Best cupcake I've had ever!!! I had the Cookie Monster cupcake. Not too sweet or overwhelming. Wayyyyyy better than Georgetown cupcake in DC. I definitely prefer this. read more

After our Yelp event at the Mosaic wine lounge the other night, my husband and I popped into the 'shoppe' to splurge on a few sweets. (We had passed by on a few other late occasions last year and it had been closed, but we were happy to see they were still open and busy at 10:45 pm on a Friday night.) We chose four flavours: peanut butter chocolate, oreo cookie, coconut, and lemon zinger. My favourite was the first since the salty peanut butter tempered the sweetness of the icing, which made the cupcake just right. However, the icings on the oreo cookie, lemon, and coconut all tasted similar: it was like eating a mouthful of wet icing sugar- yecchhh. Even though I generally don't like icing, this was just sweet beyond belief and like other Yelpers, I scraped most of it off. However, the cake was pretty good; the dollop of lemon filling and the bits of crunch coconut were nice surprises. The cake was a little on the dry side, as others mentioned, but again it is probably my own fault for purchasing baked goods late at night. These cupcakes aren't the best I've consumed but if you're okay with leaving only 1/4 of the icing on, then it makes a nice sweet snack if the cupcake craving hits. read more

The Cupcake Shoppe - Coconut, lemon, cookies and cream, and peanut butter (in clockwise order) - Bakeries Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I get excited every time I hear of a shop offering gluten-free desserts. I had no idea this place has been open for almost a decade! I met Arlen at the downtown Raleigh farmers' market, where she saves some amazing macaroons for me each week. She said they have gluten-free cupcakes on the weekend. They put the GF cupcakes out very late on Thursday, so you can sometimes get first choice by popping over early. But they keep fresh stock on the counter on Fridays and Saturdays. They usually have three different flavors of the week. These are the BEST gluten-free cupcakes in the triangle, and trust me, I've had them all. (Gigi's is a dry rock, and while Sugarbuzz in Cary has amazing GF brownies, their cupcakes are just okay.) I've made it a weekly tradition to visit to get my sugar fix. I can also attest to their catering skills. I had them cater five dozen cupcakes for a company event, and they also did a big jumbo cupcake with our company's logo for the centerpiece. Arlen was on time (actually, early!), and they rented out a cupcake stand so everything looked amazing. I didn't hear a single complaint. And last year for my SO's birthday, I had a custom cake made at Sugarbuzz. They did a pretty good job with the decoration, but it was just SO much cake! I decided to see what the Cupcake Shoppe could do, and they're doing two custom jumbo cupcakes for us so that I don't have to waste $100 on half a cake we aren't going to eat. Super nice, super friendly, super clean, super delicious. I'd give them 10 stars if I could! (And I'm on my way there now!) read more

So me and a friend were exploring downtown when we ran into the Cupcake Shoppe. It's really adorable and walking into it, there's this ridiculously cool antique cash register that pretty settled this shop's adorable/quirky factor for me. The service was nice and quick too. Parking is across the street, so hey, quick in and quick out, or if you're like me, we stowed our car in the parking deck 15 minutes away. Like any downtown, parking generally blows but at least everything is walkable so that's a plus and an a negative within it's own right. Their cupcakes are quite tasty, albeit dry. I had the red velvet cupcake and my friend had the mint one. You can never go wrong with red velvet, and it was right on point. Although the frosting was a little overly sweet for my taste. My friend's mint cupcake was interesting, I'm not one for mint, but the chocolate cake part was really tasty. I'm a college student, so it was a little pricey for me, but it was a sweet treat and an overall good experience. read more

My son introduced me to this place by getting me carrot cupcakes for my birthday, they were the BEST cupcakes I've had..recently ordered mini chocolate and vanilla cupcakes for a work celebration and again, the most delicious cupcakes ever!!! They are worth the price and the customer service is awesome too! read more

