Friday, June 29, 2012

Social Media Explained with Cupcakes


Found this photo from Social Churn on Cupcakes Take the Cake. Love it! Speaking of social media, you can follow me at the following places:

Facebook: The Cupcake Activist
Twitter: @cupcakeactivist
Instagram: elisewallace (it's mainly baby photos, but I post food and cupcake pics too)

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

What's Happening with Meringue Bake Shop?


Cryptic photos have been posted on Meringue Bake Shop's Twitter and Facebook page. What chapter is next in the Meringue Bake Shop book? We will find out on June 30 at the Orange Home Grown Farmer's Market, where Meringue is currently selling their treats every other Saturday. I'm hoping the secret is an opportunity to buy Meringue Bake Shop's cupcakes, PushCakes, and other desserts more often. A cupcake truck? We'll find out Saturday!

Monday, June 25, 2012

Review: The Cake Mamas

This was not my first time tasting The Cake Mamas cupcakes. They've been around the cupcake circuit for quite some time now. I first discovered them at Cupcake Camp IE in 2010, where they wowed me with their Autumn Apple cupcake. I saw them just a few months later at LA Cupcake Challenge 2011. A year later they competed and won the Wicked episode of Cupcake Wars. And most recently they won 2nd place at this year's LA Cupcake Challenge 2012 (they actually had my favorite cupcake at the event).

With all of these accolades, I definitely owed them an official visit to their shop. So after racing my first triathlon post-baby (go me!) in San Dimas, I treated myself to some cupcakes at The Cake Mamas in Glendora.


  Normally a rainy Saturday afternoon would keep people away from stores, but when I arrived The Cake Mamas was packed! People were picking up custom orders, others were just stopping by for a treat, and they were also loading up a van for a catering order. There was definitely a good vibe in the air.


I've met Fabiola and Janelle several times before and they have always been super friendly. One funny fact about them is that Janelle is married to Fabiola's ex-husband. They call themselves The Cake Mamas because they are moms of the same kids. I think that's awesome!


Now onto the cupcakes. Too many choices to try all of them, so I had to narrow my decision down to nine. Yes, you heard me: I only picked nine.



Churro: cinnamon sugar cupcake with sweetmilk frosting and topped with cinnamon crunch. Packed with cinnamon flavor. I loved the crunchies on top! Easily one of the favorites of the day.

Samoa: chocolate caramel cupcake, with caramel Cloud Cream, toasted coconut, drizzled caramel, and chocolate ganache. This cupcake competed at the LA Cupcake Challenge this year. The light whipped frosting paired well with the other strong flavors. I enjoyed the caramel center.

Chocolate Salted Caramel: rich chocolate cake filled with caramel, topped with chocolate ganache and sea salt caramel. This was easily my favorite and I remembered why it was my top pick at the LA Cupcake Challenge this year. The creamy chocolate frosting combined with the caramel center and pinch of salt on top makes this cupcake perfect. Winning cupcake for sure!

Guinness Bailey's: chocolate Guinness cake with Bailey's infused frosting. I'm not an alcohol drinker, but I'm always willing to try a cupcake with a flavor I'm not familiar with. The flavor was a bit intense in the frosting (since the alcohol doesn't get a chance to burn out), but I enjoyed the flavor of the cake.

The Good Witch (lemon strawberry rhubarb): light lemon cake, filled with strawberry-rhubarb filling, topped with lemon mascarpone cream cheese frosting. This was a Cake Mamas winning cupcake on Cupcake Wars. Although the strawberry-rhubarb filling was divine, the frosting just wasn't sweet enough for me. BUT it shouldn't be sweet because it is made with mascarpone cheese, that's just my preference.

Chocolate Truffle: chocolate cake filled with chocolate ganache, a thick layer of chocolate mousse, finished with dark chocolate curls. I tried this cupcake two years ago at LA Cupcake Challenge and loved it! It's full of all kinds of chocolate. The chocolate curls give it a delicious crunch.

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake: The strawberry frosting was creamy and smooth. I loved the special touch of a graham cracker crust. The cake was more dense than a normal cupcake, but that makes sense since it was a cheesecake cupcake.

