Review: Crushcakes

A few weeks ago I was in the middle of tax season and overloaded with stress. April 16th was my first day of freedom! I took advantage of the end of tax season by going on a weekend getaway with my husband to Santa Barbara. The weather was perfect! We had a great time relaxing, riding bikes, and running along the beach. Of course, what is a getaway without some cupcakes?!

A little bit of research led me to Crushcakes Cupcakery, a cute cupcake shop near downtown Santa Barbara.

The shop had a small area for waiting to order cupcakes. It had a very homey feel, a good thing since cupcakes are a comfort food. The small area was a bit of a problem because you couldn't see the cupcakes until it was your turn to order. This didn't bother me because I always ask a million questions about each cupcake before I pick anyways.




I couldn't leave without buying their signature cupcake -- the Crushcake: red velvet cupcake topped with chocolate heart dipped into signature sour cream frosting.




Of course I am smiling in this photo, I am about to eat some yummy cupcakes (although I didn't know they were yummy yet)!




Check out the view from our hotel room....amazing! We stayed at the Fess Parker Doubletree Resort. I don't know that I've ever stayed in a room that nice before. (And the best part?...the chocolate chip cookies they greeted us with at check-in!)




My husband and I devoured three flavors: Peanut Butter Cup (chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting), Crushcake (I already mentioned that), and Buttermilk Crumb Cake (buttermilk cinnamon swirl cake with brown sugar cinnamon frosting).

The first things I always look at are the size and proportions. They were good-sized cupcakes, not too overwhelming and the frosting was well-proportioned to the cake. The second thing I check is the cake moistness. Good, although after tasting the cupcakes, we left the remainders in our hotel room for an after-dinner snack and they were semi-dry when we returned. Next, frosting thickness and taste. The frosting was thick and creamy, exactly how I love it. The sour cream frosting could have been a little bit more tart. Last, overall taste---yum! All three flavors were great. I loved the flavor combination of the Buttermilk Crumb Cake, a unique flavor that I hadn't tried before. Reminded me of the cinnamon bundt cake my mom used to make. The other two flavors were pretty standard.




As I was leaving the store, the owner told me that the Coconut Cloud was their best flavor. Since I already paid for my cupcakes and I was in a hurry, I didn't get a chance to try. But if it's recommended by the owner, then you shouldn't pass it up like I did. I was so happy to find a cupcake shop in Santa Barbara that served good cupcakes. On your next trip to or through Santa Barbara, you should definitely stop by.

Crushcakes
1315 Anacapa Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
805-963-9353
Open 7 days/week 9am-6pm
Twitter: @crushcakes
Facebook: crushcakes

Crumbs Bake Shop Introduces The Colossal Crumb

Photo: Crumbs

Crumbs Bake Shop has come out with a new size of cupcake--The Colossal Crumb. According to their website, The Colossal Crumb is 6-1/2" tall and 6" wide. It serves 6-8 people and comes in 13 different flavors. It is also known as as cake. Oh wait...that's my joke.

On a side note, Crumbs' Cupcake of the Month is Cosmo: vanilla cake tinted pink filled with strawberry buttercream topped with lime cream cheese frosting edged in pink sugar. Lime cream cheese sounds really refreshing.

Photo: Crumbs

Shipping Cupcakes by Yummy Cupcakes

Rachel from Cupcakes Takes the Cake was recently in LA. Of course she stopped by a few cupcake shops, one of them being Yummy Cupcakes in Santa Monica. She posted pictures of her cupcakes, but also included pictures of cupcakes in a jar. I was intrigued by the cupcakes in a jar because I get so many people asking me about how to ship cupcakes.

Last year I wrote about Beantown Baker's idea of shipping cupcakes in small mason jars. I even tried it myself when I participated in Operation Baking Gals. But Yummy Cupcakes makes it better by taking it one step further: layering.

Looks like Yummy Cupcakes starts with a layer of frosting, then adds 1/3 cupcake cut horizontal, then more frosting, then 1/3 cupcake, then more frosting, then the remainder of the cupcake, then a bit more frosting. They also use large mason jars, instead of small ones, which allows room for more cupcake! And because the cupcake is dissected, it doesn't really matter that the cupcake doesn't look beautiful....the stacking of the cupcake and frosting give the cupcake a unique look. Like this!

Photo: Flickr

Photo: Flickr

To get more info about ordering cupcakes from Yummy Cupcakes, check out their website.

SusieCakes' Mother's Day Treats

Let's face it. Although moms always say they don't want anything for Mother's Day, you know you can't get away without getting her something. How about a treat or two from SusieCakes? This month they are featuring treats in honor of moms by using peanut butter and jelly. Here's what they have to offer:

PB&J Cupcakes: jelly-swirled vanilla cupcake filled with a dollop of grape jelly and topped with peanut butter buttercream frosting. Yum!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cream Pie: creamy peanut butter filling in chocolate ganache layered graham crust, topped with fresh whipped cream and salted peanuts

Jam Bars: shortbread crust with raspberry preserves and crumble topping

Peanut Butter Pops: peanut butter buttercream dipped in dark chocolate and colored non-perils

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake: graham crack crust and sour cream topping

Susie's Nutty Cookies: peanut butter buttercream sandwiched between two peanut butter cookies

Razzleberry Pie: strawberries, cherries, and raspberries baked inside flaky crust

Heart-shaped Red Velvet Cake: inscribed with Happy Mother's Day

Another New Cupcake Shop in South Orange County

South Orange County must really love cupcakes because that's where all of the new cupcake shops are opening. How about some cupcake love for North Orange County where there are exactly zero cupcakeries? Oh well, I'll take what I can get.

According to the Orange County Register, Sugar Blossom Bake Shop has opened in San Clemente. The owner is Lei Shishak, a former executive pastry chef at St. Regis Monarch Beach. According to Sugar Blossom Bake Shop's website, Lei will be "specializing in cupcakes, cookies, and yummy macademia cinnamon rolls."

I like that she will be selling more than just cupcakes. Sometimes I crave chocolate chip cookies along with my cupcakes. Can't wait to try these treats!

Sugar Blossom Bake Shop
204 Avenida del Mar
San Clemente, CA 92672