Ode to the cupcakerie!

I love cup cakes.  Always have.  Not unlike eating a massive blueberry muffin (which definitely doesn’t replace the cup cake, believe me), there’s something about staring at it with glee for 2-3 minutes, slowly peeling off the wrapper, taking a huge bite, and then letting it crumble into pieces in your hand.  Sweetness at its finest.  There’s always the dilemma of where to start from too…the top where all the sugary icing is, the bottom – pure cake, or right in the middle so you can get some cake AND some icing.  Messy and yet the best of both worlds!  I usually opt for the middle, for obvious reasons.

Not surprisingly, more and more couples are taking the cup cake plunge on their big day.  Granted, it’s definitely nice to be able to have a formal cake-cutting ceremony, which only a multi-tiered wedding cake will allow for.  And, cakes make for such beautiful photos.  They really do.  But, I must say, if I could do it all over again, I’d definitely serve cup cakes.  You can choose different flavors so ALL of your guests are happy.  Not to mention they can be multi-colored with crazy or simple toppings and designs, sprinkles, fruits, you name it!  Some places even offer stuffing options.  Wow, talk about wildly intense, yet oddly appealing.  The cup cake is just a very fun-loving concept.  And, it brings out the child in all of us.  Cue the glockenspiel.

Anyway, the goods news for future brides and grooms in the DC area is that the cupcakery is on the rise!  And the cup cake segment shows no signs of slowing, not that I’ve actually done a thorough analysis of the cake industry.  The list below is by no means exhaustive, but I would highly recommend that you check out the following scrumptious shops if you’re looking to serve cup cakes at your wedding, and you happen to live in or near the nation’s capital:

• Georgetown Cupcake: If a couture cup cake exists, it’s here!
• Red Velvet Cupcakery: New and all the rage in the Penn Quarter.
• Le Cupcake: Ranked #1 by DCist, and for good reason.
• Cupcakes Actually: Special mention in Northern Virginia Magazine.
• Baked and Wired: Also in Georgetown, this place has received loads of accolades.
• Magnolia Bakery: If you’re willing to travel, well, a good 200 miles to NYC, and willing to wait in a super long line, this place is THE BEST!  Seriously.
• Charm City Cakes: Just had to add this to the list since it’s somewhat local (Baltimore)…and on the Food Network.  He’s the real Ace of Cakes, my friends.

-k