I admit that my adoration of cupcakes is so 2006, but alas, I cannot control my affections. My heart will let go when it’s good and ready.
After checking out a potential wedding venue in Santa Monica, The Astronomer and I swung into Yummy Cupcakes to refuel—wedding planning is an electrolyte zapper.
With a partially open kitchen and functional concrete flooring, Yummy Cupcakes has more of an industrial feel than the cutesy, pretty-in-pink vibe that characterizes most cupcakeries. The selection of cupcakes available on the Friday afternoon we visited was extensive, with new flavors coming out of the kitchen on a regular basis. However, my favorite combination of vanilla cake and chocolate frosting was disappointingly MIA even though it was listed on the chalkboard menu.
Since The Astronomer isn’t mad for cupcakes like I am, I had the liberty of choosing both flavors. I selected a mandarin orange cupcake ($2.75) from the daily specials menu and an Old School cupcake ($3) from the standard menu.
The mandarin orange cupcake was comprised of a vanilla bean cupcake baked with bits of mandarin oranges and frosted abundantly with a mandarin orange buttercream. The Astronomer and I appreciated how both the cake and the frosting were infused with bright citrus notes. The pieces of real fruit in the cake added a nice touch as well. Our only qualm with this cupcake was the ratio of frosting to cake—a quarter of the frosting ended up in the garbage can.
Inspired by Hostess Cup Cakes, the Old School consisted of a chocolate cupcake piped with fresh whipped cream and topped with chocolate ganache. The Astronomer and I had mixed feelings about whether or not this cupcake was a winner. On one hand, Yummy Cupcakes successfully mimicked a Hostess Cup Cake. On the other hand, Hostess Cup Cakes contain some pretty gnarly ingredients and lack deep chocolaty flavor. I would’ve declared the Old School a success had Yummy Cupcakes taken artistic liberty and boosted the amount of cacao in the cupcake.
POWER RANKINGS
Sprinkles Cupcakes > Dots Cupcakes > Vanilla Bake Shop > Crumbs Bake Shop > Auntie Em’s Kitchen > Yummy Cupcakes > Violet’s Cakes.
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Yummy Cupcakes
313 Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: 310-393-8283
I may have had mixed feelings at the time, but in retrospect, the Old School was pretty disgusting.
This is SO 2004! jk! 😛
I guess being a guy, I’m just too big on cupcakes. My boss back when I used to work in Century City always brought in Sprinkle’s cupcakes. The hype? I don’t get it…..maybe it’s b/c the cupcakes are too sweet for me 🙁 I have an Asian dessert palate.
I am in love with cupcakes as well! AJ and I just had our first Sprinkles experience today. So I will be blogging about that soon.
I don’t like Yummy. In fact, I think it is quite the opposite of its moniker.
Have you tried Dots yet?
while I do appreciate a good cupcake(i’m more of the cake part than the frosting person), i still have not tried any of these cupcake places. i’ve seen pictures of lines and my goodness…the lengths people are willing to go for a cupcake. still, if it’s one damn good cupcake, i’m game for it. i like that old school cupcake. friend’s dad used to work at hostess so i got free stuff all the time when i was kid.
Astronomer – Thank you for your two cents. XO!
Danny – My dessert palate stretches across multiple continents. I wish my boss brought in Sprinkles! That would be better than a raise 😉 Okay, maybe not.
Ariel – Can’t wait to hear the verdict! Will Sprinkles triumph over Georgetown?!?
Rivers – Not yet. But soon. Probably next weekend while bathing suit shopping in Old Pas. Nothin’ like trying on two pieces and noshing on fatty cupcakes!
Sawyer – If you’re not a cupcake person, I’d advise staying away from these joints. You’ll just feel disappointed. I’m a cupcake fiend and find myself walking away dissatisfied over half the time.
OMG…do you people even have a palate? Yummy cupcakes are by far the best cupcake in LA. Yes, like a wind-up toy, the trend for the lovely little cupcake may be waning. But honestly, can anyone resist the delight when faced with a little cup of cake painted to bring out the kid in all of us? If you wanna talk about Sprinkles, I’d rather eat a cup of cornstarch. You need a gallon of milk chaser after one of those dry bites.
i agree with Charles Goodwin. Yummy is best, next by Vanilla. Sprinkles is far behind
DELISH!