After the massive success of shows like “Ace of Cakes” and “Cake Boss” a few years ago, it was only natural that the Food Network and other like-minded channels jump on the cupcake bandwagon. With no less than three shows dedicated to the personal-sized frosted treats, cupcakes have become nothing short of ubiquitous in pop culture.

In Austin, cupcakes are big business. In fact, most bakeries and specialty shops are able to get away with charging nearly $3 per cake. However, it is the novelty, the shop’s charm and the cakes themselves that can help offset the seemingly outlandish prices. Your choices for cupcakes in this town are plentiful, but here are four shops that really take the cake, so to speak.

Hey Cupcake!

Chances are good that if you’re a St. Edward’s University student, you were introduced to Hey Cupcake! within a month of moving into the residence halls. Created in 2007 by St. Edward’s alumnus Wes Hurt, Hey Cupcake! has become an Austin institution and a business that’s synonymous with the food trailer fever that the city has caught in the last few years.

The company now has four locations around town, three of them operating out of airstream trailers. Each of their eight cake varieties are prepared in house daily.

If you’re a fan of butter cream frosting, Hey Cupcake! has you covered, as four of their cakes come with topped with it. It is so rich and in such abundance that it can be a little overwhelming at times. However, it’s so good that it’s completely worth it.

Those who prefer a lighter frosting can choose from their cream cheese offerings, including the famous Michael Jackson, which features the white icing on top of a chocolate cake.

For a delicious treat that will help you show off your Topper pride, Hey Cupcake! is the way to go.

Polkadots Cupcake Factory

Nestled in a quiet neighborhood on the edge of the University of Texas West Campus is Polkadots, a quaint little store with an inside occupancy limit of about 10 people. Despite its small size, this shop has what it takes to compete with its bigger rivals.

The business is operated out of a house that dates back to 1908. In addition to its stock of five cupcakes available at all times, Polkadots offers over 15 other variations ranging from Banana Nutella to Mint Chocolate and Boston Cream Pie.

While Polkadots’ cupcakes are more modestly sized compared to competitors’, the taste of its cupcakes doesn’t suffer for it. If anything, it means that you will have to savor every bite that much more.

One unique thing about Polkadots is that it has a happy hour every Tuesday from 5–8 p.m. during which they sell all their cupcakes for only $2 (a 75-cent discount). As if you needed another reason to try it!

Quack’s 43rd Street Bakery

A Hyde Park mainstay, Quack’s is a bakery/coffee shop in every sense of the term. It’s the kind of place where you can sit for hours for a nice conversation or homework over cupcakes and coffee.

Quack’s features 10 varieties of cupcakes, including a vegan option for those who scrutinize every ingredient that goes into a normal cake. Each bite is rich and full of flavor without being too overbearing. Particularly tasty is the Double Chocolate, a chocolate batter cupcake topped with chocolate cream cheese frosting.

Of course, being a bakery, Quack’s also has a variety of other sweet choices for when cupcakes aren’t on your list, including pies, cookies, muffins and Danishes. Another added benefit of being a coffee shop in addition to a bakery? Quack’s is open until midnight, so you can satisfy your cupcake craving well into the night.

 

buttercream, and the Root Beer Float cupcakes demonstrate the kind of creativity present in the kitchen. The fact that most of these cakes are only available on certain days may just end up making you a regular.  

Sugar Mama’s

Started by the husband and wife duo of Olivia and Steve O’Neal, Sugar Mama’s has quietly established itself as one of Austin’s premier cupcake dispensaries. Located on South First Street, Sugar Mama’s is just a hop, skip and a jump from St. Edward’s.

With around 30 varieties to choose from and with a staggering six of them being vegan, it’s going to take a lot of working out if you ever hope to try all of Sugar Mama’s cakes. Unique concepts such as the Elvis, a banana buttermilk cupcake topped with peanut butter buttercream, and the Root Beer Float cupcakes demonstrate the kind of creativity present in the kitchen. The fact that most of these cakes are only available on certain days may just end up making you a regular.

If you’re looking for some of the most unique cupcakes this side of the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars,” look no further than Sugar Mama’s to please both your taste buds and your conceptual culinary brain.