No. 16: Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Holiday cupcakes have arrived at Crumbs Bake Shop.   While many of them look fun from the decoration and colors, flavors seem basic with vanilla or chocolate.  I picked out the Peppermint Hot Chocolate to at least get that peppermint candy cane taste.

From the website: "Chocolate cake filled with peppermint buttercream topped with peppermint cream cheese frosting mixed with crushed peppermint candies and edged with crushed peppermint candies."

The cream cheese frosting had very few specks of peppermint candy in the frosting and tasted more like plain vanilla.  The buttercream filling also did not have a minty flavor.  Any peppermint flavor came directly from the crushed candy on the edge of the frosting.  This gave the cupcake enough peppermint flavor.  But how they make the cupcakes doesn't quite live up to the description on the website. *sigh*

The Peppermint Swirl from the 2012 holiday season was better.

Size: Signature

Picked Up At: Columbus Avenue

My Rating (out of 5): 3

No. 15: Sweet Pete’s Salted Caramel

Finally!  More Crumbs locations have re-opened.  This is my first cupcake under new ownership of Marcus Lemonis and Fischer Enterprises.  The variety of cupcakes offered seemed smaller than I remember at the Union Square location.  Some of my favorites were not available so I decided to try one of the new flavors named after the owners's other businesses such as Dippin' Dots and Sweet Pete's candy.

The Sweet Pete's Salted Caramel cupcake looks different than the Salted Caramel cupcake I've had in the past.  (See previous Salted Caramel post here.)  I only heard of Sweet Pete's through news updates on Crumbs, so I am not familiar with their products.  I presume that Sweet Pete's makes some kind of salted caramel candy and those candies are used in the Crumbs cupcake?

Over the last few years, the change to mass manufactured cupcakes at Crumbs was noticeable, but I still liked the cupcakes.  However, today I really noticed the mass production in the look and taste.  The Sweet Pete's Salted Caramel cupcake tasted a bit stale.  The frosting had started to dry to where the mini chocolate chips fell off easily.

Unfortunately, the salt and caramel flavors were missing in this version.  There was a slight caramel flavor in the frosting, but not enough to taste like I was eating salted caramel.  No salt came through at all.  There was a skimpy drizzle of caramel on the top.  Because of the chocolate chips and chocolate cake, the overall flavor was just chocolate.  Instead of chocolate chips, more caramel sauce or even crushed or chopped Sweet Pete's caramel candy would have been better (assuming that's a product).  The texture of the cake was okay, but nothing noteworthy.  It wasn't dry or noticeably moist either.  Just ok.

Size: Signature

Picked Up At: Union Square

My Rating (out of 5): 2

No. 14: Strawberry Lemonade

I was in the vicinity of a Crumbs shop and had to keep on my Crumbs cupcake eating quest.  I picked this one purely because I thought the decoration looked cute with the straw.

The strawberry frosting was not very strong in strawberry flavor.  The lemon flavored cake was not too strong and I'd guess lemon extract was used and possibly yellow food coloring to give the bright color.  This cupcake didn't stand out for me and I probably wouldn't get again.

Size: Signature

Picked Up At: Union Square

My Rating (out of 5): 2

No. 13: Girl Scout Cookie™ Caramel & Coconut

Crumbs introduced their Girl Scout Cupcake Collection last month that feature four flavors honoring the famous Girl Scout Cookies.  Samoas­­® are my favorite Girl Scout Cookie, so of course I had to try the Girl Scout Caramel & Coconut cupcake.  It looks great with a Samoa cookie on top.

Crumbs plays homage to the cookie with a vanilla cake and chocolate frosting, topped with with toasted and untoasted coconut and a caramel drizzle.  While vanilla cake is not my preferred cake flavor, it makes sense to match the cookie base.  The chocolate frosting drizzled with caramel is a flip of the original cookie that has a caramel coconut topping drizzled with chocolate.  While I would love a caramel coconut frosting for the cupcake, the chocolate frosting goes well with all the vanilla cake.  I saved the Samoa cookie for last!

