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Categories: Bakeries, Desserts
Neighborhood: Lower East SideCan't make it to the LES. Stop by the Union Sq. Holiday Market to get your cupcake fix. Starting 11.24-12.24. Happy Holidays All!
Announced 1 week agoDelancey-Essex Sts (F, J, M, Z)
2nd Ave-Houston St (F, V)
Grand St (B, D)
Mon-Thu. 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
"OH YUM!!! THE BEST CANNOLI!!! it was soo good granted it was my first cannoli ever .. but we went to Mikes in Boston and I think this place…" read more »
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sugar sweet sunshine is like your wacky grandma's living room. you walk in and are immediately assaulted by the sweet smell of baked goods and feel comfortably at ease with the mismatched wallpaper and the lumpy couch. sitting enticingly in the glass counters before you are the all the flavors of the yummy cupcakes. what makes these cupcakes different? well, for one, they arent' dry and mealy like the cupcake stop, also, they have a good ratio of frosting to cupcake, unlike buttercup where the frosting largely overshadows the cupcake, and finally, the cupcakes are normal-sized cupcakes, so you don't feel super guilty after eating them, unlike the cupcakes from crumbs where you could knock someone out if you chucked it at their head. a cupcake and a coffee is the perfectly sweet afternoon treat.
recommended flavors: pumpkin, pistachio and strawberry. for non-cupcake options, definitely try the banana pudding!
pros: delicious cupcakes in a cute little atmosphere
cons: emphasis on little, the place is small and fills up quick--would be nice to have some more room to sit with friends and savor delicious cupcakes.
Enjoyed our red velvet cupcake. Didn't really wow us but definitely worth $1.50.
We also shared a chai latte that was a bit expensive ($3.50) and not entirely flavorful.
OMG did i forget to yelp Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery?? Oops! I loved it here. My friend and I split a pistachio cupcake and a styrofoam cup filled to the brim with banana pudding. SO GOOD.
Pistachio cupcake was perfect consistency, with sweet frosting to top it off. The banana pudding was soooo yum. Pieces of banana and pound cake (?) throughout. I wish I had more tummy space to try the other stuff. But alas...cleaning up the cupcake and all of the pudding is pretty good on a full stomach! (prior to this meal I had pastrami sandwich at Katz's Deli) :)
*****Actually a 4.5*******
I went on the "Cupcake Crawl" this past weekend and this was our second stop. This was probably my favorite of all the different places we went. Not only was the pumpkin cupcake with the cream cheese frosting absolutely amazing, but the decor inside was so cute. I loved it! The other great thing is you get a good-sized cupcake for only $1.50! So reasonable.
The only downside was that they didn't have all the flavors when I went. I don't think they knew that we were coming! Oh well. I guess that just means I'll have to go back!
Best red velvet cupcake in the city!
I love the "Sassy" red velvet cupcake with chocolate almond butter cream icing. The perfect alternative to the cream cheese icing found on some red velvets!! Cream cheese icing lovers fear not they have some options for you too.
Bonus, all of the cupcakes are moist and perfectly priced at $1.50 each.
This was our 2nd stop on the 11/22/09 "Cupcake Crawl" walking tour in the lower east side.
This place had the most delicious aroma inside and outside, compared to the other 4 bakeries on our tour. The atmosphere was relaxed and the decor was fun.
They have such a great variety of cupcakes in their display cases, as well as coffees, muffins, and other bakery staples. I ordered a Sunshine cupcake and my boyfriend had the Ooey Gooey cupcake.
Not too sweet, not too big, not too small. Honestly, just right! It was more affordable than some of the other shops (especially compared to BabyCakes) and I'd definitely say this should be a stop on anyone's night out in lower Manhattan.
Sugar Sweet Sunshine is the best cupcake bakery in all of NYC.
If you want overhyped cupcakes and long lines with no seating - head on over to Magnolia's where everyone call tell you that they feel like one of the lovely ladies in Sex and the City.
