The Houston Press blog Eating Our Words covers new bakery Crave Cupcakes. Photo/article by Margaret Downing. (not to be confused with Alberta's Crave Cookies and Cupcakes)
The designer cupcakes ($3.50 each) are made fresh each day starting at 5 a.m. Leftovers are given to charity or tossed. Doors open at 8 for the breakfast variety. Milk, sugar cane sodas and brewed-by-the-cup fresh ground coffee are also available. Cupcakes can be special-ordered a day in advance.
Owners Brad Dorsey (with restaurant experience) and the husband and wife filmmaker team of Elizabeth Harrison and Peter Cooper set up shop here because Harrison always wanted to do a bakery and they all wanted to do it in their hometowns of Houston.
The sign at the front promises European chocolates and Madagascar bourbon vanilla, among other mouth-watering ingredients. Dorsey says they are in the process of finding their feet now, rotating different flavors each day but so far those with chocolate in them seems to be winning. Red Velvet – how Texas – was a sellout the day we were in.
Comments
Small cupcakes, average taste, no personality; I give them a 3 out of 10 for the effort.
All of this comes with an enormous amount of hard work, dedication and perserverance.
My hat off to each and every person that strives to make a living without demanding an income from my tax dollar and big government.
Anyone that allows themselves to get their panties in a twist over their copycat observation needs to take a look around at the many donut shops, sushi shops, bread shops, coffee bars...need I go on? (and) decide if each of these hard working citizens deserve an unfair attack. Their situations are no different than the 'sprinkles' mention.
Sprinkles and a host of other cupcake shops will be just fine as long as they continue working their bums off to maintain a desired product.
Long Live our Freedom to make our little way in this world!
I just read an earlier post talking about Crave copying Sprinkles -- and then another post attacks Crave's cupcakes. How funny. I’m sure the owners of Crave would prefer you compare them to a much better cupcake bakery than Sprinkles. Clearly the owners of Sprinkles have been busy on their computers. I wonder if it was Charles or Candace. Why such acrimony, guys? Are you really that desperate that you have to write fake posts? Well, that’s what happens when the word gets out that your cupcakes have gone downhill and aren’t as good as all the new bakeries opening up around the country. As far as comparing Crave’s packaging and logo – that’s ridiculous. Not even remotely close -- and much more elegant and classier. Besides, who’d want to copy that awful scribble they use for a logo anyway?
And as if that comparison wasn't enough, the Sprinkles team (Charles and Candace) mentioned Crave Cookies in Canada. Again, just a completely far-fetched and desperate attempt at a smear. But, being the attorney that I am, I checked the U.S. Trademark registration and guess who owns the trademark to Crave Cupcakes? The owners of Crave Cupcakes do. I guess when you open a bakery that is selling out their cupcakes every day, people are going to attack you. It’s really quite silly and sadly pathetic, and shouldn’t happen among cupcake lovers. You'd think Candace and Charles would have more class than this -- but from what I heard, they don't.
We’re so lucky to have so many wonderful bakeries opening around the country. Houston just got the best one in Texas and I can’t wait to go back to Crave for more – especially the red velvet!
The decor is quite nice, reminds me of Boule Bakery in Los Angeles, in terms of design and color choices. The hanging cupcake display is also a nice touch. You can tell that the owners spent money on the decor.
The cupcakes, much to my disappointment, were poor at best. We sampled the apple spice, red velvet, and chocolate with coconut icing. All were very dry, an not nearly enough icing. The red velvet had obviously been burnt and they decided to cover it up with icing, so when you bite into it, you get the consistency of a hard cookie on top! The red velvet was also dry, the cream cheese icing was okay, but again, not enough. I understand that they just opened and are probably perfecting their recipes...please, please perfect them or you will have a lot of one-time-only customers.
The milk, served in a chilled glass milk bottle was wonderful!
And the cupcakes? Loved them. I only had two, the dark chocolate with sprinkles and the vanilla with sprinkles. Perfection. The cake was so moist and tasty -- you could even see the vanilla bean in the vanilla! And the frostings were heavenly. I didn't buy any to take with me for the simple reason that I want to come back and spend time in their bakery and try some more!
