- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
70 reviews for Brown Betty Petite
Review Highlights
-
"Second, thumbs up for the free sample of red velvet." In 35 reviews -
"...the carrot cake cupcakes (mmm cream cheese frosting." In 12 reviews -
"Lots of their choices are pound cake." In 13 reviews
Loading...
70 reviews in English
-
Review from Laura H.
Philadelphia, PA
2/12/2012
Best cupcakes in Philly hands down!
Red velvet is not dry and has the perfect cream cheese icining. My favorite has to be the almond poundcake with chocolate buttercream frosting. I agree with other reviewers that hours are a little strange but I always check their open times before I go and have never had a problem. -
Review from Karen C.
San Diego, CA
1/21/2012
THEY ARE CLOSED!!!!! Thanks a lot Yelp.
-
Review from Emily W.
Philadelphia, PA
Updated - 8/21/2011
I was convinced by some friends to give this place a second chance, or at least try their sweet potato cupcake. I did, albeit reluctantly after my first experience here, and it was....delicious. Like I-want-this-in-an-extra-large version-for-my-birthday-cake delicious.
It was super moist and had just a hint of cinnamony spiciness that was cooled off with the not-too sweet cream cheese frosting. It had more or a banana bread-like crumb than the drier pound cake texture of the other two vanilla batter based cupcakes I had tried. It was so different from those other two cupcakes that I am actually tempted to go back and try some of their other flavors- maybe the chocolate peanut butter next?Listed in: Sweet Tooth
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
6/27/2011
I must've walked by this place 30 times before finally venturing in. I first tried to go on… Read more »
-
-
Review from Ryan H.
Philadelphia, PA
1/17/2012
I enjoy the cupcakes here. Let them come to room temperature before you eat them, you'll like them that much better. The fact they are flatter and wider makes it easier to enjoy the cake and frosting at the same time.
-
Review from Stef S.
5/7/2011
I'm sorry. I have yet to try your allegedly delightful desserts... but for a place that says it closes at 7pm on a Saturday, you were closed at 4:30pm? Because you were sold out? Bake more!!
Fail. Will return another day. -
Review from Betsey L.
9/17/2011
sometimes this place is not open. like 10AM on a weekday. really?? there's been 3 times i want a cupcake between normal business hours - and its not open! but i see cupcakes there!
but the times i've gotten a cupcake there its been OK. red velvet was the driest cupcake ive ever had. then one day i got sweet potato w/ a cream chceese frosting - and that was delicious!
i live around the corner so it is easy to access this place - but it is annoying that it is not always open when you think it should be open! -
Review from Karyn T.
Sewell, NJ
3/23/2011
One year ago, my review would have been 5 stars. I fell in love with this place while visiting it on a chocolate tour last spring. Moist, dense, poundcake like. Fantastic frosting.
Since then, had a lot of difficulty getting to this store or the main branch in Northern Liberties when they were a) open ('Petite" doesn't open until noon) and b) still had cupcakes left in stock (Northern Liberty store runs out on weekends.)
I finally got some yesterday at the "Petite" store and was a bit disappointed. This time, the crumb of the chocolate cupcake was quite dry and left bits and pieces all over the table, the tiny little bits that tell you a cake doesn't have enough moisture. The carrot cake was a bit moister.
The frosting was stunning, as usual.
I wonder if they've cost cut by using less butter? But I think the price has also gone up as well, if I remember back, it was $2.50 a year ago and now it is $3.
Hope Brown Betty does some quality control and fixes these issues. -
Review from Lauren O.
Philadelphia, PA
Updated - 11/11/2010
Color me biased but I love, love, LOVE brown betty. My go-to for a bad day pick-me-up, celebratory treat, and generally just because...no wonder I've had to be so disciplined about my running :-/ The cupcakes are divinely decadent. Yep, they're a little on the pricey side ($3 each) but the way I see it, who WOULDN'T pay $3 for a little bit of pastry heaven? My favorites = pineapple, red velvet (just drooled thinking about it) and the sweet potato...so yummy. If I had to pick one to stay away from it would be any of the chocolate variety...so pretty with the fancy-pants frosting but they tend to be on the dry side and not that great. Carrot cake is fantastic, plain pound with chocolate frosting also good.
