The Manhattan Cupcake Adventure: Part One
It’s been so long since I’ve been to New York and when the opportunity presented itself a couple of weekends ago to check out the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn, I could hardly resist making a day out of it and checking out a couple of bakeries as well. So I made a list (and asked for a LOT of recommendations) and set out to sample some of Manhattan’s most popular bakeries.
I saw and tasted so much that I’ll have to break it up into 2 parts as not to make these posts too epic, so let’s get started! I hopped on the 7:15am bus from Philly up to New York and arrived about 9am in Midtown. In need of some coffee stat and interested to visit a couple of shops before heading over to Brooklyn, I quickly walked up to 9th Ave. and 40th Street to kick off the day at Cupcake Cafe Casa. The draw here was not so much the taste of the cupcakes, but the incredible floral decorations hand piped onto each little cake that blew me away.
Luckily, the cupcakes were just as tasty as they looked (although I recommend letting them come to room temperature before enjoying) as well as a cup of coffee with beans brewed by my favorite Philadelphia roasting company La Colombe. At this particular location they offer regular and large cupcakes, with typical flavors: vanilla & chocolate cake with vanilla, chocolate, or mocha frosting. The Cupcake Cafe Casa wins the award for the most beautiful and comfy cafe.
Finally alert, I strode down 9th Ave, through Chelsea and down to 21st St. to Billy’s Bakery. This green and yellow motif, vintage inspired, bakery & cafe was previously unknown to me, but completely delightful. I ordered a red velvet, carrot, and banana cupcake and sat down to enjoy a couple of bites of each.
These were the most incredibly moist, fresh, and deliciously sweet cupcakes I ate all day. I’m completely sold. There’s a bakery on site here so there’s no question where these sweets are coming from and of course it smells great. I can’t wait to have another taste!
With just enough time to squeeze one more bakery in on the way to the L, I walked down to and across 14th St. to Baked by Melissa’s storefront. With no idea really what to expect I was immediately struck by the novelty of these little treats.
While it was $5.50 for 6 of these quarter-sized treats, flavors like the tie-dyed vanilla, cookies and cream, mint chocolate chip, cookie dough, cinnamon, and s’mores cupcakes made them irresistible. Moist and flavorful, these whimsical little cupcakes were the perfect treat for a leisurely morning of people watching in Union Square.
Full on cake and buttercream I stacked the boxes of my left-over cupcakes delicately into my bag and descended into the subway to cross the East River. More treats to come!
My GOD these photos look delicious! I can’t even help myself, I want to go now! Great post…excellent work!
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I love Billy’s Bakery. They’ve actually replaced Magnolia for Billy’s Bakery on the Sex and the City tour in New York.
Did not need to see this so early in the morning…great…now I want a cupcake!!
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what could be better? delectable cupcakes, coffee, and adorable places to enjoy them! Love NY and will bookmark this so I can visit some of these lovely places next time I visit… congrats on being freshly pressed!
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I’m a visual person so Cupcake Cafe looks like the winner to me. Although, Billy’s is pretty amazing.
I will be in NY in a few weeks and I will definitely try to make my way to Billy’s Bakery – that one looked delish!
These are so pretty! Cupcakes have become very fashionable in England now. I’ve often admired them, but never tried one because they look too sweet for me.
I think that I would have to scrape off the icing before I could eat one – and that would be a waste.
I don’t live anywhere near NYC, but am so fortunate to have a cupcake shop less than ten minutes from my house.
Or should I say UNfortunate, as I have a terrible tendency to stop there on my way home from the gym.
Yum!
Aww this was brill to read and has made me crave a cupcake now! I dont care which flavour! Maybe Ill have one of each!
I have made a note of the bakeries for the next time I visit NYC as they all look yummy scrummy.
Thanks, Lora
They look so beautiful! Next time I’m in New York, this will be a must go!
Oh my gosh! These are so lovely, I wished they had something like this in California!