If you want a great tasting cupcake without having to wait outside in the cold for it for over 10 minutes, head on over to Sweet Sugar Sunshine Bakery in the Lower East Side!
They have a very friendly staff, and surprisingly seating available. It gives it the "Central Perk" vibe from friends.
If you're in the area you MUST check it out. If you're not, I don't blame you if you plan a day around this snack place. I for one have planned days around this bakery.
Great cupcakes! Definitely better than the usual cupcake culprits (Magnolia, Buttercup, Crumbs), and less expensive ($1.50 each) to boot! I tried the pumpkin with cream cheese frosting and vanilla with vanilla frosting, and both were moist and delicious, with just the right amount of sweet.
There are several cakes and puddings and many hot and cold drinks to choose from, so I can't wait to go back and try more of what they offer, because this place really is cool. I have to minus a star because they were out of red velvet cupcakes when we visited, so I hope that next time I go, they'll have some!
When you hear so many rave reviews about a place, you a) want to try it and b) want to hate it just to scold the majority's poor taste.
The majority ruled in the case of Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery. Their cupcakes are that good - moist, sweet, and deliciously fun. I asked for the classic vanilla topped with vanilla icing. I looked and before I knew it, that cupcake was gone. I think I inhaled it. It was so good!
I have also had their pistachio poundcake. An excellent (not really) choice for a Saturday morning, post workout breakfast!
Please note that they are cash only. But $1.50 for a cupcake can easily be found in the bottom of one's purse and/couch. Just reach! This place is worth it!!
Alright, I'll admit it...I'm a fag who eats cupcakes.
Situated along my path to both work and school, I successfully avoided this place and it's NYC single-lady-ness for two years. Somehow over the last year I became an addict. It all started when I discovered they had the best cup of joe on the LES (way better than any neighboring coffee joint). Not much of a sweetz fan, I was able to avoid their SUGAR SWEET (it's all in the name) cupcakes until I eventually discovered the buttery but light deliciousness of the pistachio cupcake. This addiction was soon matched by the orgasm that is their banana pudding. *The pumpkin cupcake and seasonal pumpkin eggnog pudding are also quite amazing.
While the small space is quaint on a weekday afternoon; in the evening hours and on weekends it quickly becomes cramped with overly-enthusiastic, indecisive (and often tipsy) girls that identify as a hybrid of the Sex and the City characters. Their presence not only annoy this queer but also the sometimes short-circuited staff who don't share the same enthusiasm for the novelty of the 'sassy red velvet' cupcake's name. "who's next?"
So I would recommend hitting this place up if you're a neighbor or in the hood midday for a coffee and sweet.
One word: MOIST.
Yummy cupcakes to be had here. Best cake ever. I didn't give it the last star because
1. The icings ok, I only think of one place better than this, which is Make My Cake, where the cake and icing both are awesome.
2. I've been here 4 times and I must have bad timing. 2 of those times it was closed (boo! It takes me forever to get to the LES) and the other 2 times they were out of the cupcake I wanted! However, the contingency cupcake was still yummy.
Otherwise, cheap(est), yummy cupcakes (get the milk to go with it, you'll take a time warp back to your milk and cookies days, if you had milk and cookies days) and a definite must-try if you're in the area.
There really is not much to add to the general consensus below. I agree that this place is damn YUM. I have had my fair share of cupcakes in this city and this bakery takes the cake. One of the biggest cupcake sins is to be dry with overly sweet frosting - here, the cupcakes are perfectly moist with frosting that is the right amount of sweet. Furthermore, they have wide variety of flavors, all at prices that cannot be beat for this quality.
Also, you cannot come here without trying their puddings. Both their pumpkin & banana puddings are light, fluffy and flavorful with the perfect amounts of pudding, bread, (and banana for the latter). Lastly, not to oversell it or anything, but their chocolate chip pudding is hands down the best pudding I have ever had. Ever.
