My search for the Best Cupcakes in So Cal brought me to Susie Cakes located at 2043 Westcliff Dr. in Newport Beach.
As we, my sister Maureen and I, walked up to the front door, read the chalkboard sign and was excited to try one of the flavors of the month.
I loved the logo and felt the entrance was very cute and welcoming. It doesn't show in my picture but they even have a water bowl out front in case you brought your dog.
Before heading over the cupcake section we stopped to ohh and aww the cake section. They looked good.
But, we were on the search for the best cupcake not best cake. So we checked out the selection of cupcakes to pick from.
I have to admit I wasn't thrilled over them, like I was with the cakes. They didn't look like much more then the kind of cupcakes you would find at a bake sale at a school or church.
I was expecting to find something like the other cupcake shops I have reviewed that made all the cupcakes look very pretty.
So, the looks department let me down.
I asked the girl who helped us, what was her favorite cupcake. She said she didn't have a favorite. I asked if the white chocolate with fresh strawberries inside was good. She said "ya". I then asked if it was better then the regular strawberry and she said "I think so".
So, I got the white chocolate with fresh strawberries and buttercream icing. We also got a chocolate with chocolate icing as I was requested to do so by one of my readers who loves chocolate cupcakes.
As we were getting rung up, I turned around and noticed a box with ribbon on it. There was a sign that said you had to pay $1.50 for gift wrap.
I thought it was nice you could get a ribbon put on the box. A nice touch if you were bringing cupcakes to someone as a hostess gift.
They also had several other items there. Lots of fun candles and these darling little boxes filled with matches. Pricey but cute.
Some note cards and other items. I thought they were a nice touch to offer. It's always nice to have things in case you are bringing the cupcakes to someone as a gift or thank you and you want a little something else.
Then we were handed our cupcakes. In a bag! What!!! How could they possibly think a cupcake would be OK in a bag? I hated that. Cupcakes need to be in a box.
No one wants to buy a cupcake only to have it smashed up by the time you get it to the person or location you going.
I guess if you don't want your cupcakes mashed up you need to pay extra for the box with the ribbon.
We just stepped outside and sat down at a table. You can see it was already smashed up against the sides of the bag. Points off for the bag and presentation!
The size of the cupcakes were pretty small. They were like the cupcakes you would get if you made them from a box at home. Perhaps they were super rich and you only needed a smaller portion?
The icing was pretty soft and almost melted too. Plus, it looked like they were iced with a butter knife and not swirled on like you expect from a bakery.
Again, making it not such a nice presentation.
When I cut open the White Chocolate with fresh strawberries I noticed icing was pumped into the center of the cupcake as well as on top. Since I'm a big icing lover I thought this was a good thing.
The fresh strawberries looked more like frozen. Pretty mushy. I couldn't wait to try it though. I LOVE white chocolate and I love fresh strawberries!
Then I took a bite. That is when I knew I really didn't like this cupcake at all.
It was not fully cooked or something. Perhaps the icing and strawberries? I'm not sure. It was like glue. Not moist. Just like 1/2 cooked dough or something.
The flavor wasn't good either. We were very let down.
But, we still had the chocolate cupcake to try. Our hopes were high. I've never had a bad chocolate cupcake before.
I took a bite. My heart sunk. It tasted like a store brand cake mix was used for the cupcake and an off brand canned icing
I'm sorry to say, there IS such a thing as a bad chocolate cupcake. I just found it.
Now, I am not a picky person when it comes to anything sweet. Heck, I even love Hostess Ding Dongs and Little Debbie's cakes.
However, these cupcakes were so bad, we both felt they were not good enough to even continue to eat them. So we tossed them out. That is a first for me!
Tossing out a cupcake is not something I would normally do.
I'm so surprised this shop is still open. They have other locations in some of the high price areas here in So Cal.
With all the great cupcake places out there I don't know why anyone would want to pay $3.00 for one of these cupcakes.
Normally, I always bring one or two home with me for my sister, Patty. I like to get her review too. But, these were so bad, I didn't even bother.
Perhaps their cakes are better? Maybe I was there on an off day? I don't know. I do know, I have no desire to go back to try a cake or see if the cupcakes have gotten better. There are to many great cupcakes shops out there to bother.
I was very sad to have to write this review and wasn't even sure if I should. But, I felt I owed it to my readers to post both good and bad reviews of my findings.
What this taste test did do was, make me more excited to continue my search. After going to two great cupcakes shops, Frostings and The Perfect Circle Cupcakery, I was worried they were all going to so great I wouldn't be able to pick my favorite.
Now I know, not all cupcakes are created equal. So, the search will continue.
If you have a favorite cupcake shop or are the owner of a cupcake shop and you would like me to review those cupcakes, please let me know.
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