I've always heard good things, so I decided to stop in here after my filling but mediocre experience at The Diner. I have to say, they are NOT making an effective use of the space in this "shoppe". The seating indoors completely shuts off the very concept of a line, which it seems there must always be. And while the decor was a little tacky, a little too girly, it's a cupcake shoppe--so I really couldn't care as long as i can get my hands on a delicious cupcake. I had a Black and White cupcake (vanilla icing and chocolate cake... basic stuff). The vanilla icing was a bit overwhelming, especially with the amount that's on the cake. The cake itself was delicious but a bit dry--I've heard the complaint. The Mint cupcake that my girlfriend had was three times better though! The icing was amazing, stunning, it tasted like a lighter filling of a Junior Mint! She made the far better choice--and at 3 dollars a cupcake it's not a mistake I can afford to make often. I will return for an assortment of other flavors. read more

This place is PHENOMENAL. They have an assortment of interesting cupcake flavors. My boyfriend especially loved the Cookie Monster cupcake. I liked the Pistachio Lime, which was a pistachio cake with lime filling and lime icing. So interesting and delicious. We've had cupcakes coast to coast and these were some of the best. We like them because they're not too sweet (cake or icing) and the price is decent. I also LOVED the chocolate mint macarons. Best macarons I've tasted. But beware, the insides of the cookie part is usually sunken, or hollow. I like em that way because it makes it crisp, but I know this is not how macarons are supposed to be cooked. Friendly service--they know what's popular and what most people enjoy. read more

The Cupcake Shoppe - Top left: cookie monster. Top right: you mocha me crazy. Bottom left: peanut butter. Bottom right: chocolate mint macarons. - Bakeries Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I really want to love the Cupcake Shoppe, but I don't. I will basically try a cupcake shop anywhere I go, and this is probably the closest spot for cupcakes to me in Raleigh. I have been here several times now. The shop itself is very cute on the outside as well as inside. The staff here is nice and friendly. Prices are about average for cupcakes at $3 each. The cupcakes all look so good behind the counter, but I have never found the taste of the cupcakes to be anything spectacular. The main issue I have with the cupcakes is the amount of frosting. I always end up scrapping off at least half of the icing. It is just piled way too high for my personal tastes. Additionally, I have never found the cake part of the cupcake to be too great either, the cake is almost always a little dry. I have tried several of the flavors and the only one I would possibly get again is the Pretty in Pink. Some of their special seasonal cupcakes always look interesting but I have never tried one personally. However, I would not go out of my way to get a cupcake from the Cupcake Shoppe and wouldn't particularly recommend this place to anyone unless you are already somewhere on Glenwood. read more

The ice cream sandwiches are awesome! The cookies used for them are fantastic. The ice cream is alright. I'd buy just the cookies if they sold them, but the night we went it didn't look like they did. Cupcakes are pretty good, but a bit pricey. I prefer Whole Foods, I they're a little more bang for the buck, but my husband thinks Cupcake Shoppe is better and worth it. read more

This was the first cupcake bakery that I went to in the Triangle and have gone back many times since. It's cute, clean, and the cupcakes are delish, especially some of their speciality and seasonal flavors. Prices are comparable to other cupcake shops, but you don't feel cheated (ie. small size). I haven't tried a flavor of theirs that I didn't like, although my favorite is definitely the coconut. The staff are really sweet - and friendly. It's a great place to go for a cupcake and a cup of coffee w/ a friend or just to chill out. read more