Definitely worth the splurge :o)
They'll also keep for a while if you put them in tupperware in the fridge...just be sure to let them thaw to room temp before diving in.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
10/26/2010
Color me biased but I love, love, LOVE brown betty. My go-to for a bad day pick-me-up, celebratory… Read more »
-
-
Review from Candace C.
New York, NY
2/13/2011
Hands down the best cupcakes in Philaelphia. This shop is pretty small, definitely an in-and-out shoppe. I highly recommend the carrot cake cupcakes (mmm cream cheese frosting!!), red velvet, and the strawberry! At $3 a pop, they are pretty hearty. Great ratio of cake to frosting. The one's at Dibrunos have WAY too much frosting that ends up being scraped off.
They have another small shop in Liberty Place. -
Review from Ramen F.
Philadelphia, PA
7/21/2010
The cupcakes really are good, but you MUST MUST MUST let them thaw out. If you make the mistake like I did and try to eat it shortly after buying it - it will taste thick and dry. But if you wait a few hours, they will be delicious.
Red velvet cupcakes really were good. The chocolate cupcakes were nothing special and just overwhelmingly chocolate-y. My super favorite was the sweet potato cupcake (it had a pumpkin-y spiced flavor that makes me crave Fall weather). -
Review from Michelle C.
Philadelphia, PA
4/1/2010
At a recent girls' night, Jessica T. became my enabler.
MY CUPCAKE ENABLER!
She brought no less than three varieties of cupcakes from FOUR different bakeries. By far, my favorites of the bunch were from Brown Betty. The gargantuan confections were way larger than your standard cupcakes. The cake itself was heavy and moist, and the icing was the exact way icing should be - appropriately thick, sugary sweet and full of flavor. Because of their size, Brown Betty's cupcakes are perfect for sharing with a friend. I would definitely feel way too guilty eating a whole one by myself (although I'm sure I'd do a bang-up job).Listed in: The Cupcake List
-
Review from Emily C.
San Francisco, CA
Cupcake Faceoff: Brown Betty (Rittenhouse) v. Naked Chocolate (West Philly)
Bottom Line: Brown Betty is the victor!
Round 1: BB's Chocolate with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting v. Naked's Chocolate Peanut Butter
I am a Naked Chocolate cupcake veteran, but this was my first trip to Brown Betty. Although the daily selection at BB's Rittenhouse satellite location was limited, their narrow focus seems to have resulted in a keen attention to high quality.
The BB cupcakes are huge, with a large "muffin-top" (like a Seinfeldian dream); I might prefer them a bit smaller. However, the chocolate cake on this specimen was truly delicious. It was dense, moist, and full of flavor, tasting just like homemade chocolate cake should. Although the combination of cream cheese frosting with coconut was a bit jarring (I think my palette expected buttercream), it came together well.
I have had Naked's PB & C cupcakes before, and this repeat experience reminded me what disappointed me last time. The peanut butter frosting is intensely peanutty and delicious; in fact, it tastes exactly like the creamed PB, butter, and sugar mixture that forms the basis for peanut butter cookies. However, the chocolate cake base was a serious failure. It was fluffier and less dense, but it had a very unpleasant bitter taste, and lacked the luscious flavor of homemade ingredients I found in BB's cake. That bad taste in my mouth was almost overcome by the generous swath of peanut butter ambrosia, but it suffered greatly in comparison to BB's masterful chocolate cake.
Winner: BB
Round 2: BB's Carrot Cake v. Naked's Carrot Cake
A true head-to-head, this one was a close call. The BB cake had a thick layer of truly delicious cream cheese frosting, topped with walnuts. Naked's cream cheese frosting was sparser, but also good, and was garnished with carrot slivers.
The BB cake itself was denser, as are all of its cakes, and it was a lighter-colored batter with less seasoning. It had a pleasant but pronounced citrusy flavor, and was filled with large raisins. The Naked carrot cake was darker, moister, and more boldly spiced, with a wonderful nutmeggy taste. I like a dark, moist carrot cake chock full of goodies, and the BB cake didn't have quite enough going on.
These were both delicious, and I hate to choose, but I think the Naked cake wins in my book based on the more flavorful spicing of the cake.
Winner: Naked
Round 3: BB's Pound Cake with Chocolate Frosting v. Naked's Vanilla with Strawberry Frosting
Whoa...I'm full...final report on round three coming later!
