Cupcake heaven in London

I think it would be fair to say that everyone loves a cupcake now and then, and I have found one of the best bakers of these little delights in London. The Hummingbird bakery opened in Notting Hill in 2004 to provide an alternative to supermarket cakes, and French patisseries. At that time cupcakes were hard to find in the UK; but when Carrie Bradshaw bit into one on Sex and the City, their popularity soared. In fact market research shows they're now overtaking the flapjack to rival biscuit sales!

Image courtesy of Benjamin C. M. Backhouse
I stumbled upon the bakery when wandering down Portobello Road, and its pretty frontage and cupcake window display draw you in. Inside there are cupcakes galore, as well as larger American pies. It's the cupcakes that are the speciality though, and the reason why there are regularly large queues out of the door!

Image courtesy of Benjamin C. M. Backhouse

The biggest problem you'll have in this bakery is deciding which variety to go for. They have everything from traditional vanilla or chocolate; to the more unusual toffee apple, or strawberry milkshake. One of the best sellers are the red velvet cupcakes - deep red vanilla sponge with a light chocolatey taste, topped with cream cheese frosting - scrummy!

Image courtesy of Benjamin C. M. Backhouse
Perhaps we like to think of our childhood when we helped to make cupcakes; maybe we like to think we can harp back to 1950's domesticity, or could it be a lot more basic than that? They're simply delicious - a naughty little treat! As far as I'm concerned, The Hummingbird Bakery make the best cupcakes I've ever tasted.

Click here to find the original Portobello Road bakery (they now also have three other locations). If you have your own favourite cupcake bakery anywhere in the world, please pass on your suggestions in the comments form below!

Comments

  1. Alix13 October 2011 at 19:00

    Hummingbird get all of my 'corporate' business as you can order MASSIVE cakes online, yummm. However just around the corner from me on Ebury St is Peggy Porschen. The champagne and strawberry cupcake is a treat to die for. Never tasted anything like it, ever.
    enjoy!

    ReplyDelete

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