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Sugarbaby's Cupcake Boutique
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 9 am - 7 pm
Sun 11 am - 5 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
103 reviews for Sugarbaby's Cupcake Boutique
Review Highlights
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"Also, they have the best red velvet cupcake." In 13 reviews -
"Va-va-vanilla with chocolate buttercream icing: $2.75." In 4 reviews -
"the Charming Chocolates [with strawberry frosting." In 33 reviews
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103 reviews in English
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Review from Megan M.
1/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
I went here this past weekend for the first time in probably two years. I really want to love Sugarbaby's - it is so cute and was one of the first cupcake boutiques in Houston. Unfortunately I just don't.
Parking always seems to be an issue, but anything can be forgiven if the product is great. But Sugarbaby's cupcakes always seem a bit dry, especially now compared to other cupcake bakeries. Dry usually makes me think they aren't fresh, even though Sugarbaby's says they are made daily. This time I also tried the Cupcake Bon Bon, and those were fantastic. But for the Bon Bon I would have given this two stars. Why is the Bon Bon so moist and perfect and the cupcake is so dry?
I might come here with my family sometime for a Bon Bon and try the Burger Bus food truck parked outside, but I doubt I'd choose Sugarbaby's when I need a cupcake (which is often). -
Review from Medina K.
3/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
We (My DH and I) came to get burgers from the Bernie Burger bus and because we got to coupons for $1.50 off any cupcake we decided to indulge HA!
Well, the place is colorfully decorated, nice and cute for a cupcake boutique... I got a chocolate truffle, Strawberry, and a cookie dough cupcake... The best one was the strawberry cupcake... The cupcakes to me were dry, I prefer a more rich and moist kind of cupcake and Sugarbaby's didn't give me what I expected.
Now the question would be: Would I go back?
Maybe only for the strawberry cupcake and the burger bus outside! HA! -
Review from Lauren B.
Tyler County, TX
5/26/2012
the cake maybe be a tad dry BUT there are no additives or preservatives! that's huge! it's the original cupcake place in Houston.
once crave & sprinkles came to houston my husband & i tried all 3. we went to all 3 & got all the same flavors. vanilla, chocolate & red velvet. sugarbaby's wins hands down! from the look & feel of the shop to taste. the cupckaes just look nicer than crave & sprinkles. crave & sprinkles have the same look. round icing tops with little dot decals. how original is that? sprinkles came 1st but an employee left & started crave. with the same recipies & design.
i LOVE that this sugarbaby's is not a chain. not getting month or several month old ingredients sent from who knows & no real passion put into the product.
the owner of sugarbaby's has passion for her cupcakes & i think she does a great job.
if you are fussing about the cake bake your own cupcakes & stop complaining.
i love sugarbaby's! -
Review from Melissa R.
Houston, TX
4/19/2012
cute place to lool at and even sit but the people behind the counter weren't as friendly or cheerful as the atmosphere. I've gone here 3 times. One was to try the cupcakes for the first time "which, by the way, I did not like". The presentation is awesome but the taste is nothing in comparison. The icing tasted like a mouth full of sugar that was grainy. The cake was dry and didn't taste like the flavor of the cupcake at all. The other 2 visits were for a food truck that parks out in front of the shop. I gave the shop another go when ordering food off the food truck. While waiting for my order, I went in and still
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Review from Tara A.
Sugarbaby's will always have my heart as the first place I think of when I think cupcakes in Houston. My big brother and I used to have a tradition where after finals he would pick up cupcakes for us and it was a great way to end an otherwise traumatic semester.
Now that I'm out of school we have less cupcake meetings. But I know that his wife loves this cupcake place and it's one where the three of us end up comparing notes.
They did a specialty cupcake for the last Harry Potter movie, and my now husband, went and purchased a few for us and some friends. They had the Deathly Hallows and were a kind of Butterbeer inspired flavor. Again, I really like themed cupcakes.
The interior is very pink. This is not a place that many men would venture in alone but it has nice clean lines, and the pink is offset a bit by black and white. It has a sort of Victorian feel in some places, and of all the cupcake places I've been to this one definitely has the most seating area. I believe it even has a private room for parties, though I've never been in that area.