I have a love hate relationship with this cupcake shop. It's like having a relationship with a boyfriend who has major bipolar disorder. You love him to death and he's sweet most of the time but sometimes he acts up and you just wana kick him to the curb. You just have to cross your fingers and hope you're there on the right day. When this cupcake shop just put out their cupcakes fresh that day, that cupcake is bomb diggity. But if you're getting a cupcake that's been sitting there for a few days, you end up with a cupcake that you just wana kick to the curb. I almost can't blame them, cause nobody wants to throw out cupcakes at their own business. But I just wish cupcake shops would just stop serving cupcakes that are days old! So for this I have to take away a star. With that aside. This little joint is my go to cupcake shop in downtown Raleigh. Their cupcake is so moist, soft, just the right fluffiness, and the cake itself isn't super sweet. Their frosting tends to be on the sweeter side but I find that it's a good balance since their cake isn't sweet. The red velvet has a good amount of cocoa in it so you can taste it, which I love. I hate a red velvet that tastes like food coloring. The cookie monster one is delish. It was a perfect cookie crunch with the soft cake. Bursts of chocolate here and there, aaahhmazing. This is a must try for chocolate/cookie lovers. Their carrot cake cupcake is also a must try. I usually like minty flavors. I love mint in my chocolate. But their mint chocolate cupcake is a total fail. It tastes like I'm eating a chocolate brownie with toothpaste on top. If that's your kinda thing, then you might like it. The mint flavor was just too artificial here. It would work better if it was more light and a fresh kind of mint. I find that a couple of their "creative" cupcakes tend to have that artificial taste to it. I think as long as you stick with the classics here, you can't really go wrong. read more

Who remembers their first spoonful of cake? Was it at a birthday party, was it at your own? I can't recall at what age I had my first bite of the sugary mass, but one thing I do know is that it had my sweet tooth hooked. I've graduated from the simple cakes, but there is something that always reels me back in after taking a bite. This little shoppe reminded of Magnolia's in New York, with more interesting names, ie: "What's Up Doc" and "Big Red," capturing the essence of their carrot cake and red velvet cupcakes. The flavor of the week Amaretto Almond was sweet, not the coat your palette overpoweringly sweet, but a simple sugar rich cake. The amaretto saturated the cake and almond frosting provided a nuttiness to to cupcake. It was delicate and delectable. The Carrot Cake at first bite, made me reminisce about fall, and pumpkin pie, the cinnamon was a surprise not the typical carrot cake. Only thing that could have made this place better was if the buttercream was a little softer and lighter. read more

I had parked nearby for an appointment and after my appointment I thought I'd stop in for a cupcake and then eat it at home (who am I fooling, it never made it out of my parking spot). I got the lemon zinger as I'm not a chocolate person or a red velvet person and the woman behind the counter said that the lemon zinger had something in the cupcake part too. Wow, this was a good cupcake. The lemon taste was the best tasting lemon bakery item I've ever had and I liked that the cupcake part did not fall apart. It was moist but solid. I would have given a fifth star but the woman behind the counter was not terribly friendly or sweet, although my cupcake was just the right amount of sweet. The Cupcake Shoppe you have a fan. I'll be back in search of a coconut or carrot cake cupcake next time. read more

I love this quaint, little dessert hot spot. I am a big fan of the Peanut Butter Cup cupcake (chocolate cake with peanut butter icing), but have also tried the Mint and Red Velvet, which are equally delicious. Their choices range from "Plain Jane" (vanilla icing on vanilla cake) to "Cookie Monster" (cookie icing on chocolate) to Strawberry. I love stopping in after dinner for a sweet treat. Eat your cupcake right there, served on a small, glass plate or get one.....or dozen, to go. They also have beautiful creations for special occasions. There are sample cakes on display in the windows and inside, for weddings, birthdays, and other events. My friend ordered two dozen mini cupcakes with baby bottles on them for my baby shower. They were a huge hit! If you're not much of a cake person, like my husband, then try their ice cream sandwich. Order your choice of vanilla or chocolate ice cream between two brownie-like cookies, rolled in sprinkles. I tried a bite and admit, I was a little jealous. read more

I have no idea why this place isn't rated higher. I loved these cupcakes! I was only in Raleigh for two days and I had to stop here twice. The cake itself is fluffy and the icing is just the right amount of sweet. To me, nothing is better than a vanilla cupcake with buttercream frosting and this place does that right. The shop itself is really cute! And they have adorable names for the cupcakes. I got the Plain Jane (vanilla with vanilla frosting) and the Pretty in Pink (strawberry). Both were delicious. read more

