Ann Arbor is a W

onderful little spot to grab a cupcake.  This fall I made my first trip to Ann Arbor. Growing up in Ohio I was pretty much raised to hate all things Michigan.  Now, ironically I spend at least 40% of my time there.  I spend most of my time in Western Michigan, but occasionally journey east. During my first trip to Ann Arbor I turned to my trusty Yelp! app to find some cupcakes.  I ended up at just baked.   

I didn't realize until later that this is actually a chain of cupcakeries located throughout Eastern Michigan. I normally don't love chains, but it was a rookie mistake.  Since it was fall I decided on the Apple Cider cupcake.  You better believe I spent a good long time going back and forth between the Pumpkin Pie and Apple Cider, but let's face it...the icing was much more appealing on the apple cupcake.  

1) Icing - Great texture and flavor.  I could def taste the cinnamon. 2) Cake - Very moist and perfect consistency.  I think it could have used a smidge more apple flavor.  3) Presentation - I am a big fan of the large icing swirl.  4) Creativity - I believe apple cider is quite creative in the cupcake form.  Would have been perfect with a side of spiced rum!  Just like college. 5) Overall - very happy with this cake.  I would absolutely go back and get it again.  

So, if you are ever in Ann Arbor (or pretty much anywhere in Eastern Michigan) I would def reco just baked.

enjoy!

j

Little Disappointing

Still determined to find a quality cupcake in Western Michigan I popped into Little Pearl Cupcake in Grand Rapids.  Ayy, well let's just say it was rough from the beginning.  One of the best parts of walking into a bakery is the smell.  Walking into Little Pearl there was no scent of sugar, chocolate, or anything baking related...  This had me confused, so I asked if the cupcakes were made on site.  Nope!  They are made elsewhere, shipped to the store and then iced.  I found that piece of information to be rather disappointing, but went on ordering. 

I ordered the Churro and my friend Lindsay went with the Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel - Chocolate cake with dulce de leche filling, peanut butter frosting, topped with caramel, chocolate and crushed pretzel. Cake - it was dry and had a strange flavor to it.  I can't put my finger on it, but it wasn't right.  Icing - I really enjoyed the peanut butter icing.  It actually tasted like peanut butter and I thought it went really well with the caramel/chocolate drizzle and the pretzel.  Presentation - it definitely had case appeal.  Creativity - I don't think peanut butter chocolate is creative, but adding the pretzel gave it a nice twist (pun intended).  Overall happiness - average.  I liked the icing and the concept, but the cake had such a strange flavor that it totally threw me off. 

Churro

Churro - Cinnamon spice cake with vanilla buttercream icing topped with dulce de leche and a piece of churro.  Cake - Not the best.  Could have definitely have used more cinnamon.  Icing - thick and had a weird taste to it.  Maybe there is some random ingredient they added to the choc cake and this icing that just didn't taste right??  Also, it said vanilla bean icing on the menu, but I didn't see a single bean speck in the mix.  I thought the churro was okay.  Presentation - Thought it looked great in the case.  Creativity - Even though the execution wasn't great, it was still a creative recipe.  I think this is the first churro cupcake I have seen.  Overall happiness - disappointed.  I really didn't love this cupcake at all. 

I found the overall shop to be a letdown.  First - the lack of sugary aroma.  They should really pick up a vanilla scented diffuser.  It would make a huge difference.  Second - They only offered 6-7 flavors.  This was not a full bakery - just cupcakes.  The cupcakes are not even baked on site and they can only produce 7 options??  Finally - no place to sit.  Not a single chair inside or bench outside.  We had to drive across the street to Starbucks to enjoy the cupcakes.  Talk about the lazy man's cupcake shop.  I won't be back. 

While in Michigan we were able to attend the Britney Spears concert.  Yes, Britney Spears.  I had no clue what to think about this show!  First impression - I was not dressed appropriately.  I thought I was right on track in my sequined J. Crew tank, but when all the high school girls arrived in miniskirts and tube tops I instantly felt ancient.  However, not as ancient as Brit Brit.  She was TERRIBLE.  So washed up.  Clearly she was not singing any of the songs live, but she wasn't even dancing.  She whipped her hair around a couple times and did a couple twirls but that was about it.  Complete let down!

The opening act was DJ Pauly D from Jersey Shore.  I never watch the show so I had no clue how he would perform.  Surprisingly, I LOVED him.  He was too cute and had so much energy!  Watching him made me want to go back to Vegas and hit the clubs.  I loved his Italian lighting as well.  The entire time Brit was performing I kept wishing they would cut her off and bring back Pauly D.  

