Cupcakes

I used to love this place when I lived on Briar Street in Chicago. I am sad to see it is closed, but I will always have great memories of going there. It was awesome how they had gluten free and other natural options.

I feel awful writing my review postmortem, but Cupcakes was the best bakery for all things small and cake.
The weekly rotating menu (that always included my time honoured favourite Red Velvet cupcakes), daring and well executed flavour combinations, beautiful decoration, etc., etc.
I’ve read the less than glowing reviews, but most seem to be either matter of opinion (such as the frosting not being overly sweet… seriously, if you’re used to frosting out of a jar or from a grocery store bakery, your opinion is irrelevant) or misunderstanding (as the store sometimes being closed before the posted closing time… once they’re sold out of the day’s cupcakes, that’s it. Again, if you don’t like freshly baked cupcakes you can buy a stale dozen many places for the price of one at Cupcakes).
The real question is where am I going to get Salted Caramel, Sparkling Pear, or Earl Grey Truffle cupcakes now? :(
I sincerely hope they are able to reopen at some point or at the very least publish a cookbook. ;)

** CLOSED **
Update (Dec. 21, 2008)
Yup, unfortunately, Cupcakes is officially closed. A quick glance at their website states that «It is with much sorrow that Cupcakes announces our immediate store closing. We thank all of our customers for their many years of loyal patronage.»
–
I stopped-​by yesterday around 1:00 PM (Dec. 19, 2008) and Cupcakes was closed: furniture gone, wall decorations gone, and some shelving off of its walls.
Unless they’re doing major remodeling, I’m thinking that they’re no longer open for business. There wasn’t a sign stating anything, either way.

I really don’t understand what these itches are talking about in their reviews. This place is amazing. I aspire to one day create a buttercream frosting that is half as amazing as they whip up here. I LOVE BUTTER!!! It’s so light and delicious. So what if they close when they sell out, and, HELLO! they use butter so it’s NEVER going to be vegan. Seriously go eat a carrot!
They change their flavors weekly, so I make sure to scope out which one I want to by online before going. Salted Caramel has been my favorite so far. Definately worth the $ 3 – 4!!!1111

Cupcakes was in the vanguard of the cupcake craze as it made its way from the coasts into the heartland. I remember being thrilled to see the sign go up in the store front and returning on several occasions to see if they were open. Well, one day the paper was off the windows, the lights were on and cupcakes were lined up in the cooler like cute little Chinese Olympic Opening Ceremonies lip-​synchers.
Aaaand…lip-synch was all these cupcakes would do. Both the cake AND the frosting were oily and sweet, not what one wants from cake, cupped or otherwise. And it cost something like $ 12 for three (they might actually have cut their prices since then). Agh, forget cute little Chinese urchin. Think Milli Vanilla.
Hide your wallet. Run. Don’t look back.

This was the first stop on my cupcake tour of Chicago. After trying Molly’s, I’m underwhelmed. Cupcakes always has interesting flavors, but the cake is always dry (Jewel cupcakes are more moist!). The frosting is really good, but melts really fast if you don’t eat right away. It pretty much has enough butter to choke even Paula Deen.
It’s really small… like crowded with three people small. They close when they’re out of cupcakes which is usually between 3 and 4.
It’s not my favorite, but since I live two blocks away, I’ll be back most likely.

I made the command decision to try Cupcakes for my 4^th of July dessert take along. I’d been dreaming about their fabulous and unique sounding weekly cupcake offerings long enough… I already find myself popping on to their website daily to get my vicarious cupcake fix; just reading the amazing ingredients and looking at the fabulous cupcake pictures are droolworthy enough to send me to my beloved sugarland. So this was sure to be good… right?
Well, my dozen cuppies included Banana Nut Cream, Red Velvet, Salted Caramel, Chocolate Raspberry and Classic Yellow. A good assortment and you know I tried each and every one… my first impression was boy, these cupcakes are small. Way tinier than Sweet Mandy B’s that’s for sure. The Classic Yellow seemed smaller than them all which was odd, I literally finished it off in 3 little bites and immediately discerned it was much more dry than I like my cupcake to be. Not at all worth it for the high price tag.
The remaining cupcakes were good and a tad bigger, but still no comparison to the moist deliciousness of SMB’s… the Cupcakes buttercream frosting was dreamy smooth but incredibly (almost sickeningly) sweet. The only true standout was the Salted Caramel cupcake… with an ooey, gooey caramel center in the cake and topped off with caramel buttercream and imported rose salt it is a flavor explosion in your mouth that starts off sweet and finishes off salty. What a perfect and harmonious balance. True cupcake perfection. I could have eaten every last one — Cupcakes hits a HUGE home run with this one and even makes me believe it’s worth the outrageous price of $ 4 for this one mini treat. I know it’s not logical for them to only sell one flavor, but this is the only thing worth coming back for… everything else is kinda meh.

Interesting flavours that change weekly, but unimpressive results. When we got there at 3pm, 5 of the 8 flavours were sold out. We got the remaining 3 varieties — lemon coconut, banana cheesecake, and yellow cake with vanilla buttercream. The cake in all 3 were really dry. The frostings were decent and spread really thick — I liked the cream cheese frosting on the banana cupcake a lot. I did not like how they had dyed the vanilla frosting a violent bright blue.
Cupcakes are expensive — $ 3 per cupcake and even more for the premium filled varieties. Not worth it! We had gone to Sensational Bites the day before and found their cupcakes both cheaper (approximately $ 2.25 per cupcake) and way tastier.

