the baking process or my husband had it in his half? But really, it was still so amazing that I didn’t say to myself, “Hey, where’s the peanut butter cup?!”

Dark Chocolate Ganache Preakness Cupcake

This Dark Chocolate Ganache cupcake is on Kupcakes & Co. regular rotating menu, but they like to dress it up for special occasions. This particular one was for Preakness, but you can also see these pretty flowers on their Mother’s Day cupcakes and more. I had never tried the Dark Chocolate Ganache cupcake before, but being a big fan of dark chocolate, I’ve had my eye on it. As simple as it may have seemed (underneath the flower and sprinkles), especially compared to the Boutique Cupcakes, it wasn’t simple at all. The ganache was rich and cocoa-y without the extra sweetness of milk chocolate buttercream. And the chocolate cake, always moist and light, is perfect on its own.

If you haven’t had a chance to check out Kupcakes & Co. yet, their Grand Re-Opening would be the perfect opportunity. Check out their website or Facebook page for more info, and maybe I’ll see you there!

- Posted by Cupcake Crusader, Jenn (Westminster, MD)

A Bakeshop Called “Bakershop” in Arlington, VA

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Stacy

With the abundance of bakeries, cakeries, cupcakeries, pastry shops, and bake shoppes (or bakeshops) you might think that a new venture would go for a unique name to set themselves apart. But Bakeshop, on Fillmore Street in Arlington, VA, chose to go with the idea that “simple is better.”

With the large, bold “Bakeshop” type on the storefront windows , there is no confusion on what you will find behind them. Once inside, you will see that Bakeshop is a blend of modern, classic, and quirky with a display of mismatched dessert stands showcasing Parisian macarons, cookies, and pretty little cupcakes.

After exploring their website and Facebook page, I knew I would be getting some macarons along with my cupcakes, but I was also interested in something they call “Oreo in a Blanket.” If you think an Oreo cookie can’t get any better, think again. Bakeshop has baked an Oreo inside of a chocolate chip cookie, which I can only imagine tastes like heaven. Unfortunately, I didn’t end up leaving with my entire wish list, because at $2.75 each, the Oreo in a Blanket cost more than their cupcakes or macarons, so I had to pass.

Crusader Jenn was with me and we decided to take three cupcakes and three macarons home with us. I selected a Lemon cupcake, a Lemon macaron, and a Peaches N Cream macaron. Jenn decided to stay in the car with her sleeping daughter, Leah, and asked that I pick out two cupcakes and one macaron for her, so I chose a Cookies N Cream cupcake, a Strawberry Lemonade cupcake, and a Salted Peanut macaron.

Lemon Cupcake

The frosting on this Lemon cupcake didn’t seem to have much (if any) lemon flavor to it, but it was smooth, light, and creamy. While the cake had more flavor, it seemed like there was an extra flavor in there which reminded me of a lemon poppyseed muffin. The cake was far from muffin-like though with its moist, fluffly, and light texture. Even though this cupcake didn’t have the burst of fresh citrus flavor I prefer in a Lemon cupcake, it was still really tasty.

Strawberry Lemonade

Crusader Jenn said that this cupcake was moist and light, but it had a bit of a weird flavor that tasted more like candy than fresh fruit. Even though you can see the strawberries in the frosting she said she couldn’t taste it at all.

Cookies N Cream

Crusader Jenn said that this cupcake was better than the Strawberry Lemonade but it still was nothing special, and that while it had the same nice texture, the chocolate cake tasted a bit like a box mix. She also said that the frosting was good by itself, with a good cookies and cream flavor, but that with the cake it just tasted like a chocolate cupcake. She added that, “I don’t usually say this, but it needed more frosting for a true cookies and cream flavor.”

Macarons

I think macarons accompany cupcakes in a great way. Small and packed with flavor, if a bakery or coffee shop sells them, I will almost always buy one or two. I’m still not an expert on macarons, but these were $2 a piece which I think is about the normal average cost of one. The outer shell of the cookie was not quite as smooth as I’m normally used to seeing, but that didn’t stop me from diving it. I thought the Peaches N Cream really could have used more flavor, but the lemon one was great. It had a more true lemon flavor than the cupcake from Bakeshop, so it was a happy surprise. Jenn said that the Salted Peanut macaron was the best of all three treats she tried from Bakeshop because it had lots of rich flavor that was a good balance of sweet and salty. She felt like it might have been a little more airy than she’s had in the past (I thought the same about mine), but that since it had a nice crunchy outside and was soft and moist on the inside it was still really enjoyable.

