So I started this post a few days ago and finally finished it! I guess the lazy in me is really coming out, even when doing something I love!
I consider myself to be a connoisseur of cupcakes. I love all things about cupcakes. I used to bake, but after moving out on my own and being a broke grad student, I lack the kitchen utensils to bake. Luckily Vegas has many many cupcake stores and I have frequented many of them!
So how does one decide what a good cupcake is? I guess it’s really up to you. For me I prefer a good, moist cake, with buttercream frosting. I LOVE frosting! I get sad if there isn’t frosting with every bite of cake! It doesn’t always have to be buttercream, but I’m not a fan of whipped icing, it just doesn’t have enough flavor for me!
There are four places in Vegas where I have tried cupcakes, I have a living social deal to a 5th, but I haven’t had an occasion to get a dozen cupcakes (I have to have an occasion, otherwise I eat them ALL, and usually within two or three days). The four places are Retro Bakery, The Cupcakery, Madhatter Cupcakes and Gigi’s Cupcakes. The first three are local to Vegas, Gigi’s is a chain with locations across the US.
I just had Retro Bakery for the first time a few days ago. It is a good twenty minute drive from my apartment, at least! But I had heard great things and had to try them out. I also follow their owner on twitter and she is HILARIOUS (@RetroBakery)! You can buy cupcakes single, four, six or a dozen. There were so many good flavors I went with 6. The top two are milk and cookies- chocolate chip cake with vanilla buttercream and chocolate chip cookie on top ( MY FAV), middle left is glazed donut ( i bought this for ff5 since he hates frosting), middle right is vanilla loves vanilla (YUMMY), bottom left is mint chocolate chip (I gave to my bff, she LOVED it) and bottom right is cookies and cream (OMG HEAVEN!) These cupcakes were great!! I had 3 of them, all great, ff5 loved the glazed donut, and my bff thought the mint chocolate chip was great and a fun new flavor. The only negative I would say is they don’t last long, so don’t plan on saving them for more than a day or two. The buttercream is great, not too sweet! There is just enough icing and the cake was great! I can’t wait to go back and try new flavors! If you live in vegas or are visiting soon check out retro bakery’s website here!
- Find what you like! I know I like moist cake and good buttercream icing. I also love creating my own combinations!
- To find places near you, look up local businesses. I love supporting local las vegas businesses, which you’ll learn when I start my food truck posts (I’m obsessed with food trucks, but that’s a whole other story!!)
- Check out twitter! I would have never found retro bakery if it hadn’t been for twitter. After reading the owner’s tweets every day, I wanted to support her business and drove 20 minutes out of my way just to try her cupcakes! And it was TOTALLY worth it!!
- If you’re on a budget make your own. I plan on making these from Courtney’s Blog Sweet Tooth, Sweet Life next! And if you love to make your own cupcakes her blog has AMAZING recipes!