Best Cupcakes in Boston

I thought i saw a string on this earlier, but could not find. Just need a recommendation or two. Thanks

[sallyt]

Try the whoopie pies (both kinds) and the carrot cake cupcakes -- those are both delicious - I agree that the other cupcakes were forgettable.

[veggielover]

Try the cupcakes at Bread and Chocolate in Newton. They make a great coconut cupcake as well as other kinds. Their donut muffins and scones are wonderful too.

[catsmeow]

I love the ones from Sugar in West Roxbury. Buttercream frosting...moist cake. A few days ago i go chocolate with vanilla frosting and white cake with choc frosting. It reminds me of the way bakeries use to be, cases stocked full of beautiful fresh pastries. From the cookies and cupcakes to the croissants and eclairs, everything has been fresh and delish. It's been busy every time i've been which is probably why everything tastes so fresh.

[windupbird]

The Hi Rise version of the "Hostess Cupcake" is totally amazing!!!

[MichaelB]

I'm by no means a Hi-Rise hater, but I tried this cupcake recently and it was pretty bad. Cute idea (it does look exactly like a Hostess cupcake, right down to the squiggle of white icing across the top) but lame execution - the cake was seriously dry and fairly tasteless as well, and the creamy filling didn't redeem it. Crunchy chocolate glaze on top was fine, but overall it was pretty terrible. I'll stick with their (excellent) vanilla and chocolate loaf cakes in the future when I have a cake craving.

[BarmyFotheringayPhipps]

Yeah, I just don't understand the concept of Trani. It's like those bizarre Island of Dr Moreau mutant things that fast food places with no more ideas put out there, like the pizza taco, or the taco pizza. Either be ice cream or be a cupcake, but don't try to be both!

[twentyoystahs]

Or else be really good cupcake and really good ice cream....but these are both mediocre at best. Ugh. Really dislike this place --can you tell?

[ek0ehler]

Trani's in the North End. Its more than just a cupcake, its an ice cream filled cupcake

[twentyoystahs]

I wanted to like Trani and really disliked it. I felt like I was eating an overly processed cupcake --way too sweet and just too over the top to be enjoyable. Ugh. I'm a firm believer that less is more. I can't imagine how this place could stay in biz for very long.

[bachslunch]

I'll have to join the naysayers for Trani. I'm hard-pressed to find what they do as being significantly better than a Hostess or Little Debbie item. Crummy baked goods, generic soft serve, blecch. And in a part of town where Modern Pastries, Mike's, Maria's, and LuLu's are located, it's a mystery to me why anyone would go there.

[winedude]

I took my kids--they loved them, the whole operation. I thought they tasted like a fresh version of a Hostess cupcake. The only good news is they're surprisingly inexpensive.

[karalawyer]

I love the idea of an ice cream filled cupcake. But the product is MESSY!! The ice cream is usually underfrozen so you have to eat it fast and it melts everywhere. Eat near a North End waterfountain so you can wash off the mess afterward!!!

Also AVOID the TRANI BOOTH (at the Feasts or elsewhere). The Freezer cannot freeze well enough and the Fudgits I got were completely MELTED inside. What's even the point of that???

[Redhohoho]

Lyndell's in Somerville.. I feel like I should work w/ these people b/c I love them so much! As for Sugar in W. Rox though I haven't tried their cupcakes their whoopie pie is pretty good.. their other stuff is just so-so... they are also expensive(IMO) and their staff isn't great..

[Joanie]

I got a pumpkin whoopie pie from Sugar a while ago and it was much better than that icky blueberry scone I threw out. I think the prices are okay (w. pie was about $1.75) but it's not on my short list of bakeries.

[twentyoystahs]

Try the cupcakes. You will not be disappointed & I guarantee it'll be on your short list after that. Friends recently brought me some chocolate cupcakes w/vanilla frosting. Sublime. The all vanilla cupcakes were great too.

[hotdog annie]

Party Favors in Brookline has the best cupcakes!!!

