Buttercup Bake Shop
- Nearest Transit:
Lexington-3rd Aves-51st St (6, E, V)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sat 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sun 10:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
17 reviews
Neighborhood: Manhattan/Murray Hill
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150 Reviews for Buttercup Bake Shop
Without the heap of artery clogging buttercream you have nothing but a very dry cupcake. While very pretty and probably something you might see at Alice's tea party, the frosting makes the damn cupcake bowl over in my stomach like cement. Maybe it's just me. I am just not that into you, cupcakes.
However, Buttercup's ONLY redeeming cupcake is that of the red velvet with cream cheese frosting. It's still on the dry side though, but the cream cheese and nutmeg make up for it.
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Quickie time:
Good: Relatively cheap for a tasty cupcake. I had the German Chocolate and was pleased to find that it wasn't overly sweet.
The OK: Had a sample of the banana pudding and don't get the big deal. It's decent and it's cheaper than Magnolia but it is not nearly as good. The lemonade needs some work -- I guess this is why they aren't known for their lemonade.
The Bad: It's just not that great. It's not deliciousness with icing on top. It's DEFINITELY no Sprinkles Cupcake.
Overall, I'd say it easily earns three stars but doesn't quite make it to four. If I could give it another half star, I would. If I'm in the area, I would stop by, but you won't catch me making a day trip out of this place.
One red velvet cupcake, please.
Mmm, makes the day better.
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RED VELVET CUPCAKES
Better than Billy's
Better than Magnolia
Better than Crumbs
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I'm a simple guy. I don't need any fancy berry flavor or some super exclusive secret recipe. While the flavors I tasted and the banana pudding were good, this review is based on one of the more simpler flavors: chocolate.
And they delivered.
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I honestly don't get the hype. I never liked Magnolia Bakery's cupcakes, the icing was good but the cupcake itself was dry and I guess the recipe hasn't really changed much at Buttercup since I feel the same way about these. And I know this is new york but $2.50 for a cupcake just seems ridiculous when I don't even think its that good. I prefer Enchanted Cafe's cupcakes, just down the block.
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If you go there. Buy a tub of Banana pudding. If it isn't the best thing you've ever eaten, take it to me. And I will eat it.
That's my guarantee.
I know, it's bold.. But I stand behind my gluttony.
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I came in here for one thing only: the banana pudding, my newfound obsession. Annoyed by the fact that I had to get the woman's attention behind the counter for a good minute or two, my vexation quickly melted away upon receiving the pudding, which is cheaper than it is at either Sugar Sweet Sunshine or Magnolia. Creamy and fruity, with moist chunks of vanilla wafer throughout, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
My other friends indulged in the sour cream spice, plain vanilla, and red velvet cupcakes, all of which they said were good but almost unbearably sweet and overwhelming. Regardless, I'd return for a cup of that pudding any day.
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The cupcakes are perfect. I ordered a white with chocolate frosting and a chocolate with white frosting. Both had the perfect cake texture. It was the perfect balance of dense with a nice chew but still soft and also buttery and moist...man that sentence out of context could be taken a lot of ways.
Some people have said the frosting is too sweet but I didn't notice that at all...frosting was delicious...rich and buttery.
They say the cupcakes keep for 2 days. My third cupcake I kept for the second day and it didn't taste quite as good, but still passable. I'd recommend eating the same day.
This place is better than sugar sweet sunshine bakery by far, imo. At least for the cupcakes. I should also note, you can get a cup for water and there's a big thermos of cold water you can serve yourself with. Sugar Sweet you have to ask them for water and you get it in a small cup. Sweets/Ice Cream make a lot of people thirsty and this is a very nice touch.
Anyone who has been to a Jamel gathering knows that buttercup Bake Shop cupcakes or those from one of its sister stores might be on the menu. That being the case, let me tell you a horrible fact..
THEY LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF CUPCAKES YOU CAN BUY!! what a crock of crap. I was actually told while standing there hot in my suit that I could not place the order i wanted as it would interfere with the enjoyment of cupcakes everyone else is entitled to...IS IT MY FAULT YOU DONT MAKE ENOUGH CUPCAKES????
Solution: Call ahead a day in advance and they will be ready for pickup. These cakes are rich. The banana pudding is decent but isnt like mine, which you can find in the Sylvias cookbook and is baked. However, its not about me, its about the Buttercup Bake Shop and they make a pretty good product! Lemon is always a good one. There is a lot of sugar in those things and i have a sweet tooth. My niece likes the place as well.
