Sprinkles Cupcakes – Surprisingly Good

Posted on January 26, 2009 / 2 comments » / Uncategorized
As I was preparing for my mini vacation in Phoenix and researching where I could find some baked goodness while I was there, I learned that the famed Los Angeles bakery, Sprinkles Cupcakes, opened a location in Scottsdale (just outside Phoenix). Before I say what I thought of them, I first have to admit that I had tons of reservations. On the one hand, I’m from New York – home to some of the best restaurants and bakeries in the country. Being around the best of the best has made me a bit of a food snob. (At least I can admit it) So I found it hard to believe that such a “great” bakery was not in New York. Sprinkles has gotten lots of love in the press, which after having some exposure to how PR works, made me a bit skeptical as well. Furthermore, Bridget, of E’s The Girls Next Door, rants and raves about these cupcakes on the show which led me to ask whether she was a paid spokesperson of sorts for Sprinkles. (I know, I know, I’m a bit of a cynic)

Well, I am thrilled to report that the 25-minute cab ride from downtown Phoenix to Scottsdale was worth it. My experience at Sprinkles was phenomenal and way better than I expected.

Decor
I loved the grown-up, modern look and feel of Sprinkles. I tried to get a good inside shot without too many shadows but it was a very sunny day when I went. There is nothing old-fashioned about this place. It’s hip, chic and contemporary. The bakery was also extremely clean, which is very important for me as far as food establishments are concerned. There was no seating inside ,so we had to sit on a bench outside the store, which was a bit of a bummer.

Staff/Service
The staff and service at this Sprinkles location was stellar. The girl behind the counter was extremely very friendly, courteous and patient with me as it took me forever to pick out which flavors I wanted. And since I was new to Sprinkles, she was very thorough in her explanations of the different flavors available.

Treats
The cupcakes themselves were great. After one bite you can tell they are made from scratch. Every single cupcake we had was light and moist with just the right amount of crumb and sweetness. The frosting, however, was a bit of a letdown. It was too sweet, which sometimes overpowered the cake. My favorite of the cupcakes I tried was the Chocolate Marshmallow and now that I think of it, one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much was because it didn’t have frosting.

Cost
Very expensive. A single cupcake costs $3.25. As far as baked goods are concerned, Sprinkles only offers cupcakes. But they also carry an assortment of other merchandise, including tee-shirts, cupcake mix and cupcake trays. I would never pay $14 for cake mix but I did snag a pink cupcake tray, which would make a great gift for the baking aficionado in your life (even though it’s a bit expensive).

My Chica Rating – 4 Estrellas (Stars)
The cake part of the cupcakes was awesome but the frosting was thick, pasty and too sweet. They were also overpriced – $3.25 a pop! (and they were not jumbo cupcakes) Not sure how they are going to get away with charging that much in NYC. But I will still welcome them with open arms.

Sprinkles packaging is impeccable. The box was no nicely put together that I didn’t even want to open it. Not shown, the box was enclosed in a zip-top bag. But I would forgo fancy packaging for cheaper cupcakes.

A yummy assortment – (from left to right) – vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream, lemon cake w/lemon-vanilla buttercream, vanilla cake w/coconut vanilla buttercream, red velvet cake w/vanilla buttercream, dark chocolate filled with marshmallow cream topped with chocolate ganache.

Red velvet cupcake – the modern dots corresponds to the flavor. Their website lists the many varieties they come in. This was my second favorite cupcake of the ones I tried.

My favorite of my selection – dark chocolate cake with marshmallow filling topped with chocolate ganache. Rich but not overpowering chocolate flavor with just the right amount of sweetness. The marshmallow was just the right texture – gooey without being runny.

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2 Responses to “Sprinkles Cupcakes – Surprisingly Good”

  1. 1

    Megan — January 27, 2009 @ 7:45 pm

    Those look delicious! I bought a canister of Sprinkles’ cupcake mix from Williams-Sonoma once. They were peppermint ones and actually came out really moist, and I liked them better than other box mixes. (I spent this whole weekend making cupcakes, so I’ll have a post up on those soon!)

  2. 2

    How To Eat A Cupcake — January 27, 2009 @ 7:50 pm

    OMG I LOVE LOVE LOVE the peace sign cupcake! Toooo awesome!For the biscuits, I think they’d be good with pepperjack cheese. It would add a nice little zing. For a milder flavor, colby would be delicious!

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