Thin Mint: chocolate cupcake with mint buttercream, side rolled in Thin Mint cookie crumbs, and finished with a Thin Mint cookie. The smoothness of the frosting reminded me of thin mint ice cream. The mint flavor was perfect (unlike some that taste like toothpaste). One of favorites of the day! 

Green Eggs & Ham: green cupcake, pancake flavored with maple syrup and ham, topped with maple syrup buttercream and ham. I've had many breakfast sweet/savory cupcakes before, so I was pretty sure I was going to enjoy this cupcake. Experience proved right! The whipped maple frosting tasted like whipped butter on pancakes. I wouldn't want the frosting to be any thicker or it would be too overwhelming. Surprisingly ham works well in a cupcake.


I can't resist taking pictures of my cupcake carnage. This greeted me at breakfast the next day. Talk about starting my day off right!


You can't go wrong with The Cake Mamas. Lots of cupcake choices, delicious cakes and frostings, attention to detail, and great prices ($2.50 for normal cupcakes and $3.00 for specialty). One thing worth noting is that they told me that their frostings are not typical American buttercreams. If you're hoping for an extra sweet frosting like Sprinkles, you won't find it here. I thought their frostings had just the right amount of sweetness that paired perfectly with their cupcakes. Thumbs up for The Cake Mamas!

The Cake Mamas
865 W. Route 66, Unit C
Glendora, CA 91741
Facebook: The Cake Mamas
Twitter: @thecakemamas

Friday, June 22, 2012

Sno Cone Cupcakes from Bakerella


Even though I live in California and can find sno cones for sale all year long, they still remind me of summer. Bakerella continues with her brilliant dessert ideas and came up with these Sno Cone Cupcakes. These mini cupcakes are made with tri-colored cake and tri-colored frosting. If you don't tell anyone, I bet they would expect to scoop a spoonful of flavored ice instead of moist cake. You can find the recipes and tutorial here.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Guide to Cupcakes of Walt Disney World


I am a big Disneyland fan! My husband and I have been annual passholders since we started dating 8 years ago. As awesome as Disneyland is, I am anxious to visit Walt Disney World. I can only imagine how amazing it is!

I recently stumbled across this guide to Cupcakes of Walt Disney World. Who knew that you there were so many cupcakes available at so many places at Disney World! Now I really want to go.

Have you been to Disney World? Have you tried any cupcakes there?

Monday, June 18, 2012

Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time - Revised for 2012

At the end of 2010 I compiled my list of my Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time. Since then, I've visited and reviewed so many great cupcake shops. Several of these have earned a spot on my list, so I need to update my list of favorites. The problem is that I couldn't just pick 10, so here's my list of the Top 11 Cupcakes of All Time.


#10 - Kara's Cupcakes









and my favorite cupcake shop of all time is Elizabethan Desserts!

I hope you enjoyed my list. There are still so many cupcake shops that I haven't tried yet, so this list will definitely be ever-changing. Do you know a cupcake shop that I should visit and review? Let me know so I can add it to my list of shops to visit in the future.

Friday, June 15, 2012

#1 on My Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time

This is the end of my list, my favorite cupcake shop of all-time.

I constantly get asked, "where can I find the best cupcakes?". Wow, it's just so hard to narrow it down because I've tasted so many delicious cupcakes. But I did. You can check out all of my reviews under the tab "Cupcake Reviews." It's now time to reveal the new list for The Cupcake Activist's Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time! This list will be constantly changing, as there are so many cupcakes I have yet to try.

#1




CUPCAKE SHOP: Elizabethan Desserts

LOCATION: Encinitas, CA

FAVORITE FLAVOR: Chocolate Toffee: chocolate cake with caramel buttercream, dipped in milk chocolate, and sprinkled with toffee



I discovered this quaint little shop in 2008. It's nestled within a nursery in Encinitas, CA. I call it heaven on earth! When I stepped inside the bakery, I immediately knew this was the place, the place that I would recommend as THE BEST CUPCAKE SHOP!

