While craving for sweets today, I decided to stop by three bakeshops near my office that are popular for their cupcakes. However, I ended grabbing my favorite New York Black and White Cookie.

Baked by Melissa at 109 East 42nd Street is famous for their bite-size stuffed cupcakes. They also have In Chocolate, mini cupcakes dipped in chocolate. The cupcakes are cute and adorable but I still have to try them if they are as good as they look.

I also visited Magnolia Bakery at Grand Central. Their cupcakes became more popular after the girls from “Sex and the City” was seen in one of their episodes partaking their cupcakes.

I love how you can see them decorating the cupcakes and the homemade look of their cakes. I have tried the vanilla and their red velvet cupcakes before and it simply taste what a cupcake should be– moist and delicious. Probably I just got the freshly baked ones.

Lastly, Crumbs Bakeshop at 43 West 42nd Street. I am impressed that they are a Nasdaq-listed company and the largest cupcake chain in the US (their share price at $3.97, as of this writing, is just as equally expensive as their cupcakes). They have a lot of flavors selection and the cupcake size is just huge though they have mini ones too. Maybe I will try their cupcakes in my next sugar rush.

But I cannot just resist the Black and White Cookie at the Hot and Crusty Bakeshop in Grand Central. This cakey type cookie is my favorite though I still have to find a good recipe that would allow me to try baking at home.

Seriously, I guess the reason why I did not fall into buying cupcakes from the known chains is because I know how to make one… like this Strawberry Cupcake…