Which cupcake to choose?
I am all for the cupcake trend. And I say this as both a parent and a cupcake lover in my own right. For starters, cupcakes may be my best bribery tool. Just mere mention of the word sends my kids into fits of excitement, and when coupled with “If you’re super good allll day” or “If you sit still through the whole meal” amazing things happen. Second, one’s own personal mini cake is one of the greatest ideas ever. No fork necessary and no worrying that I was cheated out of some icing when it fell off as it was cut into pieces (did I really just say that?). Trend or not, I love a good cupcake.
So, when I received an invitation for a sneak peek at Sprinkles, a new cupcake shop opening today in Georgetown, I was psyched. I was asked to come spoil my dinner with cupcakes and champagne, meet the owner Candace Nelson, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the store.
They had me at cupcakes.
Every now and then I get invited to preview an activity or product that is about to open or become available to the the public. Most of the time, it’s a good experience. This past Tuesday when I attended the preview, it was excellent.
Owner Candace Nelson demonstrates how to frost a cupcake
If the event is any indication of what’s to come, Sprinkles is going to be an M Street hit. (No, make that a city-wide hit — I’d definitely travel crosstown to pick up their cupcakes for a special occasion.) Candace personally greeted a group of us bloggers, shared a champagne toast, and took us on a tour of the shop. Her Food Network celeb status (she’s a judge on the show “Cupcake Wars”) and success as a cupcake empress (she has many store locations around the country) hasn’t gone to her head one bit. She was down-to-earth and gracious as she talked about her cupcake ventures, and giving on top of that — the event also honored Sprinkles’ $25,000 donation to BabyLove DC.
Okay, the cupcakes. They are beyond scrumptious. Trays of one-bite cupcakes were literally on hand like passed hor d’ ourves, and I shamelessly sampled at least five different flavors (after all, I had to report back to my readers). There was Vanilla, Red Velvet, Black and White, Peanut Butter Chip, Milk Chocolate Vanilla, and more. The Vanilla, complete with sprinkles-laden icing, was easily my favorite — I love that sprinkles crunch combined with the sweet creamy icing — and all of the rest were a close tie for second.
Cupcakes for any occasion
And the cupcakes aren’t the only thing to rave about. An upstairs party room is certain to be popular for both kids’ birthdays and adult affairs. While there are no set packages, Candace said they will work with clients to tailor a party to any occasion, cupcake decorating included.
Okay, the elephant in the room. Yes, there is that other famous cupcake shop just a few blocks down the street. The way I see it, a little healthy competition is a good thing. (Though can it be called “healthy” when we’re talking about cupcakes?) Anyway, it’ll probably make lines shorter. (Though somehow I think there will now be two lines snaking out doors.)
Sprinkles Cupcakes is located at 3015 M Street NW in Georgetown. Open Monday – Saturday 9 am – 7pm, Sunday 10am – 6pm.
