The Cupcakescursion...

So about three weeks ago my buddy Nicole had a great idea...check out and sample some local "competitors". So off we went on a VERY rainy Saturday. We were hopeful that there would be brochures available that laid out pricing, flavors, sizes, etc...This would alleviate our itch to lie about an upcoming shower in order to pry the information from the owners' grasp. The 1st spot was a fairly popular bakery known here in Atlanta primarily for their cakes sold whole and by the slice. They also sell cupcakes which I felt was the easiest way to sample their goodies. Nicole and I decided on 3 popular flavors that I also bake: Red Velvet with cream cheese frosting...Chocolate cake with (cannot remember the frosting-oy vey!)...and a vanilla cake with chocolate frosting. Our choices were placed neatly in a box. We grabbed some plastic forks, dodged the pouring rain to run back into our Judging Room (AKA Nicole's car) and chowed down.
Our findings: the red velvet cupcake was moist but we both agreed that although a deep red, was pale in flavor. Nicole LOVED the thick, rich cream cheese frosting while I felt it could have been lightened up a bit with a touch of butter to bring out more of the sugar's sweetness.
The chocolate cupcake was lacking in, well, everything. A pale cocoa color, the flavor was a match. If my eyes were closed I would've though it was a vanilla cupcake. Nicole agreed. At this point, I believe there was chocolate butter cream on this cupcake. I know that was a hit, with just enough chocolate flavor and buttercreaminess.
The vanilla cupcake, which was paired with chocolate butter cream frosting was also just "blah"...again, we both agreed the frosting was a hit. The cake itself was dry in texture and although sweet, really had very little in the way of vanilla flavor.
One thing that caught my eye was the packaging of individual portions. They were all in those clear plastic hinged containers. Yes, they are recyclable but it just seems there are "greener" options for selling cupcakes or cakes by the slice. In any case, we sucked down some water to "cleanse our palettes" and drove onward to the next "stop"...