Cupcake Wars: Brownie vs. Blackout at Crumbs

In a serious effort to sample as many of New York City's cupcakes as humanly possible, I dragged Paul to yet another cupcakery last Saturday night. Don't worry- he certainly was not an unwilling test subject.

This time we visited Crumb's Bake Shop in the Village. Crumbs has several locations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and California. The cupcakes are also carried by other retailers. I try a different Crumbs cupcake at Dylan's Candy Bar when my book club meets there each month.

This time I chose the brownie cupcake:


Paul picked the blackout:



I'll admit that $3.75 apiece is a little steep, but it's oh-so-worth it. You'll never find a bigger cupcake. The top is larger than the palm of my hand. Like the s'mores cupcake I profiled, the best part is hidden in the middle: a chocolate-filled center.


The two cupcakes were extremely similar. Both seemed to have the same rich chocolate frosting and filling. Mine had a few stale brownie pieces on top, while Paul got the more appealing cookie crumbs.

With about two dozen cupcakes to choose from, Crumbs doesn't have a bad looking one in the lot. But some certainly taste better than others. The frosting at times can be a bit bland and underwhelming.

Which one do I try next? I think the Baba Booey. Suggestions?