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I've been to every cupcake place in the city except for sweet sugar sunshine and this is my favorite.
It is the best red velvet cupcake [my favorite cake] in in the city.
Rich
Moist
Savory
What more could you ask for?
Except a lady Baltimore! With its unique marshmallow-y icing and a cherry on top!
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My absolute favorite cupcakes in the world.
And I've had a lot of cupcakes.
Trust me. You should see all my cavities.
I love love love the standard Golden Buttercup Cupcake with buttercream frosting. I used to occasionally get an extra cup full of frosting (disgusting, I know, but it's so good I couldn't help myself).
I love ordering special cakes from them for events. Always come out so perfect and delicious.
I no longer live in the city, but I've vowed to have these cupcakes at my wedding some day. I could care less about the location, the flowers, or the dress... just give me Buttercup Cupcakes!!
You know I bleed sugar and so you'd think that I would just inhale the cupcakes here at Buttercup like I do every where else but WOW the icing on the cupcake was WAY TOO sweet. I kinda wanted to throw my cupcake away but really, that would be a shame.
So why give this place 4 stars? I yelped this place before visiting and upon reading the reviews, I decided to gain a couple more pounds and try the banana pudding. And I must say, it was worth it!!!!!!!!!! SO GOOD! WOW, you really would think that the "small" size of the BANANA PUDDING would be too much. And it does look think, but it's so light and perfect. I mean, who knew such greatness could come from bananas and waffers!!! Sooooo soooooooooo soooooooooooooo good. Now this is must!
So skip the cupcakes and go straight for the banana pudding!
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Their Banana Pudding is insanely delicious! I tried it when my friends went to get some snacks when we were at Duet 48. I'm so addicted to it right now. I'm thinking of getting a tub of that and just stuffing my face with it!!!
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Got two cupcakes from them- red velvet and their signature buttercup golden with vanilla frosting. The red velvet was really good--very tasty and flavorful. Their signature golden was just okay. They had many other kinds of cupcakes and we wanted to take a picture of their full display, but we were told immediately that that was not allowed. However, we could buy as many cupcakes as we want and take pictures of them on our own. Come on!!! Your display isn't anything extraordinary! The little ladies behind the counter could have been a little nicer and more professional. If I'm in NY, I would go back to Buttercup for the Red Velvet. Yummy!!
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Being a total sugar addict I had no issues with the amazing cupcakes here being too sweet - there's no such thing..bring on the sugar high. Absolutely divine.
The only downside was the shop itself - it's very unspecial, bit run down and unpreposessing and I was expecting something twee and cute, so it was a bit of a disappointment. Perhaps the other branch is better. Anyway, I'd eat these cakes wherever they were sold. Yum.
I LOVE THERE RED VELVET!! Haven't found a place better than this for a red velvet cupcake!! I also love the devil dogs. Every time I go to NY I gotta stop by buttercups. I haven't been to Crumbs or the other places... well magnolia's, while I was on the tour of sex and the city!!
I just have to say.. red velvet is YUMMIE!!! Sorry for all the people who don't like extra extra sweet frosting.. but it's yummie to me..
Now since I've read the reviews, I think I have to go back and try the bananna pudding. It must be new or I just missed it!!
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I died and went to cupcake heaven. In heaven, they make good coffee, too.
The cupcakes are delicious and service is fast and friendly. Who would've thought? Not to mention very reasonable prices. There's probably, oh, a thousand other things on the menu I want to try. The frosting is amazing. There, I said it.
Minus one star because this place is teeny tiny and gets super crowded since it is tres populaire.
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I haven't read every single review here, but no one in the last two pages seems to have mentioned the key lime pie?!
It has a gingersnap crust with plenty of lime rind in the filling, unsullied by meringue or whipped topping. IT IS FUGGING AWESOME.
I've tried all the cupcakes way too many times, and agree that there is way too much sugar in the icing. It sometimes hurts my teeth, and can seem like actually crunching granules of sugar. And there is gobs of icing. Cast-iron sugar-rush
Nevertheless, for medicinal purposes, I sometimes need to administer an emergency lemon cupcake. That rind thing again. It seems to do the job. I break off the bottom half of the cake part and place it on top of the icing, thereby creating a restorative cupcake sandwich.
I once bet a layer-cake-loving friend that she could not eat the entire slice of layer cake she had purchased. She was mildly incensed that I doubted her capacity for her favorite dessert item. But I won that bet easy. There is simply too much butter involved. That cake is like a belly-bomb.