The cupcake bonbons are also really tasty.
Icing: Again this is a place that loves to pile the icing on HIGH. If icing isn't your thing then probably not going to be a favorite. I tend to just remove half the icing before beginning. -
Review from Verna U.
7/10/2011 1 photo
I was on a cupcake kick, so my boyfriend took me to Sugarbaby's for the first time. Parking is in the back. Decor is like a princess's fantasy. It was cute but overwhelming. We approached the counter, and both ladies who were working didn't even look at us or say anything. One was on the phone, and the other was doing nothing. A few minutes later, the lady who was doing nothing came up to us and asked what do we want. "What do you want?" How about what can I get for you two today or hey how are you or we're having this special for blah blah price today.
Anyways I picked one cupcake and my boyfriend picked two. Before the lady put the cupcakes in the box, she had asked if we wanted 3 or 4 cupcakes in this impatient tone. Then she let out a huge sigh like it was a pain in the butt to put 3 cupcakes in a box. She rang us up with no thank you or have a good day. I left a bit irritated.
Onto the cupcakes, I got a vanilla cupcake. I took a bite and my cupcake split in half! Tasted alright. It was small and dry though. Icing was flaky, which it should never be. My boyfriend had a bite of the vanilla cupcake and he did not like it. He got a caramel drizzled cupcake and a chocolate one. He enjoyed both, but he said he's had better.
What a disappointment. I really wanted to like this place. -
Review from Jennifer N.
Houston, TX
Pros: cute and charming cafe, moist cupcakes.
Cons: front parking is very close to the street (be carefuly getting out the drivers side), extremely sweet icing! (I got a stomach ache after eating half.)
Sugarbabys has an okay variety of cupcakes. With all the cupcake boutiques popping out, I was hoping to see more unique flavors that just chocolate or vanilla with different frostings or the usual carrot cake or strawberry. They have a hummingbird flavor, which was a little unique, but nothing fantastic.
It Sugarbaby wants to get ahead of its competition, I think it needs to step it up and stand out a little better.Listed in: Sweet Tooth
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Review from Jeremy G.
Humble, TX
8/10/2011
Being the world's biggest fan of cake, and after hearing such conflicting reports about this place, I knew I had to try it out for myself. The upshot? I'm not sure what all the fussing and whining is about. No, I don't see any franchising opportunities for Sugarbaby in my crystal ball. But it's also not some sacrilegious insult to the cupcake gods, either.
Many others have described the building, so I'll merely sum up. It's on Shepherd (on your right as you head south). It's on a corner. You park in the back (maybe a dozen spaces available). The door is on the street corner. There's a counter. There's a sitting area.
Yes, as many others have stated, the decor is both charming and unapologetically saccharine; if you squint, you can almost see the treacle oozing out of the walls. (It's obvious that adolescent girls [and their mothers] comprise the primary demographic for this establishment.) And yet, despite being some sweet-16 paradise..... I rather like it. It's both whimsical and very well designed. I can imagine Alice and the White Rabbit having tea in the corner. Truly, the decor alone is almost worth an extra star; however, since this isn't a restaurant, per se, I can't really factor that into my rating.
I must have come on a good day, because the girl working the counter was as sweet as the icing. I saw none of the disinterest, coldness or outright snobbery described in countless reviews here. She couldn't have been more pleasant or helpful. So, there it is.
As for the cupcakes: They're fine.
Are they going to win awards? No. Is the cake dry? Yeah. Is the icing too sweet? Hell yeah, baby - just the way daddy likes it!
And that's my point. The product is fine. I love the icing; other people don't. I think the cake is just okay; others think it's some harbinger of the Apocalypse. (OMG THE CAKE IS TOO DRY!!!! FIRE AND BRIMSTONE ARE GOING TO FALL FROM THE SKY!!!!) To each his own.
The real *problem* with the business model here is the PRICING.
Admit it - if these babies were 50 cents each, Wal-Mart would be selling them by the gross. But they're not. I paid ten bucks (actually $10.01) for the three I tried. The value just isn't there. The cupcakes are waaaaaay too small, and they're just not "good enough" to warrant the cost. On the other hand, in fairness to the owners, they may have to charge that much simply to stay in business.
