A Cupcake Guide to Cairo 2

Devour

To be fair we have only tried Devour once, and it might be a bit uneven to compare a home-based business to an actual bakery, but Devour was our least favorite cupcake bakery.  We ordered 12 cupcakes to try some classics and some of their unusual flavors, but in the end we only really liked 2 of our choices.

Delivery:  I read on their Twitter just last month that delivery is now available all over Cairo, but my husband was told that there is no delivery available with no explanation at all. He went to pick up our order at the apartment that houses Devour instead.  He only dealt with the building’s bowab, and only spoke to the owner by phone.  He was understandably a bit upset to see Devour’s delivery motorcycle sitting outside the apartment and was more upset to see how the cupcakes were packaged.  There are no separators in Devour’s boxes, so the cupcakes run into each other and could flip if you are not careful.  The box also didn’t close all the way and he had to tape it shut.

Price:  The prices are a bit lower than the other cupcake places, but I was upset that we didn’t get a receipt with our order.  I calculated the price from the prices on the website, but our order turned out to be 10LE more and without the receipt we don’t know where the difference is.  10LE is not the end of the world, but it’s nice to know where your money goes.

Coffee, Red Velvet, Peanut Butter Madness, Sweet Potato, Blueberry, Sundae, Strawberry Lemonade, French Toast, White Velvet, Smores

Size:  The cupcakes were really inconsistent in size.  Some cupcakes, like the sweet potato one were so tiny, while others like the strawberry lemonade or sundae one were much bigger.  The sweet potato one also cost more.

Taste: The peanut butter madness cupcake had no discernible peanut butter.  This is usually one of my favorite cupcakes and combinations, so it was a big disappointment.  We tasted more crushed peanut than peanut butter.  Another cupcake that we usually love is the red velvet cupcake.  Unfortunately, this one was a miss, too.  There was too little icing and it was colored with hibiscus which added a strange taste.  If I knew that hibiscus was used as a coloring agent here, I would have gotten something else.  I really don’t like the flavor and didn’t expect it.  Another problem was the cherry on top of the sundae cupcake.  It tasted old or expired.

However, the sundae cupcake itself tasted very nice with a fudgy center.  The cake part was also moist and flavorful.  It was probably my favorite in the box.  I also liked the coffee cupcake. The strawberry lemonade was also delicious with a nice lemony syrup running throughout the cake making it very moist.  The icing here also complemented the cake beautifully.

Availability: You must order at least one day in advance and some cupcakes like the strawberry cheesecake have a minimum order of 6 which is not mentioned on the website.

Crumbs

Crumbs actually has two locations, the one listed above and one in Zamalek.  We have only visited the one in Maadi.  We’ve also only visited them during the day and never at night.

Delivery: It’s available, but we haven’t tried it.

Price:  The nice thing about Crumbs is that their prices are a flat 10LE for nearly all the cupcakes, 3.5 for minis and cake pops, and 5 for whoopie pies.

Top row: Pumpkin, Birthday, Red Velvet; Bottom row: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Mint Chocolate

Size: The size is reasonable and it is possible to buy only one mini.  The mini ones are also the perfect bite, not too small at all.  The cupcakes are also pretty consistent in size and with the amount of frosting.

Taste: Their cupcakes are always fresh and moist. The only problem we’ve had with taste is the chocolate cupcake base. It’s a German chocolate cake which is a bit strong.  We also didn’t like the chocolate mint because of this and because there was no hint of mint in the cake itself, only in the frosting.  Strawberry, blueberry and raspberry are standouts.  I also love their chocolate chip cookie dough and birthday cake cupcakes.  You can also find seasonal cupcakes and more unusual flavors like pumpkin and the good thing is that they keep them in stock.  There’s no disappointment in finding something on the menu and never in the store.

You can also find more than cupcakes there.  They have cookies, cake pops, and whoopie pies.  The whoopie pies are really flavorful and the cake pops are the perfect snack.  If you’ve never had a cake pop, it is a ball of cake mixed with icing and covered with chocolate.

Décor:  It’s a really bright and cheerful shop in a great location.  When they first opened there, it seemed too crowded inside, but they have really opened it up.  It’s easy to order and see the cupcakes on offer. They also have coffee to go with your cupcakes and it’s a nice place to sit and enjoy both.

Staff:  Everyone we’ve talked to there has been helpful and welcoming.  They are also knowledgeable about the products and can easily answer any questions.  I’ve never seen them get annoyed, even when we add things on at the last minute.

NOLA

They have possibly the best cupcakes with the worst service.  We have probably eaten NOLA’s cupcakes the most.  We only seem to be there in the evening, though, or we get them delivered.  NOLA has done a great job at creating a fun atmosphere with their cupcakes and their store.  It feels special to get their cupcakes.

Delivery:  They always deliver on time and the delivery comes in a nice box and bag. The cupcakes are secure and kept fresh with an ice packet on the bottom of the bag.

Price: They have the most expensive cupcakes with prices ranging from 8.50LE to 13LE.  It does seem like too much compared to the other bakeries, but the product is consistent.

Vanilla, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Blueberry, Red Velvet, Tiramisu, Lemon Raspberry, Banana

Size:  The cupcakes seem to be getting smaller over time. They try to hide this with a lot of icing.  This was particularly noticeable with the vanilla cupcake the last time I ordered it.  The icing was the height as the cupcake itself and was overpowering.

Taste: They always taste delicious, but sometimes they don’t taste so fresh.  The cake can be crumbly instead of moist.  They do have the best chocolate peanut butter, red velvet, and blueberry out of all the cupcake bakeries.  They also do the classic flavors really well. Banana, carrot, and chocolate are spot on.  They always have new flavors and they give their customers a chance to vote on them with cupcake wars. They also have seasonal offerings.  NOLA tends to use a mountain of icing on their cupcakes, and while I enjoy that, it could be off-putting for some.

Décor:  NOLA is in a very pretty shop.  It’s very girly and bright.  We’ve always taken our cupcakes and run, but they do have a small seating area.

Staff: We have had the worst service at NOLA.  Twice we have gone in and been ignored completely while waiting.  The kicker is that the store wasn’t that busy either time; there were only a few people there besides us.  The positive thing is that the owner listens to complaints and tries to improve the store.  After we complained about our last experience in the store, she called us and explained what was happening there and how she was working to change things.  She even sent us a box of cupcakes to make up for this experience.   NOLA also works with charity a lot.  They give away their unsold cupcakes and even have a charity cupcake where all the proceeds go to charity.

Availability: There are some cupcakes on the menu that never seem to be there when I want to try them, specifically the chocolate orange and the pumpkin ones.