Vanilla's Cupcakery

I have been meaning to post about the new (well, not so new anymore) cupcake shop in Jacksonville. It's called Vanilla's Cupcakery and is located on St. John's Avenue. I went a few months ago and got 4 cupcakes to go: 2 vanilla cake with chocolate icing, one strawberry, and one chocolate cake with peanut butter icing. Exremely delicious.

I went back over the holidays and discovered that they had changed their cupcake size from standard to jumbo. More for your money...good. But jumbo cupcakes... bad. There's something about the standard cupcake size that is delicate and simple. The jumbo ones just don't look as cute and "bite-size" to me. But they did have some new flavors (my friend Kristin and I cut ours in half and shared). They revamped the Strawberry cupcakes (which totally tasted like Bryers strwaberry ice cream!), and I was brave enough to try the Aztec Hot Coca flavor. It was definitely different.

Anyway. If you're in the area, definitely stop by. The cupcakes run from $2.50-$3.50 depending on the flavor. http://www.vanillascupcakery.com/

Cupcakes in NYC

A few weeks ago I went to visit my good friend in New York City. We both have an affinity for cupcakes, so we made a point to stop at some of the most delicious bakeries. Our original plan for the "cupcake tour" didn't officially happen, because we we always too full to stop at yet another bakery.

I did come across these too-cute-to-eat cupcakes in Chelsea Market.

We also made it to Billy's Bakery in Chelsea. I have been wanting to try this place for awhile after seeing the owner do a segment on Martha. The cupcakes were very good, and the shop was cute, too.

Of course I couldn't go to NY without a trip (okay - trips) to my favorite bakery of all, Magnolia. There is a new one that has opened in Rockefeller Center that is not as crowded as the one located in the Village, where the line wraps around the building!
So many places on the list that we didn't make it to. Like Buttercup, Sugar Sweet Sunshine and Two Little Red Hens, so I have plenty of reasons to return!