sprinkles cupcakes

maybe it is my new found fascination for cupcakes 

or

maybe it is my constant craving for my favorite red velvet cupcake...

lately, i found myself asking friends to accompany me to a new cupcake bakery that just opened a few months ago, sprinkles cupcakes. i was mighty excited that i found a friend who share the same love for cupcakes and decided to give it a try last weekend... couldn't wait! :)

sprinkles cupcakes is founded by candace nelson and the first of its bakery started in beverly hills in 2005, being the original cupcake bakery. i first heard of candace nelson more recently when i recognized her as one of the judges on food network's "cupcake wars". her cupcakes has been craved by many and she quickly distinguished herself as a prominent figure in the cupcake world. she has opened sprinkles cupcakes at several locations since then namely in washington dc, san francisco, san diego, dallas, houston, newport beach, new york, phoenix and chicago being the latest addition. candace's cupcakes have been featured on the food network's "unwrapped", "good morning america" and the "oprah winfrey show" to name a few.

with countless accolades under her belt, i wasn't the least bit surprised to see a line formed at the extrance when we approached sprinkles cupcakes on walton street in downtown chicago despite the heat. it is easy to find the store since it is just about one block west of north michigan avenue. i quickly recognized the petite store from afar with their signature decor on the front of the store, reminiscent of her cupcake designs :)

at first glance, the petite store is as elegant as her cupcakes. with modern contemporary but simple decor, i loved the atmosphere of the store which was oddly cozy. there is a bench outside by the glass window where ppl could enjoy their cupcakes. the space inside is modest, enough for a line of people to form in the store and there is about four high top chairs by the glass window for some people to savor the sweet treats at their peak of freshness.

taken from their website

as we entered the front door, we were greeted by a display of tempting cupcakes, which made my deciding on which cupcakes i wanted much more difficult.

with so many different flavors of cupcakes that are offered, it took a bit to first decide on how many of this decadent confection i should try. you could either take your time looking at the mighty fine cupcakes proudly displayed behind the glass window or you could see the flavors listed on the back wall.

finally, the lucky three that i chose were key lime, red velvet and milk chocolate cupcakes although i was also tempted to get their fluffy looking coconut cupcake where as my friend just got himself a red velvet. ($3.25 each or $36/dozen). key lime because i read somewhere that it was one of the best cupcakes around, red velvet because that's my most favorite dessert after tiramisu so it was a must and i read on yelp that it was awesome and the milk chocolate is because i wonder how good they can make classic cupcakes.

so to get your cupcake experience started, the friendly staff will take your order and your name and while you wait for it to be ready, you can pay at the counter.  they have cute wooden forks and knives by the counter you could use if fingers aren't your utensils of choice.

after about three to five minutes of waiting, i looked at my brown box of cupcakes lovingly as they handed it to me over the counter. i was extremely excited and i just wanted to dig into the yummy looking cupcakes but i wanted to wait and savor it back at my apartment (and i was still stuffed from lunch at xoco.. await my second post about xoco!).

  

  

sprinkles cupcakes also sells cupcake mixes if you are interested in making these yummy cupcakes at home. selling at $14 each, it includes enough mix for a dozen cupcakes, the frosting recipe as well as the trademark modern dot decoration so you could brag to your friends you made those awesome cupcakes. :)

when i got back to my apartment, i couldn't wait to try these delectable cupcakes.

key lime cupcake | tangy key lime cake with key lime - vanilla frosting flecked with zest

this is the seasonal cupcake that is available between may 28th to sept 6th. the moist cupcake had big vanilla flavor with a subtle key lime flavor but then occasionally smacked with the intense tangy-ness. this is contrasted by the sweetness of the frosting which on its own could be a lil too sweet but pairs well with the tartness of the cupcake. the amount of frosting was almost right, i thought it had just a tad bit too much. it was good and it's something different.

red velvet cupcake | southern style light chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting

red velvet is my most desired cupcake of all. i think ppl can bribe me for a favor with his lil confection of yumminess. it has a deep red color that i love and am familiar with (compared to the bright red ones from flirty cupcakes) that all i wanted to do was to eat it up!

the cupcake was light and just slightly moist (not as moist as the key lime) but in all fairness, i ate this cupcake the day after so it wasn't as fresh as it could have been. it had a light chocolate flavor and i love that the cream cheese frosting which was had the right balance of sweetness and distinct taste of the cream cheese makes this cupcake fantastic. definitely rivals my favorite red velvet cupcake from barnes&noble. my friend who had this cupcake (and he is somewhat a cupcake connoisseur) says that it's comparable to the cupcakes from his most favorite cupcake bakery, kara's cupcakes. although he thought this cupcake was good, the best red velvet cupcake in his book is from the bleeding heart bakery.

milk chocolate |  belgian dark chocolate cake with fudgy milk chocolate cream cheese frosting

the dark chocolate cupcake was a good choice to pair with the sweet frosting because the combination of both just has a good amount of sweetness. i would refrain from commenting on the texture of the cupcake because it's been two days since i bought it and it would be an inaccurate evaluation of the cupcake. in terms of flavor, it has a distinct chocolate flavor (as it should be). fudgy milk chocolate cream cheese frosting = love! the chocolate frosting is delish and has a very subtle cream cheese flavor. this is a good classic cupcake with a twist that can satisfy your chocolate cravings but it isn't extraordinary.

definitely a must try if you are in town and you're a cupcake junkie... or you know, just want a cupcake..  :)

on other news, i will be going to folsom, california this weekend! imagine all the new restaurants and food to try... can't wait!

disclaimer this is written based on my personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others