Starz Cupcakes

Dry, dense, bland muffin with frosting does not = a cupcake.

Im glad and not surprised they closed. They started out the best cupcakes in town but ended up the worst. My daughter worked for them and apparently the owner was neither a good business person nor nice. She regularly conducted unfair employment practices, probably unintentionally. My guess is she was inexperienced, got greedy and when her business got some good publicity the result was poor quality and customer service went by the wayside. A common business mistake.

Wow! DId I just find cupcake heaven in Capitola?
When I randomly entered the store, a woman came out and provided background to the STARZ history of bakers. She was extremely helpful and helped me narrow my choice. I had a white cake with raspberry filling and while eating it, I had to just close my eyes and savor the experience. Then the saleswoman suggested I try their key lime pie which she explained was more pie than cupcake. But… it was heaven none-​the-​less. So so so exited. So delicious. I am already planning my next visit. Yummy!

I had a Groupon. With that the deal was good, but I did not really like the cupcakes. They were very pretty, but the cake a little dry, and TOO MUCH FROSTING. I think more and more subpar bakeries are just thinking «Everyone loves frosting, if we heft enough on there they will not notice the crummy ass cake hiding inside».

Oh no! I don’t feel that this place is a Unilocaly five star at all. I feel bad :(. My basis is on the coconut flavored cupcake. It was too sweet.
The cupcakes here comes in two sizes. A mini one and a big one $ 3.50 that is twice the size of a regular cupcake. I opted for the big one and tried to brave it and finish it while all the time thinking geez-​this is just too sweet and quit halfway!
The presentation of the cupcakes were unique. I like it. Wrapped in paper like a flower.
The décor is not much to write about either. I mean I really don’t mind if the cupcakes were at least good. It was a dull environment to say the least. The lady behind the counter looked sad :(but helpful. She told us that they don’t make their cupcakes on site but it comes from somewhere else and delivered there.
Although the Kardashians and Jay Leno think that their cupcakes are the best! Their pictures are posted on the wall as you walk in.
Having tried a similar flavored cupcake in Palo Alto recently this place fails in comparison big time. And sometimes size doesn’t matter really. At least not here.
*** I posted this review in the wrong location and fixed it today! Thx Leann E!

There was a reason I wasn’t impressed with their cupcakes. I had a gift certifcate and figured I needed to use it. I called a few for the gluten free ones and the mall had a couple of them. Whic is where we went. Was not good. tasted like a chemical and not real sugar that was added. That doesnt make sense. Gluten free is usually the flour (wheat-​free). It was sweet, don’t get me wrong, a little too much if you ask me but it tasted like a fake sugar– NOT good in my book.
The mgr at the mall was nice and friendly, so kuddos for that. But I will stick with Cutesy Cupcakes in Scotts Valley. Even my guy who isn’t gluten free intolerant likes Cutesy cupcakes so much better! Plus this place is way more expensive too. $ 3.50 a cupcake.

I was lured in by the «Best Cupcakes» banner displayed outside and wish I didn’t give in to the advertisement. I am a huge fan of funfetti and purchased the $ 3.50 funfetti cupcake and was so disappointed. The cake flavor is hard to describe– like a doughy flavorless spongecake perhaps. The frosting was sweet, but I couldn’t bare to eat the entire thing and had to throw half away after trying to make myself like it. Do yourself a favor and walk to Village Creamery for your dessert fix instead.

First of all, I want to say that the first time I ate a Starz cupcake when the company had just started, it was delicious. I have eaten them a couple of time since, and though they were not as good, I thought that I would give them another try. I purchased a Groupon a couple of months ago and used it this last week.
Next, I went to the location on 41^st Ave and was told that the Groupon was only good at the Capitola Mall location or the downtown location. As it is the same owner, WHY did I have to go to another location???
So I went to the Capitola Mall. Since I was getting the cupcakes for a dinner with friends, I had planned to get the mini muffins so that I could get a variety of flavors. However there were only 2 mini cupcakes left, and the clerk said that they always go fast. (so why not bake more IF you know they sell fast???) By the way, it was only about 1:30pm…
I therefore had to buy the regular-​size ones, and got 4 total.
They were HORRIBLE! DRY, DRY, DRY … I am done giving them a chance. I am so glad that at least I did not pay full price (with my Groupon, I ended up paying $ 8 for 4 cupcakes)
Actually the last time I bought these cupcakes, they were dry. Although we contacted the owner, we were not offered any replacement or refund, so I guess I should have known better…