I'm not a pudding person at all, but after all these raves I'll have to try the banana.
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Let me start by saying I hate buttery frosting (you know the kind like Buttercup, Crumbs, Magnolia and Sugar Sweet Sunshine). So obviously I'm not giving Buttercup 5 stars for their cupcakes (with one exception). Let me tell you why this place deserves 5 stars...this is the best damn banana pudding I have EVER had. I wish I could just swim in a pool of it with my mouth open. My friend once bought the large (and boy is it large) container to a birthday dinner. No one would have thought that the entire tub would have been demolished in 10 minutes. This same friend happens to work a couple of blocks away from Buttercup so every time we meet up she is required to bring me a cup. I thank goodness that she introduced me to this amazing treat. I would also like to give an honorable mention to the Lady Baltimore cupcakes...they are quite awesome.
HUNGRY HIPPO PICK: banana pudding!!
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Although one of the former co-owners of Magnolia Bakery left to open up Buttercup Bakeshop, she seriously seemed to have forgotten her cupcake recipes as both of the ones that I bought from here were incredibly dense and dry. Those are two words that should never be associated with any type of cake, especially little cupcakes that cost a lot more than what they look like they should cost. Sure, the name's a little cuter than Magnolia, but I'd rather go to Magnolia for a cupcake because I know that there, the cupcakes will always be moist.
Walking through the velvet curtain, my eyes fell upon the luscious looking tall layer cakes on cake pedestals and my eyes were further pleased by pastry cases brimming with muffins, pies, individual cheesecakes, trifle, bundt cakes, brownies, cookie bars and about ten types of cupcakes. Delicious and pretty cupcakes and cakes, available 7 days a week at reasonable prices = cupcake heaven. I'm sure those cakes must be yummy.
Cupcake flavors: golden w/ vanilla icing, golden w/ chocolate icing, chocolate w/vanilla icing, chocolate w/ chocolate icing, German chocolate, devil dog, red velvet, lemon, sour cream spice and peanut butter. I chose the devil dog ($1.95) and fell in love with the airy, soft, sweet meringue frosting. The frosting was the star. I've never had a meringue frosted cupcake before and it's heavenly, almost like fluffy pillow of marshmallow cream. The chocolate cake was nice, not an intense dark chocolate, and a little dry - not special but good enough. The cupcake is on the small side.
The shop is cute as a button - old-fashioned, charming, with three small tables. Busy baker bees busily frost treats near the storefront window. They serve espresso drinks and steamed milk. They also sell Buttercup pins, cookbooks, caps, buttons, and aprons.
I liked it much better than Magnolia (the owner of Buttercup was a co-founder of Magnolia) as it seems like Buttercup has a larger variety of cupcakes minus the crazy lines. They're open early too - breakfast early! Credit cards accepted.
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I second the banana pudding. I'd buy a tub to-go. I also like the red velvet. Lemon cupcakes are good but my favorites are the Lady Baltimore and Sour Cream Spice cupcakes. The large chocolate trifle is okay.
I know, I know, it's been said before. Let me just say it again....BANANA PUDDING! I didn't even know I liked banana pudding until I met Buttercup's. It is so DAMN good. Here's my tip....no matter how good the cupcakes look and even if you are a cupcake lover, when you come here, go straight for the pudding. It is divine!
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Recommended for: Cupcakes of unique varieties.
Service 3, Selection 4, Quality 4.
No picnic can be complete without dessert and my entertainer ensured that we both had a sweet finish by getting a set of four cupcakes. I was excited as I heard about BBS, and wanted to try - especially, the German Chocolate!
Much to my delight, the German Chocolate cupcake was the winner. Deliciously frosted and the cake the most moist of the lot, it was executed extremely well. Not only did it have a good amount of coconut, but it carried forth the taste of a cake that is by far, my favorite.
The red velvet, and other two were slightly disappointing. Again, maybe its the hype, but the cake was fairly dry for which I assume the frosting was to even out the overall textural contrast. It didn't go so well.
Like many, I agree that the frosting:cake ratio is excellent and the frosting is well made. But, like many places you either are good at 1 or another, and if both, then you fall in the 4-star category. I've been back and it seems since that time they got the mix right... still not as good as SSSB, but definitely closer to my neck of the woods.
Sean Approved: Definitely Yes!