[Gabatta]

Another vote for Party Favors

[twentyoystahs]

The cupcakes at the new bakery "Sugar," in W. Rox, are freakin' amazing. Huge cupcake goodness topped w/an absolutely delicious melt-in-your-mouth buttercream frosting. I could literally TASTE the sweet creamy butter. Good stuff. I highly recommend them there. I hear everything else there is really good too, including homemade whoopie pies. WHOOOPEEEEEEEE!

[foodieB]

I went to Sugar based on this posting and I was not impressed with the cupcakes. The cake was dry. Nothing worse than dry cake.

When I went to sugar I spent over $30 and tried many different things. I found nothing that was wonderful and the service wasn't very good. Everything I tasted was so so. I was very disappointed. I thought the prices were high. I recently went to Arthur's in Medford and the flavor was better and the prices were much more reasonable. I purchased similar items and similar numbers and it was all under $20.

[jackattack]

Icing on the Cake, the great wedding cake place in Newton, sells DELICIOUS cupcakes with outstanding buttercream.

[SouthieGirl]

Definitely Party Favors in Brookline. They can create any concept and are liberal with the frosting!

I also LOVE LOVE LOVE Flour in the South end. The best desserts and great sandwiches!

[BarmyFotheringayPhipps]

Another vote for Party Favors. Best cupcakes in town, easily.

The thing about Lulu's is that their specialty cupcakes -- red velvet, carrot cake, faux Hostess -- are really good, but their basic plain cupcake is disgusting. Stale, holey cake covered with sugared Crisco.

[tatamagouche]

I don't think so, though? IIRC, they use real buttercream frosting for all the cupcakes. I agree that the cake itself doesn't seem to be as good--though the discrepancy is baffling. Love the Red Velvet.
Also, FWIW, LOVE the peanut butter brownies--the PB layer is whipped.

[D.Bernstein]

Lu Lu "s on Hanover Street in the North End. The Town Dinner in Watertown on Mt Auburn St.
they're cup cakes are decorated like colorful sea anemones. The dinner has separate bakery just to make these unique cup cakes . worth the trip there.

[BackBayGirl]

The Appleton St. Bakery & Cafe makes a darn good chocolate cupcake w/ white frosting. MMMMM.

[Spike]

I found the South End buttery cupcakes nasty (or at least the one I got was). Cake was very dry. Frosting was a butter cream that I'm not fond of and it didn't taste very good (not as buttery as Konditormeister if you're fond of buttercreme frosting).

[hugglyj]

ahh so update, i tried the carrot cake one. delicious! the vanilla...dried out. avoid.

[sabra18]

Party Favors on Beacon St. in Brookline!!

[magsnbean]

Hands down BEST Cupcakes ever come from Wilson Farms in Lexington. I had them for my wedding, instead of a wedding cake! They were about 8/z cupcakes, moist, delicious and real butter cream frosting- no crisco there!!! I was able to order mine, in a variety of flavors, and all were topped with fresh flowers for the wedding. People are still talking about those cupcakes!!

The South End Buttery can be hit or miss with theirs. I think that $3 a pop is not worth it, esp once I tasted Wilson Farms. They are way too dry and I am pretty sure that they use shortening in their frosting.

Susu makes a good one in Wellsley, but if you are driving, keep going to Lexington!!

[BJK]

I'm embarassed to say that I've been going to Wilson Farms for almost 30 years and have never had their cupcakes! Thanks for the tip!

:)
BK

[hiddenboston]

Also not in Boston, but the cupcakes from Tripoli in Lawrence are as good as you'll find in the Boston area.

[hdb]

Not in Boston but my suggestion would be Cupcake Boutique in downtown Andover.

Also, Quebrada Bakery in Wellesley Hills had some luscious looking cupcakes this week. Chocolate with a vanilla frosting that was highly decorative with peaks and swirls adorned with confetti candy.

[hugglyj]

just went to south end buttery, still chewing vanilla cupcake w/ choc frosting. it was good but i can see why people said it's hard. you sort of have to unpeel it, get a knife and eat it from the bottom up..as strange as that may seem.

it tastes okay. there's gotta be better cupcakes. and this wasnt worth 3 bucks. hopefully the carrot cake one is better..saving it for later.

susu bakery in wellesley (next to blue ginger). suchhh great cupcakes

I'd be interested to try the new bakery in the South End--I think it's called the South End Buttery. Proceeds from cupcake sales go to the MSPCA and cupcakes are named after the owners' dogs.