Size: Signature

Picked Up At: Union Square

My Rating (out of 5): 5

Did You Know?  I just learned that my beloved Samoas are also called Caramel deLites®...huh?  According to the Girl Scouts site, the two have slightly different nutritional facts and the difference is because because a different baker makes each one.  The same goes for some of the other cookies like Tagalongs®.  Not sure why both bakers aren't able to use the same name or recipe, or why only some cookies have two names.  But I have only know this cookie as Samoas and I think it's the better name!

No. 12: Chocolate Pecan Pie

Crumbs offered two cupcakes to celebrate National Pecan Month this month.  I chose the Chocolate Pecan Pie because of all the pecans and caramel drizzle on top...two things I love.

The chocolate cake, chocolate ganache filling, and chocolate cream cheese frosting will make any choc-o-holic happy.  But I particularly like how the pecans and caramel add additional flavors and texture to complement all the chocolate.

Size: Signature

Picked Up At: Union Square

My Rating (out of 5): 4

No. 11: Nestlé Crunch

Crumbs is competing in a Nestlé® Crunch contest with this entry and they definitely loaded this cupcake up.  Layered with a Blondie bar at the bottom, Crunch pieces, & chocolate cake.  Then frosted with chocolate buttercream and topped with a mini Crunch candy bar AND a mini blondie chocolate chip cookie.  It's four different desserts in one.  This is the first time I've had a cupcake made with a dessert bar and the Blondie definitely was more dense in texture than cake.  I like the idea but prefer an all-cake cupcake.  Loved the Crunch candy topper!

This is a decadent dessert for sure and go ahead and try it while it's available.

(Bottom: Nestle Crunch mini has miraculously disappeared.)

Size: Signature

Picked Up At: Union Square

My Rating (out of 5): 4

No. 10: The Celtic

I celebrated this St. Patrick's Day with The Celtic cupcake.  I wish the flavors gave this one more of an Irish flare, but it was only the shamrock decoration and green-tinted filling.  The flavors were chocolate cake with a vanilla filling.

Size: Signature

Picked Up At: Union Square

My Rating (out of 5): 3

No. 9: Girl Scouts Thin Mints®

Yes!  Crumbs has partnered with the Girl Scouts to offer a Thin Mints cupcake for a limited time.  A Devil's food cake filled with fudge and topped with mint cream cheese frosting edged in chocolate cake crumbs with a Girl Scout Thin Mints® cookie in the center.  The flavors mirror the beloved cookie perfectly and the fudge filling adds a little extra decadence.  Yum!!

Any kind of Girl Scouts cookie concoction always brings some nostalgia from your childhood and is hard for me to resist.  Get one while it lasts!!

Size: Signature

Picked Up At: The Village

My Rating (out of 5): 5

No. 8: Red Velvet Hearts

It's that time of the year where everything is turned into some Valentine-themed version of itself.  But that doesn't keep me from picking up a Crumbs cupcake with hearts and I tell myself it's just a regular red velvet.

While the decoration is festive and fun with Valentine colors & sprinkles, it's still the great red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting.  The hearts didn't have any flavor, but weren't bad particularly if you like candy decorations.

Size: Signature

Picked Up At: The Village

My Rating (out of 5): 4

No. 7: Peppermint Swirl

'Tis the season for holiday flavors at Crumbs and I wish I could try them all.  But, I settled on the Peppermint Swirl because I thought it was cute that it looked like a peppermint candy.

This fun cupcake is vanilla & red peppermint marble cake topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting, covered in sanding sugar.

I was impressed that the peppermint flavor was just the right amount to trick me into thinking I was having a peppermint candy without being overwhelming.  I actually enjoyed the vanilla and red marble cake.

While the sanding sugar definitely adds to the presentation, I prefer it without because it gives the frosting a gritty feel that I don't enjoy.  Reminds me of bad, sugary frosting that you find on supermarket cupcakes.

Definitely try for the holidays!

Size: Signature

Picked Up At: The Village

My Rating (out of 5): 4

No. 6: Chocolate Velvet

I was scanning the shelves to find new flavors and spotted the Chocolate Velvet.  The word "velvet" alone was enough to get me to try it.  It's all dark and I wasn't quite sure what I was getting.  But since I love red velvet cake, it couldn't be that bad, right?

When I peeled back the wrapper, I instantly had an "ah" moment and it all made sense.  Now, the classic cream cheese frosting is just as essential to a red velvet cake as the cake itself.  But this cupcake takes a twist and caters to the chocoholics who just can't go without their cocoa fix.

