China Town Cupcakes!

So, I've been off the blog for a while, sadly, but it's for a good reason!  The Mr. and I are upgrading our digs, and we have been living at my in-laws for a few weeks.  Things have been crazy and I haven't been able to sample, or bake!  I'm going through withdrawals...However, my wonderful friend, Nick, often mentioned in one of my besties blogs that I frequently plug, was recently in China!  And wouldn't you know it, they have cupcakes.  And even better?  He's going to guest blog about his China Town cupcake experience.  Thanks, Nick!!

I recently have found myself in a new job at my company with the awesome perk of traveling! Even though I'v3e only been in this position for a few months, my travels have taken me to many new places all over the world, including China. I was in China for three weeks and upon my way home I had an 11 hour layover in Hong Kong (which is in China, but not really…it’s a long story). Being this my first time in Hong Kong I had to get out of the airport and explore this city that is so well known to the world, but new and exciting to me. After a delicious lunch I took some time to walk around and with perfect timing (call it fate) I stumbled upon SMOOCH.

This place had all sorts of desserts including homemade cupcakes. Being a friend of and self proclaimed researcher for Steph I felt it was my duty to partake in some of these delicious baked goods. Out of the collection of flavors they had I knew I had to try the Oreo and the Red Velvet!

Oreo

This cupcake pulled me in immediately. The dark color of the cake, the speckled creamy frosting, all topped with a bite size Oreo. The frosting was light and fluffy. It was sweet with a hint of tanginess. The cake was moist and firm. There was a rich cocoa flavor with a bit of nuttiness. Not so much straight chocolate, but that more natural flavor of the bean. I savored every delectable bite!

Flavor:  4/5

Decoration: 3/5

Red Velvet

I was so excited to try the Red Velvet. I’m a big fan of this flavor in general and had high hopes for what this cupcake would bring. This cupcake looked pleasing from the start. Not very red, but still a nicely colored cake. The frosting looked like an elegant ivory. I peeled back the paper and went in for what I hoped would be a flavor explosion. Now, gather around children for some words of advice:

                  “In life, we reach and hope to achieve great heights. It is inevitable though that we will stumble and fall. It may only be slight trip. Or, it can be a complete and utter disaster, tumbling down a large flight of stairs in a knotted ball of body parts, only to reach the bottom in terrible pain. It’s at that point that you realize everyone in the world saw it and the pain of the embarrassment feels worse than the fall.”

The only explosion there was the image of a tasty cupcake going bye-bye! The flavor was very plain (almost non-existent) with only the faintest wisp of cocoa. After the first bite the cake completely fell apart into a crumbly mess. I was fighting just to keep enough together for a good second bite (not that I would have missed much). The frosting, although creamy, lacked any sweetness and really just had more of a sour flavor (as in sour cream). I don’t know, maybe this is what red velvet translates to in Cantonese. IF so, I can do without that translation.

Flavor:  1/5

Decoration: 2/5

In the end, I can’t complain. Sitting on the water’s edge, staring over the harbor to the Kowloon Peninsula, eating baked treats, it’s a place most will never get to enjoy. I savored every bite, the good and the bad, and took in that serene moment of Hong Kong. Based on my limited view, I give Hong Kong’s cupcake scene a solid 3/5. Now, where was that sign for Peaking Duck?