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.
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
for less than $20 i could ship you some cupcakes to try myself. lemme know. ;-)
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!