Designer Desserts: Caramel Apple Pie

The cupcake pictured above is Designer Desserts: Caramel Apple Pie.

Presentation : 6/10 Sprinkles

We think the presentation was okay.  However, we think that an apple slice would have spruced things up.  The frosting looked like chocolate while we were picking it out, but it wasn't chocolate at all!

Taste & Texture

Cake: The cake tastes like apples because it has actual apple bits baked into it.  The cake had medium moistness because the apples added a lot of moisture to the cake.

Frosting: What frosting?  This cupcake just had tons of thick melted caramel "frosting" on the top to have a frosting appearance.  There is "apple pie filling" in the center of the frosting, which was amazing!  However, the caramel part was just TOO MUCH SUGAR!

Overall:  

Shauna: 3/10 Sprinkles

Shauna did not like this cupcake because she thought this cupcake was just a piece of apple pie, which she does not like.  

Katrina: 7/10 Sprinkles

Katrina is a caramel and apple pie junkie so she ended up eating this whole cupcake after Shauna taste tested it.  If you are looking for a fall cupcake, this one is for you!  However, this cupcake is more of a dessert than a cupcake.  Beware of the sugar!

To our followers (Sprinklettes):  Go try it and tell us how you liked it in the comments below or at splitstatecupcake@gmail.com.

Stay sweet!

Designer Desserts: Vanilla

 This cupcake review is for Designer Dessert: Vanilla.

Solo Reviewer:  SHAUNA

Shauna reviewed this cupcake without Katrina, because of the fact that she was really craving a cupcake at the time. Katrina had also heard that Designer Desserts' cupcakes were $2 on Mondays because they are from the day before. There wasn't enough to choose from at all so Shauna went with one of their "original" flavors.

Presentation: 7/10 Sprinkles

The look of the cupcake is very "welcoming" it looks like a cupcake and makes you want to eat it.

Taste & Texture

Cake: Everything you think vanilla should taste like. This cake had a fluffy and light vanilla texture and flavor.

Frosting: Heavy pink frosting with a hint of cherry flavor with colorful rounds sprinkles and a cherry topper...WAIT A MINUTE. Pink frosting and a cherry topper for a vanilla cupcake? If this cupcake wasn't labeled I would have thought it was in the cherry family.

Overall rating: 8/10 sprinkles

Shauna rated this cupcake pretty high on the sprinkle scale. It was very delicious for just a plain vanilla cupcake, it just doesn't present itself as a vanilla cupcake but leans more toward cherry.  Sometimes you just need vanilla ;) For my 50 Shades fans!

To our followers (Sprinklettes):  Go try it and tell us how you liked it in the comments below or at splitstatecupcake@gmail.com.

Stay sweet!

Flirty Cupcakes: For The Love Of Chocolate (Mini)

The cupcake pictured above is Flirty Cupcake: For The Love Of Chocolate.

 HAPPY NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE DAY!!!!!!!

Katrina got this from the Flirty Cupcake Truck.

Solo Reviewer: KATRINA

Presentation : 6/10 Sprinkles

Katrina believes the decoration is pretty boring for a chocolate cupcake.  

Taste & Texture

Cake: The cake is a dense, deep chocolate.  It tastes a little manufactured, like store bought cake mix.

Frosting:  The frosting was butter cream with nutella flavoring dashed across.  However, this wasn't the best tasting butter cream.

Overall:  

Katrina: 5/10 Sprinkles

Katrina gave a low rating because she did not like the way it tasted at all.  Even though it was a bite sized cupcake, she could not finish it.

To our followers (Sprinklettes):  Go try it and tell us how you liked it in the comments below or at splitstatecupcake@gmail.com.

Stay sweet!

Flirty Cupcakes: Devil in Disguise (Mini)

The cupcake pictured above is Flirty Cupcake: Devil in Disguise.

Awesome name, right?

Solo Reviewer: KATRINA

Presentation : 8/10 Sprinkles

This cupcake is super cute because it's a mini cupcake!  Katrina could definitely tell it was red velvet from the presentation alone.  She really liked the red velvet crumbs on the top of the frosting.  

Taste & Texture

Cake: The cake was moist and bite sized!  It tasted like A PERFECT mini red velvet cupcake!  It is sinfully good!

Frosting:  The frosting was a cream cheese frosting.  The ratio of cake to frosting was amazing for being a bite size cupcake!

Overall:  

Katrina: 9/10 Sprinkles

Katrina thinks that Devil in Disguise is in her top 10 red velvet cupcakes!  She would really like to try a larger size of the cupcake.  It is amazing!  If you live in the Chicago area, please look for the Flirty Cupcake Truck!

