The Manliest Cupcake
I’m not sure about you, but I am relieved to no longer be accosted by moustaches everywhere I turn.
November turned Toronto into a city of scuzzy moustaches. Also known as “Movember,” men grew ‘staches over the course of the month to raise awareness and money for prostate cancer.
I was happy to see it end. There comes a time when a moustache is no longer entertaining, but, well, makes me uncomfortable.
I got wind of a fundraiser last week that combines the “Manly Moustache” with one of the most girly treats there is: cupcakes. Bakers were challenged to come up with the manliest cupcake they could. They were judged on things like taste, creativity and “manliness.”
The event was held at Sense Appeal Coffee Roasters on Spadina and Adelaide. Their menu looked fantastic, including things like “Richters Mocca Latte” and “Turkish Latte.” I was tempted, but knew mass quantities of cake and icing were about to be consumed.
I brought my roommie Megan along. We posed for badly-aimed self-portraits in the espresso machine while gearing up for cupcakes.
Unfortunately, two of the bakers couldn’t make it, so we were left to taste-test only two kinds of manly cupcakes.
Kate Robb’s “For My Mo Fo’s.” A spiced chocolate cake with buttercream frosting, white chocolate disk and moustachioed faces made with jujubes, sculpted caramels and toostie rolls.
The Cupcake Place’s “Monday Night Football Baby BOOYAH!!” A chocolate stout cake with cream cheese frosting, bacon bits, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, a pretzel and chocolate ‘stache.
I had one of each. You know, for charity ;)
The chocolate stout cupcake was rich. And while I love me some bacon, I wasn’t a huge fan of it on top. Too savoury. I actually couldn’t even finish this one!
Now the spiced one was my kind of cake. A little more dense, mega cinnamon-y and just the right amount of spiced buttercream frosting (ie not a mountain!). Plus, it had candy on top!!!
I guess my tastes just aren’t manly enough, as the other flavour won.
Moustachioed cupcakes may be kind of awesome, as is raising money for a good cause. But please… no more moustaches until next November.
Now, Decembeard? That’s something I can look forward to.
Question of the Day: What’s you’re favourite kind of cupcake? I’m admittedly not a huge cupcake fan. They’re too messy, too sweet, and gone too quickly. With that said, I will never turn down anything carrot cake flavoured.
Posted on December 6, 2010, in Uncategorized and tagged cafes, cupcake, movember. Bookmark the permalink. 28 Comments.
The Great Balancing Act 
I strongly prefer brownies to cupcakes. I’d love to start a brownie bakery!
But, hmmm. I won’t turn down yellow cake with chocolate frosting, ever.
Brownies should totally be the next big thing. After macarons of course, which I believe are currently the “new cupcakes.”
Those cupcakes are adorable!! I’m not a huge cupcake fan either (or cake) but I can do a vanilla with a bit of choc frosting:)
ha! so much fun! i can’t stop thinking about “but i can’t pay the rent” riddle/song – what is that? saying? (if you don’t know what i’m talking about i must sound crazy)
Hahaha, I have NO idea what you’re talking about!! :P
Those are the coolest cupcakes I’ve ever seen! My favorite cupcake flavor would either be Funfetti or Red Velvet.
I totally forgot about funfetti as a cake flavour! Now I really want to try it again :)
Those cupcakes have mustaches and that is amazing. I want the cupcake just for the mustach. I agree with you on too sweet cupcakes. But I do usually love cupcakes, especially carrot cake cupcakes and chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting. And I love filled cupcakes. You cannot go wrong with that. Ever.
Yeah.. not sad at all that Movember is over :p But I do love that t-shirt!
We’re actually having cupcakes at our wedding. One flavor is chocolate with peanut butter filling. The others are up for grabs. Mmmmm . . . choc+pb
omfg, everywhere i looked, i saw stache. the boys around me that i liked, i didnt like looking at them with the stache. sad but true
Yeah, Movember totally freaked me out. I convinced N to nix the ‘stache at 3 week by threatening to not kiss him until he shaved it… bahaha.
