Red Velvet Cupcakes at French's Cupcake Bakery

Jessica Ford

Red Velvet (left) and German Chocolate (right) cupcakes!

​Sure, cupcakes may be a dying trend as Willy has described in this post, but after tasting the Red Velvet cupcakes at French's Cupcake Bakery in Costa Mesa, you will join me in rethinking everything you once knew about this small cake slathered with in frosting.

Sprinkles may have larger and better-looking cupcakes than French's, but eating a whole Sprinkles cupcake leaves you crashing a few minutes later from a sugar overload; French's bakes smaller cupcakes that may look more homemade, but taste anything but ordinary.

First, the cake: With its rich chocolate base made from cocoa powder, the cake is moist and loaded with flavor. Second, the cream-cheese frosting: It actually has a proper balance of sugar and cream cheese. Too many cupcakes are ruined by too much sugar in the frosting, or too damn much frosting slathered on top. This frosting still tastes like cream cheese, and just the right amount sits atop this deep red cupcake.

The German Chocolate cupcake, another popular choice, was also delicious, but was harder to eat because of its mountain of toppings. That said, it was probably the best German Chocolate cupcake I've ever had. French's has clearly mastered the art of creating a frosting that actually tastes like its fresh ingredients--every nut and coconut sliver popped.

The bakery has been open since 1976, so buying your cupcakes from owners Jerry and Dianne French means chowing down on treats that are made with tried-and-true recipes--as well as supporting a local, family-owned and -operated business.

 

273 E. 17th St.

Costa Mesa

949-642-0571