Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Cupcakes & Co.

A couple of weeks ago I noticed that a new cupcake place has moved into town. That's right, it's not a new bakery--it is another one of those trendy shops that focuses on one baked good--the cupcake. I like to bake, but I also like to go to the trendy cupcakes shop and have been partial to Sprinkles ever since I started working on the west side. But after my first taste from Cupcakes & Co., I may have changed my tune.

I passed by the new cupcake place a few times before it opened right in the heart of Burbank and checked out the unfinished website. Unfortunately, even though they are now open (with great hours 10am-10pm!) the website is still unfinished. Just last week, we were parking for dinner and got a great spot right in front of the cupcake shop. That is when I noticed the late hours and was thrilled that I could go to dinner and come back and they would still be open!

At first glance, the store looks exactly like Sprinkles with the same downward angled special cupcake shelves, the same frosted glass case, the same kind of menu on the wall. The product, however, is completely different. The store is clean, bright and airy. They have a couple of places to sit, but I think they know that most of their business is to-go business. The store is right near the movie theaters providing after-movie dessert a little more unique than coffee and ice cream.

There was a lot of different choices of cupcakes instead of the old standards. They didn't have labels on the trays forcing customers to speak with the people behind the counter about the different kinds available. There were two people working the evening I was there and they were both more than happy to inform the customers of the flavors. Each description sounded more divine than the next. I was tempted to buy one of each flavor, but that seemed a little excessive for just me.

I had a hard time choosing between the chocolate cupcake with cheesecake filling covered in a chocolate frosting with white chocolate and dark chocolate shavings and the dark chocolate malt cupcake with chocolate buttercream and dark chocolate malt crunch sprinkles. I finally decided on the latter. As I was paying, they offered napkins and knives and forks and I said I'd be O.K. I should have listened! That was the messiest cupcake I've eaten in a long time--but well worth the mess.

The buttercream was light and fluffy with a light chocolate flavor. The cake was moist and delicious and flavorful. It was a dark chocolate cake and it was very much the flavor of dark chocolate with a hint of bitterness. I would go back there for another cupcake in a heartbeat. I had the opportunity to compare my experience with one at Sprinkles today and I think I will abandon my original Beverly Hills favorite and stick with Cupcakes & Co. in Burbank for all my cupcake needs.





Cupcakes & Co.
130 E Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, CA 91502
MAP

1 comment:

Liz said...

I LOVE Cupcakes!! Those sound really good. Maybe when we are in California next year for the big wedding celebration!! Not sure if they could live up to your wonderful description though.