Great cupcake spot! I work close by and always stop to grab some cupcakes when we're celebrating a birthday at the office. Everyone loves their cupcakes. The icing isn't too sugary, it's got a punch of flavor but it's not overbearing with sweetness. The cupcakes are always nice, soft and buttery. I've tried most of their cupcake flavors and have yet to be disappointed. Totally worth a try! read more

Cupcake Cove - Cupcakes Near Me - Oakland, California

There are virtually no cupcakes to be found in this part of Oakland, it's super rare to find one in the surrounding cafes and bakeries. People are raving about the convenience of Cupcake Cove's location in the Oakland City Center and I fear that is the only thing to rave about... I tried their red velvet and it looked just like a store-bought cupcake from the grocery store - hard and super sugary-frosting. Well folks, it looks just how it tastes.. need to redeem myself at a mobile cupcake vendor. read more

I was going to give these guys 3* (2.5* rounded up out of pity), but Yelp defines 2* as "Meh. I've experienced better." and those are my sentiments exactly. The Black Bottom that everybody raves about is like a brownie, but not as satisfying. I really didn't like the Pineapple. I don't recommend anything remotely vanilla-based -- the cake is too generic-tasting (think $1 box mix or supermarket cupcakes -- the kind that come with big punch-out sprinkles). The frosting is too sweet and unbalanced. Red Velvet is OK due to the cream cheese frosting. I know $3 is the going rate for cupcakes these days, but this place isn't worth it. I guess $1.50 for the cupcake and $1.50 for the clamshell case is what it comes down to. If you can work out a schedule with your sweet tooth, the Cupkates truck parks behind the bus stop on 12th & Broadway every Thursday from 12-2. Now those are worth the price and calories! :) read more

I had the guava passion fruit and red velvet. The red velvet was decent, but I didn't even finish the guava. It was way too sweet and a bit boring. No where near as good as Cup Kate's cupcake truck that's in the area once a week. read more

Cupcake Cove - Guava passion fruit - Cupcakes Near Me - Oakland, California

I am secretly happy these cupcakes aren't better than they are! If this were a James and the Giant Cupcake Shop I would be in SERIOUS trouble. Way too close to my office. The inconsistency people are reporting here is a clear validation of my first issue with this place-freshness. It was very obvious to me these are NOT all baked fresh same day. This is a mistake I have noticed many bakeries/cafe owners who are not US born perhaps not familiar with the "day old" theory...when a person purchases something in a bakery here there is an expectation it was baked fresh that day. Most baked goods do not taste good after 6-24 hours! Cupcakes being in the 6-8 hour range. Sure some non-foodies might not notice, but with Oakland quickly becoming a culinarily relevant place on the map, cupcake-makers should be on the cutting edge. My suggestion would be to visit the above mentioned cupcake spot and make a note to yourself-this is what the cupcakes should taste like. I love a sweet butter cream, but you can taste the sugar granules in this frosting-no bueno! I also agree on the box mix theory, they do not taste like they are from scratch. Quality product is the key to building customer loyalty and my guess is, many won't be repeat customers. I can't even remember when I went the first time, and as much of a sugar-addict as I am, I've walked by it a dozen times since and never even considered a second visit. read more

DELICIOUS CUPCAKES!!! Cupcake Cove Oakland is my fave. I used to stop in the store for cupcakes when I worked in the area. Truth be told, even after I worked nowhere near, I'd make a special trip to get their tasty treats. I tried several different flavors in the beginning of this love affair, but landed on SALTED CARAMEL!!! Hands down, my fave. I don't get any other flavor now. John, the Manager, is a super nice and super kind man. It is a pleasure doing business with him. I just had a dozen cupcakes delivered to my home today! Yay me. :) I highly recommend supporting this business in-person and/or via delivery. It's totally worth it. YUMMM-O! read more

Finally, a cupcake shop near work! I had the red velvet which was good and not too red to where you have a bitter aftertaste from too much dye. And I had a guava that had a nice tang, maybe lemon - that was the icing part and the cake was vanilla. The location is convenient for state and federal workers because it's right there in City Center among the shops, etc. They are standard size cupcakes and by that I mean they are the size you make at home. They package the singles in a clear plastic contaier with a domed lid so you don't get smashed icing. read more

Very delicious cupcakes. Got the Red Velvet and Coffee cupcakes and they were so good! I'll be bring any friends that visit to this place!

