Babycakes NYC - Chocolate Crumb Cake

Saturday night the weather was less chilly [finally!], so we strolled down to Babycakes . File it under everyone deserves a second chance, sometimes even a third to get it right. And damn it, I’m curious. Since they posted their ingredients on line, all except the cupcakes-chalk it up to their copycat paranoia fears-I have even more reason to go try the GF vegan goodness.

The place was packed, and it’s a sliver of a joint on Broome. They had a small placard on the door announcing they were one of the BEST OFs from New York Magazine , but I can’t find them in this year’s pick. No matter, they won for cupcake last year and with all of the recent press, they are selling like vegan hotcakes.

Perhaps it’s precisely due to the press, including the canola conundrum, and the influx of new customers, that the signage has gotten a little clearer; e.g. delineating the distinctions between spelt-full [ancient wheat] and a gluten-free product. And the staff was a hair more articulate, though still rough and punk around the edges [it’s so un-punk to put a link to Miriam Webster for “Punk”, it made me giggle doing it, which maybe is punk: to subvert the subversive? Hmmm]: “Gluten-free is the second rack only.”

They were sold out of several items, great for them, but less for me to try. I bought a small slice of the double chocolate crumb cake [which officially has no crumb ]. I had it for breakfast on Sunday.

I almost hate to say it because their business practices have been entirely inconsistent, but the cake was good, really good: chocolatey, not too sweet, dense and fudgey. I’d buy a whole one and I think non-vegan, gluten-eating folks would be happy to eat it.

Hmmm, so I officially like the chocolate cake. I still don’t like them, exactly, but drats, I liked the cake. Maybe I'll try something else soon.

Comments

I was secretly hoping you didn't like it. Well, it's a good thing for the allergen crowd of NY. It's $80.00 to have 6 muffins shipped to my house. I'll pass, thank you very much.
Allergic Girl® said…
Mama--i totally hear you. i still don't trust them, which is why i only ate an item that they listed on their website. but yeah. overpriced and poor/inconsistent/non-transparent business practices do not equal running to them every opportunity for a fix.

for less than $20 i could ship you some cupcakes to try myself. lemme know. ;-)
Thank you so much for the offer! I will keep it in mind. I forwarded your links (the first and the latest regarding Babycakes) to our food allergy board. Some of the ladies were excited, yet optimistically cautious. Since they don't live by Babycakes I wanted them to know your experience. Sometimes the coverage on T.V. doesn't give the whole story. Thanks for sharing it with it :)
Allergic Girl® said…
absolutely! TV rarely tells the whole story. and apparently my experience wasn't atypical.

i mean, good for them for having a good PR team to get them such great coverage, but they have alot to work on in terms of the actual store.

when they are so many great nationally available brands like cherrybrook kitchen [whose amazing chocolate cake i just tried and will be reviewing later this month], who answer emails, are transparent about products, i wouldn't run to try babycakes. not until they get their priorities sorted.

thanks for the link to your mama group--happy to help in any way i can!
Heather said…
Ooh, I haven't tried the Cherrybrook yet, but I've been tempted. Now you've made me tempted to try Babycakes, too.
kristy said…
Hi all, coming from someone who has no allergies of any kind, I can honestly say I think their products are great. I've been going there since it opened a year and a half ago, and living in nyc, (nad not having any allergies) I could have my choice of lots of different bakeries. I know its expensive, but its worth it to me.

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