"MEN LOVE MY CUPCAKES"-DOROTHY ZBORNAK

Coyi café
42 Avenue B, East Village

   

Since Robicelli’s Market, famous for their cupcakes, closed down their Brooklyn storefront it seems they have been outsourcing their cupcakes to several bakeries in NYC. I caught them a couple months ago at Coyi Café in the East Village. The cafe had about 4 Robicelli cupcake options, all with fun names. I was so happy when I saw the Bea Arthur cupcake. It combined my 2 loves…cupcakes and the Golden Girls. Together they created unprecedented harmony in the world of Michy. Back to the cupcakes. The Bea Arthur was black coffee-infused chocolate cake with cheesecake buttercream, drizzled with espresso ganache. It sounds fancy but it was an average tasting cupcake. I guess it had to be simple, just like Bea's alter ego Dorothy Zbornak. I also took a bite out of my friend’s French toast cupcake which was maple custard soaked cinnamon cake with maple-vanilla buttercream and candied pecans. It wasn’t too moist but tasted better and better the more I dug into it. Although these weren't the most delicious cupcakes I've ever had, I like the creativity the bakers put into it. I hope to try more of Robicelli’s cupcakes in the future. Please open another storefront in the near future. Thanks.

peace, love, and cupcakes
michy

BAKED WITH LOVE

Baked by Melissa
529 Broadway, Soho
7 E 14th St, Union Square

I have to say this place has the smallest locations AND the smallest cupcakes. Melissa sells her cupcakes for $1 a pop. The cupcakes themselves are only about the size of a quarter. During my first visit to their popup location in Soho, I ordered 4 cupcakes for my friend and me. The next time I decided to visit their new storefront location in Union Square. Between both locations, I’ve had the following cupcakes: red velvet, peanut buttercup, cookies and cream, and peanut butter and jelly. While every flavor is equally delicious, they are very overpriced. A buck or two more and you can get a substantially sized cupcake of your choice. For some reason, there is a huge TV in their storefront location displaying their menu. This is kind of silly being that their menu isn’t that extensive and doesn’t really change daily. Despite the price, the cupcakes are good for automatic portion control or if you want to have a variety of cupcakes in one sitting. They taste almost impeccable.  As a fellow cupcake enthusiast, I can see Melissa really knows her cupcakes.

Peace, love, and cupcakes
Michy

BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS WANT S'MORE

I recently bought myself the greatest birthday gift of all time-a pink Kichenaid Artisan Mixer.  Thoughts of cupcakes galore jumped through my head and I had to make something immediately.  A perfect ending to a summertime BBQ....graham cracker crust, super chococolate filling, and gooey marshmellow frosting.

From Annie's Eats
 
* makes about 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

For the graham cracker crust:
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
5 1/3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

For the cake:
2 cups plus 2 tbsp. sugar
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup plus 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water


For the frosting:

8 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
½ tsp. cream of tartar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:


Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.

In a small mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs (NOTE: I put a bunch of graham crackers in a closed zip-lock bag and mashed it up-this also gets out pent up agression!), sugar and melted butter; mix well with a fork. Drop approximately 1 tablespoon of the graham cracker mixture in the bottom of each cupcake liner and press down to line the bottom. Sprinkle a small amount of the chopped chocolate on top of the graham cracker crusts. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, and maintain the oven temperature.

 

To make the cake batter, sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on low speed just to combine. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract; whisk together. Add to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the boiling water and stir just to combine. The addition of the water will make the batter very thin.

Divide the batter evenly amongst the cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ of the way full. Return the pans to the oven and bake about 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it reaches 160° F with an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk starting at low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in the vanilla until combined. Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. Garnish with chocolate and graham cracker segments (optional).

                         

   

The final step-Enjoy! Be prepared to want some more :) 

peace, love, and cupcakes
michy

NOBODY PUTS CUPCAKE IN THE CORNER

Cupcake Corner

61 New Hyde Park Road, Garden City

This is the first Long Island location I’ve reviewed thus far…which is kind of sad since Long Island is my home!  But I keep hearing about new cupcakery openings on the island so watch out for more reviews this side of the East River :)  Cupcake Corner is another nostalgic bakery decorated with cupcake paintings and pink cupcake signs.   There are little tables for the little ones and crayons for coloring.  If I were 5 years old, I’m pretty sure I’d hang out there all day.  The first time, I got the Banana Joe cupcake which was made with chocolate, peanut butter, and banana.  What a great combination!  Not the best texture but great overall taste.   I returned with a friend a few months later and got the cookies and cream cupcake-so good.  It tasted just like an Oreo cookie.  I took a bite out of my friend’s peanut butter cupcake…again, delicious.  They sure know how to work their cookies and peanut butter!  The cupcakes are a very fair price even for Long Island standards-$2.50 for a pretty large cupcake.  I’m happy to have this cupcakery so close to home.

Peace, love, and cupcakes

Michy