So, would I recommend it? Tepidly. But try it once.
And try to take it in stride. Stop crying like a baby over baked goods.... -
Review from Lindsay K.
Houston, TX
8/7/2011
I went to Sugarbaby's for the first time this weekend. My husband and I decided to go all out and just order whatever we wanted to-go. I wouldn't go running back, but it's a really cute stop. Okay, they did a few things right, and a few things need some help.
WE TRIED:
Cupcakes: Velvet Rouge, S'mores
Bon bons: Red Velvet, Strawberry, Chocolate
Oreo cheesecake
CONS:
- There is a small parking lot behind the shop. I was there during a slow period, so I found a spot easily.
- The frosting is VERY sweet -- slightly overbearing. However, it kind of alleviated my next con...
- The cupcakes were dry. :-( If I'm buying a gourmet cupcake, I want it to be moist and flavorful. It kind of seemed like all the sweetness was in the icing.
PROS:
- The decor and theme are perfect. The display looks very well thought out with a great deal of attention to detail. Simply feminine and adorable! They really did well for the space.
- The menu has a good amount of options.
- The bon bons are really good. (Very similar to a Starbucks cake pop, but I'm sure they would hate to read that a customer is bringing Starbs into the picture. Sorry, but it's true!)
- I enjoyed the Oreo cheesecake too!
Unfortunately, I was hoping to find a cupcakery in my new home of Houston after coming from San Diego which has Extraordinary Desserts, Heavenly Cupcake, and Sprinkles. This didn't hit the spot. I was disappointed that the cupcakes were dry. Oddly enough, the non-cupcake items were much better.
Despite the fact that I won't be buying cupcakes there anymore, I would definitely support a local shop by buying the bon bons instead of getting them at Starbs. (Silver lining!) -
Review from Nga N.
Houston, TX
8/2/2011
Being an amateur baker myself, my friends and I have set off on a quest to find amazing cupcakes from non-big name boutiques. Our most important requirement: It's all about the cake!!! Please don't call your cupcake White Chocolate Blueberry Ricotta Swirl Madness when all it is is a vanilla cupcake (a dry one at that!) with a pound of buttercream icing laced with a little blueberry swirl and white chocolate shavings. We want the flavor in the MOIST cake itself, please, because we'll only end up scraping 2/3 of the icing off anyway.
Coming back from that tangent, let's delve into our visit to Sugarbaby's Cupcake Boutique off of Shepherd Blvd. As other reviewers mentioned, parking is behind the store, and the decorations are charming in an over-the-top, cutesy, I-want-to-have-my-sweet-16-birthday-party-here kind of way. If you're not a fan of pink, stay far far away. I know many have mentioned the rudeness of the workers behind the counter, but I found them to be fairly pleasant. The girl who greeted us patiently waited for us to make our selections and answered any questions we had. They seemed to be teenagers working a summer job, so I didn't expect stellar customer service and small talk. If I wanted to be greeted coming in and out of the store, I'd have gone to CiCi's Pizza.
Here are the cupcake flavors we tried: Spicy Mexican Chocolate, Butterscotch Vanilla Cream Soda, 24 Carrot Cake, and Velvet Rouge. Review in a nutshell: Spicy Mexican Chocolate - the cake itself was dry and I did get some of the spice, though the icing had a nice hint of cinnamon in it. Butterscotch Vanilla Cream Soda - cake was vanilla and the icing had a hint of butterscotch - I liked the icing on this one. 24 Carrot Cake - our overall favorite - cake was moist and flavorful, not too much icing. Velvet Rouge - our biggest disappointment - dry cake didn't have any hint of chocolate or hint of anything actually, the icing was a big sugary bleh. Overall our visit wasn't a big letdown. We definitely enjoyed some of the cupcakes, but our quest for moist delicious cupcakes continues! -
Review from Debs C.