These cupcakes are definitely different than any other cupcake I've tried before. The difference is that these cupcakes are more like desserts in a cupcake shape. Elizabeth Desserts has differentiated themselves by going beyond the traditional cupcake idea. They also have the BEST sugar cookies. I'm craving one right now as I type this. Yum! I love their cupcakes and always stop there when I'm in the area. You should too! You can check out my full reviews here and here. I recommend them to everyone who asks where to get the best cupcakes. And that's why they are #1 on my list!

Elizabeth Desserts
155 Quail Garden Dr.
Encinitas, CA 92024
Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm
760-230-6780

Thursday, June 14, 2012

#2 on My Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time

The list continues...

I constantly get asked, "where can I find the best cupcakes?". Wow, it's just so hard to narrow it down because I've tasted so many delicious cupcakes. You can check out all of my reviews under the tab "Cupcake Reviews." But I think it's time to reveal the updated list for The Cupcake Activist's Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time! This list will be constantly changing, as there are so many cupcakes I have yet to try.


#2



CUPCAKE SHOP: My Delight Cupcakery

LOCATION: Ontario, CA

FAVORITE FLAVOR: It's a tie -- Samoa and Red Velvet Cherry-filled






It's hard to miss My Delight Cupcakery in Southern California, as they win every cupcake competition they enter! After tasting their award-winning cupcakes at several contests, I had to make a trip to their store. Best decision ever! My Delight Cupcakery offers a large variety of delicious cupcakes. I haven't eaten one I didn't fall in love with! It was hard to choose a favorite, as so many of them are. One way they differentiate themselves is that their cupcakes are multi-dimensional. They have special toppings, fillings, and great flavor combinations. They are always coming up with new flavors, a characteristic I very much enjoy. I can guarantee you will fall in love with their cupcakes too! You can see my full review here.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

#3 on My Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time

The list continues...

I constantly get asked, "where can I find the best cupcakes?". Wow, it's just so hard to narrow it down because I've tasted so many delicious cupcakes. You can check out all of my reviews under the tab "Cupcake Reviews." But I think it's time to reveal the list for The Cupcake Activist's Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time! This list will be constantly changing, as there are so many cupcakes I have yet to try.

#3



CUPCAKE SHOP: Sweet Tooth Fairy

LOCATION: 11 locations in Utah, Arizona, and Texas (Please come to Southern California!)

FAVORITE FLAVOR: Cheesecake, Dulce de Leche





I didn't expect to find my #3 favorite cupcake shop in Utah. Nothing against Utah, but I wasn't impressed by any cupcakes I had tried there before. Shame on me for judging the entire state of Utah.

Sweet Tooth Fairy is what I imagine heaven to be like! Delicious cupcakes, lots of flavor choices, cake bites, cookies....ahhh! Yep, heaven! When I visited Sweet Tooth Fairy in Provo, Utah a few years ago, I got to try about 20 flavors. I tried a few more when I stopped by their St. George location last year. I have yet to find a cupcake of theirs I didn't LOVE! Maybe if I'm lucky enough, Sweet Tooth Fairy will expand to Orange County. A girl can wish, can't she? You can read my full review here.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

#4 on My Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time

The list continues...

I constantly get asked, "where can I find the best cupcakes?". Wow, it's just so hard to narrow it down because I've tasted so many delicious cupcakes. You can check out all of my reviews under the tab "Cupcake Reviews." But I think it's time to reveal the updated list for The Cupcake Activist's Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time! This list will be constantly changing, as there are so many cupcakes I have yet to try.


#4



CUPCAKE SHOP: Retro Bakery

LOCATION: Las Vegas, NV

FAVORITE FLAVOR: Hop Scotch




Sometimes I kick myself because I waited too long to visit an amazing cupcake shop. This is one of those times. After several years of trying to visit Retro Bakery, I recently experienced the awesomeness! Listen to everyone when they say to try Hop Scotch. I would even go as far as buying several so you don't have to share. Retro Bakery's motto is "It's All About the Buttercream." And that's why I love them so much! Delicious buttercream frosting, moist cakes, large variety of flavors, and KILLER cookies! They have earned this spot on my list. You can read my full review here.

Monday, June 11, 2012

#5 on My Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time

The list continues...

I constantly get asked, "where can I find the best cupcakes?". Wow, it's just so hard to narrow it down because I've tasted so many delicious cupcakes. You can check out all of my reviews under the tab "Cupcake Reviews." But I think it's time to reveal my updated list for The Cupcake Activist's Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time! This list will be constantly changing, as there are so many cupcakes I have yet to try.

