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Top of the Rock & The NYC Cupcake Challenge!

Top of the Rock, New York City

On our last day in NYC, my awesome travel buddy and snacking partner-in-crime Jenny and I headed to Top of the Rock, the observation deck at Rockefeller Center.

Top of the Rock, New York City

What an incredible view of the city we had!

Top of the Rock, New York City

From up here, the island looked so small..

Top of the Rock, New York City

I just love the big green rectangle of Central Park. Looks so funny surrounded by all the buildings!

Top of the Rock, New York City

We got a huge kick out of seeing all the tiny cabs down below. :)

Crumbs Bake Shop, New York City

All weekend we had been meaning to go to Crumbs Bake Shop (which had a location right by our hotel) to continue our NYC Cupcake Challenge! :) Finally on Sunday afternoon we were able to make our way over there. We brought these goodies back to the Royalton lobby for testing. Don’t you just love their bags!

Crumbs Bake Shop, New York City

First… The Cinnamon Roll Cupcake with cream cheese icing. This was totally Jenny’s favorite!

Crumbs Bake Shop, New York City

Next… the decadent Brownie Cupcake.

Crumbs Bake Shop, New York City

Incredibly rich chocolate cupcake filled with chocolate fudge, drizzled with chocolate, and topped with little bites of brownies. I think this was my favorite!

Crumbs Bake Shop, New York City

Then… the Cookie Dough Cupcake.

Crumbs Bake Shop, New York City

Ooh, chocolate fudge filling! What a fun surprise. The icing was a cream cheese frosting mixed with chocolate chip cookie pieces.

Crumbs Bake Shop, New York City

And finally… the Cappuccino Cupcake!

Crumbs Bake Shop, New York City

A delicious chocolate cupcake filled a coffee cream cheese frosting and covered in mini chocolate chips.

Magnolia Bakery, New York City

Also very close to our hotel was Magnolia Bakery! We were in heaven surrounded by all these cupcakes! :) I got just a plain vanilla cupcake with buttercream icing.

Magnolia Bakery, New York City

Jenny got a Banana Cupcake with caramel meringue buttercream frosting. Tasted just like banana bread!

Magnolia Bakery, New York City

The Verdict? So, who was the winner of our NYC Battle of the Cupcakes?? Here’s the final rundown!

Crumbs Bake Shop. These were good cupcakes, but I’m just not a huge cream cheese frosting fan. Seems like all the cupcakes we tested that day had cream cheese frosting. I’m definitely a buttercream frosting kinda gal!

Magnolia Bakery. If you’re a traditionalist looking for a plain vanilla cupcake, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed! My vanilla cupcake and the buttercream frosting were both delicious. I’m definitely going to be trying the Magnolia Bakery recipe. However we were not overly wowed with the “specialty” flavors they had that day.

Eleni’s Cupcakes. Hands down, these are the winner! :) We couldn’t stop talking about our Oreo and Peanut Butter Cup cupcakes. That buttercream frosting was just outta this world incredible. If you are ever in the area, definitely head over to Chelsea Market and check them out!

Times Square, New York City

Thanks for sharing NYC with us!!

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36 Responses
  1. jehzlau

    whoa! awesome NYC photos! what lens and camera are you using? O__O

    the last pic’s bokeh and lighting is just perfect! it’s like it’s taken inside a studio. :D

  2. Mae Wom

    Spectacular views!
    In Spain now it’s time for breakfast (the morning off work) and has been hard to see these cupcakes so good … hmmmm.

  3. Ada

    OH how I miss NY….its like another world. Of food that is! And culture & fun & cool-ness. Great pictures of the landscape! REalllllY good. Did you futs with them in PS? Just curious because they are so detailed & in focus & clear. What a trip- I am thinkin of splurging & taking my hubby there for a 3 day get away! Need lots of ideas
    Happy Cupcake Eatin’
    Ada in Coastal Cali
    ourheartsarefullwith5tolove.blogspot.com

  4. Kayla

    Amanda you are so thin! How do you eat all these cupcakes and still be tiny?! ;)

    But seriously, I remember your post about your weight loss. Have you still been eating right? What’s your diet like now? I’d love to know!

  5. Lea Culp

    Cupcakes! Cupcakes! they have been turned from something plain to something extra ordinary in recent years. Your pictures were just too yummy! What a bank of memories you have made! Smiles to you!

  6. Jennifer Camplin

    With your blogger.. oftne show lot of interesting and keep it up.

    Wha an amazing trip you had with friend to NYC.
    So much fun.. amazing snapshots too!

