Review: Mr. Cupcakes

If you’ve been coming here for awhile, you may have noticed a theme of topics … food, of course, a little bit of life, kids, the color pink … and oh yes, cupcakes!  I don’t know how or when the cupcake obsession started, but it’s been going strong for many years now and shows no signs of letting it up.  Whether we’re making them at home or hunting down the newest cupcake spot, it’s a popular topic.

I can’t remember how I first discovered Mr. Cupcakes, but think it might have been a local write-up in the paper or some such.  The first time I tasted cupcakes from there, it was at a cupcake-themed Supper Club gathering last year.  The Neighbor Wife, always eager to avoid baking, offered to pick some up since the place was on our to-visit list but we had yet … to visit.  She brought an assortment and I’m fairly certain there were none left by the end of the evening.  Quel surprise!

Last weekend, when I was planning our first “formal” dinner in the new house for the kids, I had decided on cupcakes for dessert.  What better way to cap off our first meal?  I mentioned to Nick that I’d be picking some up, and that was the first thing he was looking for when he walked in the door.

Armed with my handy dandy GPS, I found the store quite easily.  Parking, on the other hand, is another issue.  There are a few spots on the street in front of the place, and there is a little parking lot one door down.  This is fine as long as you don’t drive an SUV.  If you do, the lot is small enough that it’s quite the juggle to get out of the space.

The store is small.  Actually, it’s about as big as Billy’s in the city, but they use their space way less creatively.  There is one small bistro table to seat two if you want to eat there, but that’s also right in the middle of where the line forms, when there is one, so it’s not somewhere you want to sit.  So pretty much a grab-and-go joint.  They could use some help in the decorating department, but since we’re going for the cupcakes and the cupcakes alone, we’ll turn a blind eye.

The cupcake varieties fill the display case,  sitting in labeled black trays.  The store sells “Executive” cupcakes, those flavors that are always available, and “Interns,” those that are there for a limited time only.  Cute concept.

I was the second in line on a Saturday afternoon, but before my turn was up, the line was out the door, so it’s definitely a popular spot.  The staff seemed to be mostly high school students, and all were professional and very friendly.  I got an assortment of flavors, including the French Toast, Hot Chocolate, Triple Chocolate, Hot Fudge Sundae and Plain Jane.  Nick devoured the Hot Fudge Sundae Cupcake.  I liked the French Toast one, although it was a little heavy handed with the cinnamon dusting on top.

The prices are very reasonable … 5 regular sized cupcakes, 1 mini and 2 tattoos for the kids was under $9.  Considering there is another place that I know of that sells cupcakes for $4 a piece (craziness!!), I’m pretty happy with the $2 +/-each price range.

Would I go there again?  If I was in the area, yes.  But now that we’re making really good ones at home, ones that rival and sometimes beat Billy’s Bakery cupcakes, and since we have a few other spots left to visit on our list, it’s not an OMG, can’t-wait-to-go-back type place.  That said, if you’re in the area, or even not, it’s worth a trip to satisfy your inner cupcake craving.

Mr. Cupcakes
1216 Van Houten Avenue
Clifton, NJ  07013

New location:
The Shops at Riverside
390 Hackensack Avenue
One Riverside Square
Hackensack, NJ  07601

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