#5



CUPCAKE SHOP: Sweet and Saucy Shop

LOCATION: Long Beach, CA (second location in Newport Beach opening soon!)

FAVORITE FLAVOR: Candy Bar Cupcake - vanilla buttermilk cake, chocolate ganache filling, peanut butter cream cheese frosting, and salted caramel




I loved Sweet and Saucy Shop before it even opened. I mean, have you seen Melody's blog? And not only are her desserts absolutely beautiful, they taste AMAZING too! I really wish I could get married again just so I could have her dessert bar at my reception. Sweet and Saucy Shop sells cupcakes, cookies, and mini desserts. The cupcakes sell for $3.00-$3.25 and the minis for $1.50-$1.75. A second location will be opening in Newport Beach soon. I can't wait! You can read my full review here.

Friday, June 8, 2012

#6 on My Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time

The list continues...

I constantly get asked, "where can I find the best cupcakes?". Wow, it's just so hard to narrow it down because I've tasted so many delicious cupcakes. You can check out all of my reviews under the tab "Cupcake Reviews." But I think it's time to reveal the updated list for The Cupcake Activist's Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time! This list will be constantly changing, as there are so many cupcakes I have yet to try.

#6



CUPCAKE SHOP: Frosted Cupcakery

LOCATION: Belmont Shores, Hermosa Beach, Hollywood, CA

FAVORITE FLAVOR: Chocolate Caramel Toffee




Although I haven't tried one of their famous ice cream cupcakes yet, Frosted Cupcakery won me over with their delicious and creamy frostings. I originally described them as edible works of art because they are not just pieces of cake with frosting on top, they add extra little details to make their cupcakes more special. They have a large variety of cupcake flavors, amazing frostings, and great prices ($2.95 for a cupcake). I am definitely visiting them again so I can see if the ice cream cupcakes are worth the hype (I'm guessing yes!). You can read my full review here.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Sprinkles Moves into the Ice Cream World


It was only a matter of time before Sprinkles added a new product. The question was: what would it be? Macarons, cookies, cake pops? We got our answer: ICE CREAM

According to Serious Eats, Candace and Charles Nelson have opened an ice cream shop next door to their Beverly Hills Sprinkles Cupcakes store and ATM machine. Sprinkles Ice Cream shop will feature 12 flavors daily from 20 rotating flavors. Put this isn't just a normal ice cream shop. It will also feature red velvet cones, customizable ice cream sandwiches, and cupcake sundaes. Yes I said cupcake sundaes. I'm LOVING the sound of this!

So which flavors am I dying to try? Malted Milk Chocolate, Cap'n Crunch, and of course Red Velvet. I need to get there soon!

#7 on My Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time

The list continues...

I constantly get asked, "where can I find the best cupcakes?". Wow, it's just so hard to narrow it down because I've tasted so many delicious cupcakes. You can check out all of my reviews under the tab "Cupcake Reviews." But I think it's time to reveal my updated list for The Cupcake Activist's Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time! This list is constantly changing, as there are so many cupcakes I have yet to try.

#7



CUPCAKE SHOP: Sprinkles Cupcakes

LOCATION: Throughout the USA (my location: Newport Beach, CA)

FAVORITE FLAVOR: Red Velvet and Pumpkin




How could Sprinkles not be on my list? Sprinkles was the first cupcake shop I've ever visited and it is definitely a winner. Their giant cupcakes are delicious! My favorite flavors are the ones with cream cheese frosting. I'm dying to try their new Salty Caramel cupcake though! Sprinkles is one of the pioneers of the cupcake world. They have great tasting cupcakes, a nice flavor selection, and enough frosting to keep you on a sugar high for a week. $3.25 is a small price to pay for frosting happiness! You can read my full review here.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

#8 on My Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time

The list continues...

I constantly get asked, "where can I find the best cupcakes?". Wow, it's just so hard to narrow it down because I've tasted so many delicious cupcakes. You can check out all of my reviews under the tab "Cupcake Reviews." But I think it's time to reveal my updated list for The Cupcake Activist's Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time! This list is constantly changing, as there are so many cupcakes I have yet to try. .

