Third Time’s the Charm

Some of you might be thinking that I’m a Gigi’s Cupcakes stalker, and I very well may be! This past weekend, I got to try my third Gigi’s cupcake since Gigi’s opened a franchise in Overland Park recently. Considering the last cupcake I had from on her franchises I wasn’t impressed with, I was eager to try another location.

Upon walking in the store, I was again in frosting heaven. The three-inch frosting standard graced the top of every little cupcake. With so many beautiful cakes, my choice was difficult to make.

After much deliberation, I chose the Gluten-Free White Velvet Cupcake.

Taste
Cake
This was my first real gluten-free cupcake and I was unsure what to expect, but I was so excited to try! The cake tasted earthy, and a little grainy, and its texture was chewy and crumbly. However, after I scraped some of the frosting off, I could see a major dip in the center. That could have been caused by the weight of the frosting, however it looked more to be the shape of the original cupcake. I’ve never attempted gluten-free baked goods, so that may be a feature due to lack of typically baking agents.

Frosting
Of course, I had WAY more frosting than I needed. And, that’s saying a lot from a person who eats frosting by the spoonful! The white chocolate frosting was creamy and delectable! It wasn’t too sweet, too buttery, or too thick—it was a flawless blend of frosting.

See? I could frost at least two other cupcakes with all that frosting!

Presentation
I still get overwhelmed with the height of this cupcake! Next time, I’ll have to physically measure its height. For this cupcake, less really was more… just a little dusting of powdered sugar with a white chocolate piece adorned on top.

Sweet Endings
Surprisingly enough, I really enjoyed the gluten-free cupcake. As contradictory as it may sound, I almost preferred its grainy texture than to some gluten-loaded cupcake. It boasted a unique flavor that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Also, I was extremely impressed with this Gigi’s location. Not only did I enjoy their cupcakes, I noticed that they served The Roasterie coffee. It was refreshing to see a local influence in their store.

Third time is definitely the charm. I hope I can continue to visit other Gigi’s franchises throughout the country!

Gigi’s Cupcakes of Overland Park, Kansas
6780 W. 135th Street
Overland Park, Kansas 66223
Ph: 913-814-3883

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Cupcakes for Breakfast

What would be the best way to start the day? Having a cupcake, of course! So, on a gorgeous Saturday morning, I ventured down to Dolce Baking Company in Prairie Village, Kan., to satisfy my early morning craving.

As I walked in, I was overwhelmed with the delicious smell of cinnamon rolls. I almost had to forgo my cupcake for one of them! Apparently, I wasn’t the only one interested. Most of the people in the shop were carrying out their delicious cinnamon rolls. But, as soon as I saw the cupcakes sitting in the glass case, I couldn’t resist! My eyes immediately found the Vanilla Crème cupcake.

Taste
Cake
The whole thing was cold. It was almost too hard to eat it at first, and I couldn’t get a good read on the taste and flavor. However, as the cupcake began to warm up, the flavor intensified with each bite. The cake was thick and I was a little weary of how I would like its texture. But, the cake had a unique way to just melt in your mouth.

Frosting
The buttercream was extremely creamy, but thick as well. The thickness could have affected by the temperature of the cake, but got even creamier as it warmed. The frosting wasn’t overly sweet, which balanced well with the cake. Each bite had a great burst of vanilla flavor, and once it hit the tongue, the butter in the frosting just dissolved in the mouth.

Presentation
Each cupcake looked perfectly made and sitting happily in the glass case. There was a just right amount of frosting on each cake, again giving it a great balance. For this one, they did top it off with a few fun Halloween sprinkles. Just enough for the presentation, but not too much to take away from the cupcake itself.

Sweet Endings
Once this cupcake warmed up, it had a way to just make me go “mmmm”. I was very impressed by their ability to make the vanilla cupcake and vanilla buttercream a perfect complement for each other. I was a little worried at first since the cupcake was very chilled, but I wasn’t disappointed as I continued to eat the cupcake. Even though the cake was dense, the buttercream somehow melted into the crevices of the cake. It was a magical experience.