[Joanie]

Did South End Buttery really open in 2005? I just got there for the first time today and the red velvet cupcake was pretty great. Huge w/ cream cheese frosting, $3. Will go back again.

Petsi Pies whoopie cakes are awesome if you can manage to get one (they sell out super fast).

Yes, Lyndell's in Ball Square! Hands-down best cupcakes in the city.
The Gingerbread Construction Co. offers muffins (granted with whipped cream and various frostings sometimes) not cupcakes.

Cakes for Occasions, Danvers. The real deal.

Lori

I've always been disappointed with bakeries in the area. They try to be everything to everyone, so they make a large selection of things---some of which are great and some are barely edible. I wish bakeries would focus on a few things and do them extremely well. unfortunately, I don't know of any bakeries that focus much energy on cupcakes.

[jenniferdines]

"I've always been disappointed with bakeries in the area. They try to be everything to everyone, so they make a large selection of things---some of which are great and some are barely edible. I wish bakeries would focus on a few things and do them extremely well."
I think you would like Diane's Bakery in Roslindale. It is 100 years old (seriously) and they stick to the basics...no frills, but deliciously old-fashioned goodness!

[beb31]

I do -- Babycakes on Beale Street in Quincy. Kerry Delauney (formerly of Sintra...may still be at 224 Boston Street) does a FABULOUS job with cupcakes. Try either the signature Babycake or the French Toast cupcake -- you'll be there at 6AM with the masses.

[foodieB]

I did not have the same experience with Babycakes. I was really excited when I found out about the place because I absolutely love cupcakes. I finally got a chance to get over there early enough for them to be open.

Everything looked great so I got a french Toast cupcake, which was good but I wouldn't call it a cupcake, it's bread pudding. I got one of each kind available at the time and to make up a full dozen I got 2 baby cakes. I couldn't wait to break into the box when I got them home a friend and I each chose one from the box to split because I wanted to taste them all. I chose the one I thought that I would like the least in order to save the best for last and I was right. One bite and I spit it out, I couldn't even tell which flavor it was. I tried the next one and it wasn't as bad as the first but it had good flavor but was dry. I was truely disappointed because I had heard so much about this wonderful place and the cupcakes were just okay.

I tasted about six of them before I threw the rest away, I just couldn't bring myself to eat them.

Party Favors in Brookline

I love those cupcakes as well but be aware that they have the ultra-sugary sweet frosting.

Well, the Gingerbread Construction Factory (Wakefield and Winchester locations) versions are well-famed.

I love the cupcakes at Petsi Pies...

Cosmo Cupcakes in Watertown on Mt. Auburn Street (owned by the Delux Town Diner folks) obviously specializes in cupcakes.

I have only been once and stock was lean since they seem to sell out rather quickly. Def. worth checking out if it's specifically cupcakes you are after.

Tried Cosmo not too long ago (well, tried the ones they had for dessert at Delux Town Diner), and like that they have lots of different cupcake varieties (german chocolate was a memorable one), and some of the frosting/decoration was really cute. But my hands-down favorite for cupcakes is Lyndell's in Ball Square.

720 Broadway, Somerville
[phone]

I find Cosmo's cupcakes pretty, but like eating sugared cotton.

Equally pretty & somewhat better tasting are at Vicki Lee Boyajian in Needham.

I'll try some of the other places listed here-- always on the search for splendid baked goods.

[gansu girl]

Is Cosmo's still in business? I was at Sevan on Sat. and it was closed and looked to be in disarray . . . maybe that's the way it always is and I haven't noticed before? But closed on Sat. afternoon?

[Scruffy The Cat]

They were absorbed into Deluxe Town Diner. They were always owned by them, and tried a seperate storefront, but that didn't last long at all.

[TheBlueSquare]

Anything at Petsi Pies is amazing - the baked good there are by far the best I've found in the Cambridge/Somerville area....!!!

[BostonBarGuy]

The carrot cake are unbelievable @ The Gingerbread.