Gourmet cupcakes...I don't get it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering what rock the OP has been living under that just now is the first time she's tried one off the biggest food fads for the past few years.

Some of us either don't live near a cupcake place or have been indoctrinated to believe that homemade cupcakes are the best. lol

I don't have a dog in the cupcake fight, I just find it odd "indoctrinated" and the OP just now tried one? You people are so extreme!

I'm the indoctrinated poster. I was trying to be cute, not extreme -- my mother NEVER bought cakes from a store, nor made anything from a box. EVER. So when the cupcake fad came out, it didn't really mean much to me because I grew up thinking homemade is best! lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've tried GC and thought they were just ok. Kinda dry. There's a great place near my parents' house in PA.
I bake cc at home and freeze half. Freeze frosting separately and then we've got them for another time.

I like this idea. Not to be obtuse, but do you freeze the batter or freeze the cooked cupcakes?

[Anonymous]

The cupcake trend is along the lines of the Starbucks experience. Allowing one's self a treat. Luxury via a $5 cupcake. Faith Popcorn actually wrote about this trend many years ago in The Popcorn Report. Small Indulgences (I think that is what she called it.) I work in marketing and love reading about consumer trends. This one has really lasted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The cupcake trend is along the lines of the Starbucks experience. Allowing one's self a treat. Luxury via a $5 cupcake. Faith Popcorn actually wrote about this trend many years ago in The Popcorn Report. Small Indulgences (I think that is what she called it.) I work in marketing and love reading about consumer trends. This one has really lasted.

I know! I live in the MIddle East and we have gourmet cupcake stores here!

[Anonymous]

Nothing beats a honeydew Rita's Italian ice - with real chunks of melon!

[Anonymous]

I've had one gourmet cupcake. Waited in line for it and all. I was very disappointed, it was dry and the icing wasn't good. Not worth my time or money, I don't think I even finished it. Would eat a homemade cupcake over that any day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The cupcake trend is along the lines of the Starbucks experience. Allowing one's self a treat. Luxury via a $5 cupcake. Faith Popcorn actually wrote about this trend many years ago in The Popcorn Report. Small Indulgences (I think that is what she called it.) I work in marketing and love reading about consumer trends. This one has really lasted.

I could understand the cupcake thing if it were really a treat. But all the ones I have tried have been dry and bland. For me, a small luxury treat is a good gelato -- something far better than I could ever make at home. Now that's worth the extra bucks and standing in line for. Dry cupcakes with sickeningly sweet icing...not so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I brought cupcakes to my daughter's first-grade class for her birthday and one of the other kids asked if they were "from Georgetown." No, kid, they're from Bethesda. I chose not to add that they were from the Safeway in Bethesda.

wow
used to be that the kids asked 'did you make it yourself?'

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I brought cupcakes to my daughter's first-grade class for her birthday and one of the other kids asked if they were "from Georgetown." No, kid, they're from Bethesda. I chose not to add that they were from the Safeway in Bethesda.

Funny!

[Anonymous]

People, I've got one word for you......pie. Pie. It's the wave of the future.

[Anonymous]

As someone said, yummy cupcakes are easy to make at home. Other desserts that aren't as easy, I am more likely to buy from a bakery. This "fad" is silly in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

I used to think those cupcakes weren't worth the money. But yesterday I tried a new place in Barracks Row, the Sweet Lobby. It's a tiny place ticked in right next to Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins.

I got the vanilla butterscotch cupcake and wow... I suddenly understood why it's three bucks. Generally, I'm into the "goo" aspect of cakes - I like the icing better than the cake.

This cupcake had a huge lump of butterscotchy goo baked right into the middle of the cake. It was a very welcome surprise and made the cupcake taste so moist. Second time I've finished a cake to the bottom.

The first time was at Whole Foods on P St. They've got a huge new cupcake display. Their vanilla caramel cupcake has caramel goo on the bottom of the cupcake. $1.99 each.

Definitely better than mixing up a batch of Duncan Hines myself and mindlessly eating my way through all that sawdust dryness.

[Anonymous]

I freeze the baked cupcakes. I keep out enough for husband's lunch for the week. The rest go in a large ziploc and into the freezer. I freeze the frosting separately in a gladware. I've only frozen butter cream frosting and so far they've defrosted well. I've also frozen homemade cookies and brownies with great success.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I freeze the baked cupcakes. I keep out enough for husband's lunch for the week. The rest go in a large ziploc and into the freezer. I freeze the frosting separately in a gladware. I've only frozen butter cream frosting and so far they've defrosted well. I've also frozen homemade cookies and brownies with great success. [/quote

I've done this, and let me tell you that I love eating them partially thawed!

[Anonymous]

At my work, GC cupcakes are often brought in for celebrations. I wanted to not like them, but was quite impressed by the frosting on the red velvet cupcake. In most stores, it's just some sugary icing, but this one really tasted and felt like it was made with real cream cheese. I loved it!