desserts/cupcakes: i strongly recommend THE CUPCAKE SHOP

  

THE CUPCAKE SHOP
thecupcakeshoptw@gmail.com
0910-709-178

website: thecupcakeshop.com.tw

$$

Kid friendliness: kids will love the designs and taste

Visit reviewed: 5/7/2014 & 6/3/2014 & 10/31/2014 & 4/29/2015

 

Usually when I eat a cupcake or cookie from somewhere in Taipei, I think to myself, I could make this better myself at home. I know some of you have thought the same thing. There are of course a few exceptions to this rule, and now there is a new find that definitely blows it out of the water.  Last year, a friend brought over some cupcakes to a lunch and I couldn't stop eating them and I've ordered them a number of times since!

Not only do The Cupcake Shop's cupcakes taste delicious, they are also so pretty and fun. Roz, who is the Cupcake Shop's baker and master cupcake artist, does an amazing job with the frosting and detailed pictures. A quick browse through their Facebook page and website showed everything from Superhero logos to Olaf from Frozen to Despicable Me Minions to just fun glittery pink and pastel cupcakes. The Cupcake Shop offers the rare combination of frosting that tastes as good as it looks.

The cupcakes are quite moist since they are made to order and there are quite a number of flavors to choose from. My favorites are red velvet, strawberry, carrot cake and chocolate. In the strawberry, you can actually taste real strawberries, it's not just bright pink cake. There's also other flavors like Oreo, lemon blueberry, pumpkin, mocha, banana and vanilla bean.

Cupcakes come in regular and mini sizes, and the minimum order is 6 cupcakes for regular (NT$550) and 12 cupcakes for minis (NT$460). Added decorations for the frosting will have an additional extra fee (usually a few hundred NT). It's best to order the cupcakes at least 3 days in advance via email or telephone (and Grace and Roz both communicate in English), or you can browse their website for more photos and descriptions. Cupcake Shop doesn't have a physical store, so you arrange pick up with them, usually near Taipei City Hall MRT. The cupcakes come in easy to carry boxes and are taped down so they don't slide and mess up the decorations. Just be sure to open the box carefully and keep away from curious little hands until they are ready.

Sparkles!

I finally remembered to take a photo of one of the cupcake's inside before devouring the whole thing. This is dark chocolate with buttercream frosting. Yummmmm.

I asked for a Hawaiian theme for a friend's birthday, and this is one of the boxes we got. I loved the sand effect Roz made with cookie crumbs. My friend loved it. You can totally discuss with them what your ideas are and what you are looking for. I even asked if they could make a pineapple flavor cupcake, and Roz said she would try.

These are from a Halloween special with pumpkin cupcakes the Cupcake Shop did last Halloween. I loved the scared orange Olaf. Haha. And I loved the pumpkin flavor with the cream cheese frosting.

Of course if you are going to make cupcakes yourself, it would be a lot cheaper. But the quality of the Cupcake Shop's decorated cupcakes is worth splurging on for a special occasion. They definitely taste better than a few birthday cakes I've had at other people's parties, where you ooh and aah for the photo op, but nobody ends up eats the cake. These cupcakes on the other hand, will disappear quickly, and your friends will be asking where you got them and ordering them for their own parties. You might be able to squeeze in your order for Mother's Day!