Red Velvet Cake/Cupcakes in San Diego?

[Alice Q]

One of my blog commenters asked if there are any bakeries in San Diego that make a good Red Velvet Cake. I am drawing a blank - can anyone help?

http://aliceqfoodie.blogspot.com/2007...

[epicureous eggplant]

Just want to share my Red Velvet comparison over the weekend...

Tender Greens in Liberty Station has huge Red Velvet Cupcakes. The icing is creamy and light. The cupcakes have more of a cocoa flavor and are moist.

Burger Lounge's Red Velvet cupcake is a bright red, with a thick layer of icing that looks an inch high. The red velvet here has a sweet cherry taste. It also seems much drier than Tender Greens. Some edges of the cupcake topped were burnt.

I kept both in the fridge overnight. The next day, Tender Green's cupcake was still moist and the icing still creamy. Burger Lounge's cupcake had become brittle and dry, and the icing hardened. The way I scrapped the icing off the cupcake reminded of a stick of butter right out of the fridge.

Comparing the two side by side, Tender Green's cupcake was a deep red, and Burger Lounge's cupcake was so bright!

[pickypicky]

LOVE your scientific research. I noticed the cocoa taste in TG RV cupcakes and was grateful for it-- althought historically the Red Velvet cake was a depression-era substitute for not having enough chocolate. The cake was dyed red to look and remind people of chocolate. All the recipes I'd found to make my own were cloyingly sweet with no other taste but sweet. I think the TG cupcake walks the line and wins.

[ultimatebelle]

There is a woman from South Carolina who lives in Chula Vista that makes THE BEST red velvet cakes from scratch. Her email address is [e-mail]. Not sure how much she charges to make them but whatever the cost, they are well worth the $$! :)

[berliz]

The best, and very reasonable, desserts in the area are to be found at San Diego Desserts on El Cajon Blvd, one block west of College. i have never had a bad piece of cake there. They are now doing great lunch and dinner. Their red velvet is unlike any other around.

[pickypicky]

I lived in North Carolina three years and had many amazing Red Velvet Cakes homebaked by women using their family recipes. Here in SD I've had sweet red cupcakes with no taste that bear no resemblence to this glorious southern tradition.

until I tried the Red Velvet Cupcake at TENDER GREENS. Holy cow! It is the real deal. All I know is that the chef/owner's mom makes all the desserts, and that this cupcake is worth a special trip even if you ate nothing else there. (And the mom's not Southern, unless she's Southern Italian.)

[Fake Name]

I think one of the best places in town for cupcakes, including Red Velvet, is Eclipse Chocolates. This is an unappreciated jem in San Diego. Maybe because Luigi's is open next door, these folks will get the attention they deserve.

[lcmarket]

Centerpiece Desserts do great cupcakes. They supply the Petco Park. www.centerpiecedesserts.com. Their S'mores cupcakes are amazing!

[MrKrispy]

Haha I was at Ralph's in Hillcrest today and saw them in the bakery section. Didn't buy them but immediately thought of this thread.

[Blessed]

*bumping because I was @ Ralphs and bought me a slice of red velvet and I am thoroughly amazed that it tasted that good! It definitely got my vote.

[nessy]

I think the best red velvet cupcake in town is at the Daily Scoop.

[Alice Q]

I recently discovered that Influx has some really good ones too - in Golden Hill on Broadway. Good other pastries and sandwiches too.

[mendocino]

Tried cupcakes squared on friday...the red velvet was not red. I don't think they add any color b/c it was brown. All the cupcakes were nice and moist but I felt they had too much cake too little frosting.
Good for breakfast ,tea but not for a major cupcake fix!

[lizvuong]

I just went to Cupcakes Squared too. I actually think its a little overpriced for what it is. The Black and White I had was just plain BLAH and the Lilikoi didn't taste moist throughout. I could also care less that its a square shaped cupcake.

I'd definitely recommend Elizabethan Desserts not for the red velvet though. It seems she has too much variation for that cupcake- sometimes dry, sometimes undercooked and sometimes pretty good. Her other items seem more consistent. I've had good experiences with her white chocolate cake w/fresh strawberry buttercream and other white chocolate cupcakes w/different frostings and toppings. I wish she'd tone down the amount of frosting though.

