I've been on the cupcake bandwagon for a while and frankly, I think it is one fad that I will never grow tired of. I love everything about cupcakes. I love that they remind me of childhood birthdays, that they are individually sized and portioned controlled. I love that they make a celebration more special or a coffee date with a best friend that much more special. Me? I adore cupcakes.
A few years ago I started toying with boxed cake mixes. When they would call for water, I'd do things like add orange juice and orange rind...et voila, a chocolate-orange cupcake. Or my personal favourite is to buy a can of cherry pie filling, fill the cup up half way with batter, put a spoonful of the cherry pie filling in the middle and continue to add more batter....et voila, a cherry chocolate cupcake.
This is obviously the cheaters version but to my defense, I have found an awesome and affordable organic cake mix that seems to please the crowd every time.
Now onto my weekend story about cupcakes.
On Friday my family and I had a little reunion lunch and we had reason to celebrate, so I decided to go and splurge on cupcakes from the new bakery in my Dad and Step Mom's neighbourhood called The Flour Shoppe. When I went in to the bakery I was so excited to see so many beautiful little cupcakes neatly stacked on cake displays that I decided to buy 12 so that we could each try a few different types. Chocolate mint, lime and coconut, hazelnut and my personal favourite peanut butter with buttercream jelly icing- oh my! These were obviously not cake mix cupcakes.
At 2.50 a pop they aren't cheap but let me tell you each of us quietly devoured our delicious cupcakes and it was worth every penny.
So if you live in Ottawa or you are visiting, I highly recommend that you find an excuse to celebrate something and go and treat yourself and maybe a friend to a delicious cupcake at The Flour Shoppe. You won't be disappointed. I promise.
So tell me, are you a fan of cupcakes? What is your favourite type?
Mmmm Red Velvet are definitely a favourite ^_^ So good! Esp. when they are nice and moist! (Which is incidentally my least favourite word.)
ReplyDeletehahahaha! moist is your least favourite word???
ReplyDeleteYum. We have a store like that here. So, so good.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! They look so delicious. Your neice's expression says it all!
ReplyDelete*starts drooling*
ReplyDeleteI was really into cupcakes a year or so ago, but now as you probably know, I'm ALL about jumbo muffins, haha. I guess I'd be more into delicious things like cupcakes, if I had the option to go out and enjoy them somewhere other than my own kitchen.
Someday I hope to live somewhere with a gluten free bakery, and hope that they make creations without my other allergens as well.
Gosh those cupcakes look good.
And theres nothing wrong with using a box mix, I say. Especially if you're adding yummy things like cherry pie filling!!!
I absolutely agree!!! And these photos are LOVELY!!!!!
ReplyDeletecupcakes make the world a better place! next time you're in Ottawa you should check out Isobel's
ReplyDeletehttp://www.apt613.ca/2010/05/02/not-just-a-muffin-with-icing-cupcakes-conquer-ottawa/
those cupcakes look divine. my friend molly taught be a trick once of making a cupcake sandwich. you take the cupcake and break the bottom off (break the cake part in half) and place the half on top of the frosting and squish slightly...super yummy and then you get frosting in every bite. you do this after you photograph the cupcake.
ReplyDeleteHi Johanna! Thanks so much for this post (I'm Melissa and the owner of The Flour Shoppe). Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes sound divine - perhaps you'll see that at the shoppe next time you're in town!
ReplyDeleteGlad everyone enjoyed them - your photos are gorgeous!
Melissa