But they only accept credit cards for orders that are over $10. So, have cash or be prepared to spend over $10, which is actually not too difficult to do here...
FINALLY! A bakery that knows it's ridiculous to charge an arm and a leg for a cupcake! Definitely cannot beat the price for a delicious treat.
I had the Red Velvet cupcake of course and it was so chocolate-y! The cake was dense but also moist. BUT no cream cheese frosting! Boo. It wasn't the best Red Velvet cupcake and the frosting:cake ratio was too large for me. I had to scrape off a lot of frosting. So 4 stars for them.
I really wish I got a chance to try different flavors since you can afford to there! But I was visiting NY and was on a mission to try different cupcake places. This was my 2nd stop and it definitely beats Magnolia Bakery!!
I visit a different cupcake shop every time I'm in NYC. Although it's been a couple of years since I was at SSS, they still top my list, because the cup cake is delish, they have the best price and for a little bit more, you get a nice cold glass of milk.
I can't stop loving you
I've made up my mind
To live in memory of the lonesome times
I can't stop wanting you
It's useless to say
So I'll just live my life in dreams of yesterday
My dad used to play that Ray Charles ditty all the time when I was a kid, and I'm pretty sure I did old dad one proud when I sang it to my cupcake last night at Sugar Sweet Sunshine.
Cupcakes are played out, passe, I know I know. There have been times I have wanted them to go away, too. But I can't. I can't stop loving them, and Sugar Sweet Sunshine reinforces this fact. Buttercup, Magnolia, etc. etc. - I think they're fine, but I've never felt the urge to sing a Ray Charles love song to them. These little heartbreakers are unbelievably song-worthy, moist and so flavorful.
Because I am a fat-ass I also tried a piece of the Coconut Cream Pie, a creamy slice of heaven, and the Peanut Butter Icebox Pie. In the words of one of the beauty queens from a little show called "King of the Crown": SHUT THE FRONT DOOR. This pie is not kidding around - it is NOT humble pie. It is in your face screaming "I am GOTT damn tasty and you will love me" pie that practically sent me into an epileptic fit of happiness.
Being the talented girl that I am, I was actually able to stop eating and took the leftovers to go. They're still in my fridge as we speak because, like in the song, I know once they're gone I'll only have my memories left.
What am I talking about, I already have plans to go back on Sunday.
Wow. I can't believe these babies are only a buck-fiddy. Practically free. All the cupcakes were kind of frumpy-looking - like little chubby cakes - which I thought was really cute and homey. I had the strawberry cheesecake cupcake and my friend giggled with delight when she saw the Bob cupcake {her dad is named Bob}.
It was moist.
It was the perfect size.
It was sweet but not sugary.
It was ah-mazing.
Watch out Billy's...I still love you buuut....Sugar Sweet Sunshine is my new Casanova of cupcakes.
5 stars are not enough, this place is awesome. I had the banana pudding and it was out of this world. A friend got the cookie dough pudding (I think that's what it was called?) and that was also out of this world. I'm not ga-ga over cupcakes so I didn't have one, but they looked delish. I can't wait to go back to the LES just for this place.
$10 minimum on credit cards.
Dear Sugar Sweet,
I had a long day of running around the city and you were my last stop. Upon entering I enjoyed how unpretentious and warm your place was. Lots of young students study, having a drink, and of course your great cupcakes.
I was greeted by your very friendly clerk who quickly took my order of a pistachio cupcake and a red velvet cupcake. I took it home and quickly bit into your moist and delicious flavored cupcakes. A tad small, but just enough to satisfy your taste buds, these cupcakes are worth the $1.50 price. I never tasted a icing that was just oh so right and such a buttery soft cupcake either.
Definitely my new favorite place in NY, I'll be back for more.
-Ed
Wow. Sugar. Sweet. Heavenly Sunshine.
Skip Magnolia you twat, go here!!!
