358337 Mon Jan 08 22:45:54 -0800 2007 22 2 Los Angeles Area 0 2166897 At a recent holiday party I attended, someone brought in cupcakes for dessert. Of course, I expected the usual suspects: Sprinkles, Susiecakes, Leda's, etc. But it was none of the above, and none that I had heard of before --- the cupcakes were in a blue and white striped box labeled "Dainties." The cupcakes were surprisingly good. Dark chocolate, with ganache frosting instead of buttercream (thank god, since I immensely dislike sicky-sweet buttercream), and a shot of whipped cream in each cupcake and on top. Like my Hostess-filled childhood, but way better! Mysterious cupcake-bringer left before I could ask where they were from. Anyone else heard of Dainties? Is it new? Mon Jan 08 22:45:54 -0800 2007 15223 FoodieMcFood 1 2166923 I have not heard of these, but they look great! Mon Jan 08 22:52:42 -0800 2007 2166897 65214 RoniRoni 1 2166934 http://www.daintiescupcakes.com/ Mon Jan 08 22:54:54 -0800 2007 2166897 58922 NYCnowLA 2 2167275 These look delicious... I called to ask about Saturday hours, and the owner was extremely friendly and accommodating. He said that they are just getting started, and the hours are flexible and changing. Saturday from 10:00 - 4:00, and when I asked if they served coffee, his response was: "We'll make you a pot of coffee; don't worry!" With that attitude, I wish them well, and we will check it out for a mid-afternoon snack! Tue Jan 09 00:07:15 -0800 2007 2166934 14014 liu 3 2167624 Do you have to order ahead of time or can you just drop in? Tue Jan 09 01:47:30 -0800 2007 2167275 17863 Newkie 4 2167635 Although the owner did tell me that he was primarily a catering business, he indicated that I could just drop by for a single afternoon delight...because he did say that he would make a pot of coffee! Tue Jan 09 01:50:21 -0800 2007 2167624 14014 liu 2 2168446 I couldn't help but notice that every one of the different cupcakes pictured on the website, no matter the flavor, has chocolate cake and chocolate icing/ganache. Some might consider that a dubious choice, one that certainly will not be to everyone's liking. Are the different flavors only to be found in the different whipped toppings/fillings? Do any cupcake flavors stand out through such an overwhelming use of chocolate? Tue Jan 09 07:47:03 -0800 2007 2166934 16564 Arthur 1 2168041 Love it! Thanks. Will try soon. Have you had Dots in Pasadena? Recently had them. Very good as well. Tue Jan 09 03:54:29 -0800 2007 2166897 11193 cvc 1 2172149 Just checked out Dainty Cakes' website.... this is shear torture! Wed Jan 10 05:38:52 -0800 2007 2166897 64003 bulavinaka 1 2182701 3 dollars for a cupcake? Is it worth it? Fri Jan 12 20:09:45 -0800 2007 2166897 55818 smdude 2 2185033 I can rationalize paying for any food experience as long as I can fit it into my budget. I have yet to try this place's cupcakes but if they are as good as they look in the pix, I think I could justify 3 bucks a pop for these... but I'm a pushover for most baked goods... a bakery is like the mother ship, and the goods in the cases act like a tractor beam pulling me in... Sat Jan 13 16:16:23 -0800 2007 2182701 64003 bulavinaka 1 2185906 These seem really dangerous. I am grateful and upset with you McFoodie for bring these to my attention, as they are strategically placed on my way to work. Sat Jan 13 21:29:33 -0800 2007 2166897 65975 ronla 1 2186108 Ok who brought up Dot Cupcakes? I went to check out their website and I so wanted one. And it is in my neighborhood. Sat Jan 13 22:51:59 -0800 2007 2166897 65974 Liz 1 2222112 I just stopped by yesterday, realizing from a post here that I knew exactly where it must be. Unfortunately it is strategically located en route from the kennel (school) to swim team practice. Pups, however, will proceed to burn off 1K calories and my excuse is....driving in LA is hard work. To answer someone's question, it is true that all the nominal flavors are made so by shooting the same chocolate cake-with-ganache frosting full of a flavored whipped cream that results in a large and pretty whipped cream swirl on top. The flavored whipped creams are distinctly different, if subtley so. In fairness, the