Plenty of Time For A Cupcake
My life sometimes feels like a time warp. Just a few hours ago, I was on a bus heading down to New York City for the day. Now, I’m on another bus heading back to Boston. Where did those hours go? Total time warp, right?
Despite my super speedy trip to NYC, I had plenty of time to grab a cupcake from Magnolia Bakery. The bakery was right around the corner from the House Beautiful event, so why not? I can always make time for cupcakes! 
I’ve heard lots of wonderful things about Magnolia Bakery, so, being the cupcake connoisseur that I am, I knew that I needed to pop in and see what it was all about. The place was packed!
There were so many delicious goodies to choose from, including flourless chocolate cake, 7-layer bars, Blondies, lemon bars, blueberry cheesecake, whoopie pies, and all sorts of cookies.
All of the different options were very tempting, but I stuck to my guns and ordered a cupcake.
I’m not going to lie, I was a little disappointed that Magnolia didn’t have a Carrot Cake cupcake, but I went with my second favorite flavor: Red Velvet.
Holy yum indeed! 
The cake was outstanding– sweet, soft, and not at all dry like some Red Velvet cupcakes. It was delightful in every way.
The frosting was also delicious, but don’t Red Velvet cupcakes usually have cream cheese frosting? Maybe I am wrong, but the Magnolia Red Velvet cupcake definitely had a straight-up butter cream frosting. It was tasty, but it didn’t knock my socks off. Even still, I enjoyed every last bite. Cupcakes are my favorite no matter what type of frosting! 
In my opinion, the best Red Velvet cupcake is from Babycakes in Quincy, MA. If you’re ever in the area, you need to give it a try. Their German Chocolate is also pretty amazing. As you can see, I really love to talk about cupcakes!
Recap of the House Beautiful media lunch coming soon!
Tags: Babycakes, MA, Magnolia Bakery, New York City, Quincy, Red Velvet cupcake
Evan Thomas — July 19, 2010 @ 5:17 pm
Mmm delicious! I think a dream job of mine would be to be Boston’s first gluten-free bakery. I’d be OK with the 100 pounds I’d doubtlessly gain from taste testing everything
Lisa — July 19, 2010 @ 5:19 pm
DANG now I want a cupcake!!
Karen @ Not Just Celery — July 19, 2010 @ 5:20 pm
I love cupcakes and Magnolia Bakery! I’ve lived in Manhattan for 6 months now and definitely indulge in a cupcake ever couple of weeks! I’ve only recently started liking cream cheese frosting so I haven’t tried that many red velvet cupcakes yet. The best one I have had comes from Buttercup Bake Shop (2 locations in NYC – one less than a block from my apt…eek!) I love vanilla cake/vanilla buttercream combo from Magnolia and Buttercup; and chocolate/vanilla buttercream from Sugar Sweet Sunshine on the Lower East Side.
I could go on and on…
allison @ livingoneday — July 19, 2010 @ 5:20 pm
yummmmmmmmm!!! i have the recipe for vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream from magnolia’s if you want it!! i made them for easter and they were a KNOCKOUT
Carly (Swim, Run, Om) — July 19, 2010 @ 5:22 pm
I love cupcakes! My mom makes the best … she sticks some cookie dough in the center of vanilla cake mix, and bakes. We usually top with either vanilla or cream cheese frosting. It’s too good!
Gabriela @ Une Vie Saine — July 19, 2010 @ 5:23 pm
LOOOOVE Magnolia! The red velvet is topped with buttercream, which is strange because the hummingbird flavor (actually carrot-pecan) has cream cheese. Still good though! Hope you had a safe trip!
Courtney (Delightful Devours) — July 19, 2010 @ 5:24 pm
I might just ask to be buried here! It looks like heaven on earth!
We have a great little local place here in Alberta if you ever come up here, and they serve AMAZING cupcakes.
Shanna — July 19, 2010 @ 5:24 pm
You should try Crumbs cupcakes in NYC. In my opinion, they are waaaay better than Magnolia
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is — July 19, 2010 @ 5:25 pm
That cupcake looks fabulous. Sometimes red velvet has white frosting, not cream cheese But I love cream cheese!
Emily — July 19, 2010 @ 5:26 pm
i haven’t had a magnolia yet, but if you’re in LA, you hafta try Yummy Cupcakes! They have three stores (one, oddly enough, on magnolia blvd) and they’re the best cupcakes i’ve EVER had!
Lauren L. — July 19, 2010 @ 5:26 pm
Magnolia Bakery is pretty classic – one of the first big “cupcakeries” when it became trendy a few years back. I have to agree that it’s not the best I’ve ever had although still delicious. I have one of their cookbooks and love trying desserts out of it – one of the best baking tips in it is to use room temperature eggs and butter in your recipes.