Update: I noshed on the BB chocolate-frosted vanilla pound cake cupcake this morning while driving down the Schuylkill on the way to work (such risks I take in the name of dessert). I tried to wait until I got to work and it had time to warm up from its overnight refrigeration, but I only made it as far as Montgomery Avenue.
Now THIS was a cupcake. Dense, moist vanilla pound cake with a very delicate crumb, and a homey chocolate buttercream in just the right quantity. The cake was infused with a mysterious complexity of flavor I could not decipher, perhaps aided by some sort of subtle liqueur. It was wonderful.
I have had the Naked strawberry vanilla cupcake before, and there is no way it is going to be this good (though I am sure I'll still eat it tonight...). Their strawberry frosting is delicious and fresh-fruity tasting, but the bland, generic cake just doesn't put it in the same league as BB.
Overall winner: Brown Betty!Listed in: Philly Cupcakes: Flock or…
-
Review from Ellen O.
Philadelphia, PA
4/15/2009
Brown Betty is porn for fat people.
I type that in the most honest way that I can muster, as I am a member of Club Chunky Butt and have no shame when it comes to my love for food, and more importantly, my unyielding devotion to a damn fine cupcake. Brown Betty makes the Cadillac of cuppies. Ok, maybe it would be more fit to write that they bake the Hummer of cupcakes! These babies are humongous, and chowing down on one is a meal in itself. In fact, my husband and I, on more than one occasion, have eaten a Brown Betty cupcake as a "meal made of wholesome food" substitute! It is impossible to pick a favorite cupcake, as they are all scrumptious and will have you risking a lapse into a diabetic coma when you decide that you can't get enough of them. So, tear off those skinny jeans, pull on those unsexy sweatpants, and waddle on over to Brown Betty for a fancy cupcake! -
Review from Demitasse E.
Manhattan, NY
10/11/2008
zomg I love this place!
We were walking by as it was closing, but the owners let us in and look at their cakes. Everyone was so nice as we went over their numerous offerings--all delicious-looking! We didn't want to be inconsiderate and take too long picking out our cupcakes, but truth is they never made us feel rushed.
I took home the Alice's Two Step, an almond flavored one. I'm delighted to report that it was great! I love the peculiar shape their cupcakes have. They truly are petite, with a short base covered in a just-enough modest wrapper (which I nearly ate because it looked like the cupcake was naked, hehe!). I need to go back and try their Sing Little Alice, which was a reeeaaally pretty chocolate-vanilla swirl cupcake with matching frosting.
At $3 a cupcake, it's pretty steep, but not unreasonable given all the other positives I just described. Cute place, nice people, tasty and original cupcakes--done deal! I'll definitely make a stop here next time I come to Philly =) -
Review from Julie S.
Haddonfield, NJ
3/17/2011
Most fabulous red velvet cupcake I've probably ever eaten. Pure bliss.
That being said, make sure that you let them warm up to room temperature before eating them - the frosting tastes 100 times better when it's not cold. -
Review from Geoffrey S.
Philadelphia, PA
4/29/2010
I was going to the old man's house for dinner and wanted to pick something up for dessert for the 4 of us. Read some reviews for this place and since it is close to the house I thought I would give it a shot...... l-e-t-d-o-w-n..... The guests at dinner liked them but I thought I would have been better off with a stop at Isgro or Termini which I usually do.
They just seemed dry to me... I felt like I had a hairball in my mouth...I got four different kinds... PB and choc...carrot cake....lemon rum and just black and white... Dry, dry, Arizona summer dry and Mohave desert dry.. I love PB and choc and would mainline that combo into my arm if I could but that cupcake was so disappoitning, there was no way it would have got into a syringe...the lemon rum reminded me of my great aunt's fruitcake I was forced to eat as a kid...carrot cake was the best of the bunch and by the time I got to the black and white I was seeing mirage's of Milk at the end of the table...
I mean maybe it was just a bad day in the kitchen but when I eat a cupcake I want it to stick to my fingers, I want the icing in my facial hair, I want it to be like a cupcake mom made for your birthday that you brought into school and gave you that sugar rush that had your second grade teacher going nuts...I want it be .......you know a cupcake. -
Review from Jessica T.
Philadelphia, PA
Updated - 3/31/2010
Upgrade! I widened my cupcake palate with a round-the-city sampling of different cupcakes. My reasoning? If I'm going to plunk down $3+ for a cupcake it better be damned good! BB's Almond Pound w/ Chocolate frosting & Coconut cakes certainly deliver.
