The Ugly Cupcake

Yesterday, we went to The Ugly Cupcake in Kingsport, TN.  The store itself wasn't much to brag about.  There was bulk candy along the white walls and a single counter with odds and ends behind it where the cupcakes are prepared.  There was no place to sit inside the store to eat your cupcakes.  The cute factor wasn't there that you expect to see at a cupcake shop.  Although, there was a steady line of customers the whole time we were there. 

We bought four cupcakes: red velvet, birthday cake, peanut butter cup, and orange dreamsicle.

The Red Velvet cupcake was ok. The cake didn't have very much flavor but the frosting was pretty good. Although, there was hardened white chocolate on the top of the icing, which was delicious and made the cupcake much better!

The birthday cake cupcake was pretty mediocre. It was white cake, which was a bit crumbly and dry with chocolate frosting and multicolored sprinkles. The frosting was decent, it was whipped, which isn't my favorite, and the chocolate flavor wasn't very strong.  The sprinkles were pretty much the best part!

The peanut butter cup cupcake was pretty good. The chocolate cake was very good. The peanut butter frosting didn't have a very strong peanut butter taste, which some people might like, but I would have liked a stronger peanut butter flavor for the frosting.  Plus, the Resse's cup on the top was delicious, as always. 

The orange dreamsicle cupcake was probably my favorite. The cake was light and fresh with a nice orange flavor. The icing was orange and vanilla mixed together, which made for a very nice 'dreamsicle' flavor. I would definitely get this one again!

Overall, The Ugly Cupcake was ok.  If it was the only cupcake store, I would go to it.  But because it isn't, I probably would go somewhere else or make my own cupcakes. 

Gigi's Cupcakes

Over the past few months, I've been thinking it would be fun to own/operate a cupcake shop.  I am guessing that in reality, being a small business owner and baker might not be as much fun as baking when I feel like it in my little kitchen.  But I could be wrong.  Maybe I can just run a baking business out of my kitchen.... hm.... ideas....

Anyway, I had never been to a REAL cupcake shop, just the one I think about in my head.  So I figured it was about time to try one out.  Last Friday, Matt and I checked out Gigi's Cupcakes here in Murfreesboro.  Gigi's is a franchise started here in Nashville.  They have 19 locations in 9 states, mostly states in the South.  Check them out here: http://www.gigiscupcakesusa.com/home


Overall, my first cupcake shop was amazing.  Look at these:

I love how pretty they look!  The person working gave us a special deal, so we went ahead and got four cupcakes.  We tried wedding cake, triple chocolate, carrot cake, and key lime. 

The wedding cake cupcake was delicious.  Seriously, almost perfect.  I need to learn to make a cupcake this good and I need to learn soon!

The triple chocolate was also very good, but the frosting could have been better.  All the other cupcakes my husband and I split, but I ate all of this one! 

The carrot cake was the most disappointing.  I'm not a fan of chunks in cake, even carrot cake, and this cake was CHUNKY.  Plus, the frosting wasn't very good.  I expected cream cheese frosting but it was more of a buttercream frosting.  So disappointing. 

And the key lime was pretty good.  I liked the cake a lot, but again, the frosting wasn't my favorite.  My husband loves all things lime, so this cupcake was right up his alley, but not so much mine.  Still, it's a good looking cupcake.

Overall, a very exciting first cupcake shop experience, with many more to come!