Bakeshop DC Cupcakes: The Review

Clarendon has finally gotten a cupcake shop:

It's called Bakeshop DC and it opened last month. Don't let its recent opening fool you, though: It's owned and operated by Justin Stegall, who's been whipping up cupcakes for custom orders and Murky Coffee Shops since 2006. 

Last weekend was more beautiful than my experience reading to underprivileged schoolchildren in third world countries, so my friend Erica and I hit the town, soaked up the sun, and tried a few cupcakes!

Cookies N' Cream Cupcakes (obvi)

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes (again, obvi)

Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes

Erica tried the Cookies N' Cream Cupcake: 

And because I'm a perpetual fat kid, I got the Cookies N' Cream Cupcake and the Perfect White Cupcake.

The pink sprinkles were a huge selling point, I'll admit

With our loot in hand, we headed outside to enjoy our treats.

Upon first glance, what stood out most to me was the size (that's what she said). These were smaller cupcakes than I've grown accustomed to, but given that they were slightly cheaper than I've grown accustomed, it seemed acceptable. Then we took our first bite and both had the same reaction. I believe it went something like, "hmmph". We were neither disappointed nor impressed.

The cake itself was incredibly moist. The chocolate cupcake had a rich flavor, but the white cake didn't seem like a usual white cake...it was more a vanilla, but without the vanilla. The icing was very airy. Not dense like your typical buttercream. It wasn't overly sweet either, which if you know me, can be a bad thing (although I realize there are those of you who don't prefer to go into a diabetic shock each time you indulge in a cupcake...what gives?). 

As we were evaluating our cupcakes, we met Lynsey and Steve, a sprite, young couple recently transplanted from Manhattan--the Mecca of cupcakes. They were trying out the cupcakes shops competing for Washingtonian's Cupcake Cup (more to come on that disaster!).

They chose the Chocolate Strawberry cupcake, which they somehow managed to split civilly. The day Kyle and I learn how to share an item of food civilly is the day I learn what it means to put someone else's needs before my own...LOL!

So, here are my closing thoughts on Bakeshop DC: great location, lovely store, good prices, and maybe if I didn't have access to so many amazing cupcakeries, I would be more impressed. Sadly, I was more interested in the banana pudding I saw one customer leave with.

Will I go back? Yes, I'm sure I will. After all, I feel partly responsible for bringing a cupcake shop to Arlington. And by partly, I mean entirely. You're welcome Clarendon.