Devour Houston

Well, I had not heard of Gigi’s Cupcakes before, but the cupcake stores are all over the country — in 18 states to be exact.  Our local franchises are in the suburbs, which is maybe why I had not run across Gigi’s yet.   But after hearing her amazing story (see their website for Gigi Butler’s story), I wanted to try and support this company.  She has a great small business success story.  I wanted to support that!  And, I love a cupcake.

Off to Sugar Land I drove (other Gigi’s in the Houston area are located in Kingwood and The Woodlands).  The place is small, clean lines, and well kept.  It could be almost any cupcake bakery.  The lady working that day was very nice and friendly.  I made the drive on a Wednesday because the Wednesday menu includes the CHAMPAGNE cupcake.  And, you know how I love me anything champagne.  More on that later. 

First, I tried the Texas Milk Chocolate.  DELISH.  Milk Chocolate cake topped with chocolate buttercream frosting, chocolate sprinkles and a yellow fondant star.  I’d like to think things are just better in Texas, but I’m sure they offer this cupcake in other states with a different name.  Nonetheless, this Texas cupcake was awesome.   I’m not ordinarily a big fan of chocolate cake because  it is seldom done well.  Most chocolate cake (cupcakes included) is dry, dull, and boring.  But this — this cupcake was moist!  Delectable moist chocolatey cake.  The frosting was excellent, too.  The cupcake was fudgy through and through.   The milk chocolate flavor really came through.  It was really an excellent start to my taste testing.

Next, the Cookies and Cream Cupcake.  Not my favorite of the day.  Nothing in the recipe denoted cookies and cream to me.  I know it must have been in the frosting, but I just missed it.   I also know there was malt in the frosting, but that is not cookies and cream, is it?  Technicalities aside,  I just didnt’ dig this cupcake.

Cookies and Cream Cupcake — Texas Milk Chocolate Cupcake

Hunka Chunka Banana Love – Banana nut cake with dark chocolate chips, banana buttercream, dipped in ganache and a banana chip on top.  LOVED THIS.  The cake was like a very good homemade banana nut bread.  It was dense and substantial.  The banana buttercream was FULL of banana flavor.  The dense cake anchored the lighter frosting well.  I really loved this cupcake.  Very satisfying.  I am a big believer in cake for breakfast, and this Hunka Chunka Banana Love would be a perfect cupcake for breakfast.

 The Hot Fudge Sundae wasn’t quite as amazing — devil’s food cake with dark chocolate chips, ganache filling, buttercream frosting, and topped with chocolate, nuts, and a cherry.  Super cute idea.  But I think it missed the mark.  Not enough wow factor with the ganache inside.  That would have blown me away.  It didn’t.  Banana cupcake won that round.

Hot Fudge Sundae  Cupcake — Hunka Chunka Banana Love Cupcake

So now — the Wedding Cake Cupcake.  White cake topped with a vanilla buttercream frosting and sprinkled with white nonpareils.  YUMMMMMY!  Disclaimer, white cake with white icing, otherwise pretty much known as wedding cake, is my favorite flavor of cake.   That said, I’ve had my share of white on white.  This cupcake lived up to any expectation I had.  It was delicious.  Moist cake.  Full of flavor.  Nothing boring or bland.  The cake was light and fluffy.   The frosting was creamy.  I would be happy to have this cupcake as my birthday cake or wedding cake any day.

Wedding Cake Cupcake

So back to the Champagne cupcake.  White champagne cake with a champagne cream cheese frosting, edible pearls and white chocolate.   The cupcake disappointed me.  I thought I’d like anything with champagne.  I thought.   But I much preferred the Wedding Cake.   The cake was so-so.  The frosting was rich and probably okay.  I think I was just disappointed that I didn’t love it.

Champagne Cupcake

Winners:Â
1. Wedding Cake
2. Texas Milk Chocolate
3. Hunka Chunka Banana Love

I like Gigi Butler’s story.  I love supporting small businesses.  And,  I love cupcakes.   What is not to like?  Go support your local small businesses — and if they are a bakery, that’s even sweeter!  (pun intended). 

Gigi’s Cupcakes
Sugar Land
15850 Southwest Freeway, Suite 100
Sugar Land, Texas 77478
281.565.6108
www.gigiscupcakesUSA.com
Other locations around Houston — The Woodlands and Kingwood