Overall, not the best trip.  I won't be returning to Little Pearl and def will not go to another Britney Spears concert.  If Pauly D and I happen to cross paths again I will absolutely check him out!

xo

J

Battling Michigan

While in Battle Creek Michigan I stopped into Food Dance (fooddance.net) for breakfast.  Food Dance is a restaurant with a market/bakery attached.  After breakfast I was browsing the bakery when I came across these puppies.  

I was a little intimidated upon first glance, but I had to try one.  They had Vanilla/Vanilla and Chocolate/Chocolate - makes it pretty easy on a girl as indecisive as me!  They had one on the top of the counter with a sparkler in it (they wouldn't give me that one).  I loved the idea though..note to self for next 4th of July!  For whatever reason I went with the Chocolate/Chocolate.

1) the cake - not the best flavor.  A little too rich for my liking.  2) the icing - again, didn't love it.  If you can't tell from the picture there was WAY too much on there.  Almost looks like an ice cream cone. 3) Presentation - I did enjoy the look.  I thought they all looked nice in the case.  Unfortunately they looked a little better than they tasted.  4) creativity - not so much 5) overall happiness - not very happy.  This really wasn't a great cupcake.  Will have to pass on trying the vanilla/vanilla.

This cupcake traveled back to Chicago with me, but as you can see it didn't have the best carrier.  If you are going to put that much icing on a cupcake at least order packaging that is big enough!


Now, I won't be going back to Food Dance for their cupcakes, but luckily their market carried a few things that I absolutely love!!

First, Chicago's very own Voges chocolate bars! Pictured above is the best I have had as it combines two of my favorite things - bacon and chocolate.  Sounds crazy, I know.  It is outstanding.  I highly recommend trying one!

Second, Jeni's Ice Cream!  I lived in Columbus, OH for a year (home to Jeni's) and fell in love with this ice cream!  The combinations much like Voges are absolutely ridiculous and surprisingly delicious.  mmm 

Lastly, a book I recently read - Blood, Bones, & Butter.  This is Manhattan Chef Gabrielle Hamilton's memoir.  If you like food and you like to read then I highly recommend this one.  

While the cupcakes weren't worthy of a second tasting, Food Dance had so many things I enjoy so I will be sure to return!

xo

J

(thanks to google images for some of the pics)

Pure Michigan

Grand Rapids Michigan produces a monthly publication called "on-the-town".  In the July issue they featured "townie awards" calling out the best_______ in Grand Rapids.  Lucky for me they had a Best Cupcake category.  The winner was Arnie's Bakery and Restaurants.  I was very excited about this because my godson's name is Arnie, Arnold Palmer to be exact.

Arnold Palmer

Well, when we pulled up it wasn't exactly what I was expecting.  It reminded me of a Bob Evans and the crowd looked like the same type you would find at Cracker Barrel.  Lots of grey haired ladies lunching.  Regardless, the article said they were the best cupcakes so we had to give it a shot.  At Arnie's the cupcakes are buy 2, get 2 free.

We ended up with White Chocolate Raspberry, Carrot, Red Velvet, and Chantilly. 

Carrot Cake

I don't really enjoy carrot cake, so I let David give me his "professional" feedback.  He said the cake had a decent texture, the icing wasn't that great, and they forgot the filling. 

White Chocolate Raspberry

The white chocolate raspberry - plain yellow cake which was fine.  Basically tasted like a boxed mix.  The icing was supposed to be white chocolate, but in all honesty it didn't have much flavor at all.  Then there was a raspberry filling.  As you may have read in previous posts, I am not a huge fan of fillings in general.  This had minimal filling and was a squirt of jam shoved in the middle of the cupcake.  I would have preferred a raspberry flavored cupcake with a thick white chocolate icing. 

Red Velvet

Red Velvet - The cake was fairly dry.  Again, the flavoring tasted like it was from a box.  The icing oddly enough was gritty.  Traditionally red velvet is served with a thicker icing like cream cheese, but they went a different route with this one.  I think they were going for a whipped buttercream, but unfortunately the outcome was not pleasant. 

Chantilly - I had never heard of "Chantilly" before, but it is a white cake filled with custard, and has a white icing with chocolate shavings.  I asked what Chantilly meant, and the lady behind the counter told me it was just a pretty name...  Unfortunately, I don't have a solo shot of this one, but you can see it in the group picture up top.  The cake overall was too sweet.  The custard was so weird.  I am indifferent on custard.  If done correctly it is great...in a donut, but I did not like it as a part of this cupcake.  The icing was pretty similar to the others in that it did not have much flavor.

Presentation - I thought overall they looked pretty sloppy and did not have much "shelf appeal".  Creativity - I could give some creativity points to the chantilly cupcake because I have not had one with custard before, but other than that the rest were pretty standard.  Overall happiness - eeesh.  Not very happy.  If this is the best cupcake then Grand Rapids is a little behind on the cupcake phenomenon.  My advice would be to skip Arnie's next time you are in Michigan.

XO

J