Brown Betty Petite's cupcakes are refrigerated, so they're not exactly ready-to-eat. Letting the cakes warm up to room temperature makes a huge difference, all for the better! Always fresh these dense, moist, mildly sweet cakes are topped with heavy-sugary-creamy icings.
One is big enough to split.Listed in: Sweet Tooth!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
8/18/2009
$3 per cupcake, $10 minimum credit card purchase
Chocolate lovers, you'll be as disappointed as I… Read more »
-
-
Review from Karen F.
6/23/2009
Meh. They look better than they taste. DD (who is 4 and would give anything with cupcakes 5 stars) and I stopped in to day and split a LARGE $3.00 "Hattie don't play" chocolate cupcake with rich (delish - much better than the dry cake) chocolate frosting.
Unfortunately the cake was a bit dry.
The cupcakes here are a sold 3 star but not as good as Buttercup in NY or dare I say Flying Monkey in RTM.
Glad to see them prosper - maybe next time I'll pick a different flavor?
A bit disappointing. -
Review from pauline l.
Philadelphia, PA
Updated - 11/25/2009
Alright, I changed my mind about this place. It has the best price to cake ratio of any of the cupcake shops in Philly that I've tried (I've tried Flying Monkey, Betty's Speakeasy and Naked Chocolate) as well as the best cake to frosting ratio, and subsequent tastings have yielded tastier rewards. Maybe they were having an off day when I reviewed them.
Whatever... they're only a couple hundred feet from my house and I really need a LOT of yummy cupcakes now because I'm starting to hibernate for the winter and that means storing all the sugar I can possibly store in my body (what, are you getting weirded out by me publicly rationalizing my poor eating habits?) I'm just spoiled because I used to go to the best cupcake place ever - Babycakes - run by a pastry chef who used to work at the most expensive restaurant in Boston and who sells her babycakes for $2.25 or less.
Brown Betty Petite is definitely the way to go for Center City.Listed in: Sweets, Mmmmm
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/22/2009
Oh no! It might be premature for me to judge this place because I've only had one cupcake here, but… Read more »
-
-
Review from Larissa S.
Philadelphia, PA
4/28/2010
Buy a box of these and share them with your girls. I prefer the red velvet or anything with coconut. Compared to other cupcake places Brown Betty's are HUGE. I love anything involving red velvet, and this place does it best. Very simple, just moist fluffy red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting, but you can't get a better one anywhere in philly.
Bonus points for being on the way to the Schuylkill river park. A perfect treat while watching the outdoor movies in the summer! -
Review from Chica P.
Philadelphia, PA
2/24/2011
I've been using yelp now for over a year and have never been compelled to write a review. I usually say I will write a review (either in support or against a business or product), but eventually I forget or it falls out of priority. I was so incredibly disappointed by Brown Betty that I added "write a review" to my to-do list.
I'm a cupcake snob. Fine, i admit it. I love a great cupcake. I had heard all the buzz about Brown Betty so I decided to try it for a special occasion: my good friend's 30th birthday. I was disappointed. I had pieces of the red velvet (usually my all-time favorite), pineapple, and vanilla ones. Disappointed on all accounts. The cakes were dry; the frosting was overwhelming. It's such a shame! A good cupcake masters the delicate balance of a moist delicious cake (that can be enjoyed fully even without frosting) and a frosting that is sweet, flavorful, but doesn't overpower the cake. These cupcakes failed. No one from the birthday dinner enjoyed their cupcake. There were several uneaten cupcakes at the end of the evening (and still at the end of the weekend). I will never get another cupcake from Brown Betty again. I wish I could get my money back.
Of all 4 bakeries claiming to specialize on cupcakes that I have tried in Philly, only one is a place worth re-visiting. That is the cupcake truck ( http://www.buttercream... ). No, they're not fancy. Yes, they come out of a truck or are delivered to your home/business. But they are the best cupcakes I have had in Philly (especially the red velvet). And, no, I have no affiliation to them whatsoever.
I may one day visit the Brown Betty at Northern Liberties and get plain pound cake (which, when done well, is exquisite with coffee). Let's hope that at least the pound cake lives up to the Brown Betty hype. -
Review from Andy B.
