Tonnies Minis Opens In Harlem

Tonnies Minis Opens In Harlem : CUPCAKES!!

Crumbs Cupcakes: The Artie Lange

Once in a while I discover that I am no different than most other women. I love cupcakes. I love them so much. And with the cupcake bakery explosion, the competition for cupcake customers is fierce. I've been uptown, downtown, and all around the town on a quest for the best cupcakes ever. Last night, I went into my neighborhood Crumbs and learned two things:

1. My favorite cupcake is the "Cookie Dough"

2. Call me late to the party on this one, but Artie Lange from the Howard Stern Show has a cupcake named after him, i.e. the "Artie Lange Cupcake." Details include:

• Designed and created exclusively by Artie Lange of the Howard Stern Show
• Vanilla sponge cake filled with chocolate buttercream covered in vanilla cream cheese frosting and topped with chocolate fondant icing w/white and chocolate sprinkles on the sides!
• Retail: $3.75 per cupcake
• Portion of the proceeds benefit LIFEbeat - dedicated to reaching America's youth with the message of HIV/AIDS prevention. LIFEbeat mobilizes the talents and resources of the music industry to raise awareness and to provide support to the AIDS community.

Chelsea Market: Cupcakes

So what better way to top off a personal training session at Equinox than by eating a cupcake! I'm not sure when cupcakes replaced crack, but I know that I can't get enough of these things, which is why you probably can't find one in this town for less than $2.

Anyway, I headed to the Chelsea Market where I knew I would find a grand selection of pastel-colored cakes-in-a-cup all dressed up and ready for Easter at Eleni's (see big photo). I managed to limit myself to one small $2 vanilla cupcake piled high with pastel yellow frosting and hot pink sprinkles. I snapped a quick shot of the counter displaying endless selections including $7 cookies(!), before they started yelling at people for taking photos. Timing is everything.

Upon exiting I noticed another bakery called Ruthy's just two doors down. While I was happy with the selection I made at Eleni's, I couldn't help but be a bit awed by the giant "flowers of frosting" (see smaller photo) atop the cupcakes in Ruthy's display case. A quarter more expensive than what I bought, true, but I think I may have to stop in there soon so that I can make a thorough journalistic evaluation.

Happy Easter!