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NYC Cupcakes

Snow in the City, NYC

Break out the yoga pants my friends, because our last day in beautiful, blizzardy NYC is all about the cupcakes! From where to find the BEST cupcake in NYC to a fun quick trick for gorgeous NYC-style frosted  cupcakes, this post covers it all.

Be prepared, the following photos come with a warning label… majorly decadent, extremely indulgent sugar overload ahead! No less than 7.36 units of virtual poundage will ensue.

Commence with the cupcakes!

Billy's Bakery NYC

After brunch Jenny, Maria, Lori and I rushed back to the hotel, changed into warm, comfy city clothes and smooshed our four bundled booties into the back of a cab headed for Chelsea.

Best Cupcakes in NYC

Our first stop was Billy’s Bakery, what a cute place this was.

Best Cupcakes in NYCPhoto via Jenny

How to Frost a Cupcake
We loved their gorgeous, casual cupcakes, and the way the girl was effortlessly frosting them had us all intrigued.

How to Frost a CupcakePress the ESC key to pause animation.

She starts by dropping the frosting onto the cupcake, twirling it around, then finishes it off with a jaunty smash, swirl and schmoop! A perfectly prodigious cupcake every time.

Best Cupcakes in NYC

They also had a few other tempting treats.

Chelsea Market, NYC

We made our way over to Chelsea Market, home of the Food Network offices and test kitchens.

Chelsea Market, NYC

I am absolutely in love with Chelsea Market, it is so gorgeous!

Chelsea Market, NYC

This place with all its unique shops are a definite must-see.

Best Cupcakes in NYC @ Eleni's in Chelsea MarketPhoto via Jenny

Chelsea Market is also home to Eleni’s Cupcakes. You guys remember Eleni’s right?

Best Cupcakes in NYC @ Eleni's in Chelsea Market

AKA Heaven. The Mothership. Bliss.

Best Cupcakes in NYC

These cupcakes are, unequivocally, my favorite cupcakes ever. That frosting. It is the frosting to which all frostings are now held accountable. I dream about it. I need a dozen of these right now.

Best Cupcakes in NYC

Although I did find a new cupcake this trip that comes exceptionally close. These cupcakes are from Two Little Red Hens on the Upper East Side. You know. Where Gossip Girl lives. See that mini vanilla sprinkled cupcake in the middle? Very, very good. If I’d known how delicious it was going to be, I would’ve definitely gotten the full-sized version, as I immediately inhaled this mini one.

Best Cupcakes in NYC

This extremely decadent chocolate cupcake was also a crowd favorite.

Serendipity NYCPhoto via Jenny

Our last stop of the day was the ever famous Serendipity. What a funky little place this is!

Serendipity Frozen Hot Chocolate

I have been wanting to try their frozen hot chocolate for forever. Literally forever. No really, since like, the beginning of time. Jenny and I tried so hard to get in last time when we were in NYC over the summer, but the wait was over two hours and they had no available reservations for two weeks.

After waiting in anticipation for so long, and having such an unbelievable day of blowing through bakeries left and right (we hit five in one short afternoon), I was a little worried and wondered if we’d be disappointed…

Serendipity Frozen Hot Chocolate

Let me just say this. After a day filled with sugar-overload from some of the best bakeries in New York…

This. Did. Not. Disappoint.

It was incredible. It was gorgeous. It was delicious. It is worth the hype.

And we ate the whole thing.

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52 Responses
  1. kathleen.summers

    OMG, I had my first frozen hot chocolate from Serendipity when I was in Vegas last month and it was seriously scrumptious.

  2. Jenn W

    i have a random question… i just got a nikon d3000, is there ONE lense you would recommend…like if i were to get any lense, what would you say should be THE one.

  3. Nikki Thomas

    That frozen hot chocolate looks delicious! Reminds me of the hot chocolate they were serving in a place called Park Tavern in Atlanta.

  4. ZDT

    Did you go to Fat Witch in Chelsea Market?

    It’s not cupcakes but their brownies are out. standing.

