Dessert trends (and boyfriends) come and go. There was the one who always wanted make whoopee (pie). And the one we de-eclaired our love for. And the most recent one, who cake pop(ped) the question. But we’ll always have a place in our heart for our first love: The Cupcake.
And with cupcakeries opening all over Bergen, we felt Mama should give the old fave a little sugar. After sampling dozens of the sweet things in our test kitchen, here’s how the cupcake crumbled:
Classically Handsome and Sweet: If you like a more traditional cupcake and frosting, you will love Sweet Spot’s classic creations. Our testers felt the cake was fresh and moist and the icing was like a home-made twist on Duncan Hines®. Owner Melina Milionis’ take on the classics (vanilla and chocolate frosted) are just as good as her custom creations for parties, where she works with you on a theme to impress even the most discriminating mom. ($3.00 Per Cupcake, Sweet Spot, 22 Union Avenue, Cresskill, 201-266-8667) WATCH FOR BERGEN MAMA’S SWEET SPOT PERK TOMORROW
The Kind You Want to Bring Home to Mom and Dad: Beautifully presented (and tasting),Carousel and Crumbs’ cuppies not only look pretty, they taste scrumptious too. These veteran cupcakeries know a thing or two about keeping the quality high while churning out their treats. We loved the vintage look and flavor of Carousel’s “Hostess” cupcake, which threw us back to our grade school days and Crumbs’ “Pink” flavor was a perfect girly combo of pink tinted vanilla cake paired with pink vanilla cream cheese icing. Both sweet shops packaged their treats so they arrive at your home, frosting in place, looking as good as they did in the store. (Starting at $2.25 for classics at Cupcakes by Carousel, 192 E. Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood 201-389-3090 and opening in Englewood in the Fall)& (Starting at $2.95 for signature size at Crumbs at 123 E. Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood, 201-447-5800 or on-line for national delivery)
A Little Cheesy But Still Charming: Sweet Indulgences has two specialties: cupcakes and cheesecake, and the owners thought it would be really fun (and tasty) to combine the two. We wholeheartedly agree after tasting the Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake Cupcake and the Peanut Butter Cup Perfection Cheesecake Cupcake which were nice alternatives to the typical. Both worth a try. (Starting at $2 per cupcake, Sweet Indulgences, 120B West Shore Avenue, Dumont 201-384-2253)
The New Kid on the Block: Opened in April by marketing exec Madhuri Premnath, who wanted to pursue her passion for baking, Baked in a Cup bakes all of their cupcakes daily using ingredients like Madagascar Vanilla and real Valrhona Chocolate. We went wild for the Red Velvets topped with a generous swirl of cream cheese icing and extra in the middle for good measure. The shop’s daily menu includes the classics as well as “specials of the house” like Salted Caramel and S’mores and “cocktail cupcakes” like Baileys and Pina Colada for those who want it spiked. ($2.75 per cupcake, Baked in a Cup, 70 East Main Street, Ramsey 201-962-3377)
The Guy You Want to Flirt With: Afraid of commitment? La Promenade has devised the perfect solution. Nibble on thumbnail sized cupcakes called “Petites” in yellow cake, chocolate, carrot or red velvet, which look as good as they taste. Perfect for parties. (Available for special order: 75cents per petite at La Promenade, 137 Piermont Road, Tenafly, 201-567-2500)
