#1 Baked & Wired

Drumroll please.... the moment you've been waiting for! The #1 cupcake shop in the DC area (IMHO) is...


Baked & Wired!!!



This adorable coffeeshop tucked away near the canal in Georgetown has been serving cupcakes since it opened in 2001-- well before it was trendy, and well before any of the cupcakeries opened in the area (even before Cakelove which is often considered the first). BAKED & WIRED BLOWS GEORGETOWN CUPCAKE OUT OF THE WATER.

I'm sure very few of you are surprised (I rarely talk about cupcakes without mentioning B&W), and a number of you have been there with me and have experienced the heaven that is inside every bite of a B&W cupcake. Everyone has their favorites, but mine is a tie between the vanilla-vanilla and strawberry (with real strawberry puree in the cake batter). Red Velvet, Carrot Cake, and Pretty Bitchin (chocolate & pb) are other popular flavors.


I recently spoke with B&W owner, Theresa Valezquez, who said she uses her grandmother's recipes for many of her cupcakes. She said cupcakes were definitely not "in" when they opened, but just thought it was a more portable way to sell her cakes.

B&W is responsible for my gourmet cupcake fetish after I tried one in 2006 at Taste of Georgetown. It was the first cupcake I'd ever bought (having stuck only to the homemade variety), and it was the best cupcake I'd ever eaten. For more than three years I've been on a quest to find a cupcake that beats it... no such luck! Here's why I love them so much:

  • Size: Very large
  • Cost: $3.50-- just above average, but the size makes you feel like you're getting more for your money.
  • Cake: Dense but moist, you're not paying for air or fluff here! The strawberry cake is amazing.
  • Frosting: Creamy with gourmet ingredients-- beyond ordinary!


I'm beyond convinced there's no one in DC who does cupcakes better. I am always so surprised when Georgetown Cupcake takes first prize in many local polls/contests. True cupcake fans know (I've talked to several of them) the truth... Baked & Wired is #1.

Curbside Cupcakes

There's another new cupcake venue in town, but this one's on wheels! Curbside Cupcakes is bringing the mobile cupcake van/truck/trailer concept (already popular in other cities) to DC. Unlike many other mobile cupcake shops, this one keeps you guessing where they are going to sell their treats everyday-- you have to follow them on twitter or facebook.

I haven't had a chance to try Curbside yet, because they tend to setup shop on the Hill or downtown. The pink van stays at one location until they cupcakes are all gone, which hasn't been very long-- usually sold out by 4pm.

In this economy, I think it's genius to buy a van and go to your customers, rather than pay rent and make your customers come to you. It might also keep business steady-- people will want to get them when they are in your neighborhood, because you don't know when they'll be back.

Like Red Velvet Cupcakery, Curbside appears to offer a relatively classic cupcake menu: They only bake a few selections each day and you can find out which ones on their cupcake calendar. They are $3 a piece-- the going rate in this town, but a few yelp reviews indicate they might be on the small side.

I was hoping to try them ASAP, but they are taking some time off for Thanksgiving, and will be back selling cupcakes curbside December 1st.

Has anyone tried one yet? I'd love to know what you thought!

#2 Red Velvet Cupcakery

Red Velvet Cupcakery has been open less than one year, but already has established itself in the DC cupcake market. The shop keeps it simple, offering 11 flavors on their menu + 1 seasonal cupcake at a time.


Red Velvet Cupcakery has made very smart choices in its locations-- metro accessible with lots of foot traffic. Its original location is just south of the Gallery Place-Chinatown metro, close to the Verizon Center, Regal Cinemas, a number of local theatres, and dozens of restaurants. Everytime I'm in the area for a game, movie, or dinner I always swing by and get a treat. It also has great hours, open till 10:30 or later everyday.

Red Velvet recently also started selling cupcakes out of TangySweet (its sister treat shop) on P Street in Dupont Circle-- also very metro accessible and close to shops and restaurants.



The key to its success: using the finest ingredients to make classic cupcakes decadent. Take for example their classic vanilla-- it has vanilla bean cake (you can see this in every bite) with an insanely delicious madagascar bourbon frosting. After a recent visit Southern Belle (red velvet), Morning Call (coffee), and Summertime (lemon w/coconut) also got high marks.

