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!
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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
DANG now I want a cupcake!!
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…
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
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!
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!
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.
You should try Crumbs cupcakes in NYC. In my opinion, they are waaaay better than Magnolia
That cupcake looks fabulous. Sometimes red velvet has white frosting, not cream cheese But I love cream cheese!
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!
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.
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!
oooooh that cupcake looks too adorable!!!
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.
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!! )
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?
You were like one avenue over from my office!!
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!
I think Magnolia is pretty good, but the best cupcakes in nyc (in my opinion) come from CRUMBS. They are so good (and huge)
Cupcake looks amazing! I’ve never been to Magnolia, but I adore Crumbs Bake Shop in NYC. The cupcakes are HUGE and amazingly good.
i adore red velvet…it’s all about the frosting! i would love to go to NYC and eat at magnolia one day
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.
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!!
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!
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
yum, that looks fabulous!
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!
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.
I thought the same thing when I had a Magnolia’s red velvet cupcake – what’s up with the frosting??
Carrot cake should always be an option.
That’s a whole lotta frosting on top, yum.
I like the red velvet frozen yougurt too!
i’m visiting NYC this October for the first time so i’ll have to try Magnolias
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.
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.
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
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! =)
The House Beautiful Best Kitchens was on the Today Show this morning! I was thinking of you
It seems like there are so so so many cupcakeries over on the east coast. I need to venture over there!
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
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!
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!
Yum, next time you’re in NYC you should go to CRUMBS the cupcakes there are incredibleee.
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!
Yummmmm… I love cupcakes! I just wish they weren’t so ridiculously expensive.
always time for cupcakes–I agree! Sugar Sweet Sunshine in NYC is also really good!
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!
you should have gotten hummingbird! It’s soooooo good and has cream cheese icing!
next time!
What a sweet way to end a fun Monday! I think I would have gone for a 7-layer bar — I like it rich!!
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
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