The only reason I did not give this place a one star is because, well, they are cupcakes and you would really have to mess up a cupcake for me to give it a one star. Having said that, I was really disappointed in these $3-a-pop cupcakes. They are very, very plain in every way. The batter is dry and uninspired - really no better than a box mix or a grocery store purchase - and the frosting is unimaginatively piped and also plain even though it is generally the only real flavor of the cupcake. We had the Brown Betty and the Simply Cinnamon which were, you guessed it, plain and fairly flavorless except for the super sweetness of the icing. Also, the coffee they have is weak - watered down and hardly drinkable. All-in-all, gourmet pricing at grocery store quality. read more

If you want delicious and unique cupcakes, you have to give this place a try! Picture fabulously perfected flavor combinations (like mint buttercream on chocolate cake) with buttercream swirled two inches high atop a deliciously light cake. The cake can be a little dry at times, but the different flavors and overall enjoyment experienced in devouring these decadent desserts make it worthwhile. Just don't take a bite and think you can put it down because it will fall over... read more

Stopped in on a whim as we were passing buy. The decorating is cute and adds to the friendly atmosphere. The cupcakes were delicious. The icing was rich, creamy and flavorful. The cake part was moist and satisfying. Plenty of flavor options and a very reasonable price. The badass cash register and friendly face behind the counter made this a near perfect experience. read more

This place is seriously cute! The decor is very adorable and fitting for a cupcake shop. I've always had excellent service with great cupcake recommendations. I find their price of $3.25 pretty standard especially when comparing it to other specialty cupcake shops like Sugarland, or Gigi's. I've tried the Lemon Zinger, What's Up Doc (carrot cake) and a S'mores themed one. The Lenin Zinger is definitely my favorite with the right amount of sweetness and lemony flavor. The S'mores and carrot cake ones were both a little on the dry side but the frostings were delicious. I can't wait to come back and try their ice cream sandwiches! read more

There was something strangely magical in the air that day I found the cupcake shoppe. I walked in and spotted a little blonde girl (who reminded me of a fairy) running the register (circa 1890) and sparkling away behind the counter. They had a wide assortment of delicious cupcakes indeed, and it was hard to chose. I went with the mocha one, and was not dissapointed. There were chunks of coffee beans and chocolate and oh, sweet lord. It was...so rich and good. I hope the cupcake shoppe stays around long enough for me to get back there and sample their other delicate deliciousocities. minus a few stars because parking is pretty difficult on that street. read more

The cupcake shoppe is dangerously good! Perfect place to walk in for dessert after a date down town. I've even had them cater parties with mini cupcakes. They were able to do different flavors and had them ready to go for me in plenty of time. I highly recommend them for any of your needs. read more

The Cupcake Shoppe - Bakeries Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

+ The icing. So flavorful and rich. Loved it. I can put down sweets with the best of them, and this icing was so thick and rich I could only eat one cupcake. + Excellent flavors of cupcake, but was a little disappointed that most only had chocolate or vanilla cupcake. - The cake part of the cupcake was terrible. There was some flavor, but it was soooooo dry. They have forgotten that there are two parts to a cupcake. $3 seems reasonable enough per cupcake. read more

A bit posh of an experience/vibe, but the cupcake is legit. Had the carrot cake flavor and the icing/cupcake was on point. Not cloyingly sweet and everything had a great bite to it. 4 dollars is a pretty penny to pay for the small sweet treat, but I'd try others on the menu. read more

We tried this place after reading this article, http://www.visitraleigh.com/visitors/id/foodie/ Tribeca Tavern gets 4 stars it was awesome (see review). However this place was mediocre, it was close to closing time our cupcakes looked good but there was nothing exciting at all about them. We have been to what I consider some of the best cupcakes places in the US, by participating in a Cupcake Tour in NYC, we visited Baked by Melissa, Crumbs, Mollys, and Magnolias, these were all the Kobe Beefs of cupcakes, this place was more like the cubed steak, gross. We tried a double chocolate, a snickers and also a chocolate and vanilla, simple enough, right? No!!! They were beyond dry and the flavors were just not there. I have twins and they didnt even like their cupcakes, it was a waste of money and gas, we wont be back at all. I make better cupcakes out the box, maybe I should start selling them too! read more