Unfortunately, Red Velvet loses points in their size--significantly smaller than most. And at $3.25 a piece, they aren't cheap! I have to admit, this hasn't kept me from picking one up everytime I am in the area. Red Velvet reminds me of Georgetown Cupcake in size and price, but blows it away in the taste department.


  • Size: Small-- no way to get around it
  • Cost: $3.25-- just above average, but the small size makes you feel like you're getting less for your money
  • Cake: 4 stars
  • Frosting: Creamy with gourmet ingredients-- beyond ordinary!

You might be wondering, if they are so small why are they in the Top 5? Because they are that delicious!

New Cupcake Shop, Frosting to Open in Friendship Heights

A new cupcake shop is opening in DC!!! Frosting, A Cupcakery will open in Friendship Heights, directly across the street from the Western Ave exit. I think this will the perfect addition to this trendy, upscale area. It's just down the street from Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Tiffany's, or for the rest of us its just up the street from Filene's Basement, TJMaxx, and JCrew. The best news? I work across the street!!!


The sign says its coming this "winter" and a press release indicates the "holiday season," so I'm hoping they will open in the next few months.

The family-owned shop will spotlight made-from-scratch, family recipe cupcakes, but will also sprinkle in some other comfort sweets. In addition to a bakeshop, Frosting anticipates their coffee and espresso bar will be as much of a part of the business as their baked goods.


Frosting-A Cupcakery has posted a number of photos on their facebook page. If the cupcakes taste as delicious as they look, this girl will be visiting at least weekly.

Check back for a review as soon as it opens-- I'll have more details on the menu, hours, and their cute shop!

#3 Hello Cupcake

Hello Cupcake is the first true cupcakery (sells only cupcakes) on the list. Buzz & Something Sweet are both bakeries that have lots of treats on their menu, but Hello Cupcake was one of the first cupcake-only shops to open in the area.


Hello Cupcake has one of the largest menus on my Top 5 list, with 8 permanent flavors plus more than 20 rotating and seasonal varieties. Check out their weekly menu to be sure they have your favorite in-store. In addition to their vanilla-vanilla (one of Hello Cupcake's "Originals" flavors), I love their Lucy & Princess varieties.

Hello is the first cupcake on the list whose frosting holds up to its cake. While similar texture to Buzz & Something Sweet, the cake at Hello has much more flavor, and its frosting outshines both. It's definitely on the sweeter side and piled high-- just the way it should be.


  • Size: The cupcakes are a very good size (bigger than Gtown cupake, smaller than Something Sweet)
  • Cost: $3.00-- which is about the average price in DC
  • Cake: Perfect-- not too moist, not too dry
  • Frosting: Just like mom's homemade! Divine.
  • Cake to Frosting Ratio: Perfect-- sometimes I squish it down a bit so it covers more of the cupacke and so I can fit it in my mouth.
Hello Cupcake definitely gets extra points for its metro-accessible location. Unlike #5 & #4, Hello is located right across the street from the Dupont metro stop. Unfortunately its hours aren't quite as good as the others on the Top 5, not open on Sundays and closing by 8pm most nights.

I couldn't wait for this shop to open up in 2008, and I remember waiting in line with my colleagues on opening day when they ran out. It wasn't long before Hello became one of my staples, and a special treat whenever I'm in Dupont.

There are rumors that Hello Cupcake is looking to expand into the Arlington area, I have lots of friends who hope this is true!

#4 Something Sweet

Our next top cupcake is definitely from the newest shop on the list. I first reviewed Something Sweet a few months ago (read full post here), and have been back a bunch of times since.

Located in NW DC near the Cathedral, Something Sweet is more than just delicious-- their cupcakes are huge, and affordable.

As you might have gathered, I tend to be drawn "hurt your teeth" sugary sweet frosting that most resembles the homemade delights my mom used to make. But Something Sweet is the shop that perhaps deviates the most from this on my top 5-- the buttercream frosting is tremendously light and creamy, making it a favorite in DC for a number of my friends. In addition to vanilla, chocolate ganache, and red velvet are other top picks.

So far the reviews on Yelp are mixed (take that at face value considering that Georgetown Cupcake repeatedly beats out superior cupcake shops in public polls), but my verdict is in--- #4 in DC.

Check out my full original review!

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