Christmas has come early my friends! We have a LEGIT (to the max) cupcake shop to call our own here in Santa Clarita! How many times have you heard me vent about the lack of a local bakeries? Well, it stops now!
Had it not been for my new favorite cupcake enabler Andreanna, I wouldn’t have known this place existed because it isn’t in my path. I think I have developed a reputation as a cupcake addict due to this post and the effort in actually organizing a cupcake tasting. Anyway, I rarely visit this shopping center. The last time I was here was when we went to Cold Stone after “the most memorable meal of 2009“. I remember that there used to be a lovely bakery at this same location years ago that sold cheesecake bon bons of some sort.
Back to the epic cupcakes! Stepping in, it becomes obvious that this place has just opened, but already it seems to be a hit. Their menu board boasts a grand assortment of cupcakes! Seasonal items too! I can’t wait until December because I am totally first in line for the Mrs. Clause (with peppermint).
During my first visit, some random lady walked in to check out the goods and proceeded to bitch about the price. Woman, please! If you are going to complain about paying $3.25 for a cupcake go eat another big mac or sumshit. I wish she could realize how ignorant she sounded. I am all about paying a few bucks for a legit cupcake for a couple of reasons:
#1: Let me start with the obvious. I love cupcakes and I can’t bake. That’s at least worth $1.50
#2: Ingredients. If someone is charging more than a dollar for cupcakes that is because the ingredients that go into it are top quality. Nothing I can go out and buy at Pavillions. There’s $2.00.
#3: The frosting. I’m expecting the frosting to be made in house. None of that Pillsbury container stuff. For me, the frosting is worth more than the batter because in my opinion, what really makes a cupcake is the frosting. Easily $2.00
#4: The bread. I’m expecting them to make their own batter and not going the Sandra Lee route. That’s worth at least $1.50.
So, that comes out to $7! For me, an excellent cupcake is a steal at only $2.95-$3.25 each. Well, let me clarify that statement. It is only worth it if the cupcake is amazing. I’ve paid $3.25 for a failtastic cupcake before and it was not a good feeling.
I digress! Back to these cupcakes. I went before lunch and was really pleasantly surprised to see a locally owned shop that was baking these fabulous cupcakes in house. Many flavors were not available because they had sold out (awesome) or were still being baked (epic). There is a little window where you can see where the baking takes place. Did I mention how wonderful the smell was? It smelled just like a cupcake bakery should smell! It actually smelled a little like my favorite, Sprinkles. Loved it.
I love that they seem to bake in small batches, just like Sprinkles. That ensures freshness for sure. On my first visit of the day (yeah I went there twice in one day. Don’t judge), I only tried the carrot cake and the key lime. Wow. Just. Wow. It tasted totally homemade and the carrot cake? Um. Pretty much the best. It was a lot lighter than the one from Sprinkles. That’s the one pictured above. The one pictured below is the lime and it was perfection. Especially because both the frosting AND the cake part had lime flavors. I know that was one complaint we had about that other local cupcake place we like.
I already liked this place, but I didn’t feel this visit would be complete if I didn’t try my all time favorite flavor, Red Velvet. It turns out they had just come out of the oven and needed time to set before being frosted. I figured I could go get lunch and come back.
So, I did come back about an hour later and the place was PACKED! There was a line about 10 people long, and some people (like me) were repeat customers! That has to mean something, right? There were more options out in the cases, and the people in front of me were ordering a root beer flavored cupcake that was freshly frosted. I love root beer, but I’m not that adventurious when it comes to cupcakes. So I just ended up photographing it…well at least half of it.
I must have ended up trying about 5 different cupcakes today, and the best were definitely the carrot and key lime. The chocolate, vanilla, and red velvet were definitely very good, but not the best I’ve ever had. The chocolate one is like a hostess cupcake and Bake You Happy is still the leader in that regard. Big Man Bakes still has the best vanilla cupcake, and he is also tied with Sprinkles for best Red Velvet.
Honestly? I am very happy to have this local cupcake shop around. It was definitely needed in the SCV. Do I wish it was closer to home in Valencia? Of course I do. However, it is somewhat close to work so it should be easy for me to stop by when I’m craving a lovely homemade cupcake. I previously declared Bake You Happy the best cupcakes in Santa Clarita, but that was before this place opened up. BYH is more of a gourmet cupcake bakery and their goods look very dainty and neat, while The Cupcake Tree is more of a homestyle bakery, and they actually have a storefront. I am going to say that these two bakeries are TIED for best SCV cupcakes. They compliment each other very well and are different enough that you could enjoy the variety that both provide.
The Cupcake Tree is open until 11pm for you late night movie goers! What an excellent movie treat, don’t you think? Definitely make it a point to stop by if you are a cupcake lover. You will not be disappointed. For those of you that love to support local business, here is yet another chance! By the way? Cupcakes make an excellent holiday gift!
The Cupcake Tree
(right next to Edwards Cinema in Canyon Country)
18836 Soledad Canyon Rd.
Santa Clarita, CA 91351
Read Full Post »
ladyducayne.wordpress.com 