Now I read these earlier posts and I agree with Jen -- that it seems the same person is planting these negative posts either out of jealously or fear of competition. I will guarantee you whoever posted these negative comments has never set foot in Crave Cupcakes. No way. This is a nasty person scared of losing their business to a classy and stunning cupcake bakery. What a shame. I've been reading this blog for a long time and never have I seen attacks on a bakery like this. And Crave has only been open for three days! The good news is that it's obvious these negative post are planted and anybody who truly loves cupcakes and baking deserts will see right through them. And the fact that this bakery is under attack like this only proves that they're that good!
I'm so thrilled about Crave. It's a wonderful experience and I can't wait to go back!
The store is neat, clean with a modern but deco feel. I love the old stand mixers as decoration. I will definitely be back but it won't help my waistline because I only live about three blocks away from store.
I really wanted this place to be great. But so far in Houston, if you want a great cupcake I'd hit up Dessert Gallery or better yet, The Cookie Jar. Apparently a lot Houstonian's like Crave. The place was a madhouse when I was in there. But I'm not sure that the popularity comes from great cupcakes- I htink its more that people like the decor and the idea of Crave. Or maybe most Houstonian's have just never had a really good cupcake.
Pictures and more review on my blog.
But as I read this blog posting, all the comments are so disingenuine. It's really kinda creepy. It's so obvious how they're from "industry" people. You know, owners of other cupcake bakeries who are jealous or scared of competition. These comments are fake and all it has done is reduce the credibility of the cupcakestakethecake webblog. It's made this blog look bad and it's not fair to those who run this blog. How sad. One person commented that most of these were planted by the owners of Sprinkles. I don't know about that -- but that seems to make sense.
But it doesn't matter to those of us who seek amazing cupcakes. To those of you who love cupcakes, you'll be blown away by Crave. My husband and I go there twice a week and we think they're incredible!
the red velvet was really great - moist, not too sweet, and brimming over the cup, with just the right amount of icing that also had a great buttery, not-too-sweet flavor. this buttery flavor probably led to it's lack of creaminess, but i'd rather it taste good once it melts in my mouth than have to fight the goo of a really creamy frosting. i'm not a big icing person though so less is more IMO. the other two flavors are very classic and also very well done - not too much icing, fluffy but moist cake and simple monotone sprinkles.
Desert Gallery cupcakes were a good solution for the time while Houston didn't have a dedicated cupcake bakery. i absolutely love the dark chocolate ganache on their chocolate chip flavor, but the cake itself is a bit too dense for my idea of perfection. that's the point really - food is subjective to whomever is doing the chewing. cupcakes in general are for making people happy. and these from Crave did a pretty good job of that. everyone at the event got big eyed and all smiles while eating these and the girls working the table were cute as buttons.
selling a brand doesn't giddy your taste buds, generate a smile and give you a full belly. i commend the Crave people for making a living by making people happy. i don't really care if someone on the other side of the country is being sold the same "brand" of happiness i'm getting from these morsels. i just hope they got a smile because that's one thing you'll never copyright. i piss on your pessimism - i just want a cupcake.
As for you people who think others are writing 'fake' comments, it's ridiculous, if these people had ever been to Crave in Canada they would know how far below the one in Houston is.
Anyone who thinks they're dry - I'm shocked! You must be the pickiest eater on the planet. I've had worse cake almost everywhere else, including the Dessert Gallery! And I'm imagining that you must almost never tip any time you order dessert at a restaurant. And that you must be so dissapointed with the sweet things that you taste, and so often! Have been just flabbergasted with reviewers who have said they've disliked these cupcakes; that's akin to saying The Chocolate Bar's homemade ice cream is below par. The horror!!
Crave's icing was to die for & the whole cupcake experience was amazing. I will be back again.
I honestly think this place has the best cupcakes in Houston. We have acctually decided to use them as a wedding cake.
Perhaps they had some problems at first, I don't know. But Crave is hands down a must visit place for cupcake lovers in Houston.