Review is for the coffee cupcake only....vanilla cupcake: moist, flavorful....coffee buttercream was creamy with enough coffee flavored topped with coffee-flavored brittle. Dee-lish....will try other flavors in the future read more

I was having a serious sweet tooth today. I even had a butterfinger and twix, but that didn't do it. I went over to a coworker and was lamenting to her, when she remembered another coworker telling her a new place opened up across the street just last week. When they say cove, they literally mean hole in the corner of some store, we walked by it, and didn't even know it was there. I ordered the red velvet and blood orange. I use red velvet as a basis for everything else, but I realized I couldn't have only one cupcake and decide the fate of the rating. Bridget P mentioned hard and super sugary-frosting... I beg to differ. I've had my share of sweet, sugary cupcakes, uber dry cakes... unfortunately, I don't yelp all of my food encounters. If you're comparing Cupkates... well you're not going to find that smooth frosting here. First bite into my blood orange, I thought maybe they didn't mix their frosting enough, but delve into it a bit more, and it's creamy, albeit a little too sweet/tangy. Yes, still not smooth and melt-in-your-mouth like CupKates. The cake crumbles like the consistency of a carrot cake. Red velvet, on the other hand, reminds me of a moist banana bread, sans banana. The frosting is creamy, and yes a tad sweet, but nothing that will drive you to think you need to wash your mouth with another bite-sized treat. With consideration to all of my cupcake encounters, Yelp or no Yelp, this is better than just A-OK. read more

Standard flavors offered, no filled cupcakes, $3 each. Surprised there was no line during lunch. Bought the peanut butter and salted caramel - frosting seems hard on the salted caramel. For some reason I'm not in a hurry to dig into these - and don't feel that I'll be WOW'd by these cupcakes - if I'm wrong I'll return with follow up comments. When I asked the staff which ones they tasted and suggested and which was the best seller, seemed like they really didn't try the product enough to recommend any WOW personal flavor. What I like best so far is the cute plastic clam shell case. read more

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Ok I thought I was in for a real fantastic treat. Nice small business, very friendly customer service but the cupcake was not as good. The cake portion was very heavy and I have had better cake/cupcakes than this one. The icing was yummy and helped complete the cupcake to make it taste alright. read more

Terrible!!!! I love cupcakes and these are the worst cupcakes that I have ever eaten. They are too dry and crunchy around the edges. WORST!!! read more

Needed some cupcakes for a work meeting, walked in and there were plenty for me to choose from. And it turns out Tuesdays cupcakes are on sale...woohoo. (I believe it was $2 Tuesdays, but don't quote me). The cupcakes were moist and the icings were good. I heard good reviews from everyone at the meeting! Very small place though, only room for a couple people in there! Luckily no one else was there when I visited. read more

I love this place! They have the best cupcakes I've ever had! My favorite are the red velvet and lemon cupcakes. Both topped with yummy fresh icing. read more

I've gone once and that's the only time, and I don't plan to go back. I had the salted caramel cupcake and red velvet. The caramel cupcake didn't even taste the slightest bit salty, the icing on it was excessive and crusty like it'd been sitting out awhile. I've had much better salted caramel cupcakes and this one was a bit pitiful. With all that said, it was just decent tasting. Don't pay $3 for it. Only reason this review even got 3 stars was because of the red velvet. It was good and actually worth $3. read more

I'm surprised by the sub-par reviews. When Cupcake Cove first opened, bf stopped by and brought red velvet and coconut cupcakes home after work. We had them for dessert that night and they were both pretty good. The cake wast moist and the butter creme was fresh and not too sweet. Soon after, I stopped by CC when I was in the area. The store was really cute and the staff was friendly. I picked up a dozen cupcakes to bring to a party. My friend had requested all chocolate variations, so I went with the chocolate/chocolate, chocolate/vanilla and mint/chocolate. They were a hit at the party. I tried the chocolate/chocolate and thought it was decadent and again, the cake was moist. I haven't been back since, but I hope the cupcakes are still good as my previous experiences. read more

D-I-S-A-P-P-O-I-NT-I-N-G When I spend more than $3 for a SMALL cupcake, it better be so good that I fantasize about it for days. There should be flashbacks. This is NOT the case here. Not even close sadly. I had looked forward to trying this place for months. Having seen my co workers come back with these cupcakes, and drool over them like they were better a than paid 3 day weekend. Salted Caramel: BLAND, tasted like a boxed vanilla cake mix. The frosting wasn't overly sweet which I am grateful for, but it still lacked flavor. Overall it wasn't even close to what a Salted Caramel cupcake should taste like. To make matters worse it was DRY as sand. It just kind of, crumpled. Mint chocolate: Again the cupcake itself tasted like boxed.It WAS however moist, even sticky, which I like in a cupcake. The frosting had a very DISTANT mint taste...distant like my possible relation to any iconic figure in the 1800's. As a matter of fact, I didn't taste the mint till I had swallowed it. Again though, the frosting wasn't super sweet, something that I also enjoy. Now, I did love how sweet the counter help was, the containers designed for cupcakes with frosting on top. I also like that I will never feel the need to go buy them out, rent a hotel room, and hide out with just the cupcakes, a gallon of milk, and a bottle of insulin. read more

