For an update on Orange County’s first Pinkberry opening in Huntington Beach, CLICK HERE.
For anyone who is a fan of cupcakes and Sex in the City, a trip to Magnolia Bakery is a must.
We hit the “all-American” pastry shop nestled in West Village around 9:30 p.m. on our second night in the the city. The tiny dessert shop is credited for launching the whole gourmet cupcake craze after Sex in the City’s Carrie Bradshaw was featured eating its treats in an episode.
The rest, as they say, is cupcake history. Eventually other bakeries began promoting their frosting-topped delights, including Sprinkles Cupcakes in Corona del Mar and Beverly Hills.
Here’s the lowdown on Sprinkles vs. Magnolia:
Magnolia Bakery is less pretentious than Sprinkles.
At Magnolia, customers grab a to-go box and hand-pick their own selections while bakers frost cupcakes a few feet away. The shop also limits customers to a dozen cupcakes — a courtesy policy that I wish Sprinkles would consider.
I’ve been burned a few times at Sprinkles. I’ve waited in a long line only to have a snotty Newport Beach socialite ahead of me wipe out an entire tray of cupcakes in one order. But I digress.
After grabbing my box at Magnolia, I went straight for the vanilla and red velvet cupcakes. The frosting was definitely creamier and easier to bite compared to the fancier Sprinkles’ cupcakes.
Overall, the red velvets from Sprinkles tasted better.
But, here’s the surprise: I actually thought the cupcakes at Dean & DeLuca were superior. The cake was moister and the frosting was more elegant and plentiful.
It’ll be fun to see which cupcakes YOU LIKE when D&D arrives at Fashion Island, less than two miles away from Sprinkles.
Yesterday: Eating pizza like a taco at Ray’s in Greenwich Village
Tomorrow: Ruby Foo’s — a fusion surprise in Times Square
