Posted by Tammy at 2:00 pm
May 242010
Fruity Pebbles on cupcakes? Why not?
If you like breakfast cereal and cupcakes, then get prepare your entry for the anniversary edition of Iron Cupcake Chicago. All you need to do to participate in the challenge is come up with a fantastic cereal-themed cupcake idea and then send an email to Irma Dinkha (beautifulcakes@sbcglobal.net).
The event will be held at Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro, 3905 N Lincoln Avenue on June 7, 6pm with a $5 cover. There will be a raffle, prizes and, of course, lots of cupcakes to try!
Posted by Tammy at 10:00 am
May 212010
Waiting in line for Flirty Cupcakes.
If you’re wandering around Chicago and come across a blue van selling cupcakes, it’s not a mirage. No, it’s the latest way to bring yet another avenue of cupcake consumption to Chicago’s sugar-hungry consumers. After all, that’s what this city needs, hmm?
Right now Flirty Cupcakes is a novelty and is helping to break ground for other street food ventures. Cupcake fans as well as food truck lobbyists are certainly happy to see them. However, I’m concerned that they’re not serving under-cupcaked neighborhoods. I also fear they will wear out their welcome by parking in front of competing establishments or increasing the density of bakeries unduly. When I spotted them on Clark the other day, they were camped out in front of the Rise ‘n Roll Amish Market & Bakery. That can’t be good and may even spark a back-lash against the nascent food truck trend.
Did I get these at the intersection of ooh and aah? Perhaps.
Given the number of cupcake options in Chicago, I felt it was fair to rate them against their competition. For one, the price is steep for the size/quality — $3.25 for a single cupcake and $5.25 for four mini-cupcakes. If you’re going to spend that kind of money in downtown Chicago for cupcakes, I say head over to The Cupcake Counter, Sugar Bliss or make the trek up the road for More Cupcakes or even Fox & Obel. There are advantages to the stand-alone stores — you don’t have to track them down, worry that they’ll run out, fail to spot them, or wait in line.
Having said that, the cupcakes at Flirty Cupcakes do have something to offer the passer-by. The buttercream frosting was excellent and piled high — too much for the tiny cupcakes. I like to take a bite of the frosting and cupcake together and these aren’t engineered that way. The packaging makes it easy to transport from the sidewalk to your office. I’m also satisfied with the range of cupcakes available — everything from a plain jane to a “Curious George” banana-chocolate cupcake can be counted upon. A cupcake with nutella ganache nearly took me away from my standard red velvet and vanilla choices.
If you want to track down Flirty Cupcakes, you can find them by following their Twitter account, or learn more on their site.
Peanut butter cupcake at Xoco.
I returned to Xoco last week with fellow foodie @urbanmatt and was pleased to find peanut butter cupcakes available for dessert. I couldn’t resist ordering one to top off our meal because I wondered if Rick Bayless’ contribution to the national cupcake craze would match up to other cupcake delights throughout the city. I also applaud any chef who is man enough to give cupcakes a try, not because they’re hip, but because truly good specialty cupcakes are hard to make.
Does Bayless’ make the grade? Yes and no. His peanut butter frosting is wonderful — light, airy, and not the least bit grainy. But unfortunately, the cake itself was way overcooked. It had a chocolate ganache center, but that didn’t make up for the cake’s outer edges being almost crispy. It stuck to wrapping when I peeled it back, and the part that didn’t was a tad dry.
Go with ice cream or hot chocolate at Xoco for dessert. They won’t disappoint. And neither will Bayless’ standard specialties. Who says you can’t have guacamole for dessert?
Xoco
449 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60654
Who says guacamole is a starter? It's good for dessert too!
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