You'll thank me but I won't be able to understand you because your mouth is full of buttercream. Cute.
These cupcakes are awesome. I had the vanilla/vanilla frosting, chocolate/vanilla frosting and the pumpkin/cream cheese frosting and they were all very impressive.
I need to return for the Red Velvet.
My old fave was Buttercup Bakery, but these cupcakes have an even more moist cake. LOVE SSS!
4.5 I am like the teacher who never gives A+ okay!
** CASH is usually best here **
This is as good as it gets in my adventure through the cities cupcake underfoil...
I am an eccentric flavors kind of person so anything Pistachio is made for me! That being said the - Pistachio Buttercream Cupcake - is notoriously sold out here, more often than not I come here trying to just get that one cupcake and alas she is sold out...again and again. If you are a pistachio lover try it, you will not be disappointed.
I can't be too sad because I am secretly very pleased that my favorite is in such high demand thus insuring that it will never get axed! (Which is usually a great and very real concern for those loving eccentric flavors.)
Here's how the love affair began....
One morning the very first time I had Sweet Sunshine Bakery I was walking at 10:00 am in the LES on a random thursday morning and saw the bakeshop. I thought...hmm I am trying all the cupcakes in the city but really cupcake for breakfast....should I? Well I did and I walked into the cutest little place and the prices were so SO so SO reasonable. I could not believe my jaded new yorker eyes. Cupcakes 1.25 ! Whaaaaa! I had the urge to buy 10 just to hoard the delicious little prizes at bargain basement prices...then I had to remind myself this wasn't a cupcake sample sale...it was real. The cupcakes would always be here at good prices. I kept pinching myself. The best cupcakes in the city = the best prices in the city.. the math doesn't even begin to make sense.
*** when purchasing only one cupcake, cash is ESSENTIAL***
Take the opportunity to unload all of the change jingling around in the depths of your purse for a glorious sweet treat, you deserve it!
The pistachio bundt cake is good here too and if you ask them, they will hook you up with tons of pistachio crumblets a la nuts... but you are really selling yourself short as a pistachio lover if you do not try the pistachip cupcake with the pistachio buttercream, it will change your world.
Happy Eating!
Ashley
$1.50 each!?!?
When I heard the price is that low, I thought they would have poor quality and they NEED to keep it cheap to keep sales high. Nope! That's not the case. Yes the cupcakes are cheap, but they're darn good as well!
SSS Bakery rocks!
very good cupcakes. had the red velvet, the chocolate and the regular yellow. the red velvet's cream cheese 'icing' was just enough and not overpowering. the yellow's sugar icing is very sweet and pretty thick, as expected. would definitely come again when i go to the city, if i am in the neighborhood and craving for some sweets. they don't take cc for orders below $10. but they are the 'more reasonably' priced cupcakes, imo. even cheaper than austin's cupcake places, so +1 for them.
The cupcakes are a bit on the sweet side and the cake part isn't dense enough to hold up to the sweet frosting - but I still love them. I'm not quite sure if its the fact that they've only raised their priced by 25 cents over 4 years, or their selection of flavors, or their cute homey decor - i love their cupcakes.
I had one deformed cupcake, I asked for another one, and she gave me an attitude. I get that not all cupcakes can be perfect, but if its slanted, half the size of other cupcakes, I think a customer has a right to ask for another, prettier, bigger, one. [That takes away one star]
Don't everyone jump down my throat at once, but it's no secret I don't really like cupcakes or understand the cupcake craze that has taken New York City hostage...or why, for that matter, ever as$hole with a stand mixer and a piping bag fancies themselves a "cupcake artist" and feels the need to open a store or a truck or bake scores of them for their friends.
That said, Sugar Sweet Sunshine made one kick-ass cake for my great aunt's 85th birthday. I ordered it with 48 hours notice, but found out that I only needed 24 hours notice, because they bake their cakes the day of (or at least they did in my case, because my family couldn't get its act together).