To our followers (Sprinklettes):  Go try it and tell us how you liked it in the comments below or at splitstatecupcake@gmail.com.

Stay sweet!

Designer Desserts: Pumpkin Spice

Our first pumpkin!

The cupcake pictured above is Designer Desserts: Pumpkin Spice.

Presentation : 7/10 Sprinkles

The pumpkin candy corn looked tacky, but we still love the look of the cupcake! We would have liked to see some more "spice" on the cake.

Taste & Texture

Cake: The cake was a moist and dense spice cake.

Frosting: The frosting was actually too much for this cupcake.  There were 2 layers of a toned down pumpkin butter cream.  The pumpkin candy corn looked melted into the cake and was a little stale.

Overall:  

Shauna: 7/10 Sprinkles

 Shauna gave this rating because she thinks this cupcake is exactly what she had expected for a pumpkin spice cupcake.  However, she would have liked more spice on the cupcake.

Katrina: 7/10 Sprinkles

Katrina gave this rating because she loved how moist the spice cake was but thought the frosting was too much to handle with each bite.  

To our followers (Sprinklettes):  Go try it and tell us how you liked it in the comments below or at splitstatecupcake@gmail.com.

Stay sweet!

Flirty Cupcakes (Truck): 4 cupcake sampler

Flirty Cupcakes on Wheels is a cupcake truck in Chicago that travels around and sells cupcakes!  

Flirty Cupcakes Website

Katrina's boyfriend (Tim) works in Chicago and gets to experience many cupcakes while the hygienists are slaving away cleaning teeth!

So we struck a deal with her boyfriend to bring us cupcakes in exchange for free cleanings!  Yess!!!  

Tim brought us back the Flirty Cupcake sampler.  Four mini cupcakes for around $6.00

Shauna couldn't review these cupcakes with Katrina due to time restrictions on freshness of the cupcakes.

Reviews for each individual cupcake will be posted soon.  We just wanted to show you some of the coolest cupcakes!

Designer Desserts: Cookies & Cream

  The cupcake pictured above is Designer Desserts: Cookies & Cream.

Presentation : 9/10 Sprinkles

It pretty much just looks like Oreos towering over a cupcake.  Who doesn't love Oreos?

Taste & Texture

Cake: Soft oreos baked into a soft vanilla cake.  Simple!

Frosting: The frosting just melts in your mouth!  The taste is similar to dirt pudding/zebra pudding.  It had whipped cream frosting with oreos that have turned soft.  Great texture for frosting!

Overall:  

We gave this cupcake 9/10 Sprinkles! This cupcake is in our top Designer Dessert cupcakes!  If you love Oreos, this cupcake is for you!

To our followers (Sprinklettes):  Go try it and tell us how you liked it in the comments below or at splitstatecupcake@gmail.com.

Stay sweet!

Forever MORE Cupcakes: Hazelnut

The cupcake pictured above is MORE: Hazelnut.

What the heck is this?  Super weird!  But we LOVE IT!

Shauna was super excited to review this one!

Presentation : 10/10 Sprinkles

We thought this cupcake, like other MORE cupcakes, was very unique in presentation.  We think that it looks sticky in a way with the big piece of toffee on top.

Taste & Texture

Cake: The cupcake was very tall, which is MORE signature shape.  The cake was a dark chocolate cake.  We try the cake first before we try the frosting and there wasn't a hint of hazelnut in the cake.  However, a few minutes later we got to the center of the cake and there was a warm & creamy hazelnut center! YUM!

Frosting: The frosting on top was a chocolate mousse type butter cream.  Let's talk about the candy on top!  It was AMAZING!  Soft hazelnut brittle with dark chocolate on the back.  We could eat handfuls of this candy!  

Overall:  

Shauna: 7/10 Sprinkles

 Shauna gave this rating because she was disappointed by the lack of hazelnut flavor.  She thought this cupcake tasted more like a brownie. The chocolate mousse was a surprise to her.

Katrina: 6/10 Sprinkles

Katrina gave this rating because it tasted similar to a slice of chocolate cake from Costco.  However, the candy on top was the highlight of the cupcake!  Can we get the brittle in bulk??

To our followers (Sprinklettes):  Go try it and tell us how you liked it in the comments below or at splitstatecupcake@gmail.com.

Stay sweet!

Designer Desserts: Tiramisu

The cupcake pictured above is Designer Desserts: Tiramisu.