Bakeshop’s cupcakes are on the small side, but priced well at only $2 each. If I ever find myself in their neighborhood again, I would definitely stop in to get some macarons. I might even grab a new cupcake flavor or two (at only $2 each, how could I say “no?”).

- Posted by Cupcake Crusader, Stacy (Baltimore, MD)

Blast from the Past: Mad Hatter Cupcakes in Las Vegas

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Crusader Jenn

We’ve come to my final Las Vegas cupcake adventure: Mad Hatter Cupcakes. This bakery popped up in my pre-vacation research so I knew ahead of time that they were located away from The Strip. Luckily my husband and I had rented a car and were heading to Virgin, Utah (home to Zion National Park) to visit a friend. Mad Hatter Cupcakes was on our way!

One of the things that intrigued me most about Mad Hatter Cupcakes was their, “build-your-own” concept. It was the first time I’d come across it, so I was super excited about the opprotunity to get creative. Of course, when I walked in I was too overwhelmed by choices to use my own creativity! However, Mad Hatter Cupcakes has an organized display, showcasing possible creations, as well as a menu board with suggested flavors. The staff working there was also very helpful in letting us know what they liked and what (if any) alternatives to the menu they preferred.

Dan and I decided we would get six to take with us. I don’t think I could have chosen any less, and looking at the photo of the display case again makes me wish we’d gotten more!

(Selected cupcakes: Mocha Latte, Night ‘n Day, White Chocolate Spice Cake, Strawberry Lemon, Wascally Wabbit, and Peanut Butter Explosion.)

We had many new adventures in Utah, including river rafting, rappelling, taking a dip in a natural hot spring, and hiking up some big elevations; and we ended each night with a cupcake adventure. I had to replace all the used up calories somehow, right?

(Dan and I at Zion National Park, where we hiked up to Observation Point. I almost gave up, but I’m glad I didn’t! See that little valley below? Yeah, that’s where we started. It’s an 8 mile round-trip hike, estimated at 5 hours, and an elevation gain of 2,100 feet.)

I was excited by my friend Hannah’s enthusiasm over the cupcakes. If the great outdoors are her first passion, food is definitely a close second. After taking us out and showing us how much fun Utah can be, the least we could do was share our cupcakes with her. This might have been when our idea to cut up a single cupcake for multiple tasters was born, because none of us could choose a single flavor.

(Mocha Latte: Coffee cake with chocolate ganache filling and java bean frosting.)

(Night ‘n Day: Chocolate cake, filled with white chocolate frosting, and topped with white chocolate frosting and an Oreo cookie.)

(Wascally Wabbit: Carrot Cake, with orange crème filling, and cream cheese frosting.)

(Peanut Butter Fudge: Peanut butter cake, peanut butter filling, chocolate frosting, and topped with a mini Nutterbutter cookie.)

(Strawberry Lemon: Strawberry cake with a lemon frosting. Unfortunantly I can’t remember the filling. I recall this was my least favorite of the group due to some of the fruit flavors seeming to be artificial.)

(Spice cake with a white chocolate filling and cream cheese frosting.)

I remember us all being very impressed with the majority of these cupcakes. As usual, the Mocha Latte and Peanut Butter Fudge (possibly named the Peanut Butter Explosion at the time) were standouts for me, as well as Dan and Hannah, since we all love coffee and peanut butter chocolate. The decorations were fun, but definitely not as high end as what you’d expect to find in the fancy hotel/casino. But that just makes their suburban shopping strip location perfect. If you are in Vegas and manage to pull yourself away from the allure of The Strip, I highly recommend giving Mad Hatter Cupcakes a try. And if you’ve been there more recently than us, let us know if they are still living up to our first impression.

- Posted by Cupcake Crusader, Jenn (Westminster, MD)

Cupcake Crusaders

We won't rest, until we've tried them all.

Crumbs into Chocolate

Kupcakes & Co.’s Grand Re-Opening: Unveiling Their Boutique Celebration Room

A Baking Adventure: No Frosting? No Problem!

Mount Vernon’s New “Bun” Shop

Kupcakes & Co. Always Doing New Things

A Bakeshop Called “Bakershop” in Arlington, VA

Blast from the Past: Mad Hatter Cupcakes in Las Vegas

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