    Sidenote: I just discovered your blog and I’m making your pulled pork and baked beans for Super Bowl sunday. The smell from the oven already has my stomach growling. Awesome site.

  5. Stacy

    Wow, those cupcakes look sooo incredibly scrumptious! I really liked the animated frosting the cupcake photo – that would be AWESOME if you could make a tutorial on how to make our photos animated. So cool. Love your blog!

  6. Yvonne Wilson

    OMG…I love Serendipity. When I was there last, I got one of their old menus. I framed it and it lives in my kitchen now. This frozen hot chocolate rules! Glad you had a super time!
    Yvonne~

  7. marla {family fresh cooking}

    Amazing & gorgeous NYC re-cap Amanda. The “jaunty smash” is unbelievable. Thanks for sharing it in video form with us.

  8. Emily Heizer Photography

    NO FRICKIN’ WAY. How the heck do you frost a cupcake with a spatula and make it look like it was piped? WHAT? I have never heard or seen such a thing. That is INSANE. I am never getting over this. Never. And I am trying it. What the heck? FREAK? Seriously. am so glad you did the slow mo. What the heck? (Staring, drooling, shaking head, stunned)

    Chelsea Market is fab. Did you go to fat witch brownies? I loved those. Mmmm. I love the twinkle lights- gorgeous!

    I got a chocolate peanut butter frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity when I went in 2004… I’ll never forget it. Fab. Totally fab. So fab I can’t even write out fabulous. Just fab.

  9. Gina @ Skinnytaste

    Loved reading your recap of NY and all the places you visited! Because of you I am heading over to Chelsea market next weekend! And loved the animation from Billy’s! How’d you do that! It was so great meeting you!!

    Gina

  10. Melissa C.

    I was lucky enough to get into Serendipity late one night with no wait. Yummy!!! Everything there is absolutely fantastic and the atmosphere is pretty darn cool as well!! Glad you had a chance to experience their fabulous frozen hot chocolate. How long did it take you to come down from your sugar high??

  11. Cindy

    Please tell me how you don’t weigh 500 pounds! All those delicious treats, and you are so thin. Do you workout like 5 hours a day?

  12. Julie Hawryluk

    I just love your blog! I check it everyday :) Just wondering what lens you use “the most” for indoor and or outdoor?? Your pictures always look so amazing and bright!! Feel free to email me if you have time :) beanlee_2@hotmail.com

    And I am jealous that you get to try out all those amazing cupcake and desert shop’s. Oh my!! ;)

  13. Meredith

    ahhh Serendipity! I had wanted to go since the movie came out. My boyfriend at the time spent a weekend in NYC and we couldn’t get near the place. Then a couple of years later, we were visiting his cousins in NJ and decided to try to stop on our way back to MA. We drove down the street and parked right in front of Seredipity and got right in. It was amazing and certainly serendipitous!!

  14. Marlene

    I just discovered your blog a few days ago and I’m loving it!!! I’m looking for the perfect cupcake recipe and everywhere I go I have to look for the bakeries…thanks for your beautiful pictures and for letting me know that I’m not alone in my quest. Keep up the good work! :)

  15. Amanda

    I love Chelsea Market! My best friend lives in NYC, so I am fortunate enough to make a couple of trips there each year. Thanks for sharing all of these amazing treats! Definitely makes me want to eat some cupcakes, STAT!

  16. Amanda

    I love the pictures of this trip, thank you so much for sharing!! My best friend and I are going to go in a couple of months to site see and she is really looking forward to all of the bakeries since she is a pastry chef:) We will have to make a few of the same stops you did!! I can’t wait until we get to go!

  17. sharon washington

    I’m glad all had a good time!!! Your snapshots were like I was there. The frozen hot chocolate….. Wish I was there!!!!