Wonderful friendly location that serves freshly made from scratch cupcakes. I had the strawberry cupcake. It was a wonderful treat. Plenty of drink selections and lots of indoor seating. Parking can be a challenge at times. read more

The Cupcake Shoppe - Inside - Bakeries Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

Darling little store. I'm a sucker for things in pretty packages and their cupcakes are wrapped up in the sweetest little packages. I like that they have a "guest" flavor cupcake that changes weekly. The frosting is so good. so so good. but like many others have stated. The cake is dry. Someone told me it is the owners grandmother's cake recipe so I cringe a little bit to critique a family recipe. But when you pay $2.75 for a cupcake you want it to heavenly start to finish, and if it was not for that oh so delicious frosting, I'd feel a bit cheated. Their selection is bit uninventive. Lemon. chocolate. strawberry. chocolate. I'd like to see them experiment with unique flavor combinations. Overall, I'm glad they are here. But they need to modify their cake recipe or they'll be hurting once the novelty of a cupcake shoppe wears off. read more

I'm a huge fan of cupcakes and bake a lot myself. But sometimes you just want someone else to it for you. And sometimes you need to just go buy a single cupcake versus risk eating too many of your own. After a great dinner at Glenwood Grill we stopped by The Cupcake Shoppe for dessert. We had tried some of their cupcakes previously at a friend's birthday party and were itching to have another. I really liked the strawberry cupcake with real strawberries in the icing and cake. My fiancée enjoyed the cookie monster cupcake with crushed cookies in the icing and vanilla cake. Unlike some other bakeries their cupcakes are standard sized. So if you have a big sweet tooth like mine, you probably won't want to share. We have a mint cupcake in our fridge at the moment, but after writing this review I don't think it will survive much longer. read more

These cupcakes "look" beautiful but the are dry and seem almost stale but its not stale just not well made! I have a friend who makes the most amazing cupcakes you ever tasted! Moist and flavorful! i purchased white mac cookie cupcakes, carrot cake and red velvet ones for a party i had! She got twenty two orders just from the people at my party! It's like once you taste hers the bar is set so high nothing else can compare! I have been begging her to open her own shop because she would take all the cupcakes business in Raleigh! These people Are very nice but they are lacking on taste and texture! You want it to melt in your mouth and burst with flavor and these just fall short. I am giving them two stars for appearance and good customer service only. read more

Went here after hearing all the hype. I am a baker myself and usually stay away from these fad cupcake joints only because I usually leave disappointed. The cake is SUPER dry and the icing is piped 6 inches high. I have tried the Strawberry and the Black & White. The Strawberry was so sweet I couldn't even finish it, and the cake was dry and hard as a rock. I don't understand why the icing is piped the way it is- sure it looks cool...but how do you expect me to fit that into my mouth! It makes for a bad cake to icing ratio. I won't be coming back here again. I'll spend my $3.00 elsewhere. read more

I'm not what you'd call a "cupcake connoisseur", but I know good from bad and this little place has never done me wrong. Locally owned and operated, this shop seems to have a regular stream of customers well into the nighttime hours, when Glenwood revelers come by for their evening sweet fix. Service has always been top-drawer and a stop here is sure to put a smile on the Boss's face. read more

We stopped at The Cupcake Shop after dinner at Draft. The staff was friendly and welcoming... I had the Peanut Butter Cup cupcake and it was pretty good. The chocolate cake was moist and had a nice crust on it. The frosting was tasty as well. Not too peanutbuttery, if you know what I mean... On the next trip, I have to try the Cookie Monster. Oreo butter cream frosting sounds too good to pass up. read more

Cake of any kind is a special occassion: a once-in-a-while treat; a bright spot during a particularly gloomy time; a nostalgic, yummy nod to childhood. Too bad the cupcakes at The Cupcake Shoppe embody this 2-star ranking, "Meh. I've experienced better." Over the last few years I've dropped in for sunshine and while the little shop is cute, staff friendly and coffee of Larry's Beans pedigree, the cakes just don't inspire and leave me regretting my caloric intake. I've tried at least seven different varieties over the years and with one exception, the Boston Creme Pie flavor of the week, they've all been too dry, ordinary cakes topped with too sweet, too simply flavored dollops of icing that is gritty to tooth. If you just have to have a cupcake and find yourself in Glenwood South or downtown Raleigh then, "It'll do." Otherwise, seek your sweetness elsewhere. (Hit Snoopy's for a scoop of Bryers ice cream...) read more

