Cupcakes!: Vanilla Bake Shop

Okay, finally, all the detailed notes from my cupcake escapades out west. I sampled cupcakes from four different cupcake bakeries this summer. And I'm going to tell you all about them. Consider yourself warned.

First up:

Vanilla Bake Shop, Santa Monica, Ca

(isn't that the cutest little store front? it was like an old sweet shop inside, but when I pulled out my camera, they said I couldn't take pictures. something about the franchise agreement)

What I got: 12 Cupcake Babies for $20

What I learned: It's not unusual for Cupcake bakeries to rotate flavors, so make sure they have what you want before you go in (or fly across the country, in my case).

What I thought: Gourmet. If I imagined a gourmet cupcake this would be it. The cake was light, although a little dry for my taste, and the frosting rich and sweet. One suggestion though: While I thought getting the Babies would be a good idea, so I could sample more flavors, I don't think it was a good choice. There ended up being too much frosting and too little cake. After sampling the first few, I started scraping half the frosting off before trying them. They sure were cute though!

The cute little bag they put my cupcakes in. I think the guy that helped us out was new though, so he didn't put the cupcakes in right, and well, you can see the pictures...

Okay, now let me see if I can remember what we have here (with a little help from the website)...

Bittersweet Dark Chocolate (yum! dark chocolate cake with bittersweet frosting. this one was my second favorite! so gourmet.)

Mom's Birthday Cake (I think. yellow cake. chocolate frosting. classic.)

Black and White (dark chocolate cake, vanilla bean and dark chocolate frosting. mmmhhh)

Vanilla Bean (in pink and blue. very yummy, but with all the chocolate around, vanilla seemed boring to me. call it uncultured, call it what you will, but it's the truth, okay!)

I believe the last one is Spicy Carrot (classic carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. eh. I am learning that my aversion to white frosting is more specific to the cream cheese genre. so, basically, don't listen to what I say about anything with cream cheese frosting. unless it makes you nauseous too. then listen away. and obey.)

And box number two...

Fudgie Brownie Cake (with vanilla bean frosting. all right, I'm a fool for brownies. forgive me. so, I guess this one tied for second.)

Southern Red Velvet (okay, what I am about to say also goes for sushi. I don't like red velvet cake/sushi. everyone I know loves it, and tries to convince me that I just haven't had "good red velvet cake/sushi". well, I don't know if I agree with that, but I'll keep trying. sorry Vanilla. besides it had cream cheese frosting. there's just not much hope there.)

Banana Chocolate Chip (okay, I hate to sound like a broken record, but it had cream cheese frosting. the cake did seem to have some potential though. if only I could enjoy cream cheese frosting danget!)

Okay, here is it. The Winner. Number One. Eat It. Chocolate Raspberry. Go To Santa Monica And Eat It. Now. (something else I'm learning about me and frosting - I really like chocolate ganache. pair it with raspberry preserves and dark chocolate cake, and hello heaven. oh, but don't go on tuesday, thursday, or saturday, because they don't make it those days, but they do make Meyer Lemon Raspberry, which I really, really wanted to try, and I have a feeling would give Chocolate Raspberry a run for it's sweet sweet money. I almost just thought about getting a plane ticket right now, so I could fly out and see. good thing it was almost, because if I really thought about it? that would be crazy, wouldn't it? yeah, totally crazy. ha ha. cupcakes. crazy.)

So,... next we have... Old Fashioned (dark chocolate cake with - get this - whip cream center! and vanilla bean frosting. yum. delicious, actually. oh and sprinkles and a cherry. it was like a gourmet hostess cupcake.)

And last, another Mom's Birthday Cake (this one with a blue flower for Owen)

Speaking of Owen.... He seems pretty pleased with this cupcake. And, I don't really remember, but it looks to me like this was not his first cupcake.

Ev. My model and my official taster. Great job Ev.