But those cupcakes look delish! I LOVE carrot cake cupcakes, and red velvet with buttercream :D
xo
Honestly the cake flavor is irrelevant as I use it as a vehicle for icing. Preferably cream cheese though a GOOD buttercream will do quite well. If pressed I would say my favorite cupcake to make is key lime with lime cream cheese icing. I also like carrot cake because cream cheese icing is standard on those. Lastly I make a really good chocolate cupcake and dip the tops in ganache. Heavenly.
Movember really is hard to get through. I get a little nervous being approached by a man that month- is the thing on your face supposed to be funny, or is it as legit as the van you have parked in the back of the bar?
I like cupcakes, but prefer cookies. Although, I’ll never turn a cupcakes down. Ever.
I LOVE this post, and that you went to Mo’cupcakes! I read about it on BlogTO a while ago but sadly wasn’t in Toronto to attend :( Although I heard tell there’s an event in Ottawa as well…hopefullyl I haven’t missed it!
Did you get to try any coffee from Sense Appeal? I’ve heard it’s great!
I also much prefer Decembeard to Movember, although I was impressed by several of my friends’ dedication to growing the mo’ (pretty sure they were glad to shave them off though, heh).
Didn’t get to try the coffee but definitely want to go back! The cafe itself was pretty darn small and only had stools to sit on, but it’s always getting rave reviews.
P.S. I probably won’t get to mail your prize out till next week. Haven’t made it to a Loblaws yet to get ingredients for your prize, muhahaha ;)
hm. does beer and bacon seem a little too obvious for a manly cupcake? maybe just a little?
my favorite cupcake… there has to be chocolate involved. the more chocolate the better!
I completely agree with Ang, above. The cupcake is merely a vehicle for the frosting. I do love me some buttercream though. Vanilla buttercream on a vanilla cupcake is just fine by me. Cream cheese frosting would be a close second. I would love to learn to make a good boiled icing for chocolate cake, too, although I haven’t attempted that one yet (I’ve heard it’s tricky). Oh frosting, how I love…wait, what was the question??
First off, mustaches give me the willies. I dont know, its screams stalin, hitler, and Tom Selleck to me and I get weirded out. Although a stache on you is totally bearable because you are so adorable with it.
I too am not a cupcake person, but in all honest, I prefer the cake over the frosting. I dont hate cupcakes, but I dont prefer them. But if I had to created my favorite one, it would have to include chocolate. Chocolate just makes everything bearable.
That looks like such a fun event! the spiced cupcake sounds amazing. I’d go for chocolate any day, carrot cake… Or even a zucchini bread cupcake :)
Sounds like a fun cupcake fundraiser! I think i’d love the stout cupcake! Love bacon on sweet treats! I can’t seem to resist a cupcake of the red velvet variety!
;-)
Did I tell you that Derek grew a ‘stach- I told him he looked like a Village People person and I wanted to get a photo of him in all of the outfits-a fireman, policeman, indian chief, you get the idea. If I’m not mistaken, the company that started movember is Derek’s building-mate. I’ll have to ask him.
OK bacon on the cupcake- no thanks. But I’ll take red velvet any day of the week.
PS WHo’s Michael? He’s cute even with the stache- will you be seeing him again, mmm? ;-=)
This is awesome. Manly Cupcakes? And for charity! How incredibly awesome. That stout one looks pretty cool but yeah, probably a little too much “manliness” going on there.
My favorite type of cupcake?? No idea, except Sprinkles’ Red Velvet cupcake is to die for- seriously amazing! :)
haha…i wish i could have gone! that event looks right up my alley!!!
movember was HUGE here in so cal…decembeard is a new one to me, but i think it sounds just as hilarious. those cupcakes with ‘staches are so freakin’ funny.
ps did you get the coupons yet? i hope i did the stamps right? canada is just too confusing…
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