Philadelphia, PA
11/19/2009
I think Brown Betty and Naked Chocolate both make great cupcakes, but I'm a bigger fan of BB's style. It's a little larger, and many of the icings are cream cheese based, as opposed to Naked's sugary frosting. No losers in this competition though.
Right now there's a seasonal sweet potato cupcake with vanilla icing that's really nice. -
Review from Kim C.
Boston, MA
11/16/2009
In the Philly war of cupcakes, I've found a winner. No, it doesn't stack up to the likes of Billy's or Crumbs in New York or Georgetown cupcake in D.C., but Brown Betty Petite is the clear victor in this city. We tried the red velvet (to see how it stacked up against the others) and a chocolate vanilla (or whatever cutesy name it's been given). Both were delicious fresh, but you actually have to wait a little after purchasing for the cake to warm up to room temp--the glass case is a fridge.
Other things that make this shop awesome: The ladies behind the counter, their generous samples (ask for one), and the fact that the shop has recently extended it's hours on Fridays and Saturdays. -
Review from Andrea T.
3/11/2009
I was kinda apprehensive about a cupcake shop opening up a block from my house. I was worried I'd have to buy a new wardrobe of all elasticized waisted pants and skirts. Thank god they aren't that tasty.
They are huge flavorless dense blobs of cake with semi-decent frosting. I tried a red velvet when they first opened. The red velvet cupcake at di bruno brothers is better, bigger and cheaper ( so big it feeds 4)
So take my advice save your money and either go to di bruno's, termini's ( in reading terminal or comcast) or come to my house and i'll make you my magnolia bakery spinoffs!Listed in: cupcake queen reigns supreme
-
Review from Isabella L.
Culver City, CA
5/5/2010
OMG...these are definitely the best cupcakes in Philly!
After being completely disappointed at Philly Cupcake Co. on 12th and Chestnut, I ran over to BB Petite to wash out the terrible taste of their overpriced, little, somewhat off flavored cupcakes with an assortment of little treasues from BB.
I tried the lemon, pineapple, and red velvet cupcake. First off, the service was excellent. Second, thumbs up for the free sample of red velvet! Third, they're cupcakes are huge - totally worth $3. Fourth, they're delicious! The frosting is perfection - creamy and full of flavor. The cupcake itself is not super moist but pretty moist and dense, and the flavors are on point. The pineapple was by far my favorite. REVISED - I forgot to say that this is the best Red Velvet store bought cupcake I've ever had...even better than places in L.A. and NYC.
Now every time I go by Philly Cupcake Co. I scorn at them for not being BB - but that's ok - the extra walk to and from BB burns some of those calories :)Listed in: Good times in Philly
-
Review from Anthony W.
Philadelphia, PA
5/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Of course the cupcakes are good, yet I can't help but notice that they are growing increasingly shorter in stature.
-
Review from Megan S.
Philadelphia, PA
3/30/2009
After reading some of the other reviews, I think that people have very different notions of what a great cupcake is.
The cupcakes I have eaten from Brown Betty were dense and moist poundcake-type cupcakes. If you like light and airy, these might not be what you are looking for. The frosting was not super buttery like some other places (Flying Monkey) and the cupcakes seem more about taste than decoration. Some other people compared them to Termini Brothers. I find them leaps and bounds better than the cupcakes sold there (though I really like Termini's other baked goods!). -
Review from Grace G.
Drexel Hill, PA
6/11/2009
My husband picked up cupcakes from here for my birthday. It was Tuesday, so there selection was varied. The cupcakes are moist and dense, which I enjoyed. The icings were the right balance of sweetness and did not overpower the cupcake at all.
I really enjoyed the Sallie's Sourcream (Vanilla Poundcake & Vanilla Frosting), Betty's Buttermilk (Lemon Poundcake with Lemon Buttercream) -- very subtle lemon flavor, delicious!, and Sing Little Alice (Marble cake & icing). -
Review from Emily S.
Philadelphia, PA
10/10/2009
There are no words.
If you're a cupcake freak like me, it doesn't get much better than Brown Betty. Moist, decadent cake with perfectly flavored icing (not obscene amounts of it either -- just the right portion).
You can't go wrong with the Red Velvet, but if you're looking for something a little more adventurous then check out the fruit filled lemon cupcake. Can't quite remember the exact name, but it is lemon poundcake with lemon frosting and a lemon-curd center. Absolutely delicious!