9/23/2011 1 photo
Hate to do this this to you Sugarbaby's but your cupcakes are always a little on the dry side. It's an adorable shop for sure, the girls working there have always been sweet, and the cupcakes look amazing. The only thing wrong is the taste of the cupcakes. I've tried several on different occasions (in-store and at a few events) and I have yet had a cupcake I really liked. Please do something about it ok? You are way too cute to be serving such lackluster baked goods. Plus, I need a great cupcake to go along with my Bernie's burger whenever I see that food truck parked infront of your shop.
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Review from K H.
San Diego, CA
2/15/2011
This place was EMPTY the Saturday before Valentine's day when I was there - if that doesn't tell you something about this place then...I don't know what does.
I went here to try the St Arnold's cupcake (which was decent but I couldn't even get halfway through because it was just too too sickly sweet).
The women working behind the counter were surly sour puss' at best. I came here wanting to love it, but instead was met with poor customer service and a cupcake not even worth writing about to be completely honest.
I won't be back, Sugarbaby's - you don't know how to run a business.
In fact, later in the day I went to Crave Cupcakes which was overflowing with people out the door and bought a dozen cupcakes for a get together at a friend's house. Crave Cupcakes are the business! -
Review from Ryan L.
Updated - 2/22/2011
You know what? I take it back on how the cupcakes are decent. The cake portion was dry as a bone and the icing had me on a sugar rush and subsequent crash this afternoon. It's also SMALLER than Crave or Sprinkles.
Couldn't comment on the service this time around. I wonder how they stay in business with so many other fantastic options.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/8/2010
Hmm, I guess I'm thinking the opposite of these reviews in that the cupcakes are just fine. Not… Read more »
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Review from Casie C.
10/25/2011
The place was a bit confusing to find, maybe because I'm not use of going to this side of town. It's a cute little bakery which truly caught my attention. Their cupcakes were a little too dry for me and they don't have that much choices of cupcakes. They don't have that many choices of flavors and I believe for them to be able to keep up, they need to step it up. The workers are sweet and that's no doubt, but their cakes, and cupcakes isn't filling up my needs.
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Review from Sonia M.
Houston, TX
12/7/2011
This is a very charming cafe. I like to visit when the Burger bus is out front. I've never been disappointed and when I bring there holiday cupcakes to work they are always a hit with my coworkers.
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Review from MIchelle P.
Houston, TX
2/21/2011
Their decor is gorgeous- mostly because it reminds me the whimsical bedroom I still keep at my parents' house. It's pink and pink and white and black, and with so much detail!!
The spot would be perfect to throw a cupcake party for my girlfriends except for the following issues:
1.The staff is as friendly as my cranky third aunt who never got married.
2. Their cupcakes taste like they were bought at Randall's down the street (which wouldn't be an issue if they weren't more expensive than Sprinkles')
3. Apart from the cost of food and drinks, they charge you hourly for their private room even though the store is empty most of the time.
If you want a good cupcake . . . go down Kirby to Crave or Westheimer to Sprinkles. -
Review from Sophia V.
Houston, TX
4/14/2011 2 Check-ins Here
A very cute place! Love the location. The poeple here are extremely friendly. This place gorgeous and everything is very organized! There is such a wide variety to choose from and you surely won't be disappointed. This is a great place to take your kiddies out for a snack! Or a nice place for you & girlfriends to grab dessert.
My favorites are the Velvet Rouge and the 24 Carrot. If you want to settle for a classy place with couture cupcakes, this is it. -
Review from Carmen M.
Houston, TX
9/21/2010
I consider myself a cupcake connoisseur. I tried every single cupcake shoppe while living in Toronto, the reviews which you can check out in my cupcake list. Now that I'm back in Houston, I had to give the cupcake shoppes here an equal chance to wow me, natch.
Enter Sugarbaby's. A perfectly fine location (albeit with odd parking directly on Shepherd Drive) with inviting windows. I remember them having issues opening up, but I moved off to Toronto and didn't think twice about it. Apparently they were delayed by trying to find the absolute rudest people they could to work there -- and they succeeded. On my first and only visit, I made the mistake of adding a fourth cupcake to my order before I checked out. You would have thought I called the woman's mother a whore -- she seriously wanted me to die for asking for that fourth cupcake.