The cake was light, moist and not too sweet; while the buttercream icing (which I had them tint green) wasn't too thick and sweet, but not ridiculously sweet like most icings adorning the millions of cupcakes in the City.
I also tried their Banana Pudding, which was awesome and something that I would personally order again before trying a cupcake.
The staff is friendly, and although I'm not one for the sweets, I definitely think I'd head back again.
I was really pleasantly surprised by this place - honestly most surprised by the low prices! The cupcakes aren't as massive as Crumbs, which is cool because you can try more than one flavor in a sitting! The store is best described as "adorable" and bright - fun without being ostentatious.
My only beef was that the cashier didn't look or say anything to me when I bought my three cupcakes. It wasn't even too crowded in the store, so I'm not sure what the whole rush was.
I only wish I lived closer or that they had more stores!
My most recent experiences have much improved since my last review. People were friendly, patient, and somehow the cupcakes tasted better! What a difference a little attitude will do to your taste buds!
This time around I thought the same about the pumpkin cupcake - it's a little on the sweet side, but moist and dense like carrot cake. The stawberry, like before, was really good with strawberries melting into the cake batter.
This time we also tried the pistachio cupcake which was awesome. The subtle nutty flavors of the cake are well accentuated by the "moose" frosting. And the lemon yummy was mm mm delish albeit a little more lemon-flavored, sour, than I thought it would be for a cupcake. Not sure if that's good or bad. But if you like lemon, you'll like this cupcake.
Can't wait to come back to try the rest! For $1.50 each it's actually a New York treat I can afford!
Service here was okay if not a little borderline impatient. There was probably two or three people… Read more »
best... cupcakes... ever!
I have probably tried all of the flavors by now. My friend, the cupcake connaiseur turned me on to this place and pretty much ordered a few of each flavor for her birthday party. My favorite is Pistachio.
They are affordable, delicious cupcakes. Their service is also good too. If you need cupcakes or a birthday cake, just call in your order and they'll have it ready for you when you come by to pick it up later. They will even spell out stuff on your cupcakes :)
The best cupcakes in the city served in a friendly little shop. The proprietors used to work at Magnolia and took the best of that spot and expanded upon it. Now, if only they would divide forces and open up a closer branch...
Pumpkin is my favorite flavor, but that's just like saying I prefer perfect to perfect.
In short, these cupcakes are the most bang for your buck at $1.50 a piece. The "moose" frosting which they use for most of their cupcakes tasted like pure butter to me so I was kind of disappointed with the Red Velvet. I enjoyed the chocolate Ooey Gooey a lot better. Will try the banana pudding next time. I tried Magnolia's (where these sugar Sweet sunshine owners have worked) and it was the best I've had.
http://bit.ly/2LJc6I
Fresh, buttery, not too dense. This place consistently tops cupcake lists for the best in the city, and I can see (and taste) why. I was the last to dig into the cupcake box, and was left with a vanilla/vanilla one. Usually that's not my thing (I like an integrated dessert of chocolate/vanilla). Happy to say that the VV was very flavorful and made me happy.
Hands down, the best cupcakes in town. Great cupcakes for only $1.50! Lots of flavors... pistachio, pumpkin, red velvet, chocolate!!! This is and the only place where I will eat the frosting. Their chocolate frosting is the best!
I've ordered cakes from here before which are equally delish, but be warned, the decorating is subpar. I paid extra for piping and flowers on a wedding-style cake and it was pretty pathetic. The writing on a coconut cake I ordered looked like a 9 year old did it.
But overlooking these flaws, I still love, love, love this place!
I've never been a person to get all wrapped up in hype, and follow the whole lining up around the block to get into a "good" restaurant.
There was no lineup for this place, so i thought, even better!
We shared about 4 cupcakes? They were awesome. It was a little crumblier than what I would've liked, but super moist and sweet but not too sweet. I kept staring at the cakes-in-a-cup, but that'll have to wait til next time! Cupcakes were lovely.