Little tip: Resist the urge to demolish your cupcake the second it is given to you. They're much better if you let them warm up to room temperature for about 20 minutes or so.
Enjoy! -
Review from Renee B.
Philadelphia, PA
9/22/2010
Love Brown Betty's (I may be biased because my sister works there!)... Lemon and coconut are my go to flavors. But they are all delicious! I try to cut them in half because they are so BIG that I am terrified of all the calories I am consuming.
Great dessert, great staff.
I especially love the sour cream ones with green frosting and flowers!
So pretty. -
Review from Frank R.
PA
7/20/2009
Red velvet, the most beautiful combination of words in the English language after "cellar door." Brown Betty's red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are simply a beautiful combination.
Their cupcakes are 10X better than Naked Chocolate, and I used to be a huge fan of Naked. Brown Betty's cupcakes are super dense -- like cake. Lots of their choices are pound cake. These are not your mother's Duncan Hines cupcakes -- these are the real deal. And their frostings -- the coconut on their pound cake cupcake is outstanding.
If you have $3 in your pocket, drop it on a Brown Betty's cupcake. It's a meal, a tasty, tasty, tasty meal. -
Review from Lisa M.
4/5/2010
I went in this cute little shop on my lunch hour to grab some cupcakes to take home before my 3 day Easter weekend. I didn't hide my enthusiasm and excitement to the woman behind the counter as I told her I'm a Brown Betty virgin. She gave me the breakdown of everything regarding this satellite shop of their main bakery in Northern Liberties.
Brown Betty Petite only sells cupcakes, Tuesday through Saturday. Their cupcakes are refrigerated while in the store due to health code reasons ( the butter and other ingredients in the icing can't be sitting out all day.) and that you should let all cupcakes sit out at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before enjoying.
They have some cupcakes that are there everyday and then the rest rotate on to only make an appearance on certain days of the week. $3 a cupcake is expensive but you get a lot of cupcake ( these things are huge!)
I got the Sallie's Sourcream ( vanilla poundcake with vanilla frosting), Strawberry Letter ( strawberry pouncake with strawberry frosting, and Jean's Road Trip ( red velvet with cream cheese).
Like I said, these are some big cupcakes, so i actually was able to slice them and share them with everyone getting a nice little portion.
All three were amazing. The red velvet, its no mystery why its BB's biggest seller but I was actually surprised and loved the strawberry cupcake the best. I think they put strawberry puree in with the cake batter, it tasted sooo good.
On my way out the lady behind the counter offered for me to take a menu which has all the main flavors and the days they are available, which was the worst thing to do. Now I keep looking at it thinking...well if strawberry is available on Friday maybe I'll have to stop and pick one up. -
Review from E T.
Philadelphia, PA
10/14/2009
Happy 1 year birthday.
Thanks for the free cupcake.
Y'all rock.
XOXO
E -
Review from Xtine H.
Philadelphia, PA
6/8/2010
I got a sample there yesterday-and today is their first day!
I'm a big fan of the other location, and when I saw this was opening close to work, I was very excited! I don't know if you can have too many cupcake choices, but what a lovely addition this is! I hope they do well!
I tried the chocolate peanut butter, that I have never seen at the other location. very good, but I just ate the top. ha ha
My favorites are the red velvet and I'd have to say the poundcakes, and usually I only eat chocolate! but for Brown Betty I make the exception! -
Review from Don M.
Greenville, NC
7/23/2009
Weak.
I was excited to hear such good stuff about this place, being a new Philly transplant from NYC. Went with the kids and got a half-dozen, mixed, to try out the gamut. $3 each? A little steep, no? Well, for good cakes, I figured it would be worth it.
Unfortunately, they weren't. I don't know who likes cupcakes like this, but it ain't me. They were dry, crumbly and light -- I almost can describe them as "ash-like" in consistency. Tiny crumbs flaking everywhere. The icings were decent, but that doesn't make up for the cake itself. The chocolate cake and the pound cakes were like this... Almost crumbling to dust before you could eat them. Our cupcake-crazed toddler didn't even want to finish hers. Unheard of!
On the positive side, the red velvet cupcakes were OK. They had a little more moistness, a little more body, and didn't dissolve under your touch.
