Taste tester #6: Beth
Qualifications: Beth has enjoyed eating ever since she grew her first set of teeth. She makes it a point to eat at yummy restaurants and bakeries all over the world. As an L.A. native, she has eaten a whole lot around this fine city. She also loves to cook and bake, and has heard things such as “I’d never admit it, but this is better than my mother’s,” and “I think this is what butter would do in heaven” mumbled through full mouths. Beth is often a “taster” for her chef friends who are working to perfect a recipe. Informally, she has been voted “biggest foodie” among her friends.
Cupcake Challenger #6: Auntie Em’s Kitchen in Eagle Rock. I was going to restrict this cupcake contest to stores in the L.A. basin, or within 10 miles of me (West L.A.) but Auntie Em’s cupcakes are mooned over all over Yelp and Chowhound so I had to include them. Plus Beth lives in the Los Feliz area, so it wasn’t too much of a trek for her thank goodness cuz these were pretty awesome and huuuge. Unfortunately, Beth’s experience in the store wasn’t that great. “I stood there for awhile before I was acknowledged. Service was quick once I was acknowledged, but no service with a smile.” Beth also said that that cashier didn’t seem to be too bright. She kept asking Beth if she wanted the small or large cupcake and when Beth said, “Small” the cashier would say, “We’re out of the small size.” This went on for all three flavors. Cupcakes: $3.50 for the large size (small $1.45, not included in test).
Taste tester comments:
Red Velvet Cupcake: These were decorated for St. Patrick’s Day as the white cream cheese frosting was sprinkled with little green shamrocks. So cute! We oohed and aahed over these red velvets as they were the reddest of the six red velvet cupcakes. But everyone agreed that although pretty, the cake was dry. It worked with the sweet cream cheese frosting, however, which was fluffy, tangy and “melty” since it was a hot day.
Chocolate Cupcake: These were dark chocolate and perhaps our fave of the bunch as they rated high. The cake was moist and rich, but not too sweet. And the frosting was a very dark chocolate in that bitter but yummy way. It was perfect, “for the dark chocolate lover.” Some other comments: “Awesome! Dark and sinfully good”; “Looks good, real, not too fussy.”
Wild Card — Coconut Cupcake: We absolutely loved these: “Beautiful, angelic, great flavor. Super!” The frosting, of which there was lots, was fluffy and “good even without the coconut.” The cake itself was moist with a great flavor. Many likened it to a muffin, not that that was a bad thing.
_Auntie Em’s Kitchen
4616 Eagle Rock Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90041
_ (323) 255-0800
Click here for final results.