Cupcake Cafe Mocha Buttercream on Chocolate Cake

Beautiful Mocha Frosting on Chocolate Cake Cupcakes all in a row:
You can see the chocolate frosted cupcakes that I did not sample on the rack below the mocha:
The specific mocha frosted chocolate cupcake I sampled:
The mocha cupcake I sampled, pictured on the right:

Cupcake Cafe Mocha Frosting on Chocolate Cake, $2.50, http://www.cupcakecafe-nyc.com/?KMLID=6140, 9th Ave and 40th Street

Taste: The mocha buttercream is really unique and interesting-- it's a nice mocha, sweet and yet coffee-flavored at the same time-- it reminds me of the flavor of coffee ice cream. The white flower on top is regular vanilla buttercream, which I like even better than the mocha buttercream-- sweet yet light and milky. The chocolate cake is where this cupcake lost me-- bitter, not sweet, just not pleasing to my palate. Overall Taste Rating: 3 out of 5 sprinkles

Texture: The buttercream is incredibly light-- it must be whipped, and might be the french recipe that uses egg whites to achieve a perfectly fluffy, light meringue-buttercream. It melts on my tongue into utter deliciousness. The cake texture is a little bit dry, but it moistens up nicely in my mouth and it holds together well. The cake is very dense, which I don't love in a cupcake. Overall Texture Rating: 3 out of 5 sprinkles

Aesthetic: The Cupcake Cafe cupcakes are beautifully decorated! They sell a variety of cupcakes with different multi-colored flowers decorating the top, and they are breathtaking. These are the kind of cupcakes that would be perfect to serve for a special occasion, artistically done and the sort of specialty cupcake it's not easy to re-create at home. Overall Aesthetic Rating: 5 out of 5 sprinkles!!!

Satisfaction: The taste of this cucpake wasn't stellar, but it's beauty was unparalleled! And for such a gorgeous cupcake, I felt like $2.50 was a steal price for it! There is no disputing that the Cupcake Cafe knows how to make gorgeous confections!!! Overall Satisfaction Rating: 4 out of 5 sprinkles

Overall Cupcaking Ranking: 15 Sprinkles (out of 20 possible)

Cupcake Cafe Vanilla Buttercream on Vanilla Cake

Cupcake Cafe Vanilla Frosting on Vanilla Cake (pictured above, left), $2.50, http://www.cupcakecafe-nyc.com/?KMLID=6140, 9th Ave and 40th Street

Taste: The vanilla buttercream is very mild, slightly sweet, very milky-- and I really like it! It's a sophisticated buttercream, not too sweet but really scrumptious and satisfying. The vanilla cake is pretty good-- not especially flavorful, understated, but pleasant. If you don't like ultra-sweet cupcakes, this cupcake is a great choice, because it's not too sweet but it's very tasty. Overall Taste Rating: 4 out of 5 sprinkles

Texture: The buttercream is incredibly light for a buttercream, and I would guess it's the French style that uses egg whites and milk in the recipe. The cake is really dense, it's not dry but it's not moist either, right in between, but a little dense for a cupcake in my opinion. Overall Texture Rating: 3 out of 5 sprinkles.

Aesthetic: Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous, is how I would describe Cupcake Cafe cupcakes!!! Absolutely beautiful, the exact sort of treat anyone would want to serve for a special occasion. Artistic, upscale, just beautiful. Overall Aesthetic Rating: 5 out of 5 Sprinkles!!

Satisfaction: The beauty of this cupcake alone wins it a lot of points for me, even though it wasn't the best tasting cupcake I've sampled. But I'd definitely buy these cupcakes to serve to guests for a special occasion!! I also thought the price was really reasonable for something so professional and handcrafted at $2.50. Overall Satisfaction Rating: 4 out of 5 Sprinkles

Overall Cupcake Ranking: 16 Sprinkles (out of 20 possible)

The gorgeous array of offerings at Cupcake Cafe: