Monday, February 16, 2009
Cant Go Wrong With Cupcakes
There has been plenty of debate regarding the difference between a cupcake and a muffin.
Yes, we can all agree that it is a term used by hormonally-charged and loved-up adolescents in a declaration of love and affection towards their hormonally-charged and loved-up other adolescent half.
I suppose the general consensus would be that a cupcake typically has frosting, a lighter texture and slightly sweeter too. More of a dessert, or something to keep you company on Valentine's day.
A muffin? Its a cupcake with a business suit on. All heavy seriousness and no play, a muffin will get you through the day.
My favourite description of the lot:
Hahahhaa!! I'm all for fun and games, so a cupcake person I shall be!
Brightly coloured bimbotic cupcakes are a dime a dozen. Those are the cupcakes which look all dolled up and pretty with the latest frosting from the bakeries of Milan and Paris on the outside, but hardly any substance of flavour at all inside. If I'm gonna have a cupcake, I'm gonna do it right.
That's where Cupcake Chic comes in!
Black and pink, always chic.
Now for those who frequent the Curve (like I do), Cupcake Chic is certainly no stranger to you. It would be pretty hard to miss them if you're driving past, as they're located along a cosy walkway right opposite IKEA and next to a coming-soon McD's joint!
A peek inside Cupcake Chic. Where are the Oompa Loompas!
I think Cupcake Chic's greatest strength is the fact that they have a wide range of flavours that are really unique and will make your head spin (in a good way) just thinking about them. Plus, to keep things fresh, not all the flavours are available everyday. Each day of the week has a different range of flavours on offer, so you never know what's going to be on your plate until you get there.
Or you could just read their menu with a rolling indicator to show you what day it is and what flavours are popping out of the oven.
Decisions, decisions, yummy decisions!! Its a stressful task, but somebody's gotta do it! *roar*
As we dived into Cupcake Chic with much excitement and empty stomachs, we had the wonderful opportunity to meet the chic woman behind the cupcake - Joanne! Look at the spread she got ready for us!
Its.. Fluffy cups of frosted heaven!
What makes this visit even more special is that this range of delectable cupcakes are not available just yet! They're for Cupcake Chic's new February menu, which should be out at the end of this month.
Its a cupcake honour not bestowed upon many.
Our cosy spot, just outside the cafe.
Unlike most of the cupcake vendors out there, Cupcake Chic has the added advantage of giving you a really nice place to chill, chat and chow down on your cupcakes as you watch the world hurry by. The walkway just outside the cafe has plenty of seats, and its tucked away in its own little corner so you'll be able to hear what your friend is saying through mouthfuls of delicious cupcakes.
Plus, dining al fresco always looks way cooler. Especially in this here scorcher of a country where a little breeze with our cupcakes is more than welcome.
I am a happy camper.
Let us at em!!
Unfortunately, some of the bunch were late, so we were left sitting and drooling miserably patiently as we twiddled our thumbs and twitched our toes. Lots of lip smacking action too.
Like a dragon and its gold.
Joshua is puzzled. The cupcakes are here.. So why cant he eat them? Why do we keep them apart? Patience (not-so) young one.
A cupcake can make you do things.. Weird things..
Joanne commented that a coffee-based drink goes best with cupcakes, as they can get a little sweet and coffee would help keep your tastebuds from going into cupcake-shell-shock.
So an Iced Mocha for everyone!! Refreshing, not too sweet and not too diluted as some places make their iced mocha.
Finally, we were ready to tuck in. Oh. My. Frosting. Gawd.
Blackforest cupcake
We all know the too-famous-for-its-own-good Blackforest cake. I've seen an ice cream Blackforest cake. Now for those who want a little taste of decadent Blackforest without having to sit forlornly at the cake shop and finish an entire cake, Cupcake Chic has this cool cupcake version of it in a size that wont kill your wallet and waistline! Convenient!
The base of this cupcake is a light cherry chocolate cake with smooth whipped cream frosting topped with chocolate shavings. On first bite, the soft and moist light cherry chocolate cake is an absolute dream, and the whipped cream frosting doesnt overdo it in terms of creaminess. A perfect balance.
And the Blackforest bit? Once you hit the middle, you'll find a bvery tasty surprise just waiting to be found.
Nigel's having a cupcake-gasm! =P
Cupcake moments are really best shared, and that's the what the Cupcake Chic experience is all about.
Round 2!
Jaffa cupcake
Give yourself brain freeze if you know what this cupcake is all about!! They're inspired by yummy Jaffa Cakes (sponge cake with a layer of orange flavoured jelly, and a layer of chocolate)!! I remember Jo brought back several boxes of Jaffa Cakes when she was back from the UK, and I finished those chocolate and orange bundles of delight within minutes!
Imagine my excitement when I saw these Jaffa cupcakes! It immediately reminded me of the evening of my first Jaffa Cake experience in Jo's living room with Wen Di and Yami as we read old magazines and ignored CSI on tv as we rushed to catch up before everyone went their separate ways =)
Popping his Jaffa cherry.
So just like the snack that inspired it, the Jaffa cupcake is a chocolate orange cake with a (almost candy-shell like) chocolate orange glaze. Chocolate and orange are a personal flavour combo that never fails to satisfy me, and the Jaffa cupcake was no exception! I could definitely taste a hint of orange that blended well with the chocolate cake.