Cupcakes, really? I go out of my way to buy a cupcake for the first time in a long time, at my first cupcake venture in Chicago and what happens? My excitement is deflated.
I saw this joint out of the corner of my eye while walking down Broadway, and after some tea at Argo I went back in hopes of finding something delicious. I was a little disappointed because they only had three or floor flavors out, but what they did have — red velvet — pleased my taste buds. So I bought my $ 3.00 cupcake, which was packed away in a little Chinese-​food style take-​out box, and went on my way.
Home, I took some fun photos and posted them up, then started to nosh. Wow. Talk about disappointment. The cake was dry, and the frosting was, well, not very tasty. I guess I’m used to a thicker frosting on my red velvet, and this stuff was just downright gross. It ruined the entire experience.
Essentially, overall, this was a pretty unpleasant experience. I’m going to have to start making the rounds now to find a more delicious, scrumptous cupcake. Or, you know, make my own!

I am more than happy to pay for quality. However, after I shelled out $ 4 for a cherry danish cupcake, I was really disappointed. The cake was dry, the cream cheese filling was non existent, and the frosting (which was piled high, nearly as tall as the cake itself) was overwhelmingly sweet and left a film in my mouth. I couldn’t eat more than a few bites.
Besides being overpriced, Cupcakes’ selection was weird (you have pistachio, but no yellow with chocolate frosting?) Also, they only have one table, which mean if you were planning on eating there, you might be out of luck.

Our search for the wedding cupcakes started here, since we live nearby. The service was good, the layout was cute, and the cupcakes looked very pretty.
But the actual cake part of the cupcake seemed very small. I know most people would love a ton of icing, but this was borderline ridiculous. I can see where people like this place, but this felt like it was all icing and no cake.

I have no idea what is wrong with all these one and two star reviews. Cupcakes is AMAZING.
The people who work there are so so sweet. They’re really nice about giving suggestions, and answers all your questions.
The cupcakes, however– oh my god. The lightest, just sweet enough frosting, flavored with whatever they’re mixing up that week is always just right. The cupcakes are super flavorfull and dense, but not in a bad way. They just have substance to them. Amazing. And the little candies that sometimes go on top? So so good.
I absolutely love love love cupcakes. My only problem is that they’re way too close to my apartment. Damn you!

Dear Cupcakes,
Thank you for showing me the ways of the Red Velvet. Never before had I experienced that kind of melt-​in-​your mouth goodness. At least, not in any way that is appropriate to express on Unilocal.Or food related.
Thoughts of your key lime cupcake keep me awake at night, wondering when we’ll meet again.
My love for you is completely wrong. Never have the R. Kelly lyrics been more true — My mind is telling me no, but my body, my body’s telling me yessss! — I don’t see nothing wrong, with a little cupcake!
We will meet again, oh yes, much to the chagrin of my thighs, but we will!
Love,
Me.

Ugh. i’ve been here twice and got a dozen cupcakes from my boyfriend once. these cupcakes are gross! i love cupcakes and was willing to spend 2.50 on a cupcake but. it was so dry, the icing was waxy tasting and i didnt want to eat any of it, i actually scraped it off. i ate half the cake and threw it out. i ate the cupcakes my boyfriend bought me because he spent a lot of money on them, otherwise i wouldnt eat them. the people who work there always seem like they really want you to go away.
ew ew ew.

Great idea. Cute little shop. Yummy flavor options.
But if all you do is cupcakes, you better do them well.
And these were just, well, eh. A bit dry, and not as satisfying as they look.
Next time, I’ll bake my own.

For the last year, every time I walked by this place they were closed, having sold out of the limited supply they make each day. So last weekend when, lo and behold, they were open and had several cupcakes left, I had to stop in — diet be dammed.
My husband and I shared the red velvet and the premium ($ 3.50!) caramel with sea salt. The red velvet was just okay — the cream cheese frosting was a bit overpowering. But the caramel with gooey center and sea salt topping was worth every penny and calorie.
Overall its a good cute place, but the cupcakes are a bit overpriced and I’d be annoyed if I planned to get cupcakes from here and they were sold out and closed when I arrived.

Super cute place.
Super dry cake.
Super indifferent cashier/​owner.
Super overpriced.
No thanks.

This little cupcake shop is absolutely adorable– I walked in here yesterday and wanted to run home and start baking my very own cupcakes. And then I remembered, I don’t bake.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Cupcakes after all the mixed reviews and I set pretty high standards when it comes to my cupcakes. However, I found these cupcakes to be quite tasty (especially that delicious frosting). They have every kind of cupcake imaginable so stop on in to try some!

I decided to check this place out because it’s in my neighborhood and my sister kept insisting that I go! They charge $ 3 per cupcake, but, these cupcakes are pretty tasty! My personal favs are the pomegranate and the red velvet! The first time my sister went here, she got a little carried away and ordered a DOZEN cupcakes! When we got outside, she said, «Why didn’t you stop me from spending almost $ 40 on cupcakes?!»
Nonetheless, my family enjoyed all the different cupcake flavors! ;)

This place mysteriously appeared just down the street from me a couple weeks ago. The friendly, lowercase letters virtually burst with joy announcing its name — cupcakes!!! Cupcakes indeed, eight flavors on display, 45 flavors offered overall. Apparently this is a big on the coasts, particularly Magnolia Bakery in New York. It makes sense, who doesn’t have fond memories of cupcakes at their childhood birthday parties? I even wrote a comic back then about Inspector Munchie investigating the case of the missing cupcake.
Regular cakes are often too much and too messy. Cupcakes are just enough for one person, and are less likely to sit around getting stale. And it’s easier to pick up on impulse for a treat, like an ice cream cone. The red velvet cake with white chocolate cream cheese frosting was moist and delicious. I’ll definitely be compelled to try nearly every flavor. With Bittersweet Bakery, Bobtail ice cream and Sugar Buzz, folks in Lakeview will have well-​satieted sweet teeth.