Cupcake serendipity

While in Calgary last week, I finally made it to Crave Cupcakes!

Three summers ago, on my first visit to Calgary since the late 90′s (aack), I was shopping in the very popular Kensington district.  My mate and I happened upon Crave, but much to our disappointment, the super-cute specialty cupcakery was closed for the day.  As I peered through the window at the dark store and empty shelves, I recall sensing strongly that I was missing something really good.

Undaunted, I returned last summer again.  This time more comfortable in Kensington, and knowing which shops I wanted to hit, I planned a smart route…with a stop for a cupcake as my grand finale.  It was my expressed mission to get at least one cupcake, and this time, I had the other girl about town in tow.  I even went to so far as to elicit her shopping cooperation, with the promise of a cupcake in exchange for good behaviour (shameless, I know).  Imagine my shock when we finally arrived in the sweet smelling bakery, primed in anticipation, only to discover they had sold their last cupcake.   Ice cream saved the day with the younger girl about town, but for me…the cravings just grew stronger.

Since then, cupcakes have become a bit of a theme for me.  For a time, I subscribed to cupcake blogs like Cupcakes Take the Cake, and welcomed the daily dose of sugary temptation delivered directly.  Eventually though, I had to cancel my feed.  It seemed I was hungry all the time.

Then, I began to look for reasons to make cupcakes.  I whipped up a batch of these delicious Red Velvets for my Mom’s birthday, and began inquiring with friends whether they were aware of the cupcake revolution underway all across North America.  I went online to see if I might catch wind a local cupcakery where I could indulge my cravings once in awhile without having a whole dozen sitting around the house screaming my name loudly, and was surprised to find that few in Ottawa seemed to have jumped on the cupcake bandwagon.  I secretly harboured cubicle escape fantasies about setting up a cupcake shop and taking the town by storm…but quickly remembered that baking has never been my specialty.  The Red Velvets were good, but not that good, and I was resigned to let someone else fill this niche.

Fast forward to last week in Calgary.  The little girl about town, with her amazing memory and wry sense of humour, began making cupcake jokes.  Seriously.  It was like she knew I hadn’t forgotten, and that our trip west to visit friends and family was more specifically a cupcake pilgrimage.  She kindly reminded me we needed to get there early, and mused about the flavours and colours she might select, if there were any cupcakes left at all.   She even went so far as to suggest we stop for cupcakes BEFORE the zoo, which was a generous offer from an animal lover, in spite of her sweet tooth!  

Anyway, we made it – and I finally had a Crave Cupcake.   Just after breakfast.  Actually, I had several.  Well really…I had more than I would like to admit to.  Put it this way – I have tried all of the most appealing Crave flavours, and I can honestly say that I am officially in love with cupcakes.  Such a small treat…and so deliciously moist and sweet!  So many permutations and combinations of chocolate, vanilla and red velvet cake topped with vanilla butter cream, rich milky chocolate and fruit laden icing!  Such pretty colours and intense flavours!  

So serendipity you wonder?  I returned to find this post from The Materialist.  It seems the Ottawa cupcake scene may in fact be heating up.  The Ottawa Cupcakery is a new Etsy shop offering a variety of cupcake flavours and sizes by special order, with 72 hours notice.  This is definitely good news for me, although I still long for a storefront bakery where I can be guaranteed of a quick cupcake hit. 

1. cupcake sign, 2. cupcake shop, 3. cupcake love, 4. cupcake frenzy