motto of their company is "it's all about the whipped cream". But I agree this is something of a cheap shot in terms of "flavors". OTOH, my favorite cupcake is usually chocolate and they're not pretending otherwise, so this amply satisifies my personal needs. But if you're wanting to try a delectable variety of a range of sophisticated flavors, this wouldn't be your first stop. My recent encounter with Leda's cupcakes might serve you better on that quest. Before I proceed with more "analysis" I want to quick second the comment on the friendliness of the people there. It was fairly remarkable here in WLA to be treated like a genuine human being. It was thrilling to have a nice engaging interaction. And in particular in comparison with the posts about Sprinkles' atmosphere, this should count for something. I came in with two children who were greeted so warmly and really lovingly it was just fun for us all. The owner gave us extra to try which was also just such a "real" thing to do. The place is out-of-the-way, trying to get started and known and it is how you get your name out there, yet so few people really seem to do that around here in Big LA. I find it puzzling. And more to the point, absolutely endearing when it is rarely encountered. The people at this establishment are genuinely warm-hearted and treat you, their customer with care and generosity (3 paid, 3 free cupcakes; can't beat that!). That has to count for something! But I realize that what counts here on this board is mostly the quality of the food, so to that. The cupcakes we had were variable, some were perhaps older than others and a touch more stale? The best of them were very moist, not too sweet at all and just a good solid "A" in my book. I appreciated not having too much sweetness, but for my personal taste, I would prefer less whipped cream and a titch more frosting. Actually, I could skip the whipped cream altogether, but that's not their thing. I understand the cupcakes were developed perhaps for show on movies? I wasn't positive about that, and had no time to check. But that would make sense as they are visually very attractive. And the taste is mighty fine too. I would say the cake had excellent chocolate taste and denseness and texture. I would hope for the slightest shade more moistness, but that's being picky. In contrast with the blop of white chocolate Leda uses to paste down her delectables, these people have highly engineered cardboard boxes to hold each cupcake individually! Very impressive, very environmentally suspect. Can't have everything I guess. Note that should you fail to close the beautiful box while driving and need to brake suddenly for some dolt who neglected to respect a stop sign, the lovingly constructed cupcake despite its impressive housing, will not survive intact. Tastes just as good though, simply have to lick it off the box! Street parking is tight. Use the lot in front of Winchell's or as mentioned by another, just "park em in". The store is in the back corner of the building that houses Winchell's, on the corner of SMB and Sepulveda, at the opposite end of the alley from Zankou chicken. I noticed this place months and months ago but it had no sign and I was too shy to inquire -- I wish now I had! All those months lost without knowing about these tasty morsels!!!!!!! Note that the cupcakes are larger than Leda's, a full "normal" size, more fitting to simply eating rather than tasting. They charge the seemingly going-rate of $3 which is frankly astonishing, but evidently par. Wed Jan 24 11:04:36 -0800 2007 2166897 67879 aliris 1 2222137 yes, aliris, i couldn't have said it better. i purchased one cupcake a few weeks back and she threw in an extra three to give to friends or whatever, so four of those for one price. but yeah, the cupcakes were just not that great, a little leaden the cake wasn't moist, and all were chocolate cake based, with chocolate glaze/icing on top and then the flavored whipped cream on top whether Rasberry, Chocolate, vanilla, or Espresso, or Caramel. They do look Dainity though hence the apt name. Wed Jan 24 11:11:17 -0800 2007 2166897 10866 kevin 1 2222138 without the frewbies, 3 bucks is still way to much to