One of my favorite places to get cupcakes and macarons. If you show up on a Tuesday, you get to enjoy the special price of $2 cupcakes and $1.50 on macarons! My favorite flavor is definitely the Guava and Passionfruit cupcake which has the perfect amount of fruitiness without being too sweet. I am also a big fan of the Salted Caramel cupcake. I love that the cupcakes here are firm without being too dry or moist. In other words, perfect. I would highly recommend stopping by to check this place out. And do it early too! They sometimes sell out! read more

When they opened, I tried the Chocolate cupcake with a mocha frosting. I asked if they were selling the mini-cupcakes (as I would probably buy a $1.50 mini cupcake more often, less fat and still yummy.) They answered that they are available a dozen per, but not separately. I let them know that from a customer standpoint, it was a mistake to not sell the $1.50 minis immediately. And, after eating my chosen Chocolate with Mocha frosting, I wasn't impressed with the quality of that cupcake at that time (that was in March). I felt the cupcake was about the standard I would make from a box. I expected more for the $3 I paid. For Admin Professionals day, I was graced with the Chocolate cupcake, vanilla frosting.. Now THAT was more like it.. super moist, decadent both in the cupcake AND the frosting.. I was interested in returning and trying out a few other types. Quality was definitely much much better. I dropped in at the beginning of May.. I sampled (for free* Yay!) the mini red velvet.. it was Delish! And.. repeated my Choc w/Vanilla. Traditionally, I am a chocolate fan.. not so much a vanilla cupcake fan. Today, they were out of my fav.. Ohhh no -what's a sweeet toooooth to do without chocolate? I decided to chance the Vanilla on Vanilla.. and MAN was it good. Moist, Rich, stopped midway to write this - is how good it is. And.. fixed my chocolate desire with a Mocha. Normally, not going for the full caffeine and sugar load.. but today - YES. I will be returning to my very "vanilla" moment.. and suggest you try Cupcake Cove out if you are in the vicinity of 14th and Broadway, in Oakland. At City Center - just look for the colorful water feature.. and behind it the Cupcake Cove, next to Max's Diner. Enjoy!!!!!! read more

LOVE cupcake cove!!! It's conveniently located near my work. They have $2 cupcakes on Tuesdays and sometimes they have $1.50 one day old cupcakes. Some of our favorite flavors: chocolate, red velvet, strawberry, salted caramel. The one thing that's consistent about this place is that their cupcakes are always moist, even two or three days later. read more

I got a red velvet cupcake . It's very very red! It's soft and moist but it's not worth 3 bucks! It's above average. read more

Cupcake Cove - The very very red "red velvet" cupcake - Cupcakes Near Me - Oakland, California

The frosting is what is good. Especially the frosting on the salted caramel. The one thing I can't rock with is the actual cake. It's reminds me of a softer version of corn bread.... idk it's not great but then you get the frosting and are like oh yes goodness! Other than that it is blah. Wouldn't return. read more

Came here on a whim just passing by. Cupcakes are all pretty regular except for one that looks like it was a messed up cupcake, The Black Bottom. DO NOT BE FOOLED MY FRIENDS. This is probably one of the best cupcakes I've ever tried in my existence of being. One bite of it and I literally was about to cry from its deliciousness. Cream cheese and chocolate chips in a chocolate cupcake???? SUPER. MOIST. SOFT. EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED IN A CUPCAKE. I would commute all the way from San Bruno just to have this cupcake, if I didn't do my research and find one closer to home. Needless to say, if I'm ever in this area I will definitely come back here - but I swear to you the black bottom will be a more frequent part of my diet now that I have found it! read more

I went to the Cupcake Cove in Oakland City Center this past week, and I was happy I stopped there! I got the coffee cupcake (chocolate cupcake with coffee frosting), and it was incredible! The cupcake was moist and had a deliciously rich yet balanced chocolate flavor. The frosting had a subtle sweetness with a smooth-ish coffee flavor that complemented the chocolate cupcake very well. I will definitely be going there again if I end up in Oakland again anytime soon. I definitely recommend it! read more

very small cute shop in Oakland. They had plenty of cupcakes for the Tuesday $2 special. The mint cupcake and the salted caramel were good. not great, for $2 though they were a steal compared to other specialty cupcake locations. For the price they are worth the trip, but for me, only on Tuesdays. Super friendly staff that was very helpful and patient at my indecision. Thanks guys! read more