    Thank for sharing!!

  7. TidyMom

    I hope we can hit some of these places when I’m in NYC next month!!…I think I need to lose 10 pounds first, if I’m going to eat like that! lol
    Seriously……how do you do it?!

    FABULOUS pictures Amanda!

  8. synz

    I really can’t get enough of your blog. There’s just so much in here. I so much love your picture too.. May I ask what camera your using for your pictures? I’m planning to buy one but I still can’t decide up to now what camera to buy. After looking at your pictures, I just fall in love with it. :) Hope you could help me. thank!

  9. Mandy

    Amanda – how did you eat all those sweets?! I got a toothache just reading about it! Glad you tested them all out, so I can just go to the winner of the challenge next time I’m in NYC – thanks for doing all the leg work;)

  10. Brooke

    Thanks too for sharing your trip with us. I have been to NY for a couple of days 4 years ago. We had big plans but were so in love with the place we stayed within a couple of blocks from our hotel. I hope one day to go back (the trip from Australia is kinda big), but reading your posts was a lot like filling the void for now.

  11. Lauren @ Crave. Indulge. Satisfy.

    All of these cupcake flavors and bakeries sound amazing! Hopefully I will get a chance to go to NY one day and try them all!

  12. Allison

    Hey! I changed the address to my blog. It’s no longer alliebrownie.blogspot.com but it’s now littlehousebigtexas.blogspot.com.

    Just to let you know!

  13. kjpugs

    My sister lives right by crumbs!

    My favorites (and only ones I have when in NYC) are from Buttercup Bake Shop. Make a stop next time!!!

  14. Kenzie

    Oh my gosh! I went to NYC earlier this summer (and had an amazing time-btw) and I LOVE Crumbs Bakery! We had a location right around the corner from our hotel, too! I loved them so much, I had them for breakfast! haha! I got the Grasshopper one. It was delish. Looks like your cupcakes are super yummy, too! :)

  15. Krystle

    OMG!! I love Magnolia Bakery!! My fiance used to bring me home cupcakes when he worked up in the city!! Oh how I miss them =) Love the pics!!

  16. Marie/Mer

    Love your “top of the rock” photos. They are beautiful. I am also a buttercream girl. It is sooooo much better than cream cheese frosting. Thanks for sharing your trip with us. I really don’t get to travel and I enjoy your posts.

  17. Allison

    OMG girl, I DIED looking at the double chocolate cupcake. That looked like it tasted DIVINE! Please tell me it did.

    I’m dieting again and have been for a week and a half. I kinda hate it but the results are AWESOME. That’s the only reason I’m sticking with it. And HOPEFULLY, in about thirty days (if all goes as planned) I will post the new-and-improved me.

    No one else (other than hubby and those that live by me) know about this diet so I’m hoping to totally catch them by surprise.

    But I HAD to tell someone! :P

    Hope you’re having fun! As I’m having fun just reading your blogs!

  18. Tammy

    I just love reading your recaps on your travels…you should become a food blogger and travel the US for great foods! Wouldn’t that be fun?

    How do you keep so skinny girl??? I think I gained a few just by looking at your pics! lol

  19. Jen

    Those cupcakes look amazing and they are making me really hugry for one. I totally want to try out that recipe from Magnolia Bakery. Thanks for sharing it!

  20. Katy Lunsford

    Amanda, I have so enjoyed your blog – thank you! I know you’ve mentioned before but what kind of camera do you use? Thank you. All Great Things For You, Katy

  21. Beth

    I HAVE LOVED LOVED LOVED your New York pictures! I am going in Jan. so I have been taking notes from your posts! Cant wait and I will be getting one of those cupcake shirts!!

  22. HeatherB

    yum yum yum! The best thing about seeing NY through your blog posts, is that I didn’t have to worry about all the calories! :) Lots of fun seeing what you did and what you got to sample!

  23. Jenny Flake

    Ahhhh, I LOVE it Amanda. Can’t believe our NY posts have come to an end. I’ll have one more and that’s it for me too :( We better hurry up and get to SF so we can get more posts ready :)

    Have a great Monday, talk soon!! xoxo

    1. Suzanne

      guuurl, I don’t know how you eat like this ALL.THE.TIME and stay so skinny-minny. You’re blog always makes me hungry and jealous! haha

      oh and ps – i volunteer to take a trip with you anytime! :)

    2. Amanda

      I think it’s all about to catch up with me! After all these sweet treats, I’m in serious need of a detox diet. Nothing but boiled chicken and broccoli for a month! ;)

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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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