As far as the actual product was concerned, I must say that, after reading the previous comments, I expected to be eating chalk when I bit into my cupcake, but, much to my surprise, the Sweet Strawberry cupcake was very good. It was moist, with a very high icing-to-cake ratio, and with delicious icing piled high on the cake. I also bought Chocolate Truffle, Lemon Raspberry, and Peanut Butter Cup, but we haven't tried those yet. I have high hopes about them, as well.
As for the service, I don't care if the cupcakes had $1 million tickets baked inside them or were the hottest thing on the entire planet -- I refuse to give my hard-earned money to a place that makes me feel like I'm troubling the very people I'm trying to patronize.
Well, maybe for $1 milliion. :-)
Bottom line: I definitely won't be back to Sugarbaby's.Listed in: Cupcakes, Cupcakes, We All…
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Review from Shari H.
7/16/2010 1 photo
We got an assortment of cupcakes from Sugarbaby's (see my photo) yesterday to celebrate a family member's birthday and they were delicious as always. The carrot cake cupcake was dense, spicy and moist with a thick creamy swirl of cream cheese icing and sprinkles. I'm also a fan of their red velvet cupcake which was richly chocolate and tempered with a delightfully smooth vanilla icing. Others enjoyed their chocolate truffle cupcakes which turned out to be filled twinkie-like with a tunnel of fudgy truffle icing. The peanut butter chocolate cupcakes got several thumbs-up.
Although we got them to go, I love Sugarbaby's girly pink shop with chandeliers and black+white checkerboard floors. It would be the perfect setting for an afternoon birthday party as there is plenty of room inside the shop. Thankfully, there is a decent amount of parking in the back and as well as along the side streets.
So far I would say that Sugarbaby's is my favorite place in Houston for cupcakes, closely followed by Crave and way ahead of Sprinkles!
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Review from Heather M.
Houston, TX
6/23/2010
As it turns out, I'm cheap. All these years I was a struggling student and thought I was just poor, but today I have decided I'm cheap. OK, so I never really bought into the whole fancy cupcake craze and walked in with a slight chip of curmudgeon on my shoulder. It was a nice afternoon though, and I decided to give in to my senses and embrace all that is the fancy cupcake. I approached from the north and was confused after wading through room upon room of wonka-esque cupcake themed mirth before I finally found the edible cupped cakes. There were 2 flavors left, chocolate and raspberry cosmopolitan. I got the raspberry and used my card to pay because I was actually short on cash. Because the almost 4$ tab made me wince even before sampling, I am cheap.
I took home a fancy little box (which probably counted for 50% of the actual ingredient costs), and soon found myself pawing at it like a raccoon on heroin trying to extract the delicate morsel. Seriously, it was kind of tricky. There was a secondary stabilizer inside to keep the quarter pound of frosting centered inside.
Whatever. Just taste good my little friend and all is forgiven...
"Meh. I've experienced better." I probably won't go back, the odd sherbet-ey aftertaste hasn't worn off yet.
It's probably a fun place to go with kids? -
Review from Suzanne R.
New Orleans, LA
12/22/2008
Think Pink when it comes to Sugarbaby's. The branding here is all about the feminine ideal if you like pink and your stuff very frou-frou. Don't fret, it's only a bakery, not an interior design center.
A dad was skulking out to the back parking lot with several boxes to probably take to a party for the little girl in his life. His demeanor was more like someone leaving a 24 Hour Video Store who didn't want to be seen. I guess too much pink does that to certain guys.
The dining area is much larger than Crave's - one easily pictures little girls' birthday parties and sorority get togethers without the alcohol though it was near empty when we went by.
The cupcakes themselves were decorated with eye catching embellisments for the holidays. Taste-wise? I found the cake of my chocolate on chocolate number to be slightly more dense than my Crave cupcake. It was moist, but as though it had slightly too much oil in the batter.
The frosting was hard and had a chalky consistency. It did have a nice cocoa powder taste to it which made it seem more home-made. The overall effect of not having a smooth frosting was disappointing to my taste buds.