I always feel bad for places that have consistently low ratings, but I really can't help these guys out past 2 stars. I'm not even a picky Yelper, but for a cupcake place that charges $3 per cupcake, the Cove needs to offer a lot better. There are a few varying flavors (red velvet, coffee, etc), but then the rest are just combinations of vanilla & chocolate. There was one interesting black bottom cupcake, but the ones on display were sloppy and lopsided. I tried a few of the flavors out of a batch I brought home after work. The red velvet was tasty, but the frosting on all the cupcakes was slightly crusty and seemed like they had been sitting out for a long time. Booo. Pretty good tasting cupcakes, but you can't just put cupcakes in a pretty box and charge $3 a piece. read more

My friend recommended this cupcake joint right in Downtown Oakland. I bought a bunch of the blue velvet cupcakes and they were the best! Nice and moist with rich cream on top! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. The service was great and what more can I say? A nice cupcake will cheer me up anytime. So if you're ever a little down, or craving for some sugar delight, come to Cupcake Cove. YUM read more

Cupcake Cove - Blue Velvet Cupcake with Blue Sugar Sprinkles.. NOM NOM NOM MMMMM. - Cupcakes Near Me - Oakland, California

I like stopping by here on friends' birthdays to grab a quick cupcake (or four). The owner is very friendly. They have a Tuesday special where they are only $2! I'd say that they have pretty basic flavors; Vanilla, Chocolate, Vanilla with Chocolate Frosting, and then the slightly-but-not-really adventurous flavors like peanut butter, coffee, red velvet, and coconut. It doesn't hurt to check it out. If you like nibblin' a little afternoon delight. read more

I took a "sentimental journey" walk through Oakland City Center this past Tuesday. I worked there many years ago before they had all the restaurants - it has changed quite a bit! Anyway, I noticed the tiny Cupcake Cove store in what was part of a restaurant way back when. I purchased a Red Velvet and a Strawberry cupcake, sat down at a table in the plaza, and devoured both of them in about 10 minutes. They were delicious, moist and addictive (if I'm not careful!). I will go back soon for another fix. The only reason I took a star off was because of the rather sullen cashier. It kinda takes a bit of the joy away from buying cupcakes. Other than that - which I can live with - I will be back! read more

I stumbled across this cupcakery as I was walking around downtown Oakland. I bought a couple to take back to my office and share with co-workers. After tasting them I wish I had kept them all to myself. These were so moist, fresh, and delicious! The peanut butter tasted like eating a small sweet Jif cake with sweetened Jif frosting. The lemon was so full of lemony goodness I could eat a dozen in one sitting if given the chance. I've had my share of dry, bland cupcakes from other bakeries and cupcake specialty stores. These were far superior. A great bang for your buck. read more

Great cupcakes. Don't bother with the plastic packaging and eat on the go. Delicious.

Yummy! The price is OK for a couple of bites. The people there are very lovely. But if you only want one cupcake that's good go there. But if you want to or three cupcakes it's not worth it. read more

Since my office is across the street from the Cupcake Cove, I was looking forward to opening day. I purchased three cupakes -- lemon, red velvet and vanilla. What a disappointment. One cupcake was dry, one was a tad bit salty and the third was meh. I may give them another try since they're so conveniently located. Otherwise, I'll wait until Thursday when the mobile cupcake truck rolls around. read more

I love this place. The frosting is sooooo good. The strawberry cupcake is yummy and the mint is good too. My coworkers and me got 2 dozen cupcakes for a potluck event and within mins they where all gone. I have been there twice already and I'll be there at least once a week from now on. read more

Cupcakes are tiny and overpriced. I got the black bottom cupcake and it was really dry and had a weird aftertaste. I had been looking forward to this place opening because it's near my office, but this was pretty disappointing. read more

This will be my shortest review ever. Tiny little store with a tiny selection of cupcakes. The girl was nice, but nothing vegan so left. Sorry. read more

I got chocolate and lemon cupcakes and tried them out today with a couple of coworkers. Nobody liked these. The frosting is super sugary and grainy, the cake part forgettable. It tastes like a sheet cake you'd get at Safeway. And at $3 a pop, it's not worth it. I'm sure these guys are trying to capitalize on the "cupcake craze" but they really need a better product or they'll be out of business pretty quickly. read more

Really friendly faces when you come here, but the cupcakes are dry! If I'm going to pay $2.50 per cupcake I'd want them to be moist and fresh. read more

Great location and cute lil spot but have to say the cupcakes are way overpriced and were just OK. the coconut frosting was good but the cake was dry and the lemon was no buno very dry and taste like fake lemon, i was disappointed :( read more