Warning: We didn't like this one!

Presentation : 5/10 Sprinkles

We were really confused with this cupcake.  Is that a diving board in the middle of my cupcake?  We really didn't understand what the cookie was in the middle of the cupcake (lady finger? small tiramisu?)  

Taste & Texture

Cake: We felt like the cake was awful, which is very uncharacteristic of Designer Desserts.  The cake was not moist.  Shauna has never had tiramisu in her life and this cupcake left her not wanting to ever try it.

Frosting: Butter cream frosting on the top of the cake with a hint of cinnamon.  The cookie on the top of the cupcake was weird tasting.  We couldn't even finish because it was so dry.

Overall:  

We both gave this cupcake 4 /10 Sprinkles.  

We felt that this cupcake had a very bad taste and it had a dry cake.  We did not like the presentation at all either.  Maybe we got a dud?

To our followers (Sprinklettes):  Go try it and tell us how you liked it in the comments below or at splitstatecupcake@gmail.com.

Stay sweet!

Sprinkles ATM: Almond Dark Chocolate

Did you guess what flavor this was yet?

If you guessed Sprinkles: Almond Dark Chocolate, you are correct.

We purchased this cupcake out of the Sprinkles ATM! It's open 24/7 and gets loaded with fresh cupcakes daily!  Amazing!

Presentation : 7/10 Sprinkles

It looks like a typical Sprinkles cupcake with the button sprinkle, but we have no indication that this is almond!  We would have liked to see some almonds on the top!

Taste & Texture

Cake: The cake was vanilla with almond extract. This cupcake was SUPER dry! We are guessing that it's because it was in the ATM for a little too long.  You can definitely tell a difference in freshness between the ATM & the actual Sprinkles store.  There was a lot of almond extract in this cupcake and actual slices of almonds inside.  

Frosting: The frosting on top was a cherry almond flavor.  There was a hint of dark chocolate in the frosting and it was very creamy. The frosting melted in our mouths.  The sprinkle in the center of the cupcake was so hard that we both couldn't even eat it.  It was made out of sugar.

Overall:  

We both gave this cupcake 6/10. 

Shauna gave this rating because it was very dry.  She believes the presentation needs more almonds!  This cupcake reminded her of making Christmas cookies with almond extract.  

Katrina gave this rating because it tasted TOO strongly of almond extract.  She thought the flavor knocks you in the face the minute you take a bite of the cake part.  She loved the frosting because it was very creamy and tasted like a light chocolate.

To our followers (Sprinklettes):  Go try it and tell us how you liked it in the comments below or at splitstatecupcake@gmail.com.

Stay sweet!

Designer Desserts: Mint Chocolate Chip

The photo above is of Designer Desserts: Mint Chocolate Chip cupcake.

Presentation : 9/10 Sprinkles

Another green cupcake!  We love the chocolate mint shavings on the top of the frosting.  The Hershey's kiss in the middle is milk chocolate.  The chocolate is a muted mint green and there are mini chocolate chips on the top. 

Taste & Texture

Cake: We felt like the cake tasted like a dull mint flavor.  We were afraid of this cupcake being TOO minty but it did not overwhelm us!  The cake was dense and moist, which is common with Designer Dessert cupcakes.

Frosting: The flavor of the frosting was mint and it was colored green.  The only "chocolate chip" part of the cupcake was in the chocolate chips on the top of the cupcake and the Hershey's kiss. 

Overall:  

Shauna: 7/10 Sprinkles because she is not a fan of mint but enjoyed the chocolate chips and Hershey's kiss on the top of the frosting.  Shauna thinks that this cupcake needs MORE CHOCOLATE!

Katrina: 8/10 Sprinkles because she loves mint everything.  She believes the frosting was great but it did not taste as good as an Andes Mint.  

To our followers (Sprinklettes):  Go try it and tell us how you liked it in the comments below or at splitstatecupcake@gmail.com.

Stay sweet!

Forever More Cupcakes: Red Velvet

The cupcake reviewed below is the More: Red Velvet (Chicago).

Presentation : 9/10 Sprinkles

We gave this cupcake a high score because we think it looks very unique!  When we saw this cupcake we knew it was red velvet right away.  The red painted "chip of wood" thing in the middle totally piqued our interests!

Taste & Texture

Cake: Compared to other cupcakes, MORE cupcakes are a lot taller.  The cake was dry and dense.  Shauna could actually taste the red velvet dark chocolate flavor, which means it had a lot of food coloring in the batter.