Mark opted for a carrot cake and proclaimed it not on par with Crave's creation of the same ilk. Price wise, they are $3.25 a piece. It is a cute little place and I want to see all decent places make it in this economy, but my verdict would be I can make better cupcakes at home than go back.
If you're secure in your manhood and lots of pink doesn't faze you, come on in. They serve up Dean & DeLuca coffee which is a nice change of pace.
I was hoping for a better cupcake on par with Crave since this is closer to home, but calorie-wise, maybe I'm better off... -
Review from Karen N.
12/26/2010 1 Check-in Here
A for effort? But F for actual grade.
I was really excited when I found this place while running an errand. And a parking spot to boot? It was my lucky day! I can't always find a convenient parking spot at other cupcakeries. Then I walked in.
Holy Batman of Peptol Bismol throw up walls. This place is just too much. I got so distracted by the wall color, the stuff on the walls, with the checker floor I had to snap back into the cupcake game! I just want a cupcake - simple baked delectable and your theme shouldn't take away the attention from what you're selling. But maybe the simple storefront of Crave and Sprinkles spoil me.
I ordered and was quite pleased with the presentation. I had not ever seen a cherry on top of a cupcake at the other places. Cute idea. But the actual cupcake was nothing special. I was neither over or under whelmed by the taste - just 'whelmed.' Kinda the same type of cupcake from What's Up, Cupcake as far as quality goes.
But as previously stated, totally overwhelmed by their theme. Won't be back but if I did go back, blindfolded would be my option. -
Review from Dave L.
Houston, TX
11/2/2008 ROTD 11/27/2008
This is perhaps the "unmanliest" place on earth. It almost pains me as a man to write a review about a place called Sugarbaby's Cupcake Boutique but I had to get my car oil changed the other day and I had 30 minutes to kill. Staring at me from across the street was Sugarbaby's so I walked over to check it out. The place is decorated like a wealthy 6 year old girl's dream room and I seriously think my manhood shrank when I walked in this place. But the girls working the counter were super cute and friendly so I got a pumpkin spiced cupcake and a cup of coffee as I waited for my car.
The cupcake was tasty, kinda on the small side but the frosting was incredible! Big bonus for me is that they serve Dean&Deluca coffee! Nice! Don't know of any other place in Houston I can find this coffee. Seating in this place wasn't very comfortable, not that I'd hang out here for any length of time, but I think they would be better off trying to make it more enticing for people to hang out, relax and eat their cupcakes in their store.
So if you're "man" enough, check this place out and leave with a giant pink box of cupcakes. Don't worry, people won't laugh at you.... (right!) -
Review from Lisa A.
Austin, TX
8/26/2007 2 photos
Is somebody messing with me? Seriously. I live 3 blocks from a cup cake boutique AND The Chocolate Bar, Candylicious, and the West Alabama Ice House?!?!? I think I've died and gone to 77098.
My arteries and wallet made an audible sigh of relief when I decided Sugarbaby's isn't quite the prefect cup cake store. It's as cute and cool as can be (see the pictures!) and if I was 13-years-old again I'd love to have my birthday party in the back parlor. But, otherwise, I'm not sure they've got this place perfected yet.
I knew going in I wanted Red Velvet. (I don't have many *favorites* in life but Red Velvet is my favorite cake.) I verified that Velvet Rouge was Red Velvet and order it with the Black Forrest (with cherries and icing on top!) and walked out with my cute box of cupcakes (and less $7.04). Unfortunately when I got home I realized they gave me German Chocolate instead of Red Velvet! Wha!?!
The cup cakes were dry (admittedly, it took me about 8 hours to try them...see Ragin Cajun and Niko's Niko's under "sick stomach" in my file) and like Shing-Hwa I think in the future I might be inclined to go somewhere else (Central Market or Whole Foods) OR bake my own.
Here's how I see it: Sugarbaby's is working on extending their hours and this place could be perfect for parties and after-dinner dessert. They sell Dean and Deluca coffee and chocolate bars (I will go back and get beans) as well as specialty teas. Their menu changes monthly and THEY HAVE A SPRINKLES BAR! I can't stay away from this place for long but I hope next time I go it's a four or five-star experience.Listed in: Places I live DANGEROUSLY…
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Review from Gretchen P.