Love how pretty your blog is! Esp. this cupcake one! I also like the info. Good to know next time I am in NYC.
All of these look so good. I can’t wait get some the next time I’m in New York.
OMG I’M DROOOLING!
Lovely post!
Sounds like a GREAT way to spend the day. Beautiful photos. Yummy…
What a delicious post…:)
OMGoodness!!! That’s what heaven looks like in my dreams! Yuuuuuum!
Sounds like a fun day! My favorite bakeries in the city are Buttercup, Magnolia, Sugar Sweet Sunshine, and Billys. Melissa’s are a cute idea but for $1 each (or $5.50 for 6) I find the actual value really terrible!
What a beautiful website. I loved the cupcakes. I saw you featured on WordPress today…how cool is that!
Absolutely one of the best looking blog posts ever! What camera did you use? FAB FAB FAB! Forget the diet for tonight, Ethel. Lucy’s in town!
So WHEN are we opening up that bakery, chica????
My thighs gained an inch just looking at your scrumptious pictures! Yum!! Lovely blog.
I’ll be sure to stop back in for part two! Gloris
Fabulous post. I’m such a cupcake girl – this has greatly brightened my day. Thank you!
Your pictures are making me want to lick my computer screen.
These are gorgeous little cupcakes! Lucky you!
What a lovely facet of NYC. So creative. The floral icings are antique gorgeous!
I’d love to visit NYC. Perhaps some day.
definitely gonna check out billy’s when I get to NYC in a few days
thank you!
Wowie! Featured blogger, you! Those cupcakes look scrum-didily-umptious! The first ones are so beautiful, I’d be too afraid to eat them, I think.
The cupcake cafe looks amazing! And the cupcakes of course! They are like small works of art!
We don’t really have a cupcake tradition here in the UK – though I think it’s about to kick off.
A delightful blog that not only forms the perfect contract with the eye, but also titillates the taste buds!
Pip, Pip!
Great pictures!
Yummy treats!
Next trip to the Big Apple it is cupcakes for me.
These shops should really hire you for PR.
Fabulous!!!!!
These pics are pretty sweet. Thought you might appreciate this: http://apocalypsecakes.wordpress.com
Oh my! Thank you so much for sharing the beauty and yumminess of those creations. Your photos are absolutely amazing!
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Looking forward to part 2
~Kurious Kitteh
Those six mini cupcakes look amazing. Too bad I don’t live close enough to get my own!
OMG…thats all that i have to say and i don’t even eat cupcakes!!!!!!!!!!!
i have to go to manhattan soon, but i am rerouting so that i can taste art!!!!!!..mmm mmm mmm
cupcakes have got to be the most wonderfully delicious and fun baked good ever!!!
Loved your photos! I’m an NYC cupcake girl and thoroughly enjoyed your reviews. Looking forward to part 2, and if you make it to Butter Lane, you’ll have to let me know how you think they compare.
wow..amazing
Nice pictures and great little informative article. The cupcake cafe has some incredible cupcakes…wonder if the cupcake craze will keep going…portable indulgence is definately on the menu!
first of all, i looove cupcakes. i’m on a bit of a cupcake kick myself. second of all, i really enjoy your blog! great photos, and yummy baking.
Baked by Melissa is awesome! I frequently steal away from a frustrating day at work to snack on these tasty tasty treats.
Wow, never knew a photo could make me that hungry! Brilliant!
ooohhhh lovely!
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Yummy yummy yum yum!
Oh my God…my cupcakes look like pathetic amateur attempts compared to the amazing piped flowers on the first lot…I have serious cupcake envy!!
Thanks, I just drooled on my keyboard!
What amazing photos. I want to visit NY someday and tose pictursmade it all the more tempting.
Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed!
Great post, and mouth-watering pictures, makes me want to go on a cupcake adventure too!
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Yumyum
Cheers, Niconica
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