If you picture a boutique cupcake shop of the 50's with a modern spin; The Cupcake Shoppe is what you'd get. The staff was very polite, and explained each of the cupcakes to us (and the selection is vast!). They also brew local coffee. How do the cupcakes taste? Super frickin great! Do not go here hungry. read more

The Red Velvet cupcake is awesome. It is my favorite one, even though all are great. Yummy food read more

The Cupcake Shoppe - Red Velvet - Bakeries Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Love these cupcakes!!! Cookie Monster, Big Red, every single one is good! The fronting is perfect!!!!

I finally decided to hop on the cupcake bandwagon this year and was very excited that Raleigh had a store so I could continue my quest for the perfect cupcake. We didn't really get to check out the store for an extended period of time since we were in a bit of a hurry since we may have been...slightly...illegally parked. I was very impressed with the lady working there that day. The employees that I normally run into at cupcake stores are more interested in texting their friends or reading a magazine than helping customers. This lady was actually helping indecisive customers choose their purchases and explaining the different cupcakes to them. Customer service, what a novel concept! We got two cupcakes, "Big Red" and the "Grasshopper" which was their flavor of the week. The grasshopper had mint frosting on chocolate cake with an Oreo at the bottom. The chocolate cake was so moist and delicious, it was probably the most moist cake I'd ever had from a cupcake store. The Big Red wasn't quite as moist but the cream cheese frosting was so delicious that I didn't complain too much. If only I could put the cream cheese frosting on that chocolate cake, I would be in heaven. We'll definitely be back each time we come to Raleigh! read more

What a cute place, i was in this past week to see a new large font menu hanging behind the counter, GREAT MOVE. It is now very easy to see what flavors are offered as well as what beverages are available. I love the over all atmosphere of this shop, beautifully decorated, with very friendly staff always will to help. of the best quality's is the first name basis, the girls make a point to ask your name after they have seen your face a few time. (and they always remember it) this makes me feel very welcomed! Now for the important part, the cupcakes! I cant get enough....... Always so good, my favorite being the simply Cinnamon. (everyone should give it a try) and the flavors of the week are always to creative I love to see what new ideas they come up with. (My fav flavor of the weeks include: Almond, Chi Tea, Bacon Maple, Cherry Coca, and Gingerbread.) And for those of you how are not a big fan frosting, there are always other things to chose from, cookies, bars and brownies.... (may i say the brownie are the best brownies i have even had, and quit large) FIVE STARTS FOR SURE! Hey guys out there this is a great place for a date ;) read more

Ohhh Yes Cupcake. Well I have no problem eating a cupcake or two. What a delicious selection. You can not just try one or two. You have to get a dozen or more. The frosting is excellent. Not too sweet so you mouth does not tingle when you have too much sugar in the frosting. The place could use brighter light. Easy to find , but the parking is another thing. Over priced, but what else do you have to spend your hard earned money on cupcake. read more

Saturday afternoon, dreary, rainy, cold - I need a cupcake! Talk about heaven. With a cup of Larry's Beans coffee, my lime-coconut cupcake was really, really good. We also sampled the Plain Jane (yellow cake with butter cream) - wow! With two cupcakes and coffee we were out the door for under $10 and in a much brighter disposition then when we walked in - I'll be back. read more

I really wanted to like this cupcake place. After hearing mixed reviews I was hesitant to go. These cupcakes were not good at all. They didn't taste fresh. I had the chocolate Chile one and it was awful. Something just wasn't right. My mom had the strawberry one and she couldn't even finish it and she's a pregnant woman who likes to eat. The lady who helped us was really nice and friendly but seriously guys save yourself some money and go to Gigi's. Gigi's has way better ones read more

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