Monday, July 4, 2011

Review: Magnolia Bakery

If I could only go to one cupcake shop in New York City, it was going to be Magnolia Bakery. This is the place that started it all! Because of them, cupcake shops have popped up everywhere. So let me start off my saying, "Thank you Magnolia Bakery."




I walked into a bakery heaven. So many yummy desserts! But I was there with one mission: eat cupcakes.




The place was packed! This must be the right place.




I couldn't decide which cupcakes to try. There wasn't a flavor that caught my eye, so I picked out Vanilla, Red Velvet, and a special Swan Lake cupcake. Their cupcakes are $2.75-$3.25 each.




Vanilla
Usually I stay away from a vanilla cupcake, but Becky from Utah Loves Cupcakes recommended it. This was definitely the best of the three. The vanilla frosting tasted homemade and the cake was so-so. It didn't wow me, but it was good.




Red Velvet
I already knew that I wouldn't enjoy the red velvet because they don't use cream cheese frosting. Instead, the cupcake was topped with a whipped vanilla frosting. There's nothing I dislike more than whipped frosting. The cake wasn't any better. The fake-looking, bright red cake was dry. This cupcake was a fail for me.




Swan Lake
This chocolate/vanilla swirl cupcake was a fundraiser for something associated with Swan Lake. The chocolate frosting was delicious, but the vanilla frosting was the same whipped vanilla frosting found on the red velvet. The cake was also swirled with moist and dry cake. It was weird.




As much as I wanted to fall in love with this cupcake pioneer, Magnolia Bakery could only be summed up in one word: disappointment. Dry cake, little variety, whipped frosting...the perfect storm.

To be honest, I think that the cupcakes were the least appealing desserts in their shop. I should have tried some cheesecake, pies, or cookies. Maybe I would have had better luck. What do you think? Am I wrong? Did I hit them on an off day?




Magnolia Bakery
www.magnoliabakery.com
1240 Ave of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
NY locations: Rockefeller Center, Columbus Ave., Bleeker Street, Grand Central Terminal.
Also located in Los Angeles, CA and Dubai.
Facebook: Magnolia Bakery
Twitter: @magnoliabakery

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I went in and wanted a cupcake but left with a cookie whoopie sandwich! It was so good. My husband had a blueberry crumble/cobbler pot and he loved it.

Ashleigh said...

Totally Agree! I lived in NYC for a year and was always disappointed by Magnolia. I never understood the hype, other than maybe being the pioneer for homemade cupcakes in a pretty Bakeshop. I fell in love with crumbs while I was there ...this was before sprinkles and all the other smaller shops. Glad you made it to other bakeries. Next time check out Alice's Tea Cup. Very fun. Best scones ever and they do yummy cakes and other baked goods.

Unknown said...

You are totally not wrong. I've had many bad experiences with Magnolia Bakery too. I agree, it's a disappointment. :( I have to admit though, their pumpkin whoopie pie was AMAZING!

Unknown said...

I ordered a variety of cupcakes for my husband's birthday. The red velvet was very disappointing. Cake was dry and the frosting was not good at all!

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