Man oh man, this place is incredible! I'm tempted to book a flight back to NYC just so I can go back here and try the other flavors. I, stupidly, skipped trying the Sassy Red Velvet (red velvet w/ chocolate frosting) because I was picking up cupcakes to take to someone's house and wasn't sure which flavors folks would be up for. Turns out, these were such a hit, I should have just gotten one of everything! Lesson learned.
The bakery space is super cute, there are no lines, and you can't beat the price. I got 4 cupcakes for $6. That would barely get you 2 in some other NY cupcakeries that shall remain nameless. The cupcakes here offer the perfect mix of moist cake and good frosting - not too heavy and overpowering. And I LOVE the cute names for each flavor and their little drawings of cupcake people! I'm already planning my next trip back east, and you better believe Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery is on the top of my list!
The best way to describe my experience at Sugar Sweet Sunshine is through one of my favorite Mitch Hedberg jokes:
"You can't be like pancakes - all exciting at first but by the end, you're fuckin' sick of 'em."
I walked in the rain with no umbrella and my cute flats sans socks to get to this place. I didn't mind the rain. In fact,I was really looking forward to sitting down in a warm bakery, nursing a hot cup of coffee and some homemade banana pudding as I watched the rain fall. When I arrived, I was happy to see that I had the bakery all to myself. I was tempted to order the pumpkin spice, but I kept w/ my banana. After all, I traveled all this way specifically for that banana pudding.
Settled into one of the corner tables and I got ready to dig in:
1st bite - Mmmm, so rich and creamy...and ooh, got a bit of nilla wafer too.
2nd bite - still mmm, and still creamy but maybe a little too rich, is there any whipped cream in this thing?
3rd to 5th bites - hm, still no whipped cream and only on to my second nilla wafer..getting a bit too rich and sweet for me
6th bite - okay, this is basically a BIG cup full of very sweet, banana flavored custard..no wafer, no cream, why didn't i go with the pumpkin??
7th bite - I officially hate this pudding and I'm only a third of the way through. I'm packing it up and going home. I need to get something to wash down this sickly sweet feeling in my mouth but even the cute decor is getting to me and I just want to get out.
And then somewhere between falling asleep on the subway (no doubt due to my sugar overload) and finally arriving back at my hotel, I took one look at the pudding and decided that I was just plain sick of it. I could give it my cousin OR do us both a favor and dump it. Needless to say, the pudding didn't make it past 7 bites.
These cupcakes...specifically the pumpkin, but the pistachio and lemon as well...reign supreme.
Moist, perfectly balanced, not too huge, and only enough frosting to enhance the flavor as opposed to masking mediocrity (Crumbs, I'm looking in your direction). Also, thankfully, bus tour-free.
I am going to name my first child "Sugar Sweet Sunshine" regardless of their gender. My second child will be "Sugar Sweet Sunshine II." Or maybe "Pumpkin." That is how much I love this place.
Cupcakes? : eh, pass dry
Banana Pudding?: YES PLEAAASE!!!!!!
The pumpkin cupcake is the best!
They also have a wide selection of drinks - ciders, teas, coffees, etc.
Honestly these cupcakes aren't as moist and awesome as some others in this city, but the atmosphere, decor, and friendly people make Sugar Sweet Sunshine worth going to. Sitting inside is a way to instantly make you feel cute like a cartoon character and perk up your day. Check out the wallpaper!
Decided to stop by on a morning before school to pick up a few cupcakes for a friend and I.
BEST idea ever, seriously. I feel like it was much moister than Buttercup Bake Shop, but each is good in its own way...the lower price is also nice.
A week after purchasing, the cupcakes were still moist! They are legit in my book.
The standouts for me were the Pistachio, Pumpkin, and Lemon Yummy, as well as the yellow cake cupcakes. Coconut was disappointing.
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