[SeanT]

Tone down the frosting? Surely you jest! SOme of us really enjoy the frosting. Cake is just flavored bread.

[butterbutt]

you can buy the Sprinkles mix at Williams Sonoma for a mere $15.00 and then of course buy the ingredients for the frosting.. they were good.. not great.. maybe I over cooked them..I might do again though for company. I stupidly let my 20 yr old make them for friends that were coming for dinner. Go figure they(the friends) went to L.A and missed the train back .. So all the dinner(butternut squash manicotti.. with cream sage sauce.. and the cupcakes were to waste.. ok well we ate them..

[PommeDeGuerre]

As Sprinkles uses enough chocolate to flavor the cupcake, not merely as a coloring as is intended in Red Velvet, I think that they should change the name to Red Devils, as their's is technically much closer in taste to Devil's Food, not Red Velvet. An entire generation of people is going think that Red Velvet is supposed to taste like chocolate I fear, and have heard the evidence from the cupcake buying masses I run into at both work and play.

[comidaqueen]

Any place in La Jolla sell (delicious) red velvet cupcakes?

[The Old Man]

No.

[nessy]

Cupcakes Squared in Point Loma is scheduled to open this Friday! Their website says they will have red velvet cupcakes! Let's go!!!

[nessy]

http://www.cupcakessquared.com
is their website.

[The Old Man]

Is this cupcake thing as silly as the Krispie Kreme thing that pretty much fizzled out? My mom lives on the westside of LA near one of the highly touted one (perhaps from NY). She went once, that was it.

[clayfu]

completely different in my opinion. Krispy kreme was just one company, this is a variety of places putting their own twists and flavors.
And i believe the cupcake craze really started in LA not NYC. (i.e. sprinkles)

[SeanT]

Oh donuts and cupcakes are just a fad! Give me a break. P.S. Krispy Kreme is now trans fat free.

My daughter requested a red velvet cake from Elizabethan for her birthday, FANTASTIC! Try it with raspberries.

[The Old Man]

Did not say that donuts were a fad--said that Krispy Kreme was--note that their stock went into the toliet, they closed many stores, they've stopped opening so many new ones.

Did not say cupcakes were a fad. Implied that cupcake-featuring stores are a short term fad--they are.

BTW look for Pinkberry stores to start closing by the beginning of the next decade.

[DiningDiva]

Old Man, for once I think you're absolutely dead-on. A friend and I stopped by Cupcakes Squared this afternoon. It's a bright, shiny, new place, clearly someone's hopes and dreams. As we were driving away, I commented to my friend, "how in the h*ll can you make a living selling cupcakes". (And after sampling our purchases a few minutes ago, I don't think they can). If someone was going to open a cupcakes only store, they should have done it 2 years ago at the height of the fad and not in rural Point Loma. I think cupcakes have run their course as the trendy dessert of the moment.

[Alice Q]

Have you been to Sprinkles and seen the lines? I don't think the trend is quite played out, but it remains to be seen whether a place like that can make money in San Diego - especially in Pt. Loma - which is kind of hard for people who don't live in the area to get to.

[DiningDiva]

If the product is good, almost anything can make money in San Diego, especially if it's capitalized well enough. I think it's probably more appropriate to call cupcakes a novelty rather than a fad. They'll stick around, but the luster will wear off, and I think the luster has started to tarnish.

Fads, trends and novelties are almost always bell shaped in their lifespan. They pique the interest of enough people to get some traction, gain lots of momentum as the mass appeal builds, then peak and begin to decline until they either find a point of equilibrium or fade form consciousness (Hoola Hoops come to mind, lo-carb diets and peak oil).

I think cupcakes have hit the top of their bell curve and are wafting their way down and, indeed, may not be totally played out yet, but neither have they hit rock bottom and become passe. As the economy continues to decline, it will be interesting to see how well they sustain their popularity since they are not a necessity. Restaurants are already feeling the pinch as people eat out less, will folks continue to buy cupcakes? Who knows, only time will tell.

[eastcoastgirl_28]

I've been once and have to agree that Cupcakes Squared left lots to be desired. I'll try them again but only because I WANT them to be good.

[morganbenz]

There is a new bakery in South Park that has amazing red velvet cupcakes. I don't know the name, but it used to be the ice cream shop. I think it's on 30th or Fern. Good luck!

