Taking the Cake: Sweet Cupcake Adventures with Cupcakes Take the Cake
Friday, June 12, 2009 
If you love cupcakes, naturally you're already familiar with Cupcakes Take the Cake, the internet's premier place for indulging in your frosting-topped buttercream obsessions. And as you might suspect, the girls behind it--Rachel, Nichelle and Stacie--are just as sweet and awesome as the cakes they feature.
On my recent trip to New York, I was able to meet up with both Rachel and Stacie; some seriously sweet adventures followed.
Rachel dropped by my booth at the Renegade Craft Fair, where she not only brought be cupcakes from Buttercup Bake Shop, but also put together this super sweet video interview.
But naturally I needed more time to hang out with these awesome girls, and luckily Stacie and I got to have a cupcake date on Monday.
First we hit up Butter Lane, a relative newcomer to the cupcake scene. They opened their doors just a few months ago; . We chose the banana cake with peanut butter frosting and the cherry-frosted vanilla cupcake, respectively. Their cupcakes are absolutely charming: they are decorated simply, but prettily; similarly, the flavors may not be strange or exotic, but they're very well done; the cake had a wonderful, tender crumb and tasted fresh, even in the early evening. Plus, the staff couldn't be more friendly, which is pretty refreshing in the sometimes cooler-than-thou East Village.
Next we hit up Dessert Club Chikalicious. Though they're only a few blocks away, their cupcakes are worlds apart style-wise. Whereas Butter Lane's cakes seemed nostalgic and homey, the ones at Chikalicious were topped with a sophisticated looking meringue buttercream; they seemed a little more pinkies out. They were both different, but in this spy's opinion, equally delicious; upon sharing the vanilla chocolate cake with a friend, he remarked that the taste was "like a hostess cupcake, but with the insides on the top...and much better quality."
To sum it all up: Cupcakes Take the Cake is totally awesome, but the girls behind it are even awesomer. Who could ask for a sweeter visit?
Places mentioned:
Butter Lane, 123 E. 7th Street, NYC; online at butterlane.com.
Buttercup Bake Shop, multiple locations; online at buttercupbakeshop.com.
Dessert Club Chikalicious, 204 E. 10th Street, NYC; online at dessertclubchikalicious.com.
Reader Comments (6)
I was lucky enough to meet Stacie recently. What fun to make a cupcake field trip together!
Your photos are SO drool-worthy, especially the top one. It was great to see you and I hope when I go to Seattle (notice I said "when" not "if") I can learn to take cupcake photos like you (and maybe upgrade my camera). Seriously, that top one makes me so hungry I may have to hit up Butter Lane tonight!
Hi Jessie! And hello to T.W., a fellow fan of your work the first commenter on this thread. I had such a good time on our cupcake trip, I can't wait until either I make it to Seattle or you come back to NYC.
Wow--a trinity of awesome commenters! Maybe next time we can ALL go for cupcakes together! :-)
Watched the video. You are too cute. And I saw the Trophy Cakespy cupcakes. Loved them.
So cool that you got to meet the brilliant minds behind CTTC. You are a lucky chick. And cupcakes from New York City? Trying to control my drool ...