Every time I’m in capitola, I stop here. The reviews for so, e people are unreasonably low. Yes, it is $ 3.50 for a cupcake– and worth very cent. I’d say which ones I like best– but they have a lot of variety and I recommend you check it out.
This isn’t the «best» cupcakes I’ve ever had– but pretty damn close.

Ugh. NOT a good experience. I wish I’d written the review closer to when I had the cupcakes so it was fresher in my mind, but there’s a groupon for them right now and if I can save 1 person money, time & disappointment then it’s totally worth it!
I bought their groupon the last time and was really excited to try them because of their apparently world famous gluten-​free cupcakes (according to their website). But man what a huge disappointment! They only had 1 gluten-​free flavor — chocolate — which was fine because I really like chocolate cake. When it’s rich, super dark chocolaty goodness, which this was not. This was… lame. Dense, anemic «chocolate» cupcakes with flavorless whipped topping. I could’ve made them 100x better at home, with a blindfold on. Seriously. I was upset that we had been so excited, drove 45 min and, spent a good chunk of change on such worthless cupcakes. At least we didn’t pay full price! Gawd, what a disaster that would’ve been. Gluten free baking is difficult, but if you advertise that you make amazing GF cakes that people drive hundreds of miles for, then they better be at least *good*. Right?
I should’ve been tipped off by the statement proudly featured on their site — «what’s the difference between muffins and cupcakes? Dude it’s the frosting!» Seriously? SERIOUSLY?

Wow!
At $ 3.50 each these cupcakes were a rip off. Got a Redvelvet only thing semi good about it was the frosting but even that is stretching it. Cake has no taste.
Got a cinnamon toast which was the better tasting of the 6 we got but still not that great. The Snicker one seemed like the cake was burnt and hard.
I don’t even wanna judge the next ones. What a rip off I wouldn’t recommend this play to anyone.
All the cupcakes were dry and tasted as if they had been sitting there for a few days.
That’s too bad because we were all so excited to try this place when we seen it.
I was so disappointed I didn’t even Finish any of them and went next door and got an ice cream instead.

Super pumped that they offer not only VEGAN options, but Gluten Free too??? My mom got me a gf vegan cupcake today, I really enjoyed it! The «frosting» is whip cream style, so it’s much lighter and less sweet, and waaaaay less heavy, than your typical cupcake.
I don’t think that Vegan has to mean compromising flavor/​texture/​quality, but often with GF and Vegan baked goods there is a LARGE compromise. So if you can eat regular gluten filled food don’t get a GF baked item and expect it to be the same; IT“S NOT.
BUT, it is wonderful in it’s own way! Part of the greatness is that it’s even an option! I often feel pretty damn left out when everyone else is enjoying all the great Vegan baked goods available, but not today!
My mom raves about how nice they are!

My wedding’s icing on the (cup)cake. In addition to our cake (from another vendor) we wanted cupcakes since I am a huge fan. These guys did not disappoint. We were able to get all of our cupcakes to be gluten free… the chocolate ones were also vegan. They were loved by our guests (we didn’t get a chance to eat any) and wanted to say thank you! The delivery was on time and there were no issues.
Pics to come once our photos are in…

Oh my freaking goodness, the cupcakes from Starz are DELICIOUS! My favorite one is the chocolate and salted caramel with caramel filling, but you really can’t go wrong.
VEGAN OPTIONS AVAILABLE!!!