pay for a cupcake. Wed Jan 24 11:11:41 -0800 2007 2166897 10866 kevin 1 2222868 Well, in true Chowhound fashion there I am standing on the corner of Santa Monica Blvd. in front of Winchell's downing my coffee cream chocolate cupcake because of this thread. I really do need to get a life. Great whipped cream (even all over my mouth and nose) but the cake is almost too cold to properly judge. What can I say? For $3 better than anything else? I don't think so but I'm a fan of Sprinkle's, My Little Cupcake, Susiecakes, Dot's, Clementine's, etc. Dainties is nearby though and that's important. Glad to find this place and wouldn't have but for this board. By the way if you're adventureous call Bake Away Commercial Bakery. They'll deliver for a minimum and use a whipped cream topping. Inexpensive. Bake Away 310-287-2772 on Robertson in WLA somewhere between Pico and Venice Wed Jan 24 13:52:27 -0800 2007 2166897 11193 cvc 2 2223029 Ah yes -- good point. I think the "leadenness" may in part be due to the coldness of the cupcakes. As a commercial bakery that's probably not moving "product" all that quickly, they've probably got things refrigerated a tad more than others might or would be ideal if optimizing flavor. BTW, if life is not to search for perfect cupcakes, then what *is* it for? Seems as good a purpose to me as, say, oh I dunno - colluding with insurance execs to exclude the poor from a collective health insurance pool. But I digress entirely OT. I just wanted to say: I think what you're doing may just be life enough. Wed Jan 24 14:29:08 -0800 2007 2222868 67879 aliris 1 2223525 Big Sugar Bakeshop just opened in Studio City (sort of opposite Mexicalis) So far I've been in three times and tried something different each time. Way more affordable than Ledas (which I adore) -- approx $1.50-$2.00 per cupcake, from memory. Cookies are $1.00. They have a massive variety of treats on offer, and what I love is that there are small items such as little squares of fudge or small peanut butter buckeyes (didn't try them -- hate peanut butter when it isn't on a piece of wholewheat toast) as well as cupcakes as well as 2 person pies (eg choc mousse or apple crisp) and slices of cake (eg German Choc and Red Velvet) and even whole cakes, so you can completely satisfy a small - medium - large craving, depending on how you feel that day. They even have a daily blog with info on the daily specials -- how cool is that? http://bigsugarbakeshop.blogspot.com/ Wed Jan 24 17:06:00 -0800 2007 2166897 28279 Maxmillion 1 2226052 I went last night and bought four cupcakes and the owner threw in two for free. The co-owners (Bill and Susan) are incredibly nice and inetresting people. We had a great conversation about food in Los Angeles. My wife and I liked the caramel, mango and raspberry flavors the best (we also tried the choclate, vanilla and Bailey's.) The cupcakes are denser and more formidable than others, but I enjoyed it. Just the fact that they are refrigertated will make it a different experience than say, Susicakes. Overall, highly recommended. Thu Jan 25 11:19:03 -0800 2007 2166897 28030 AlabasterDisaster 1 2232074 There is a new cupcake place in the food court of the Santa Monica Place mall called Le Cupcake. I tried one before Christmas and I thought it was as good as Sprinkles and a little cheaper. It is a family operation, and they were all nice and helpful. I tried the red velvet and coconut and thought the red velvet was as good as Auntie Em's. I have been meaning to go back, but haven't made it yet. Fri Jan 26 20:12:24 -0800 2007 2166897 57755 Sugarsnap 1 2233339 Did anyone watch the "Ellen" show yesterday (friday)? It was her birthday, so she said she watned the audience to share her favorite red velvet cupcake. They bought out dozens of cupcakes from Auntie Em's! Sat Jan 27 12:11:27 -0800 2007 2166897 11375 perk 1 2234706 Auntie Em's are my favorite cupcakes in Los Angeles. The red velvet, coconut, and carrot are all really good -- it's hard to get just one, and they are huge! Best to get those 3 when there's a smallish birthday celebration, keeps me from just eating them for b'fast, lunch and dinner. Sun Jan 28 02:04:38 -0800 2007 2166897 25705 sll