The Hunt for Cupcakes

I cancelled 2 trips.  Last weekend,  I was supposed go to Camiguin but cancelled early because of bad weather. The country had been hit by a series of tropical storms.  It was not ideal to travel by boat as the waves could get crazy.  It was too late to book for a plane as ticket would cost a fortune.

Another friend of mine invited me for Bantayan-Malapascua in the north. I confirmed since I cancelled my original plan anyway. Then the earth shook with a magnitude of 7.2 that devastated my hometown and the nearby island Bohol.  We decided to drop the plan.

The experience was so traumatic.  Other than that, the aftershocks were stressing us.  Couldn't sleep well as we were awaken each time the ground shook.

While scanning some blog sites I read this caption "I'm not hungry, I'm bored, thus I eat."  This gave me an idea rather than hibernate in my room, I could not sleep anyway and it was a long lazy Sunday afternoon.  I got my keys and drove to the city to find: CUPCAKES

So I went for a cupcake hunt out of boredom.  ha! ha!

I heard a lot about Cupcaken and Cupcake Theory, some good reviews and all but too bad they were close on a Sunday.  So I drove to Lahug hoping to find the first store. Located at SSY business center in Salinas drive, alas this chic cafe:  Cafe Caw.

Ahhh pastel colors.  It felt like I was in a prep school classroom.  It was neat and cute. I like the message they wrote in their stairs.

So I asked what's their best seller.  It's none other than the velvet cupcake of course for 60 pesos a piece!

The cream is sweet it hurts my throat.  The cake tastes good but not as moist as I wanted it. But both just compliment each other.  3 stars out of 5 for this velvet cupcake and 4 stars out of 5 for the whole place.  I will be back to try something else.

Then I drove to Mabolo for the 2nd store.  The earth shook again, I thought someone was just messing the car while waiting for the green light.  Located at the e-zone in Panagdait Mabolo is the Cupscake Avenue.

It was a small store like a container van turned into a store kind of thing.  But they did a great job decorating the place, majority in pink tone.

The bestseller is Banana Nutella for 49 pesos.  I could be bias I love banana cake and nutella.  Combining these 2 was just a smart idea. and I love it.  The cake was moist yet soft. The bittersweet nutella compliments with the taste of the cake.  Its not sweet that could hurt your throat.

4 stars for the cake and 3 stars for the place though their staff were friendly.

2 of my friends joined me as they felt the same way after the last aftershock. We went to BTC in Banilad and found Cake Couture.  It was a small store.  I didn't see any tables set up perhaps its only for take out. Maybe cupcakes aren't their main business.  I saw some wedding cakes that were made with great craftsmanship. For 60 pesos I got another velvet cake as the salted caramel sounded weird for a dessert.

The cream is not made mainly of butter so its not so sweet.  The cake is soft and not dry. Bocca Felice means happy mouth, true, it made me smile after my first bite. 4 stars for the cake and 2 stars for the place for the fact that they don't have dine in option.

A block away is Phoebe's Cupcakery, the road going to Maria Luisa.  Although I've been here before and their cupcakes were amazingly yummy, my friends haven't been there so I took them there.  There must be at least 1 cupcake I haven't tried.

So I picked the Cinnabunny for 55 pesos.  Again, Phoebe never failed me.  The cake was dense and moist. It's not oily as most carrot cakes are.  The cream leaves a desired taste in your mouth maybe because of the cinnamon.  Its perfect 5 stars for me.  Very  intimate place too, neatly designed, it must be a 4 stars!

For dinner, we selected either One Claypot House in Capitol Area or Mae Krua Thai Cuisine in Ramos. With the earthquake and all restaurants inside the malls were so ever rated. Also, we just wanted to avoid crowded places plus we like doing the search thing.  That feeling of accomplishing something because you found what you were looking for felt happiness. So we went for the Thai.

  
Mae Krua is in Ramos St near Velez Hospital.  Its a sister company of Krua Thai in SM, Siam in Ayala and Blue Elephant in IT Park. But its less expensive. Our bill was only 880 pesos for the 3 of us.  If we were in Blue Elephant it would cost us a thousand plus something. The place was cozy, different location not the usual to go place.  Taste wise, I still like Blue Elephant and the best Phad Thai in town is in Siam.

That was one fun afternoon.