Waste of money and calories. rude service, an dry stale cupcakes. I use to come here all the time an have off an on had some pretty bad stale cupcakes but have always gone back hoping for something better. A friend brought me some cupcakes from them and one was by far the worst cupcake I’ve ever had. It was completely dried out crusty and had stale shitty frosting. I can’t believe they pulled it out of there case an thought hmm this looks alright to sell to someone…
Being that I came in all the time I decided to write on their Facebook to let them know how disappointed I was and instead of writing me back or apologizing or anything they deleted what I had to say without a care in the world for a true customers thoughts on how there cupcakes have been lately.
The only reason they are in business is because there the only cupcake shop in town. There cupcakes have no souls ;)

Possibly the worst cupcake I’ve ever had.
Service was give or take, but at least she got off the phone while I was checking out the cupcake choices. The cupcake came with a prize, which was sadly the best part of the purchase as the icing was hard like it had been sitting overnight and the cake slightly stale and very dry. It even tasted somewhat off.
I’m so used to the bakeries in SF which never keep their products for more than a day, that it was slightly shocking that one would do so. Ugh ick.
I think the topping on the awful tasting cupcake was the slightly sad figure in the half cupcake costume waving a sign outside of the store.
I tried to hide that I was throwing away more than half of the cupcake as the trashcan was right next to him. Bye bye cupcake, la la la.

It wasn’t my intention to stop by this place and buy a cupcake
(especially since my bf and I were in Capitola just to kill time before heading to lunch at Crow’s Nest), but I just couldn’t resist the urge hahaha…
The store is very small, but luckily for us, there was no line, so I took my sweet time looking through the selection of cupcakes. The owner was very friendly, and waited patiently as I was making my selection. The presentation of cupcakes are cute – wrapped in folded paper… whatever it is, rather than the traditional cupcake cups…
I chose the the white chocolate and caramel cupcake – soo ooey and gooey, and sweet – definately satisfied my sweet tooth. The texture of the cake was moist and soft.
Minus one star for the price…3.50 for one cupcake… for real? Price of food now… it’s ridiculous…
Minus another star for how the cupcakes were displayed. The display is tiered, and with me being short, I seriously had to tiptoe and strain my neck just to see what cupcakes were up on top lol…
Definately will come back here in the future to try out the other flavors

The whole experience is a bit awkward in store. Service is kind of slow, and there are only a very limited number of each cupcakes, so the good ones go away quickly. The cupcakes themselves are alright. I really enjoyed the yellow cake with chocolate frosting ones I had for my birthday (which had to be specially ordered, since they don’t carry that in general…). Meanwhile, the Funfetti one I had today was only so-so…as was the red velvet cake my friend ordered. My friends went gaga over the Snicker’s ones, but I wasn’t so impressed. I’m intrigued to try the Snickerdoodle ones…
All in all, I can’t say that I’m really a fan of any store bought cupcake, be it Starz, Sprinkles, or Safeway…

I have to thank Groupon for getting me out here. I thought the store was cute. Prices I felt were a little high for these cupcakes, $ 3.25 each. They didn’t have the same quality as Sibby’s A+(San Mateo), Sprinkles B+ (Palo Alto) and Kara’s B-(Santa Clara/​SF). What do I mean by quality, as another Unilocaler had pointed out, the cake base in chocolate was the same, just different frosting. Example: Triple chocolate was the same as the Grasshopper. There needed to be a little bit more flavor options, besides for the frosting being different.
I think they had Lemon, Red Velvet, White Cake, Carrot Cake and a bunch of chocolate cakes?
Positives: The cake portion was very soft and moist. That was very impressive. It is hard to produce a moist cupcake.

WOW! These absolutely yummy cupcakes are now my newest addiction!
I took my family there on a Saturday afternoon and the line was out the door! It was totally worth the wait! We had the Cookies and Cream and M&M cupcakes — they are to die for! Friendly service is hard to find these days and they have this covered! The lady behind the counter was so gracious and kind! Sparkles Cupcakes will be our Saturday afternoon tradition! I can’t wait to go back! Kudos to Sparkles team!