Best Cupcakes in Ann Arbor

If you're looking for cupcakes in Ann Arbor, Michigan, there are two options besides going to the grocery store and purchasing one of those, umm, is "nasty" too strong of a word...things in the "Bakery" section.

The first is a legit bakery specializing in specialty cakes called Cake Nouveau. I have had their cupcakes, way back when, maybe 2 years ago and I didn't like them very much. The cake wasn't fluffy, but dense, dry, and had that taste of having been frozen and then thawed out. Their frosting wasn't great either - it was fluffy, which I love, but the flavor didn't taste real. But maybe they've changed their strategy since then. I looked them up online and saw that they only do cupcakes Friday and Saturday, so it's clear they focus on their cakes. I sampled a slice of their cake, too, and, while beautiful, I didn't think it's flavor was very good, either. My opinion; I know others who'd disagree. I just hate feeling like I am eating a puffball - cake should be dense and flavorful. FYI: The owner, Courtney Clark, has won quite a few awards for her decorated cakes and has been on Food Network Challenge a few times. After watching the episodes, I was really turned off by some of the things she said and the way she acted. That, coupled with the under-delivery of the cupcakes led to my decision to stop going to the shop.

The pictures above and below are from my latest trip to The Cupcake Station. It is a Michigan only chain - they have about 4 locations. This place I love! It is a true cupcake shop - they have about 14+ kinds of cupcakes daily, all sitting in a glass case. The decorations are cute and detailed and they keep making fresh cupcakes throughout the day so you always get the flavor you want. Seriously, they need to expand because I have never, ever found a cupcake to match their quality and satisfying, lip-smacking buttercream. Even at the Magnolia Bakery in New York, I found the cream a bit too sweet. My fav flavor is Bumpy Cake, a Michigan treat which I'll save for another post. They stuff a lot of their cupcakes with frosting, too, so you always have a nice ratio of cake-to-cream. And the decor is sooo pretty: they have giant pictures of cupcakes lining the walls. I contacted the store manager to get the name of who did them, but haven't gotten around to purchasing one for my own room. The Cupcake Station does yummy bars and cookies, too. They also offer Vegan cupcakes and puddings. And every day of the week there is a special. At $2.50 a cupcake, this place is affordable and extremely satisfying. I can never buy just one...

Peanut Butter and Bumpy Cake

Colorful Chocolate Cup-a-Cakes

Oh how I love a cup-a-cake (this is how I pronounce it because, let's face it, it just makes them sound so much sweeter). Whenever you feel happy or sad or silly, they are the perfect little dessert. A bit time consuming, perhaps, but so worth it in the end.

For these little beauties, I used a chocolate cake recipe from...you guessed it: Ina Garten...and just poured the batter into a muffin tin. No paper frilly things necessary because they a) are expensive and b) get in the way of devouring the cake beneath.

I also used a nice Belgian cocoa powder. I am a huge Ghirardelli fan and always use their chocolate chips, but their cocoa always seems a little stale to me.

For a few of the cakes, I cut a hole in the center and filled it with extra frosting - a nice little surprise for the unsuspecting.

I also contemplated adding 2 heaping spoonfuls of peanut butter into the buttercream but decided against it because I just wanted my chocolate pure and sinful :)

I also cut the recipe down to 1 1/2 sticks of butter - which I set out all day so they would actually be room temperature. If you don't do this, you get terrible little chunky butter pellets that are unattractive and an awful reminder that you ARE eating pure butter.

A handy trick I use to fill the pastry bag is to orient a Ziploc baggie over the rim or a cup - this way both your hands are free to fill it up. Then, pick the bag up, snap it shut, and squeeze the icing to one side. Snip a little hole with kitchen scissors and decorate away!

Finally, I sprinkled the tops with some funfetti chocolate chips my boyfriend shipped over from Michigan - thanks, sweetie!