This is a red velvet cake topped with chocolate buttercream frosting & sprinkled with red velvet cake crumbs.  It's actually a nice combination and I liked it quite a bit.  Sure, the fact that it's red velvet helped, but  I didn't hate Crumbs for tinkering with the classic red velvet.

Size: Signature
Picked Up At: The Village
My Rating (out of 5): 4

No. 5: Sea Salted Caramel

I read somewhere that the salted caramel fad may be out, but I still love it.  So when I spotted this cupcake, I knew it would not disappoint.

The chocolate frosting is rich, delicious, and coated with caramel and generously sprinkled with salt.  The granules of salt remind me of the kind used on pretzels, allowing the salty side to balance out the sweet side of this awesome combo.  The cupcake is filled with the same frosting used on top and injected with additional caramel.

Super chocolaty desserts aren't my thing. But this had the right amount of chocolate for me and I hope this becomes a regular Crumbs flavor.

Size:  Signature
Picked Up At: Columbus Avenue
My Rating (out of 5): 5

No. 4: Peach Cobbler

Peaches are one of my favorite fruits, so this was a must try for me.  The peach and crumbly streusel topping on the frosting were great to give a cobbler effect.  But the best part was the vanilla cake and the peach compote filling.  The cake was so light and fluffy.  I loved the use of peaches for the filling instead of buttercream, and wish there was more.

Thanks Crumbs for representing summer!

Size:  Signature
Picked Up At: Columbus Avenue
My Rating (out of 5): 4

No. 3: Elvis

Back in February, I walked into The Village store to pick up a sampler pack for a birthday goodie bag for some friends.  And of course I couldn't walk out without a cupcake for me.  So there I stood scanning the shelves of flavors and picked out my choice when something on the bottom left corner of the case caught my eye.

Elvis, you say?  Why, of course I must try this because the name alone is cool.  I only hoped from the tan chips sprinkled on top that the flavors would remind me of one of my childhood snacks.

The peanut butter chips looked and tasted great with the vanilla & peanut butter frosting.  The banana flavored cake was good, but I would have liked more of the fresh banana taste in the cake and maybe as the filling.  Overall, a nice change of pace to the multitude of vanilla and chocolate cupcake variations.

Size:  Signature
Picked Up At: The Village
My Rating (out of 5): 4

No. 2: Chocolate Sundae

To give myself a little treat on a recent birthday, I chose the Chocolate Sundae (sorry Happy Birthday cupcake...maybe next year).  The Chocolate Sundae drew me in with its bright, colorful sprinkles, chocolate drizzle, and pillowy frosted top.  And best of all, a yummy cherry on top!

Besides its festive looks, the overall taste was good but just had basic chocolate and vanilla flavors.  The chocolate cake was yummy and filled with vanilla buttercream frosting then topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting.  I'm not a big frosting fan, so the filling and extra dollop of frosting on top to create the sundae look was more than I prefer.

Size:  Signature

Picked Up At:  Union Square

My Rating (out of 5):  3

No. 1: Pumpkin & Welcome

Welcome to my first blog and post!  I love food and enjoy talking about my eating experiences with friends and decided to venture into the world of blogging (which is a pretty big step for me).  For my first time out, why not start with a simple, fun and lighthearted subject...cupcakes!

Specifically, the cupcakes at Crumbs Bake Shop.  I've always enjoyed their cupcakes for the variety of flavors and the decorations.  They just make me smile and say "ooo, I want to try that one."  There always seems to be a new cupcake, so I've made it a quest to try every Crumbs cupcake available for fun.  After indulging in many a Crumbs cupcakes, I decided to keep track through this blog.  Hope you enjoy my trail of Crumbs!

First up, Pumpkin.

This happens to be the Cupcake of the Month which is fitting for October.  The Pumpkin has all the flavors I was expecting with a pumpkin cake that has just the right amount of spices to remind me it's fall.  The raisins and walnuts add a nice texture and crunch that make this cupcake hearty.  The pumpkin cream cheese frosting is a perfect topping and, just for a moment, I thought I was eating carrot cake.  Great flavor for the season.

Size: Signature
Picked Up At:  The Village
My Rating (out of 5):  3