  18. dessert Darling

    Your photos are absolutely exquisite.
    Ohmygosh- I thought I reviewed Billy’s.. this reminds me that it’s still on my ToDo queue! Ha ha, ok, look forward to that one soon ;)
    Did you Love Love them? I think they were about 4-cherries.
    And I NEED to try Eleni’s!

    xo

  19. Alisha

    Oooh, I want one of everything! And I literally thought to myself, “Upper East Side – where Gossip Girl lives!”… and then you said it. Er.. typed it. Haha!

  20. Emily

    LOVE your blog!! I have been following Picky Palate for a few years now and I can’t believe I am just now stumbling upon yours! GOOD STUFF!

    My husband and I do a bakery crawl every time we are in NYC! It is my FAVORITE thing to do there! :) Look’s like you all had a blast! I’ll have to add these bakeries to my list for next time! Thanks! Keep up the good work!

  21. Alex

    LOOOOOOOOOVE this post. Not only is the first picture gorgeous, but what a wonderful day. The video of the frosting is fascinating to watch. I am on a sugar overload just looking at the pictures!!

  22. Liz

    Love the motion frosting picture, Amanda! I’ve watched them frost in awe at Magnolia before, and I swore to learn to do the same. I think I’m going to have to whip up a batch of frosting soon :)

    Glad you made it to Serendipity! The wait is always so long – we usually put our name in and then browse around Dylans & Bloomingdales :)

  23. Brandy

    Oh my, those look delicious! Love me some cupcakes!

    I just went to NYC for the 1st time back in Nov and we never did make it to Serendipity but I will go there when I return!

  24. Jenn

    Amanda-
    I REALLY think you should change the name of your blog. This blog isn’t about you and your man…this blog is about cupcakes! lol
    “All Things Cupcake” or “Cake in a Cup” should definitely be the name of your blog. Every time I read about something new you are doing…it involves cupcakes:) and I love it!
    I think I gain a pound or two every time I visit your blog.

  25. Bekah

    OMG I’M A HUGE CUPCAKE LOVER AND I’M DROOLING NOW…i’ve recently started making cupcakes for my daughter’s “class parties” (she goes to daycare once a week and will be 2 in June and they have parties for birthday’s and holiday’s) and recently i’ve just fell in love w/decorating them too! my next one is a zebra design! :) mmmmmm if i wasnt eating healthy i’d eat every single cupcake in site! lol….

  26. Megan Malouf

    I love Serendipity, it has the best deserts. I haven’t been there in a few years but there is a desert that I could die for and I just can’t remembwer the name of it.

  27. Lisa

    Amanda, once again, you have made my mouth water. Back in Sept. I went to NYC with family and we tried out several of the cupcake places as well as Baked by melissa which you mention this week. OMG! Love these posts. Got my mom to sign up as she lives in CT.

    have you been or do you have a blogger friend who’s in South Beach or near Miami, in FL? I am going next week with my BFF and we’d love to get some recommendations. If you haven’t been, can you run down there this weekend for me:-)

    Thanks for all the great posts. Love them.

  28. Jenny Flake

    As always I look forward to your posts when I wake up! That in motion cupcake frosting photo is so awesome, love when you do that! Also love that gorgeous Chelsea Market photo with the lights, wow I don’t even remember that, lol! Gorgeous :) Can’t wait for our next adventure!

  29. Mona

    I love reading about your trip. I am enjoying all the baked goodies through the pics. I think I have gained 5 lbs just looking at them. lol

  30. Paulette

    I wake up and see cupcakes galore, oh how nice. Now as I have said before I have just gained three pounds through the power of visual delight. Those cupcakes are to die for. Thanks for the pics and I love the girl decorating those luscious cakes. I just might try cupcakes today. Paulette

  31. KajunKJ

    It’s 2:41 am on this very cold south Louisiana morning and I am drooling looking at cupcakes! They look and sound soooo delicious! Thanks for sharing your trip with us!

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Meet Kevin & Amanda

Kevin and Amanda

We love to travel and to eat! Here we share our favorite quick and easy recipes, plus travel tips and guides for our favorite places around the world. If you have any questions about what camera I use or how I edit my photos, check out my photography tutorials.

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