Many of you know that I worship the oven that Crumbs Cupcakes are baked in but I never speak of their rival… Whats their face… Oh yes, Magnolia. The much raved about, obsessed about, Tourist trap, overcrowded bakeshop that is Magnolia. I only go to Crumbs, don’t recall what blessed soul brought me to the cupcake Mecca, Crumbs, but I thank them for making me spread the cupcake love. The reason behind my Crumbs Rules Attitude is because, dare I speak it, I have never. had. a. magnolia. experience.
*GASP*
However, as of late, that has changed and Now I come before you to compare.
First up. Crumbs.
I frequent the one on 8th street and Greene Street but they are sprouting every where these days. (Dear Cupcake God, Please grow a Crumbs bakeshop in Queens. Amen.)
When you walk into Crumbs Bakeshop they have a display case of about 25 kinds of cupcakes. YES, 25 kinds. One, such as myself, often stares at the case for what feels like hours, just to decide which kind of cupcake I want to die in. To name a few of my favorites, Artie Lang, Baba Boey, Red velvet, Cappuccino, and Carrot cake.
Before my trip to Texas some weeks back, I ventured to my Mecca to pick up a treat for my brother and my boyfriend. Richard, My brother is an Oreo lover since he was old enough to chew, so I picked up this Oreo Cupcake for him. (A brief word about these cupcakes… Ever hold a Softball?Yeah, that’s how big these babies are!)
And I picked up a red Velvet for Henry. I have never seen someone enjoy a cupcake so much! Richard has had a Crumbs Cupcake Before so he knew what he was getting himself into. One big mutha and a huge glass of milk to wash it down. And Henry? Well lets just say that a cow might have gone down due to his milk consumption that night! He loved it!
And the other night while out with my girls, I took them to Crumbs. A few of them got the sampler which is a tray of mini cupcakes for those that want to try everything! I got a regular sized red velvet which never ceases to disappoint.
I, not wanting to have two of the same flavors at once, opted for a ying yang kind of thing, Chocolate Cake with vanilla frosting and Vanilla cake with chocolate frosting. I recruited Henry as a guinea pig.
This one was mine. There was quite a hefty layer of frosting. It wasnt overdone, it was sweetened just right and the cake was moist. I saved Henry a bite.
Henry’s (which I liked better than mine) was moist as well and had a really good frosting on it! The frosting was creamy and not too chocolatey. It still satisfied a sweet tooth for some chocolate.

I am jealous of your cupcakes. We do not have any places like that here
Come to California and I will take you on a cupcake tour
PAs someone who samples “the best” cupcake shops in every city I visit, I can say that both Magnolias and Crumbs are in the top 5 so far (out of 50+)
Okay so now when we have our big Girls day I’ll be eating at the Spanish spot you suggested.. reservations made today.. and then the next day grabbing some cupcakes to take on the road by to.. sigh.. Maryland.. Sorry to say that those Magnolia bubbs look like bake sale cupcake-lets.. not looking so WOWIE ZOWIE I got these in the BIG Apple to me. Did I mention I heart you?! Can I put you in my Prada and tote you arround the city with me?
oh BTW.. IF you are into the cupcake thing and would like a GREAT one sent TO you.. go check out my sponsor (on my blog).. she does AMAZING cupcakes in a JAR!!! Ginormous! moist.. vareity of to die for flavor combos (I love the blood orange and the pistachio)… having made wedding cakes for $ and running my own catering/party planning business.. I say will FULL confidence that Bangerang Bake Shop is the POO when it comes to cupcakes!
I have never tried either place but I have walked through crumbs several times to admire the cupcakes! I vote Crumbs just from the look of that oreo cupcake!!
I really enjoyed the Magnolia cupcake frosting. It was nice to say I have tried both. That last cupcake place we went was also very good!
someone from my office just brought crumbs cupcakes in to work yesterday! they looked amazing but i had to resist!
<— loves oreo anything!
I love your reviews. Next time Im in NYC, I will remember.. have you ever been to Once Upon a tart?
I just ate two Kara’s cupcakes (http://www.karascupcakes.com/menu.html): Meyer Lemon and Chocolate Velvet. Seriously hop on Jet Blue or Virgin America and get your cupcake eating bum over to the other coast already
I’m going to offer what may be an unpopular opinion … I hate Magnolia Bakery! There, I said it. And I mean it too. I went there years ago, to the original, before it became the wildly popular tourist trap … and the cupcakes were wretched! Dry, flat, boring cake and the frosting tasted like sweetened lard. Honestly, we pitched them into the trash and never went back. Blech! Now Crumbs is a different story … never had a bad cupcake there.
Wow, those cupcakes look good! We have a new bakery that does just cupcakes that I have to check out very soon!