Cupcakes Actually

I was very excited to see a cupcakery opening up in my neck of the woods. The shop itself is a sleek and attractive study in glass and ice blue. One of the chefs and owners, Sue was behind the counter chatting and boxing cheerfully.

The website lists an intriguing menu of saucily named cupcakes, and six of those flavors greeted us on silver cakestands. A friend and I bought a beautiful baby blue sampler box of cupcakes and took them out to the street-side tables to enjoy.

I had to start with their signature Actually Dipped Black and White cupcake, a vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting dipped in chocolate. My first and lasting impression was that the cake was quite dry. The vanilla flavor was just right, present but not too strong, and the cake was dense like a pound cake. My preference for a lighter crumb is a matter of personal taste, but I think anyone would agree that this cake is simply too dry. The vanilla frosting had both the flavor and texture of melted marshmallows which I quite liked, but the chocolate coating was both grainy and so diluted by oil for viscosity that it had not much chocolate flavor.

Next came the red velvet cupcake which was decidely pink. Although adorable with its blushing color and little pink heart, this cake had neither the fluffiness nor the tang of a red velvet cake made with buttermilk or vinegar. The cream cheese frosting was nice, if a bit stiff, but both of us agreed that the cake was so dry as to be inedible without a tall glass of milk. I actually ended up throwing it away. Don’t tell my husband.

Heather’s Pick: The real winner of the day was the lemon cupcake called Pucker Up. A very intense lemon curd filling gives this gem of a cupcake both moisture and bite. The cake and frosting are subtly lemon-flavored so that the curd can really shine.

Verdict: I would go back again for the Pucker Up—and take a big glass of milk.