This is a Marks and Spencer cupcake.
After months of publicising the fact that they're going to launch a cupcake range, M&S are finally launching them in store tomorrow.
There was an article in today's Metro today about them which featured a bit of background about the research the M&S cupcake guru, Matt McAuliffe, did to come up with their new range, including eating at 40 different NY bakeries in a week (if he'd gotten in touch I could've emailed him my extensive list of NY cupcake places, reaching about 47 at last count!)
Not sure I agree with his assumption that the UK isn't ready for full on New York style cupcakes...
The problem is there is a big difference in taste over the pond, he reckons. 'Brits have a sweet tooth but not as sickly as Americans. This large amount of icing was the biggest challenge when making our cakes. In the end, we decided to balance the sweetness in the buttercream with fruit.'
I think cupcakeries/bakeries such as Hummingbird, Buttercup and Primrose (to name just 3) are doing very well selling American style cupcakes and whenever people ask me where to get cupcakes they tend to ask for "American style". I will give these a try - I'm hoping to get my hands on some tomorrow on the way into work so expect an update soon!
The whole article can be viewed here, and includes recipes for Hummingbird Bakeries banana chocolate cupcakes (from their FAB book) and a M&S 'all natural' strawberry cupcake recipe, although I personally wouldn't make it as it has oil in (the article says that in NY rapeseed oil is often used instead of butter but I know this isn't the case in the better bakeries we visited so I'll just stick to baking buttercream cupcakes - oil cupcakes when I've had the misfortune to try them just seem oily to me and I just can't imagine myself pouring oil into a cake mix!)
Will report back on these asap!
Hi
ReplyDeleteI’m going to New York next week, but I won’t have a lot of time. Which NY cupcake shop is your most favourite? I’ve been to all the London ones that you recommended and they are all so yummy.
Many thanks
Ooh, thanks for mentioning this - I'll be on the lookout at my local M&S!
ReplyDeleteWell I never M&S getting in on the action, this is so funny my little bro used to work for them before Harrods and he suggested when I got mad into cupcakes 3 years ago they should start as he knew like me they would be big and they said to american - lol seems they were rong, hope you got to try some x
ReplyDelete@MJ - I'm TOTALLY jealous - can I sneak into your suitcase? The best were definitely from Butterlane. Batch was really good as well (except for the bacon one..yuk), as was Sweet Sugar Sunshine. We didn't go this time but last time we went to Buttercup and they were really nice too! Oh and Magnolia was tasty - not really narrowing it down a lot but you have a choice now :) Have a great holiday and get in touch if you want any other info!
ReplyDelete@Kara - that's typical though - they just jump on the bandwagon waaaay after its gotten popular!
@Kats - no worries -we tried them, just about to blog
Thank you so much!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI’ll definitely give Butterlane a go and try the others if time allows. I went to Magnolia couple years ago (2004), right when Sex and the City series had just finished. Hope it is still as yummy.
I’ve just got back from New York yesterday (2 May), went to Magnolia and Butterlane. Butterlane cupcakes are the yummiest I’ve ever had, serious!! Thank you so much for your recommendation. I'm so going back next year.
ReplyDeleteHey I live and breath for 'crumbs' cupcakes when I'm in the big apple, infact I smuggle some home too :O)(check out there website)oh Magnolia St Bakery is a close second but I think a little to sweet although its the one used by the girls in Sex and the City.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anon - we didn't make it to crumbs but we did go to Magnolia - the cupcakes we had there were really nice but I prefered Butterlane and Buttercup! I shall deffo check out Crumbs next time I'm in NY -we just had so many to visit there was no way we'd get to them all!
ReplyDelete