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) — July 19, 2010 @ 5:29 pm
Yeah, theirs is a butte rcream. I always thought it was supposed to be cream cheese too, but people like to be different! Glad you had a good trip!
Lisa (bakebikeblog) — July 19, 2010 @ 5:32 pm
oooooh that cupcake looks too adorable!!!
Liz @ Tip Top Shape — July 19, 2010 @ 5:36 pm
It definitely should be cream cheese. That a bit disappointing. Oh well, at least you still liked it. Bummer about not having carrot cake, though.
Heather @ Side of Sneakers — July 19, 2010 @ 5:38 pm
Oooo I LOVE Magnolia & I LOVE red velvet- although I don’t think I’ve ever had theirs. Red velvet should definitely be cream cheese, all the way!! )
BethT — July 19, 2010 @ 5:43 pm
I actually didn’t love Magnolia because of their frosting. However, I got a cookie/brownie thing that was to die for…maybe if you’re in town again on cookie friday?
Theodora @ Losing Weight in the City — July 19, 2010 @ 5:43 pm
You were like one avenue over from my office!!
Heather — July 19, 2010 @ 5:54 pm
If you’ve never had Sprinkles cupcakes and have one in your area (or are traveling to an area where there is a Sprinkles), give their Red Velvet a try. They are really, really, good!
Jenny — July 19, 2010 @ 5:58 pm
I think Magnolia is pretty good, but the best cupcakes in nyc (in my opinion) come from CRUMBS. They are so good (and huge)
Duchess of Fork — July 19, 2010 @ 5:59 pm
Cupcake looks amazing! I’ve never been to Magnolia, but I adore Crumbs Bake Shop in NYC. The cupcakes are HUGE and amazingly good.
Heather (Heather's Dish) — July 19, 2010 @ 6:12 pm
i adore red velvet…it’s all about the frosting! i would love to go to NYC and eat at magnolia one day
Katherine — July 19, 2010 @ 6:21 pm
They do normally have cream cheese frosting. I also consider myself to be a cupcake expert. I love Sweet in Boston as well as South End Buttery. In LA I like Sprinkles and Susie Cakes. Magnolia *just* opened a store in LA this weekend and I am pumped to try it soon.
Jill@MySoCalledHealthLife — July 19, 2010 @ 6:22 pm
Although that cupcake looks delish I’m with you (even on looks alone) it needs a thicker cream cheese frosting!! I still would say ‘get in my belly’ to that cupcake though!!
Diane — July 19, 2010 @ 6:28 pm
Did a cupcake “tasting” in D.C. over the July 4th weekend. Turns out that Georgetown Cupcake – who have the new series on TLC – is wayyyyy overrated! They were our least favorite of the five places we tried. Best Buns was our clear winner. As a NYer, I’ll have to start working on the local cupcakeries next!
Danica — July 19, 2010 @ 6:29 pm
YUM!!!! I can always make time for a GOOD cupcake. Bummer it wasn’t all that, but, I agree – the cream cheese frosting is a must on Red Velvet
Heather — July 19, 2010 @ 6:30 pm
yum, that looks fabulous!
Rachael — July 19, 2010 @ 6:43 pm
Lived in NY for almost 21 years and I never went to Magnolia. Shame, shame.
Red velvet cupcakes are practically an institution in the South, and lines are drawn based on who has the best recipe…frosting varies, though I think most of the ones I’ve had are topped with buttercream. Firestorm Cafe in Asheville makes a luscious vegan version with almond and vegan cream cheese frosting – amazingness!
Arlene @ Adventures in Weight Loss — July 19, 2010 @ 6:45 pm
Yum. Wish I had one of those. My mom used to make red velvet cake with a mock whipped cream icing, so that’s probably more like buttercream than cream cheese.
Teri [a foodie stays fit] — July 19, 2010 @ 6:52 pm
I thought the same thing when I had a Magnolia’s red velvet cupcake – what’s up with the frosting??
Kerri@Kerri B Turns Into a Zombie — July 19, 2010 @ 6:55 pm
Carrot cake should always be an option.
Staceyhttp://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/ — July 19, 2010 @ 6:56 pm
That’s a whole lotta frosting on top, yum.
tanyasdaily — July 19, 2010 @ 6:56 pm
I like the red velvet frozen yougurt too!
Simon Food Favourites — July 19, 2010 @ 6:59 pm
i’m visiting NYC this October for the first time so i’ll have to try Magnolias
Kristen — July 19, 2010 @ 7:00 pm
Magnolia cupcakes are alright (I mean really, how could a cupcake be bad) but seriously, next time you are in NYC you MUST go to Sweet Revenge in the West Village. Truly artisan cupcakes and there is always a carrot cake variety available! This spot also has beer & wine pairings along with melt in your mouth savory cakes. My boyfriend lives down the block and it is definitely one of our go to spots in the neighborhood.
