9 Most Instagram-Worthy Cupcakes in America
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Snapshots of cupcakes are all over Instagram, and while most of these mouthwatering delights are pretty darn delicious regardless of what they look like, certain sweet treat photos are more impressive than others. These days there are pastel-colored cupcakes, multi-colored baked goods, jaw-dropping creations and much more.
In fact, there are a handful of cupcake shops around the U.S. that are in a league all to themselves, and are bound to get you tons of Insta likes. Keep scrolling to check 'em out!
Cupcake Cafe
Location: 467 W 49th St, New York, NY 10019
Cupcake Cafe has been a staple in New York City since 1988, and with one look at the beautifully crafted cupcakes topped with intricate and colorful flowers, it's easy to see why. There are no crazy flavors here, but each delicious dessert is made on site, and the signature buttercream flower-topped cupcakes are (almost) too gorgeous to eat. And while the cupcakes are the main draw, Cupcake Cafe also sells tasty pies, donuts and an array of other pastries.
Sweetness Bakeshop & Cafe
Location: 9549 SW 72nd Street, Miami, FL 33173
This family-owned business initially opened in South Miami in March 2010, and soon earned itself a cult following, thanks to its inventive cupcakes and other sweet treats. The creative combination of flavors, such as the guayabera cupcake — guava cake filled with guava and topped with cream cheese frosting — have become synonymous with the Florida hotspot. A monthly rotation of such flavors helps attract sweets lovers from all over the globe.
Swirlz Cupcakes
Location: 705 W Belden Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Looking for a cupcake so colorful and impressive you'll (almost) feel guilty about eating it? Then head to Swirlz Cupcakes in Chicago for one of their out-of-this-world creations. The mermaid-inspired eats below are sparkly, shiny and practically made for Instagram, while the more basic offerings such as the lemon streusel cupcake — vanilla cake with lemon zest, lemon filling, and vanilla buttercream sprinkled with streusel and topped with a lemon glaze drizzle — are just as tasty and impressive without all of the glitz. Swirlz even offers an impressive selection of gluten-free cupcakes for those allergic to gluten.
Kara's Cupcakes
Location: 3249 Scott St, San Francisco, CA 94123
The offerings at Kara's Cupcakes in San Francisco are carefully baked in small batches by hand each day using the finest ingredients sourced from local, sustainable, and organic producers. In other words, the cupcakes, which are sold in interesting flavors such as passion fruit, banana caramel and peanut butter chocolate, are about as fresh as it gets. Though the decorations are minimal, they compliment the expertly-frosted cupcakes perfectly, and taking a snap of one of these treats is bound to get you a ton of likes.
Magnolia Bakery
Location: 401 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014 and nationwide
The original Magnolia Bakery on Bleecker Street in New York City's SoHo neighborhood became instantly famous after being featured on Sex & the City in 2000, and lines still form at that store each day filled with people from around the world who want a little piece of Carrie Bradshaw. Though Magnolia now boasts locations all over the globe, the pastel-colored cupcakes (which are topped with a hefty amount of super-sweet frosting) are still instantly recognizable on Instagram and look and taste the same as they did nearly 20 years ago. Share a photo of a Magnolia cupcake and watch as the likes roll in.
Georgetown Cupcake
Location: 3301 M Street NW Washington, DC 20007
Georgetown Cupcake, which also has stores in Bethesda, New York City, Boston, Los Angeles and Atlanta, was another early pioneer of the cupcake craze. However, while Magnolia sticks to sweet pastels, the creations from Georgetown Cupcake range from photo-friendly bubblegum pink to vanilla birthday, which is vanilla buttercream frosting and rainbow sprinkles. With a mix of vibrant daily special and monthly seasonal flavors such as July's Key Lime Cheesecake cupcake, there certainly isn't a shortage of pics to take for the 'gram.
Sprinkles Cupcakes
Location: 735 S Figueroa St Los Angeles, CA 90017 and nationwide
If Magnolia has pastels and Georgetown Cupcake has bold colors paired with a mix of traditional and unusual flavors, then Sprinkles Cupcakes, which is based in Los Angeles but now boasts storefronts all over the country, is a perfect combination of the two. The flavors, which change weekly, are available in regular and mini sizes and run the gamut of classical options such as red velvet to slightly more unusual varieties like triple cinnamon — a lightly spiced buttermilk cupcake is topped with smooth cinnamon cream cheese frosting and dusted with cinnamon sugar. Daily off-the-menu flavors tend to be a bit more creative (think lime cake topped with juicy strawberry frosting) and are typically available via the iconic, Insta-approved Cupcake ATM.
Big Sugar Bakeshop
Location: 12182 Ventura Boulevard Studio City, CA 91604
Another Insta-worthy L.A. favorite is Big Sugar Bakeshop, which takes custom cupcakes, like the sweet pink swans seen below, to a whole new level. The eatery prides itself on using the finest ingredients, and the cupcakes are baked by hand from scratch each day using only a mixer and an oven. In addition to flavors such as Belgian chocolate and Boston cream pie, monthly and daily varieties such as peach sriracha — vanilla cake with peach sriracha filling — and Oreo are also available and always photo-ready.
Gigi's Cupcakes
Location: 1816 Broadway A, Nashville, TN 37203
Founded in Nashville, Tennessee in 2008, Gigi's Cupcakes now boasts nearly 100 locations in 23 states, and it's easy to see why. Gigi's in-store menu offers a selection of both classic and seasonal cupcakes, mini's and cakes, and each cupcake is topped high with three of Gigi's signature icing swirls, meaning the delectable treats are especially sweet and incredibly photogenic. What's more? Flavors such as chocolate peanut butter pretzel and chocolate chip cookie dough have additional toppings that make them tailor-made for the 'gram.
For more Instagram-ready eats, click HERE to see the 9 most photo-worthy ice cream cones in America.