The sweet chocolate orange glazing will make this cupcake a favourite with sweet-tooths everywhere as it reminded us of Smarties somehow.
Gotta pace ourselves and have regular iced mocha breaks!
After that, something a little lighter.
Blueberry Crumble cupcake
This one is probably the closest thing you'll find to a muffin at Cupcake Chic. Slightly crunchy oats crumble (i love anything-crumble) happily sit atop a blueberry oats cake. I'm not the biggest fan of berries, so I merely nibbled around the edges of the cupcake, avoiding the blueberry center.
There was a lot of blueberry in that center!!
Sans frosting, the Blueberry Crumble can be considered a tempting option for the health-conscious, as the texture and taste of it was akin to that of a muesli bar and its a really light and airy cupcake. There's a little dusting of icing sugar on top, but even the health-conscious must indulge once in awhile. Moderation, folks! Have a few and be done with it.
Making room for the next cupcake down.
The face of cupcake enlightenment. Its awesome.
We gleefully move on to our next cupcake.
Lemon Meringue cupcake
Another one of my favourite dessert options would be anything served with meringue. Now meringue is made from whipped egg whites and sugar. They're great because after being baked, they become the optical illusions of the dessert world! Meringues look like soft peaks of fluffy whipped cream, when they are in fact slightly hard and crispy on the outside, but soft, creamy and delightfully chewy underneath. Like a roasted marshmallow!
For this cupcake, yummy meringue tops a simple lemon cake. The simple and light taste of this cupcake is just right, because that's exactly how its meant to be enjoyed. Without all the bells and whistles of fancy toppings and complicated additions. The slight tart taste of the lemon cake fused well with the sweet chewy meringue topping, providing a very gratifying mouthful. Neither flavour overpowered the other. Great teamwork! *pats the backs of "team lemon" and "team meringue"*
No need to be shy around cupcakes. They dont judge.
Yatz can has a cheezeburger cupcake! =D
In between stuffing our faces with wicked cupcakes, we were spoiled even further for choice by Cupcake Chic!
Cupcake Biscotti
What a fun take on the usual biscotti! Its made from cupcakes and isnt as hard as a normal biscotti, which is great on my gnashers and even kinder to my stomach. Now if all coffees were served with Cupcake Biscotti, we'd have world peace.
Aaron's almost at the finishing line.
A "Now you see it" sort of day.
One last cupcake for the road!
Tiramisu cupcake
I think the Tiramisu cake was a genius creation, and to have it available in an adorable cupcake form to savour anytime I feel like it? Totally made my day!
Not straying too far from the original, the Tiramisu cupcake is a coffee-infused cake with a divine cheese frosting, dusted generously with cocoa powder. This is a posh little fella.
It was absolutely scrumptious! There was definitely a slight coffee hint in the cupcake, especially in the middle, but it wasnt too overwhelming so that you wont mistake it for a coffee cupcake. The cheese frosting isnt as cheesy as it sounds, and is sweet enough to add the perfect amount of flavour for that familiar Tiramisu taste.
Its like one of those evenings you read about in books. Great weather, company you want keep and food to be shared.
Once you've reached your cupcake quota, you start seeing things. They bring you to a happy place!
All too soon, dusk was setting in and all that was left of the cupcakes were the (paper) cups. We could have been on a sugar high, but it was just good vibes all around.
The aftermath. The horror!! The horror!!!
They were good while they lasted.
But fret not! Of course the nice people at Cupcake Chic will happily oblige to pack your cupcakes for you in an adorable box if you dont have the time to hang around and let the world move on without you.
So of course I did!
Took 2 cupcakes home for the kiddywinks to have a go at them. I am relieved to say that Cupcake Chic's cupcakes are kiddywink approved (and they have tasted alot of cupcakes in their kiddy life).
We would make a wicked cupcake flavour. Yummeh!!!
I say that Cupcake Chic is a great place to grab a quick snack in between doing some shopping whilst at the Curve. Cupcakes are so convenient to eat, and they satisfy you to no end. But its also a good place to have some cupcake moments of your own as such things are always best when enjoyed, shared and eaten as if you have all the time in the world.
Just be sure to pick the right combination of people and cupcakes. You wouldnt want indigestion.
Chic indeed.
I have been a fan of Cupcake Chic since they first opened quite awhile ago, so I was more than happy to become a fan on Facebook! Check out Cupcake Chic's Facebook fan page and why not admit to being a fan because there might be some exclusive fan promotions coming up in March or so.
Looking forward to that because I definitely need my fix of cupcakes again real soon.
Many thanks, Cupcake Chic! I shall never look at colourful frosting the same way ever again.
*pics courtesy of David, Nigel, Kel Li, Joshua*
Cupcake Chic - by serpentinegal on Polyvore.com
I'm in the midst of weaning myself off this addiction.
Stuck in my head - "Starcrossed" by Ash
You look here just like an angel sleeping
I wish I could ease your fears
I would catch the diamond tears you're weeping
In your eyes I would hide
By your side I could defy
The forces tearing us apart
But reality, as it seems
Looking back, is that our dream
Was fated from the start
This post is brought to you by the number.. 6! =)
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