Lynn (The Actors Diet) — July 19, 2010 @ 7:02 pm
when i lived in nyc my friend worked at magnolia (during the sex and the city days) and i could just skip the line and literally leave with a giant box of cupcakes and banana pudding for free. man oh man, life used to be grand!!! magnolia just opened in LA but i don’t think i can get that kinda treatment here.
Britton Blair — July 19, 2010 @ 7:05 pm
A red velvet cupcake is nothing without cream cheese frosting..how dare them…still dont hate ya Magnolia bakery…i’ll come by, but, not for red velvet with no cream cheese frosting
amy — July 19, 2010 @ 7:06 pm
magnolia white on white cupcake is my favorite! i’m a total chocolate lover, but there’s something special about those vanilla cupcakes. the cookbooks they have put out are amazing…the vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream is my go-to recipe! =)
Michelle @ Give Me the Almond Butter — July 19, 2010 @ 7:09 pm
The House Beautiful Best Kitchens was on the Today Show this morning! I was thinking of you
Maren @ Simply Maren — July 19, 2010 @ 7:13 pm
It seems like there are so so so many cupcakeries over on the east coast. I need to venture over there!
Mary @ Bites and Bliss — July 19, 2010 @ 7:13 pm
Do you ever watch The Ace of Cakes? Well Duff, *hates* cupcakes. he’ll go on and on about how aweful they are. Not for the taste, but just cause he’s the “cake dude”. Anyway, I think it’d be pretty insteresting to see you two in a room filled with cupcakes together! haha
Janna (Janna's Keeping it Real) — July 19, 2010 @ 7:21 pm
cupcakes are a favorite topic of mine, as well. I’ve had my blog two weeks, and i’ve already featured two cupcake pics (one being a gigantic home-made cupcake) and have a cupcake pic from yesterday still to add. I’m basically obsessed…but why not? all the fantastic-ness of a cake in minerature size? WIN!
Kelly @ Healthy Living With Kelly — July 19, 2010 @ 7:22 pm
That does seem odd…I kind of think the red velvet cupcakes and cream cheese frosting go together like cereal and milk. Hum…but glad it was still good!
Kelly — July 19, 2010 @ 7:25 pm
Yum, next time you’re in NYC you should go to CRUMBS the cupcakes there are incredibleee.
Dee — July 19, 2010 @ 7:30 pm
Heck yes! I totally agree with you on your title!
If you’re in NYC again I highly suggest going to Ruthy’s Bakery (in Chelsea Market), Eleni’s Bakery (in Chelsea Market), or Billy’s Bakery (in Chelsea).
Ruthy’s has the best red velvet cupcake because of their cream cheese frosting and I must be truthful!
I’m not sure if they have a carrot cake kind. I’ll have to check it out!
Erin — July 19, 2010 @ 7:35 pm
Yummmmm… I love cupcakes! I just wish they weren’t so ridiculously expensive.
Lisa @ I'm an Okie — July 19, 2010 @ 7:36 pm
always time for cupcakes–I agree! Sugar Sweet Sunshine in NYC is also really good!
Rhea (Greek Feaster) — July 19, 2010 @ 7:38 pm
I can’t read anything about Magnolia without thinking of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKSIaeQHV94
Have you tried Sweet in Boston? My *sweet* coworkers got me a dozen for my birthday last year. They have a pink lemonade cupcake AND a “carat” cake with carrots and gold flakes!
Anna — July 19, 2010 @ 7:50 pm
you should have gotten hummingbird! It’s soooooo good and has cream cheese icing!
next time!
Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run] — July 19, 2010 @ 7:51 pm
What a sweet way to end a fun Monday! I think I would have gone for a 7-layer bar — I like it rich!!
Wei-Wei — July 19, 2010 @ 8:01 pm
I LOVE Magnolia Bakery! One of my friends brought half a dozen of the assorted ones on a trip to Europe. I had a pumpkin one… Mmm. SO good.
Wei-Wei
amanda — July 19, 2010 @ 8:22 pm
I just heard about this place on Saturday. One of my friends on Twitter is also in love with cupcakes and mentioned this place. I don’t think she cared for her red velvet cupcake either.
Callie — July 19, 2010 @ 8:23 pm
I’m drooling over that cupcake!
Red velvet is my favorite.
Kelly — July 19, 2010 @ 8:40 pm
We did the Sex and the City tour for my friend’s bachelorette last year and they took us though- I thought the cupcakes were awesome. You are right though, red velvet is usually cream cheese frosting- which I actually don’t like as much so I would like that more haha.
Brittany @ A Healthy Slice of Life — July 19, 2010 @ 8:43 pm
Gosh, I GOTTA try a Magnolia cupcake at some point… they always look amazing!!
Faith @ LovelyAsCharged — July 19, 2010 @ 8:43 pm
Cupcakes are seriously everywhere lately! I kind of can’t wait to watch the DC cupcakes show when it airs!
