Every occasion calls for a cupcake. In need of a sweet treat after work? Eat a cupcake. Celebrating a co-worker's birthday? Pick up some cupcakes. Saying goodbye to a fabulous intern friend? Send her off with a cupcake. Casually wandering around Georgetown on a sunny Saturday afternoon? You definitely need a cupcake.
A good cupcake has just the right amount of frosting, is not too crumbly, and has the taste of a mini-cake but is just big enough that you can eat it in one sitting. The design should be cute and simple, and the overall ambiance of the cupcake shop can make or break your cup-cake eating experience. When it comes to cupcakes, I'm definitely a cupcake snob. Having ventured into many of the cute little cupcake shops in the District and having tried a variety of those delicious little cakes of joy, I now share with you my personal list of all the best cupcake places in DC:
Crumbs Bake Shop: Conveniently located inside Union Station (with other locations throughout the city), this place is perfect if you need a quick pick-me-up after a long day of work, or if you need to grab a sweet treat on your way to a co-worker's birthday celebration. Simply pick a cupcake and hop on the metro!
PROS: The cupcakes here are HUGE. There are a variety of sizes ranging from "taste" to "colossal."
CONS: The cupcakes can sometimes be dry and flaky, depending on the day and time that you buy your cupcake, making this place and its cupcakes the most inferior of any that I've had.
Bakeshop VA: Located in Arlington, Virginia, this place sells cupcakes, cookies, macarons, and a variety of other sweets. The office got these for an intern's birthday, so I haven't actually been to the physical location yet.
PROS: Perfect size to eat 1-2 before, during, and after lunch ;) Cute swirls on top of the cupcakes, and pretty standard flavors.
CONS: Nothing too exciting though. The frosting is too sweet and buttery for my liking.
Sprinkles Cupcakes: Located on M Street in Georgetown, with other locations sprinkled throughout the city and around the country; this chain is not specific to DC and is one of many cupcake shops in the Georgetown neighborhood.
PROS: Adorable yet simple cupcake designs. The lines here are not too long, the cupcake flavors tend to be on the safe side, and the sizes of the cupcakes are just big enough that you can eat 1-2 cupcakes without feeling guilty ;)
CONS: By far the sweetest cupcakes out of any that I have ever tasted. Depending on the type of cupcake that you choose, the frosting can be incredibly sweet thus ruining your overall cupcake experience. Also, the cupcakes are a bit on the crumbly side, so if you don't eat your cupcakes with a fork like me, have a couple of napkins on standby.
Georgetown Cupcake: Locals avoid this place like the plague. It's definitely overrated, but fun to try at least once. The interior of the store is so cute and preppy, with tiers of cupcakes hitting you as soon as you walk through the door. The packaging for the cupcakes are also super cute, making this one of my favorite stores just for the design & packaging alone.
PROS: Conveniently located on M Street in Georgetown. If you somehow know the super secret flavor of the day and can repeat it to the cashier, you get a free cupcake! There are also a variety of flavors that changes with each season, so each time you go in you're in for a treat.
CONS: This place was popularized by its hit TLC show, so it is a huge tourist attraction. Do not be surprised if the lines are out the door and up the block -- the wait can range from 0 minutes to well over an hour! Do you really want to wait for hours in the hot DC heat for some overrated cupcakes? No, you don't. Which is why you move on to the next place on my list...
BAKED & WIRED!!!!!: AKA THE BEST CUPCAKE SHOP ON THE PLANET, HANDS DOWN. The Georgetown location is on Thomas Jefferson St., NW, right off of M Street. This little "cupcake" shop offers a delicious array of cupcakes ranging from simple vanilla to the Flapjack cupcake (with tiny bacon bits!) to my personal favorite, Uniporns & Rainhos (aka funfetti cupcakes). They also sell coffee, brownies, cookies, biscotti, etc etc
PROS: Eating a cupcake from Baked & Wired is like eating a mini cake and having a party in your mouth. It's that good. Great texture, not too sugary, and the perfect size. Have your cupcake with a cup of coffee from the specialty coffee shop conveniently located in the same building (sorry, separate lines though). The coffee here is also incredible.
CONS: This place is slowly starting to become more popular, so there might be a mini-line outside when you arrive (but don't worry -- it moves fast!). You might not be able to find a seat inside to sit and enjoy your delicious gift from the heavens but also don't worry! There is a super cute canal right next to the building where you can sit and enjoy your afternoon, alone or with company. :)
So, there you have it. Some of the best cupcake places in DC. Check them out and enjoy your cupcake-tasting adventures!
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