12 Cupcakes to Eat This National Cupcake Week
This week is National Cupcake Week, it couldn’t come at a better time seeing that autumn is now here and as a nation we are still getting over the terrible news that the Great British Bake Off will no longer be on the BBC – we need to take a little comfort in cake… not that we ever normally need an excuse. We’ve rounded up 12 places you need to check out from cupcakes and cocktails to cupcake decorating lessons.
Violet
A Lesson in Food Styling
If you pour over beautifully-lit Instagram posts of artfully decorated cakes dotted with petals and accidentally-on-purpose drips of icing down the plate then Violet is for you. In addition to being a food and prop stylist (you’ve probably seen her book or her Guardian Cook column), Claire Ptak runs a bakery/cafe selling gorgeous cupcakes each piped in muted coloured buttercream icing made with fresh fruit purees. The bakery was opened in 2010 after the success of the stall on Broadway Market and the homemade spirit remains; home made flower cordials and organic seasonal ingredients go into everything she makes.
Where: 47 Wilton Way, Hackney, E8 3ED and Broadway Market
Website: www.violetcakes.com
Ms. Cupcake
Decadent Vegan Cupcakes
If you’re vegan but tired of the dry/courgette/non-cupcake-tasting cupcakes that are out there then Ms. Cupcake is for you. Decadent enough to please your most anti-vegan friend, everything from the Brixton Market bakery is 100% vegan with many items also gluten free. Flavours change regularly but think carrot, coffee and walnut, Jaffa Cake, pink Champagne and banana peanut butter available individually, by the box or as bespoke orders like the giant cupcake birthday cakes.
Where: 408 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, SW9 8LF
Website: www.mscupcake.co.uk
Peggy Porschen
Boutique Bakery to the Stars
The definition of chic, Peggy Porschen is the baker of choice to the stars; Stella McCartney, Madonna and Elton John are all fans and she made Kate Moss’ wedding cake back in 2011. The boutique Belgravia bakery is a pink and white dream with glass counters filled with the edible works of art – Vanity Fair described them as “the best cupcakes in the world”. Visit the parlour for an award-winning chocolate salted caramel cupcake and civilised glass of Laurent Perrier Cuveé Rosé Champagne.
Where: 116 Ebury Street, Belgravia, SW1W 9QQ
Website: www.peggyporschen.com
Cookie Girl
Cupcake Decorating Classes
Don’t let the name mislead you, Cookie Girl knows a thing or two about cupcakes. Offering cookie making, cupcake and decorating classes across London to individuals, hen parties or corporate groups, YouTube star and bestselling author Xanthe Milton teaches everything from a half day of cupcake baking to 2 hours of cake decorating whether you’re a novice or an expert with the piping bag. Finally you can master the art of piped roses! The best bit? You can take the fruits of your labour home with you.
Where: Various
Website: www.cookiegirl.co.uk
Kooky Bakes
Kooky Flavours
Street food cupcake queens Kooky Bakes describe their cupcakes as 4D. Supposedly taking you to a 4th dimension of taste, classic cupcake flavours are sold alongside more kooky signature and deluxe flavours; think jasmine blossom, amaretto cherry and the intriguingly titled Dirt Ball, Tea With Lady Loo and Chocotecture. Sold at KERB markets and stocked in a range of coffee shops as well as Selfridges and Fortnum and Mason there’s no reason not to give them a try.
Where: Various
Website: www.kookybakes.com
Flavourtown
Sky High Icing
Ok, so the icing isn’t actually sky high – that would be problematic and you’d feel most unwell from all that sugar, however what makes Flavour Town stand out from the rest is 1) their legendary flavours (it’s in the name) and the amount of icing they pile on. You’ll find them at Harrods, Selfridges, Topshop (White City, Westfields), online or you can head to Old Spitalfields Market every Sunday where you’ll find their biggest selection. We’re talking about banana and sea salt caramel; raspberry smores, Nutella vs. Oreo, peanut butter cup cupcakes sprayed gold and the Presley a homage to Elvis: banana cake with chocolate chips, peanut butter cream cheese frosting, candied bacon pieces and a fondant star. Basically if you like indulgence, Flavour Town should be on your speed dial.