Frosting: The frosting on top was a cream cheese frosting in a wonderful white thick layer.  The

"paint chip" was a piece of white chocolate that was just as good as the cupcake!  They should specialize in candy making too.

Overall:  

Shauna: 7/10 Sprinkles

After trying many red velvet cupcakes, Shauna finally "tasted" the red velvet flavor.  Other red velvet cupcakes taste very plain to her.  This one was very flavorful.

Katrina: 7/10 Sprinkles

 This cupcake was not perfect because it was dense and dry.  She has tried a lot of red velvet cupcakes in her life and this one was very memorable because of the overall appearance.  The frosting did pair well with the cake portion and the white chocolate was the highlight of the cupcake.

To our followers (Sprinklettes):  Go try it and tell us how you liked it in the comments below or at splitstatecupcake@gmail.com.

Stay sweet!

Designer Desserts: Perfectly Pistachio

The cupcake pictured above is Designer Desserts: Perfectly Pistachio.

Solo Reviewer: SHAUNA

Presentation : 9/10 Sprinkles

Shauna loved the color of this cupcake because when you see it you think: pistachio!  However, she thought there were way too many nuts on this cupcake.  The display looked messy and the green sixlet was placed randomly somewhere in the middle.    

Taste & Texture

Cake: The cake was pistachio flavored green cake.  She believed the cake was a little too moist cause the cupcake wrapper had a layer of wetness when she was peeling it back.  The cake had a shine to it that other Designer Dessert cupcakes do not have (due to the pistachio).

Frosting: The frosting was bright green and pistachio flavored as well.  When Shauna bit into it, she was overwhelmed by the flavor of the nuts on the top.  

Overall:  

 9/10 Sprinkles

.  If you love Pistachios, this is for you!  Also, if you love all types of nuts, this cupcake is for you! Shauna thought that the cupcake was too wet and the nuts were too much but she loves pistachios!

To our followers (Sprinklettes):  Go try it and tell us how you liked it in the comments below or at splitstatecupcake@gmail.com.

Stay sweet!

Sprinkles ATM in Chicago?! Best idea ever???

We took a trip to the Sprinkles ATM in Chicago! 

Did you know that the Chicago Sprinkles ATM is open 24/7, which means you can get cupcakes ANYTIME you want??? We think that's AMAZING!  

It's located between Michigan & Rush St. in Chicago!

(1 block south of Oak Street)

This ATM is stocked daily with fresh cupcakes with many flavors to choose from.  Here is Katrina using the touch screen display to choose the cupcake she wanted to review.

A hidden door opens once you swipe your credit card and out pops an amazing cupcake! Woo!  

Here is Shauna posing with the Sprinkles cupcake box!

Can anyone guess which flavor this is?  Our review for this flavor will be up soon!  Comment below if you think you know the flavor!

This ATM idea is so cool!  We will definitely be going back to the ATM because it's so convenient (especially if you work late!) :)

Stay Sweet! 

xoxo 

Katrina & Shauna

Designer Desserts: Pink Champagne

The cupcake pictured above is: Designer Desserts Specialty Flavor ~ Pink Champagne.  We saw this cupcake and we knew we had to try it because A) we love champagne and B) we love girly cupcakes!  

Presentation : 10/10 Sprinkles

We thought that this cupcake deserved a 10 out of 10 because the pearls look like real pearls!  How girly!  We think that this cupcake is very appealing to females or to anyone who loves pink.  We think it's a beautiful cupcake that would be good for breast cancer awareness!  

 P.S. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Taste & Texture

Cake: The cake is a light pink color and it has a very light and airy taste to it with a hint of vanilla flavor.  The cake was slightly moist and thick, which is common with other Designer Desserts cupcakes.

Frosting: The frosting on top was tinted pink and it tasted like pure sugar.  We were not sure if it was butter cream because of how sugary the frosting was.  The pearls (all colors) are edible sprinkles!  We think the silver ones really make this cupcake pop!  

Overall:  

Shauna: 6/10 Sprinkles

Shauna believes that this cupcake is one that you would give to your boss to impress them.  It's all about presentation and she liked that.  However, she didn't find this cupcake very great taste-wise.  

Katrina: 6/10 Sprinkles

Katrina believes that the Pink Champagne cupcake is so cute but the taste was very boring and not exciting at all.  This cupcake is a big seller at Designer Desserts because of the awesome presentation! 

To our followers (Sprinklettes):  Go try it and tell us how you liked it in the comments below or at splitstatecupcake@gmail.com.

Stay sweet!