More Cupcakes Review

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Price: $3.50-$4.50 per cupcake (dependent on price)

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The same conference that took me to Washington, D.C. was hosted in Chicago (a city that I just adore) and the same friend that I would stay with in D.C. is now in Chicago, so I think it was just mean to be for me to visit :) Well of course, during our down time, we decided to visit a cupcakery. Being a major city and since I was staying downtown, the abundance of cupcakery choices was awesome. However, I eliminated those cupcake stores that I could get in Houston or Los Angeles, such as Sprinkles.

Cupcake Display. Note the large ones on top.
And the "More" cupcakes on the bottom left.

That brought us to More Cupcakes. It's a small store, with no seating area inside or even outside. Unlike other stores that just have a few choices available each day, with flavors rotating across the week- More had many choices available, which left me excited as to which cupcake I would choose. They have filled cupcakes, large rounded cupcakes and creative flavors. When I went they had about 20 different flavors!!! And they have an app for smart phones if you would like to know their menu and order in advance.

More cupcakes are packaged in cute little Chinese takeout boxes.
And placed is adorable plastic bags for you.

Their famous "More Cupcake" is a play on the Hostess Cupcakes- a chocolate cake with white cream filling. Although it was their trademark, I had to try something more creative. If I wanted a More Cupcake, I think I'd just get a Hostess Cupcake. The price of these cupcakes are more than other stores- so I guess you could say you are paying for those choices, but $0.25-$1.25 for some pretty cool cupcakes- can't turn that down. Though the staff was a bit disappointing due to their lack of friendliness.

Hazelnut Cupcake topped with a Tofee Brittle

I decided to go for the Hazelnut Nutella Cupcake and for the fiance, who is a bit more adventurous, I chose, Maple Bacon. As I bit into the Hazelnut Nutella Cupcake, I just knew I was in heaven. It was mouthwatering. The cupcake was a moist chocolate cake filled with Nutella (or a Hazelnut spread), covered with a chocolate ganache frosting and topped with a delicious toffee hazelnut chip. Mmmmm... If you are planning to visit Chicago- which you should because it's a fun city to visit- swing by More Cupcakes.

Filling

Maple Bacon

I obviously rated it a strong 4.5 stars, due to its wonderful taste, moistness, and perfect cupcake to frosting ratio. The look was adorable yet simple. So why the minus -0.5? Well two reasons (1) overall look for some were fantastic (like my cupcake) or the cookies and cream but others looked sloppy and as it were sitting out too long (definitely a cupcake turn off) and (2) the fiance did not enjoy his maple bacon cupcake, which says a lot as he likes almost anything. But again, since I did not personally taste the cupcake, I cannot give to much weight to his opinion in scoring More Cupcakes. His comment for the curious critters out there is that it was too strongly bacon and very little maple/sweetness. And I do have to say that my fiance maybe on to something because they Yelp Review is at 3.5 stars. I might have just picked a winner in the Nutella Cupcake.

Me enjoying my More Cupcake

Red Velvet Cupcakes Review

Location: Washington D.C.

Price: $3.25 per cupcake

Rating: 2 out 5 stars


I would like to start out this review by letting you know these pictures were taken, again, well before I thought I'd be using them for a blog. For years, I've had the oppotunity to go to Washington D.C. for work related conferences. While there, I would visit a friend of mine from middle school and she would take me to the cupcakery Red Velvet. Although I always wanted to go to George Town Cupcakes to see what the big fuss was about- it was always too out of the way. 

I only have to cupcakes to depict though I've tried Red Velvet Cupcakery before. And I have to say that this cupcakery is a major disappointment and I would probably never chose to go there again. This is good because I do not live anywhere near Washington D.C. They do not have a "mascot" per say as it is an oval with the word Red Velvet in it, so I am assuming their mascot is the Red Velvet Cupcake. The flavors that I have tried are Peanut Butter Cup, Devils Food, Cookies and Cream and Red Velvet (which they call Southern Belle). I had to try the flavor they were named after right?

Well, first, their cupcakes look dry, which is a bad sign from the start but then worse, they taste dry. The overall taste is "eh," which is not really the flavor I am going for. But they have one redeeming quality for me: which is a pretty good cupcake to frosting ratio. Also, the Devil's Food Cupcake was on the yummy side. Though for the cupcakery being named after Red Velvet, that cupacke sure did not blow me away- decent but not spectacular (which is expected when you name is Red Velvet!!!). The staff is bland (nor friendly or mean). So to Red Velvet I give two stars. My review was quite similar to the average review on Yelp which currently stands at three. I guess I am not as big of a fan as others :)

(Left to right): Peanut Butter and Devil's Food

I attempted to look up their menu to determine if they had any filled cupcakes since I have not tried them all and sadly, they do not have filled cupcakes. I do have to give it to them, in that they have  more creative flavors or at least names then Crave, but what does that really mean given that their creativity falls short on taste? They offer all 12 flavors daily. Overall, try it if your in the area and are desparate for a cupcake, but if not, go somewhere else.