Where: Old Spitalfields Market, Horner Square, Spitalfields, E1 6EW
Website: www.flavourtownbakery.co.uk
108 Pantry
Sweet and Savoury
Cupcakes don’t always have to be laden with sugar – you can of course have savoury cupcakes as 108 Pantry’s cupcake menu proves. Celebrating the week with a daily changing menu of healthy, decadent and savoury cupcakes, they’ll have their three classic cupcakes taking centre stage: carrot and walnut, Guinness and chocolate with Bailey cream and their smoked bacon, onion and Keen’s cheddar with tomato jam cake. You can also try out the 108 Specialities coffee menu which includes a spiced cinnamon and mocha and a maca agave latte. Coffee and cupcakes…the breakfast of dreams.
Where: 108 Marylebone Lane, Marylebone, W1U 2QE
Website: www.108brasserie.com
Madison Restaurant
Caketails
Rooftop Bar, Madison are combining two of our favourite things in celebration of National Cupcake Week cupcakes and cocktails which they’re aptly calling caketails. Available throughout September, the four cocktails which include an Espresso Martini and Cosmopolitan all come with matching alcoholic cupcakes. This has post-work pick me up written all over it.
Where: Rooftop Terrace, 1 New Change, St Pauls, London, EC4M 9AF, United Kingdom
Website: www.madisonlondon.net
Lily Vanilli
Mini Cakes
Lily Vanilli’s cakes are nothing short of works of art. They’re both delicate and bold, towering cakes adorned with dainty flowers, intricate sugar work and glitter – if you’re not, then you need to follow her on Instagram now. Whilst not strictly cupcake, her mini cakes are too good to not include. You’ll find the recipes for her pineapple, coconut and black sesame and apple, rosemary and olive oil cakes on her website or head to her bakery just off Columbia Road (open Sunday) if you want to try the real deal.
Where: 6 The Courtyard, Ezra Street, Bethnal Green. E2 7RH
Website: www.lilyvanilli.com
Ruby's of London
Free From
The feeling towards healthy dishes has definitely changed, you don’t need us to tell you about the health revolution. What is a taking a little more time to change are people’s attitudes to puddings, can a pudding be a pudding if it doesn’t have cream, chocolate and butter in? Well yes it can and if you want proof then you need to check out Ruby’s of London vegan (you can also make them gluten and nut free) cupcakes. Flavours include Sicilian Summer, Neapolitan and Donut Delights – which do indeed have mini donuts on top
Where: Greenwich Market, Greenwich, SE10 9HZ
Website: www.rubysoflondon.com
Crumbs & Doilies
Everybody Loves Cupcakes
Their website says ‘Everybody loves cupcakes’ and we have to agree, because we don’t know anyone who doesn’t like cupcakes (please don’t try and prove us wrong). With a shop in Soho, a stall at the Duke of York Square market, delivery service across London and their bakery just around the corner from The Handbook HQ, there is always a way to get your hands on one of their cupcakes. Flavours include the likes of mojito, Mexican hot chocolate, honey and rosemary, raspberry coconut and lavender caramel.
Where: 1 Kingly Court, Carnaby, Soho, W1B 5PW
Website: www.crumbsanddoilies.co.uk
Rock Bakehouse
Cupcake Lessons
If like us, recreating something you’ve seen on Pinterest is a constant source of disappointment then it’s time to get a little help from the professionals. The team over at Rock Bakehouse in West Hampstead host a whole manner of classes from learning the perfect cupcake buttercream swirl to actually making the cake. That’ll teach Pinterest.
Where: 91 Kingsgate Road, West Hampstead, NW6 4JY
Website: www.rockbakehouse.co.uk
