Sometimes I set myself out on a mission to find the most perfect, most lovely ingredient or item that truly stands as the “industry standard” and one to which all others must strive for. Lucky for me, my travels have taken me across the country so that I could taste and sample a variety of the handheld treats.

 

From the Cake Café in Phoenix to My Little Cupcake on Long Island, N.Y. back to Portland’s Cup Cake Jones and Seattle’s Cupcake Royale and Trophy I set my sights on finding the best and the brightest, honing my taste buds on the Red Velvet variety…and straying to sample some other eye catchers.

 

The saga started in New York when the NY Times published their regional cupcake roundup. My Little Cupcake was featured as offering “rainbow” bar cookie cupcakes. Those little multi layered cakes, enrobed in chocolate with the pink, yellow and green layers separated by berry jam were effectively transformed into cupcakes. But, the original cookies still possess the best in moistness and ample jam coverage.

 

Just like Dorothy, I found that there is no place like home….Trophy is the whole package. A girly girl setting, that is still approachable to men. Comfortable seating and the most moist red velvet cake beneath the rich cream cheese frosting I have ever had.

 

However, each cup cake creator wins a blue ribbon in leading categories.

 

The prettiest cupcakes have to be awarded to Cupcake Royale. Each embellishment, every sugar crystal is positioned and shaded with eye-appeal in mind. I just wish the seating was more comfortable, the ambiance more embellished (it just seems like a coffee shop with really cool eats) and the temperature warmer on a cool Seattle day. I wondered why the ONLY table available was at the end of the “wind tunnel” every time the door opened!

 

The hippest cupcake has to go to Portland’s Cup Cake Jones in the Pearl. Jumbo delights, mini sidekicks and then there are the doggie varieties so you can share the sweet goodness responsibly with your pooch. Daily specials including Velvet Painting – red velvet cake filled with vanilla bean pastry cream tipped with cream cheese icing and a hand candied rose petal. Perfect for the Rose City.

 

The prettiest café setting has to go to Cake Café. Looking like an ice cream parlor with cake replacing cream, it’s definitely the birthday stop spot.