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!
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.
Our first stop was Billy’s Bakery, what a cute place this was.
Photo via Jenny
We loved their gorgeous, casual cupcakes, and the way the girl was effortlessly frosting them had us all intrigued.
Press 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.
They also had a few other tempting treats.
We made our way over to Chelsea Market, home of the Food Network offices and test kitchens.
I am absolutely in love with Chelsea Market, it is so gorgeous!
This place with all its unique shops are a definite must-see.
Photo via Jenny
Chelsea Market is also home to Eleni’s Cupcakes. You guys remember Eleni’s right?
AKA Heaven. The Mothership. Bliss.
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.
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.
This extremely decadent chocolate cupcake was also a crowd favorite.
Photo via Jenny
Our last stop of the day was the ever famous Serendipity. What a funky little place this is!
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…
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.
OMG, I had my first frozen hot chocolate from Serendipity when I was in Vegas last month and it was seriously scrumptious.
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.
This place looks like my heaven!!
That frozen hot chocolate looks delicious! Reminds me of the hot chocolate they were serving in a place called Park Tavern in Atlanta.
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.
This post made me super hungry for a cupcake!! Looks like a lovely trip!
I think I just went into a sugar coma. Wow, what a feast of treats you had!
Amanda
I just gained about 10 lbs just looking at these amazing cupcakes!
Thanks for sharing
Nancy
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!
More yum! I can’t even look at another cupcake after that trip, lol!
I loved that chocolate cupcake from Two Little Red Hens, So tasty!!! Wish we could to tasting again:)
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~
Amazing & gorgeous NYC re-cap Amanda. The “jaunty smash” is unbelievable. Thanks for sharing it in video form with us.
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.
will definitely be checking some of these places out next time I’m in NYC!
Oh these look so delicious!Looks like you had a great time !
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
Frozen Hot Chocolate from Serendipity….the BEST EVER. “Nuff said.
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??
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?
Love the fantabulous vocab in this post! Also – (a little embarrassingly) – the Gossip Girl reference. XOXO ;)
Oh my gosh. You’re making me hungry!! I miss NYC.
I posted about your blog!!
http://aboutkenzie.blogspot.com/2011/01/top-blogs-of-2010.html
:)
Kenzie
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!! ;)
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!!
I would love to go to NYC and a Frozen Hot Chocolate and Chelsea Market is definitely on my must do list!
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! :)
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!
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!
I’m glad all had a good time!!! Your snapshots were like I was there. The frozen hot chocolate….. Wish I was there!!!!
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
I guess I went to the wrong part of NYC! :-(
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!
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!
LOVE the pics. And I heart Serendipity, too! This Mississippi girl can’t wait to get back to NYC for Broadway and Serendipity!
AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love, love, love your pictures & getting to see your adventures!
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!!
Must. Go. Back. To. NYC. Yumm…
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 :)
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!
I LOVE the idea of frozen hot chocolate! Do you think you could make that at home? If so, I would love to see how.
Laura’s Last Post: Random Thursday: For all my fellow nerds
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.
Wow…what a great trip! Thanks for sharing! But how in God’s holy name do you stay so thin eating all this stuff!!
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….
OH I’ve had that Serendipity’s Frozen Hot Chocolate before….YUM!!!
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.
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.
You are lliving my dream….. love your enthusiasm!!! The photo’s just made me drool!!!
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!
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
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
You have too much fun with all this tasting and traveling you do!! Love the vid I could watch it all day!
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!