Top NYC Cupcakes

Grub Street, New York Magazine's food blog, just recently posted an amazing slide show of the best of NYC cupcakes...at least according to Gramercy Tavern's all-star pastry chef, Nancy Olsen:

"Fifteen bakeries — from Brooklyn’s Baked to Two Little Red Hens uptown — dropped off more than 75 cupcakes to New York Magazine headquarters. With milk shots to cleanse the palate, Olson graded their versions of chocolate, vanilla, and everything in between on a ten-point system for taste, five for presentation, and five awarded at her discretion.

If this could somehow be a full-time job, and if such a job did not forge a direct path towards diabetes and morbid obesity, I would be first in line. I guess it's probably best that the ranking is in Olsen's hands--anyone who contributes something as wonderful-sounding as a Crunchy Milk Chocolate–Peanut butter layer cake to the world only deserves the very best.

But I digress. Olsen ranks the top 11 (why 11 and not 10, I'm not so sure) NYC cupcakes. She seems pretty discerning and her descriptions are honest when they need to be (she found many of the cupcakes much too dry). But ultimately, I think the pictures speak for themselves. #5, #4, and #2 top my "to try" list (especially #4--they're only $2 each!). I mean...just look at this picture, I almost don't have to eat it to know that this is probably the best cupcake in the city:
The only comment that made me second-guess Olsen's judgment was her favorable review of Batch's odd selection of cupcakes--"carrot-salted caramel" and "bacon caramel" are pairings which, in themselves sound like oxymorons, and in the context of "cupcakes," well, that just seems downright scary. I guess I can't knock it until I try it. Too bad I'm off pork.

I almost surprise myself to say that I've only ever tried one cupcake producer from this list: Magnolia, of course because I would feel so "out of touch" if I hadn't. From what I remember, the chocolate icing did release a flood of endorphins, but the cake part itself was lackluster. I'm not so sure it lives up to all that hype. I've also tried Crumbs, but that's like saying I've been to Sbarro if this were a pizza competition (ok, maybe that's a little harsh). Gus is a fan of Billy's Bakery and recently became enraptured by Sweet Revenge's red velvet cupcake. Apparently Sugar Sweet Sunshine tops many New Yorker's lists.

As someone who likes to hold strong opinions about food, I just know that I have a lot of catching up to do.