Cupcakes
A year ago Antieau was living in Baltimore, rapidly burning out on his work as an art dealer; King was in Detroit, wrapping up a degree in physics. On a long road trip to Alaska last summer, casting about for a change that would put them both in the same city, they came up with cupcakes. Neither had a background in baking. But Antieau had lived in New York for a while in the 90s, and had seen firsthand the lines of New Yorkers waiting outside Magnolia Bakery in the West Village.
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Cupcakes have been hot for a while now–I can personally think of five friends who served or plan to serve them at their weddings. But Magnolia was widely credited with putting the humble treats back on the map when it turned up in an episode of Sex and the City. The 100-year-old bakery now sells around 3,000 a day, raking in an estimated $40,000 a week in cupcake sales alone. Antieau doesn’t think Magnolia’s cupcakes are as good as those numbers might imply: “They’re dry and they taste like they’re from a Betty Crocker box.” He and King wanted to go gourmet, using natural flavors and organic ingredients.
The frosting-to-cake ratio is high–perhaps too high for some tastes. But the frosting itself, an Italian buttercream that’s applied and garnished in the back of the store, is unusually light, at least in its nonchocolate manifestations. Don’t leave your cupcakes too long in the car, though–a bit of sun will make the frosting slide right off the top.