The taste of the cakes themselves weren't bad, the size was good, and you could tell that the ingredients were decent (hence the two stars). Maybe I'm just used to a different kind of cake, but Sugar Sweet Sunshine and Buttercup in NYC are cheaper and infinitely better in my book. I'm disappointed. -
Review from Karen S.
Marietta, GA
7/16/2011
My husband and I went to Brown Bettys for dessert and were very excited to try a cupcake in Philadelphia. The cupcakes looked strange, very wide and very short. I got the chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, which I try to get at all cupcake places, and my husband got a carrot cake one. My chocolate one had batter cooked on the outside of the paper so crumbs went everywhere when I tried to get it out of the paper, not good! The cake was very dense, very crumbly, and had a very strange taste. The frosting was ok, but not anything wonderful. My husband said his was just ok. I actually threw mine out, just couldn't finish more than a bite or two, definitely not worth the fat and calories! I have only thrown out one other cupcake in my life. I was surprised that I found a other throwaway. I wouldn't go back.
-
Review from Shannon O.
Washington, DC
9/25/2009
I wish I knew Brown Betty served their cupcakes refrigerated before I came here. My friend and I were ready for a snack and decided to sample a few flavors. We bought the pineapple, the lemon buttermilk, and the vanilla almond. We didn't have time to wait for them to thaw to room temperature, so we took a bite of each. The pineapple seems like it would have been delicious with bits of pineapple studding the cake. The lemon had good lemon flavor, even stone cold. The almond also seemed to have good flavor, despite been chilled. Sadly, though, I can't say I had a good experience here because butter filled pound cake and frosting just doesn't taste good cold and hard as a rock.
These cupcakes aren't the prettiest--they look more homemade than professional. But is that why I pay $3 at a fancy bakery? Good taste is a must but looks to matter in this case. -
Review from Christine S.
Philadelphia, PA
10/2/2009
Based on others' reviews, I chose the Red Velvet. It was dead on: just the right size, good cake consistency and perfect cream cheese icing (the kind that makes your teeth hurt a little as you eat it--is it bad that that is my qualifier for a fantastic frosting?) The $3 is steep for a cupcake, but when you compare the size to those of normal $2 cupcakes, it is approximately proportionally right.
Thanks to Shannon: based on what she mentioned about the refrigeration issue, I stuck mine in the microwave for 6 or 7 seconds before digging in, and I think this made a big difference.
So, 5 stars for the Red Velvet. Brown Betty gets only 4 stars overall, however, for two reasons: one is that the Red Velvet is really the sole appetizing-sounding cupcake selection they offer, and for a bakery this just doesn't cut it for me. The other deduction comes from the fact that the woman working there was very unfriendly and seemed to resent the fact that I had bothered her by walking into the store. -
Review from Ashlee P.
Philadelphia, PA
4/2/2011
Hands down, the absolute best treat in the city, and I have tried just about all of them. Moist, luscious cake matched perfectly with cream cheese and buttercreme icing.....heaven! The icing never causes a sugar overload like others can. Must tries are the Company's Coming (toasted coconut) and Jean's Road Trip (red velvet).
-
Review from Emily M.
Philadelphia, PA
1/1/2010
I have such a wicked sweet tooth, and Brown Betty Petite delivers every time a craving strikes. I was introduced to Betty through a birthday party at my office. Our office manager ordered a dozen cupcakes, all in different flavors, and cut them up so that everyone could sample the different flavors. Luckily (shockingly) all of the little pieces weren't eaten during the celebration, and were put up in the communal fridge for safe keeping. I took care of that little oversight within the afternoon :) Needless to say, I have been back many, many times for follow-up tastings.
The cake itself is pound cake, and is very dense and not too sweet. It carries a light taste of whatever its flavor is. The butter cream icing is sweet and lightly whipped to perfection and strongly flavored. The cream cheese icing is heavier and tangy. I prefer the butter cream.
The best flavors (having tried all of them) are, in order of preference: strawberry letter, hattie don't play + vanilla, betty's buttermilk, jean's roadtrip, and carrot patch. But honestly, you can't go wrong- I have not had a cupcake here that I did not like.
Something to keep in mind: they don't take reservations, and sometimes they run out! Friday is strawberry letter day, and it's important to get there as early as you can so that you can be sure to get one if that's your preference. They only reserve cupcakes for orders of 3 dozen or more.