I know this
made sound a little weird, but I was really impressed how their color scheme was spread throughout the store, even into the bathroom. Not too many people would really pay attention or even notice it but it was such a nice little touch. Also, the dark, chocolate-mahogany rich color of their furniture was absolutely gorgeous!

I can’t wait to go back and try their other goodies. Everything in the glass case, plus the amazing smell in the shop, tells me that everything I try will be delectable.

Dolce Baking Co
6974 Mission Road
Prairie Village, KS 66208
http://dolcebakingcompany.com/

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Sunday Afternoon Treat

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, and I had nothing planned. While going through all the possibilities of options, one great idea came to mind – road trip to Smallcakes in Olathe, Kan. I had first heard of this place while watching one episode of Cupcake Wars. When I heard them mention “Kansas” on the show, I stopped dead in my tracks. I eagerly awaited their bio, pulled out my laptop to search them, and I intently watched the rest of the show. I was slightly disappointed when I discovered that they were fairly far south from me, but nonetheless, I added them to my “must try” list!

Side note—Ok, I’ll admit, Kansas City is very easy to get around. One can be completely cross the city within 45 minutes top. But since living in urban KC, I’ve started thinking twice for heading down “south” or even up “north” for that matter. In all reality, it’s not that far away. I’ve just gotten spoiled.

Once arriving, I was torn between which cupcake to try. I had two choices that covered my criteria, Pink Vanilla or Birthday Cake. Both were vanilla cupcakes, but the Pink Vanilla, obviously, had a pink-colored buttercream and the Birthday Cake had white buttercream but topped with sprinkles. After much deliberation, I settled with the Pink Vanilla (I didn’t want the sprinkles to distract me from the frosting taste).

Taste
Cake
I can honestly say, I have not tasted anything like their cupcakes. I take pride in how many different types of cakes I’ve tried, but I could not compare this to anything that I have tasted before. The cake itself was cooked to perfection. It was fresh, fluffy, and had slightly browned edges. I could not pinpoint the taste I was experiencing, but the best explanation I can give is a very vanilla cake with a just trace of lemon flavor.

Frosting
The frosting was thick, but after taking a bite, it was nicely met with a splurge of sweetness that melted in your month. It was very vanilla-y, which almost masked the taste of butter. But, after another bite, I got the slight undertone of butter. It was not overpowering, but unless you were looking for it, it would be easily missed.

In my effort to not eat too many cupcakes, I brought the cake home and shared it with my roommate. After her first bite, she had that look. The look that says “That was the best thing I’ve ever tasted”. Before I knew it, she told me that is indeed was the best cupcake she has ever tasted. So, even though my cupcake taste buds wouldn’t have pegged this as my favorite, Smallcakes now has a new fan.

Presentation
There wasn’t anything to the cupcake that “wowed” me. The frosting looked a little sloppy, and there were huge differences from one cupcake to another. Some of the others in the case looked better. However, the pink color of the buttercream was a beautiful shade of pink.

Sweet Endings
They are two things that I fell in love with Smallcakes. First of all, their name! That’s exactly what a cupcake is—a small cake! Ha! Secondly, the face of Smallcakes is the owner’s daughter. Making her the face of the shop adds a touch of innocence and sweetness.

Smallcakes had a very unique taste and flair to their cupcakes. It was well-worth the Sunday drive, and if they were located closer, I probably would visit them more often.

For all you Cupcake War fans, I was told that the owner just got back from filming another episode. Stay tuned! Hopefully this time around, he won’t forget such an important ingredient like the pumpkin!

Smallcakes
www.smallcakeskc.com

Store #1
14383 Metcalf Avenue
Overland Park, KS

Store #2
Avignon Shopping Center
14150 W. 119th, Olathe, KS

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