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I went there 2 weeks ago after reading the reviews from my fellow yelpers about the banana pudding. Let me just say that the banana pudding is that good! That cup of creamy banana waffery goodness was still on my mind 2 days after I ate it! If you're on a diet then stay far away because you definitely know something this good isn't exactly healthy.
Oh yeah...I also had the red velvet cupcakes and a lil key lime pie. The pie was good and will hit the spot if you're a key lime pie fan. The cupcakes were a little dry and not very memorable.
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Make a right on 3rd Ave and a left on 51st Street...take a few steps east and voila!--you're now in the presence of greatness--The Buttercup Bake Shop. Here you will discover addictive cupcakes, mouth-watering pies, and eye-popping desserts.
As you take the first bite of that buttercup golden cupcake dressed in a vibrant vanilla-flavored frosting--you're immediately transported to a time where hair bun and apron-wearing grannies cooled off their goodies on a window seal; tempting your aromatic senses and eventually pleasing your taste buds.
Not only can you have your sweets lightly sprinkled with powered sugar, but you will also find "down-home" hospitality, as every buttercup worker is made with sugar and spice and everything nice. Customer service is baked into every employee, who is there to help guide you on your delicious journey.
Hopefully, the only thing you'll regret after visiting is not picking up that extra cupcake for later.
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brought it back to sf and the bf seemed to like it. it's not that pricey compared to other cupcake shops. the girls working there were also very patient and nice.
i like how it's not sickening sweet.
Good cupcakes but I'm not sure they're the best. I tried a few different flavors including the red velvet (my favorite, chocolate with chocolate frosting, vanilla with chocolate frosting and chocolate with vanilla frosting. I liked the red velvet the best. Overall I thought the cupcakes were a ltitle more dense than I like.
Go again? I would go again if in the area but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.
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omg. the banana pudding is heaven. HEAVEN. someone brought a whole tub of it as a gift for my housewarming party - it's the gift that keeps on giving.
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"Why do you build me up (build me up) Buttercup Bake Shop
Just to let me down (let me down) and mess me around
And then worst of all (worst of all) you never taste yummy
When you say you will (say you will) but I l try ya still
I need sweets (I need sweets) more than anyone, darlin'
You know that I have from the start
So build me up (build me up) Buttercup, don't break my heart"
The Foundations didn't write "Build Me Up Buttercup" about this Bake Shop, but the lyrics ring true to my experiences with the store's cupcakes.
My friend came to my house recently and pulled out a bag with vanilla cupcakes with pink and green icing from Buttercup. We're close enough (and she's sweet enough) that she let me pick which one I wanted. I love cupcakes, but neither looked particularly appealing. The icing was a turn-off. The cupcakes were REALLY pink and REALLY green like Easter egg dye.
I chose the pink and ate most of it. The cake part was quite dry, and the icing was too sweet. I love sweets, but this was too sugary, even for me. I also prefer if the color and taste have some connection. A pink cupcake should have some strawberry essence in my opinion.
Even though Buttercup let me down, I went to the Bake Shop yesterday and gave the cupcakes another try. I chose the Lady Baltimore with a white cake and meringue, coconut and almond infused icing. The icing was light, tasty and unique. The cake part was still dry.
How did I come up with a 3 Star rating?
One star for the fact that it is a bake shop with a very good selection of reasonably priced cupcakes, cakes and treats. Cupcakes are priced at $1.95 a piece;
One-half of a star for the company's story. I have a huge amount of respect for the fact that the owner left her career as a clinical psychologist to open Buttercup. Kudos to her vision and the fact that there are now several stores and cookbooks;
One-half of a star for the fact that the shop is nice-sized with a fair amount of tables inside. I'm never a fan of taking my cupcakes to-go; and
One star for the smiling faces of the kids with cupcakes in their hands, leaving the shop. These kids reminded me of something important: a cupcake -- even a so-so one -- is always better than no cupcake at all!
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NYC #3
they're simply cupcakes ... nothing to get off on. i realize day by day wondering where and how this whole cupcake fad started .. i mean, a place just serving cupcakes...
my friend from LA was here the week before and she went crazy about the cupcakes here ... of course, i can't let my cupcake // sweetness fix slide ... rather than getting my gelato fix, i got my cupcake fix .. KINDA. nah really.
i guess it's funny to me how guys don't get these silly sweet cravings .. i dragged my friend who came down from philly to visit to eat with me. he ended up getting some chocolate rice crispy for like $2.50. it was a good size, but not super good. my cupcake? well, for $1.25 *so unheard of in LA // SF* my butternut vanilla cupcake was not soo good.
my 1st inital bite? D-R-Y... ew! i promise i'm not picky... but cupcakes are supposed to fresh and moist, moist to the point of having to lick my fingers off...
ill be nice and give an extra star for the price .. i'm used to pay twice as much, but given that it was a dry cupcake, it makes sense that it was $1.25.
not coming back.