[The Old Man]

Sheerwater at the Del makes a bad red velvet cake that they're "known for."

[Josh]

Scoop, it's an ice cream parlor. It's across from Rebecca's, though Rebecca's also does these. In fact, I was just there for my coffee fix, and saw some killer ones.

[popandkate]

The Daily Scoop in South Park does have amazing red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Run, quick!

[abazaba]

OMG! I wanted to buy some specialty cupcakes for my daughter's birthday...so I went to the Daily Scoop as well as Cupcakes Squared. I had planned to buy chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting because the girl at the Daily Scoop said these were the best. I was planning to special order them. She said they didn't have any chocolate for me to try, but they had the red velvet and vanilla cupcakes for me to taste. I tried the red velvet cupcake and it was THE BEST cupcake I've ever had. I ordered 2 doz and didn't even bother to try the vanilla version.

Before I decided to order, I went to Point Loma Cupcakes Squared. The owner was very nice and let me try three flavors. There was no comparison from the very first bite. I told her I would ponder my choices and decide in an hour. I called The Daily Scoop and they made them for me this afternoon. I am taking the cupcakes on the plane, and the girl at the counter offered to put each cupcake in a separate styrophome cup with lid so they don't get crushed at no extra charge. This is my new favorite place, and I live a block away from Extraordinary Desserts! Check it out. Thanks to those who posted on this board for the information!

[DiningDiva]

And the Daily Scoop would be where? Can't go if I don't have an address

[popandkate]

His response is to my post (and others) that mention it's in South Park- 3004 Juniper St- [phone].

[beachbunnySD]

oh my, mmmmm red velvet. i would without a doubt say CAKE. they were my cake vendor for my wedding and i can't even tell you how many foodies (guests and coworkers at my wedding) came up to me that night and weeks afterwards telling me that my cake was the best wedding cake they'd ever had. of course, CAKE also makes cupcakes, petit fours, and special occasion cakes.

we actually ordered a red velvet cake from them for my friend's engagement party and it was a huge hit. they don't bake with preservatives and their cakes are so moist and flavorful and dee-lish. we worked with kimberly... they're on par with michele coulon, but don't charge michele coulon prices!

www.fabcakes.com

[Ela0427]

I would suggest the divine Elizabethan Desserts in Encinitas.

[normalheightsfoodie]

I had the cupcakes at BREAD and CIE recently and they were not very good. They were kept in the refigereted case, they were cold and dry. It was disapointing.

[Alice Q]

Have to agree with you there - the buttercream is way too greasy, and I really don't like the lavender/chocolate flavor combo.

[bythenumbers]

Just Fabulous closed it's Kensington location, but you can still order from thier wholesale location.

[koda]

I'd also like to know where I can get some red velvet cake.

[srk]

Elizabethan Desserts in Encinitas makes Red Velvet Cake and Cupcakes.

http://elizabethandesserts.com/

[septocaine_queen]

Just saw them today. Elizabeth puts a fresh cherry on top of the cupcakes.

[Chibi5]

I went to Elizabethan in Encinitas and the red velvet cupcakes are awful. Really nice ladies there but their red velvet cannot come close to competing with Sprinkles in Newport.

[PommeDeGuerre]

I'd have to respectfully disagree. You could make the case that the cucpcakes at Elizabethan do not taste the same as the mass produced cupcakes that each of the Sprinkles shops produces, and they do not, than God, but to describe them as awful, makes me wonder about the objectivity of your palate a wee bit. Just saying.

[SeanT]

I disrespectfully disagree. Von's bakery cupcakes are awful, Elizabeth's are great. I think your Mom needs to thump you on the head and bring you to your senses.

[SeanT]

I love red velvet cake.

[Alice Q]

I know - I was actually hoping burntend would respond, thanks though!

[Alice Q]

Any details? Did you taste it or do you just know that they have it? I used to live in Kensington and I gave it several chances, but was never that impressed with this place (Just Fabulous Desserts is indeed the name). I know a lot of people like it though.

[normalheightsfoodie]

I was just responding to the fact that Burntend did not know the name of the place.

[burntend]

Yes, a bakery across from the Ken Theater on Adams. I forgot the name, but boy is this place good.

[normalheightsfoodie]

I think you mean JUST FABULOUS DESERTS