Reading through people's tweets today made me seriously crave cupcakes. If it wasn't a tweet about
National Cupcake Week, it was someone saying they were off to Sunshine Bakery, or someone posting a delicious cake recipe...I tried to be good (those damn skinny jeans are getting tight again, oh who am I kidding, I cant even get them past my knees!) but could resist no more and hopped on the bus to purchase me some cake. Yummy. Anyway, it is Cupcake Week, so it would be rude not to indulge.
Obviously, the only place in Leeds worth considering when one requires a cupcake fix is the lovely
Sunshine Bakery in Chapel Allerton, winners of the Best Cupcake in Great Britain. (I have tried the "best cupcake" and yes, it truly is a thing of wonder; however, I do prefer the Double Chocolate one myself, sorry guys!) Sunshine Bakery is a place dear to my heart, as we used to live opposite it in good old Chapel A and watched it in the weeks leading up to its opening (mostly in the style of nosy old women: "ooh, look, I wonder what font they're going to choose for the sign!") and I will admit it now and risk looking foolish, we didnt think it would last, as the cafe before it was mostly empty and a bagel place down the road had opened and closed within a year. How wrong we were! It's now always crowded due to its fabulous reputation and award winning cakes, not to mention the lovely interior and quaint vintage feel, so this was definitely one prediction I was glad to have got wrong!
Anyway, after riding the grotty bus all the way down Street Lane and Harrogate Road (and yes, I did pay £3.40 for a day rider, dont ever say I'm not passionate about cake!) I skipped into the bakery, made the difficult choice between Eton Mess, Mango and Banana and Chocolate and Pistachio and rode the grotty bus back. I chose Eton Mess by the way, I'd never tried it before and I'd heard good things. And I am pleased to report that Sunshine Bakery has yet again not disappointed. Moist, light pink sponge with a lovely creamy topping and six plump juicy raspberries on the top. I do like the way that Sunshine Bakery use cream in their toppings instead of sickly sweet buttercream, it makes the whole cake much lighter and fresher, and is the perfect combination to the luscious sponge. Oh and it makes the whole cake feel more like an indulgent dessert rather than a kids' tea party fairy cake.
I challenge anyone to find me a tastier cupcake in Leeds....I'd be happy to taste test as many as needed to come up with the ultimate Leeds cupcake champion. But until then, Sunshine Bakery definitely have the title sorted.