PS. it wasn't even late. it was like 11am. it should be fresh at 11, dont chu think?
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I'm starting a Yelp movement for half-stars - 4.5 stars for Buttercup Bake Shop!
As much as I love cupcakes. I have to say go for the cake! At $4.95, the slice is going to be the value you are looking for and the amount of tastiness you crave. And the flavor you want is vanilla with buttercream frosting. Really.
The cake is very dense and the frosting quite sweet. A cake special-ordered for a birthday or special event is going to be the moist-deliciousness that you are dreaming of. Sadly, I've had some slices from the shop counter that were a tad drier (but still scrumptuous).
You will be tempted by the Hummingbird cake (banana nut) or Red Velvet or something else with a similarly fancy name or look but be strong. Good ole vanilla with buttercream frosting is the star!
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Great little cupcakes in every sort of variety. Devil dogs (no creme in the middle though), vanilla, lemon cake, and red velvets you name it. Buttercup is a charming little bakery which reminds you of simpler times....in a good way. Probably comparable to Magnolia which I think is WAY over-hyped. But, sometimes, I almost like out of the box ones that I make better. That might just be me being big-headed though.
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I haven't tried many of the options at Buttercup, but having tried their banana pudding I can say it is amaaaaaazing. I was a little skeptical, also of the size because the small is a to-go coffee cup full of pudding, but I eventually finished the entire thing because I just could not stop. The pudding itself is airy and creamy, and contains chunks of bananas and nilla wafters (YUM). I shouldn't make this pudding a habit but I might have to...
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I've certainly done my part in the NYC cupcake wars these past few years, from Magnolia to Sugar Sweet Sunshine to Billy's. So when we received sent a dozen or so cupcakes from Buttercup, I was first in line to check out the cute little sweet treats. But one bite resulted in a regretful mouthful of sawdust. The cake was so dry and hard, it was worse than the driest bran muffins I've ever gnawed on. I can't believe anyone raves about this stuff, it's gross. I would rather spend my money on a bran muffin. At least I could say it was sorta healty.
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Let me just say that Butttercup is way better than Magnolia as far as cupcakes.
I wish we had it in SF. We have a somewhat bourgeois cupcake/bakery place here (I don't even remember the name, it's in Ghiradelli square though) but it cannot compare to the selection and taste of Buttercup bakery. Amen to the Red Velvet and the peanut butter jelly cupcakes and the lemon cupcakes and.....
It's the one place that can give me a fat attack and one of the many reasons why I miss New Yawk :( If anyone plans on visiting SF, can you bring me back a box of cupcakes from here?
....okay I tried.
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Buttercup really doesn't get its due creds in the way of Magnolia Bakery off-shoots and that's really a shame. But I'm content with keeping it our little secret. It's out of the way location in one of the Upper East Side's most charmless stretches (the only reason I know about is because of the law firm I used to work at around the corner) all but ensures there will never be a line, and so much the better!
The frosting is not uniformally buttercream like Magnolia, and the cakes have just the right amount of sponginess (unlike Cupcake Cafe or Sugar Sweet Sunshine).
The Lemon frosted cupcake practically bursts with sugar citrus-y goodness, while the Lady Baltimore offers a delicately refined take on the classic White Cake recipe. The richness of the chocolate frosting on their original cupcakes proves they can do textbook better than any cake shop in the city.
Their non-Cupcakes items I'm a little less thrilled by, but they're still pretty G-D good: especially the PB Mud Bars and the Banana Cream pudding. The individual-sized Pecan Pies also come well-recommended, and may in fact have saved my job once.
I thought I died and went to heaven when I stumbled upon this gem. The Red Velvet cake is to absolutely delicious. The piece they give you is HUGE and I never though I would finish it, but you can't stop tasting all it's sugary goodness, so I managed to polish it off in one evening and return the next day to try their cupcakes. Of course, the sour cream cupcake was also divine. Tastes homemade!
Holy Shit...
I paid $278 to fly to New York City.
I bought 2 cupcakes
It was worth it
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