Faith @ LovelyAsCharged — July 19, 2010 @ 8:44 pm
@Kelly:
I never knew there was a SATC tour! What all did they take you too? That sounds like so much fun!
Steph — July 19, 2010 @ 8:44 pm
Is the babycakes you’re speaking of also in NY? We have one that just came to LA (I think within the last year) and I’ve been DYING to go there.. apparently they make some killer vegan pastries.
Tina — July 19, 2010 @ 8:48 pm
@Steph: No, it’s not a chain. Just the same name!
Meghan@traveleatlove — July 19, 2010 @ 8:52 pm
Red Velvet without cream cheese frosting?! That is my favorite part!
Ana — July 19, 2010 @ 8:54 pm
As a cupcake connoisseur, I’ve played the “let’s taste all the cupcakes in NYC game” before. In the battle of Magnolia vs. Buttercup, Magnolia’s cake is better, while Buttercup’s frosting is better. Both pale in comparison, however, to Billy’s Bakery in Chelsea.
On a related note, I highly recommend *not* eating 4 cupcakes in a 24 period. I couldn’t eat another cupcake for months.
Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday — July 19, 2010 @ 8:59 pm
No cream cheese frosting? What a let down!
Melissa (MelissaLikesToEat) — July 19, 2010 @ 9:06 pm
I’ve never been to any of those fancy cupcake places. Probably for the best, I would not be able to control myself!
Emilyeatsclean — July 19, 2010 @ 9:23 pm
I love, love, LOVE buttercream frosting, but yea I totally agree red velvet cake should have cream chees frosting…..that’s weird! I would have ate it anyways though.
Steph — July 19, 2010 @ 10:33 pm
I went to Magnolia and had the red velvet too…It was totally a let-down. I’m from DC and think that Georgetown has the best red velvet in town!
Tanya — July 19, 2010 @ 11:44 pm
I love Magnolias..but the cupcakes are a little overrated (feel free to disagree with me). What’s REALLY good is the banana bread pudding. You have to get it next time!!!!
Erin @ A Girl & Her Mutt — July 20, 2010 @ 1:21 am
Buttercream on red velvet?! Absolutely not. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I’ll have to give Babycakes a try!
Hannah — July 20, 2010 @ 2:43 am
I’ve never had a Red Velvet cake – they aren’t an Australian option, really. In a pinch, I’d still opt for carrot cake, I think
Helene — July 20, 2010 @ 4:04 am
Hiya, Red Velvet cupcakes are my favourite. I live in London and go to the Hummingbird Bakery. They are fantastic. And yes, they should have a cream cheese frosting.
Rosey Rebecca — July 20, 2010 @ 8:12 am
Part of my sister-in-law’s bachelorette party was at Magnolia’s. I actually wasn’t too impressed. I love Crumbs cupcakes! They’re so good!
My brother and sister-in-law also had a cupcake cake at their wedding.
cat @ medical equipment — July 20, 2010 @ 9:30 am
i love little shops like this with cute cakes that taste the best. i think i need to hunt one down
Trish — July 20, 2010 @ 9:48 am
next time you are in NYC you have to try Crumbs cupcakes they are amazing as well as Buttercup Bakery. i personally am not much of a fan of Magnolia – it’s a tourist attraction and there are a ton of other amazing bakeries in NYC
Cynthia (It All Changes) — July 20, 2010 @ 11:57 am
It’s not red velvet if it doesn’t have cream cheese frosting in my opinion. I agree with you on Babycakes. They are great!
Jenny — July 20, 2010 @ 2:38 pm
I actually do not like Magnolia cupcakes at all because they have waaaay too much frosting, but to each their own! Also, because I’m not a big frosting person, cake is usually not my favorite thing either. However, Magnolia has THE BEST CARROT CAKE I have ever tried. Seriously, just order it and get it delievered to Boston because it will be worth it. It is chock full of walnuts and raisins and the frosting is unbelievable (and that’s from a non-frosting lover). I dream about this cake – it would change your world! Glad you enjoyed new york, even though it was short live!
Brie — July 20, 2010 @ 2:40 pm
I love Magnolia and all, and always go there when I’m in NYC but the banana pudding is the way to go with them. It is soooooooo yummy. I’m with you on the creamcheese frosting- red velvet AND carrot cake, in my opinion, should always have it.
I like my carrots cake with chopped, brandy-soaked dried apricots in the batter. if anyone is every looking for soemthing new to add to the mix.
Jillian — July 20, 2010 @ 6:48 pm
To me, the whole POINT of Red Velvet is the cream cheese frosting ! The cake should have cocoa, too. I’ve been to so many places where “red velvet” = boring cake dyed red with boring buttercream. I’m not into dyes to begin with, so I wouldn’t bother unless it’s made right.