#8



CUPCAKE SHOP: Sweet Revenge

LOCATION: New York City, NY

FAVORITE FLAVOR: Crimson & Cream - Raspberry red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting




The first out-of-state cupcake shop on the list! I first tasted these cupcakes when my husband brought them home from a business trip in New York. When I visited New York City last year, this was a must-do on my cupcake crawl.

Sweet Revenge isn't just a cupcake shop, it's also a restaurant and bar. They even have cupcake and wine pairings. Sweet Revenge has made my top 10 list because of their sophisticated and unique cupcake flavors. The frostings on their Signature Cupcakes were amazing (and we all know that frosting is a deal-breaker for me)! You can read my full review here.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

#9 on My Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time

The list continues...

I constantly get asked, "where can I find the best cupcakes?". Wow, it's just so hard to narrow it down because I've tasted so many delicious cupcakes. You can check out all of my reviews under the tab "Cupcake Reviews." But I think it's time to reveal my updated list for The Cupcake Activist's Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time! This list is constantly changing, as there are so many cupcakes I have yet to try.

#9



CUPCAKE SHOP: Crumbs Bake Shop

LOCATION: West Coast and East Coast (my location: Beverly Hills or Larchmont)

FAVORITE FLAVOR: Banana Peanut Butter with cream cheese frosting




My first visit to Crumbs Bake Shop was back in May 2009. I made the horrible mistake of only getting one cupcake, so I had to visit again a few months later. One thing that I really love about Crumbs is their selection of flavors. Maybe that's a problem though...too many choices! They also have special edition flavors for every holiday and major event throughout the year. Crumbs cupcakes are super sized, so the $3.75 price tag fits them well, but is well worth it. Lots of cake and lots of frosting! You can check out both reviews here and here.

Monday, June 4, 2012

#10 on My Top Cupcakes of All Time

The list continues...

I constantly get asked, "where can I find the best cupcakes?". Wow, it's just so hard to narrow it down because I've tasted so many delicious cupcakes. You can check out all of my reviews under the tab "Cupcake Reviews." But I think it's time to reveal my updated list for The Cupcake Activist's Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time! This list is constantly changing, as there are so many cupcakes I have yet to try.

#10



CUPCAKE SHOP: Kara's Cupcakes

LOCATION: San Francisco, CA

FAVORITE FLAVOR: Banana Caramel (filled) - Banana cupcake with caramel filling and silky cream cheese frosting




I visited Kara's Cupcakes a few years ago during a weekend getaway to San Francisco. Kara's Cupcakes won me over with their large size of cupcakes, great selection of flavors, great quality, good proportion of frosting to cake, and price ($3.25). Kara's Cupcakes has six locations, all in the Bay Area. You can check out my full review here.

Friday, June 1, 2012

#11 on My Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time

At the end of 2010 I compiled my list of my Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time. Since then, I've visited and reviewed so many great cupcake shops. Several of these have earned a spot on my list, so I needed to update my list of favorites. The problem is that I couldn't just pick 10, so here's my list of the Top 11 Cupcakes of All Time.

I constantly get asked, "where can I find the best cupcakes?". Wow, it's just so hard to narrow it down because I've tasted so many delicious cupcakes. You can check out all of my reviews under the tab "Cupcake Reviews." But I think it's time to reveal my updated list for The Cupcake Activist's Top 10 Cupcakes of All Time! This list is constantly changing, as there are so many cupcakes I have yet to try.

#11



CUPCAKE SHOP: SusieCakes

LOCATION: Newport Beach, CA (other locations throughout CA)

FAVORITE FLAVOR: Ginger Spice




If you ask me where to find a great cupcake in Orange County, my first response is always: SusieCakes. SusieCakes was one of the first cupcake shops I reviewed and they have remained a favorite ever since. Their cupcakes are simple but delicious. Of course my favorite flavor has to be a flavor they only offer during the fall. Besides cupcakes, SusieCakes also offers a variety of other baked goods, such as cookies, whoopie pies, bars, and cakes. They have one of the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever tasted. I had to keep them on my list, so they became my #11. You can read my full review here.

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