Houston, TX
12/14/2008
I've loved cupcakes since I was a little kid. I suppose that is true for most people, hence the recent popularity.
I was reminded today by a friend that I've known since grade school why I love them so much. For us (along with one other friend), cupcakes are directly linked to the winter holidays and festivities. See, all three of us are December babies and would celebrate each of our birthdays at school...with cupcakes. Our birthday's are only a few days apart, then a few days later we'd have the school holiday party (cupcakes), then be free of school for a month. So to me, December is magic: birthdays, presents, a reward of no school for half the month, more presents, and FULL of cupcakes.
I mention this because Sugarbabies' cupcakes remind me of a fancy, expensive ($3.25 per cupcake) version of all of those past Decembers. The cupcakes are "Kindergarten-sized" and the shop is decorated like a little girl's cupcake dream. Pink and black and smelling of sugar. I would have been so psyched as a kid to have taken a cupcake field trip here. As an adult, I don't think I'd enjoy it as much. LOTS of kids on sugar. Yikes! I always take mine to go.
To be honest, I don't know why this place has gotten so many contrary reviews on yelp. The cupcakes taste amazing; the butter cream frosting is some of the best I've tasted in a bakery. Sweet, but very rich. Perfect. I'm always partial to their chocolate with dyed vanilla frosting. They usually have a variety of sprinkles on each cupcake and the icing ranges the color spectrum. If you were to get a dozen of the same type, they'd more than likely all look different.
Also, they have the best red velvet cupcake. Rich, great dollop of cream cheese frosting, topped with a chocolate-covered cherry. Beware: these appear to be their most popular cakes and they will sell out early in the day.Listed in: Totally Baked
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Review from Danielle S.
Houston, TX
4/10/2009 1 Check-in Here
As the illustrious Farrah would say...OH. MAH. GAH. This place is like heaven on earth for those with a sweet tooth.
The first time I went to Sugarbaby's, it was just an attempt. I called up the sis on my way home and told her "I want a cupcake. Do you want a cupcake? I would like a cupcake." She said yes, though she didn't exactly share my level of enthusiasm, and so I stopped by the apartment and picked her up. To the cupcakes we go!
It says on their sign that their hours are 9am-7pm..."or until we run out of cupcakes!" Let me just say that they are seeerious about this statement. We jumped out of the car at five thinking we were plenty safe, and even passed by one woman coming out with the beautiful pink box that's indigenous to Sugarbaby's. But the sign on the door said different--there were no more cupcakes to be found. I'm pretty sure the remaining staff members saw me crumpled up in front of the store, crying out in anguish. (We ended up going all the way over to Moeller's for our baked goods fix that day.)
Yesterday I decided to take a gamble at hitting the cupcake jackpot. It was second time lucky for me as I stepped in and was totally wowed by the decor of this place. I thought I'd died and gone to interior decorating heaven--lots of pink and black, with checkerboard floors and chandeliers alike. It looked like a page out of Domino (RIP, favorite magazine). I stepped up to the counter and began the hard work of selecting the cupcakes to be consumed. Their menu changes daily based on the day of the week and their monthly selections, so plan ahead if you're going to want a specific, off-the-wall variety--they keep their website updated pretty regularly with their available kinds. After much deliberation, I ended up deciding on one strawberry, one red velvet, one Black Forest, and last but not least a chocolate with chocolate frosting.
The cupcake wrangler / cashier I had the pleasure of interacting with was super nice. I kind of have an obsession with birds--I was wearing a bird necklace and a bird cardigan at the time, and have bird decals on my walls, ceramic birds in my china cabinet at home, and even a bird tattoo. She has the same fixation on the little winged creatures as I do, so we ended up chatting about it for a short while. I left with that coveted pink box and couldn't wait to try these little monsters.
As for the cupcakes themselves? Delightful! Wonderfully moist with delicious, sugary buttercream frosting. Sis and I split the chocolate and black forest varieties, and the black forest was wonderful. Chocolate cake with a ring of vanilla frosting kept a well of cherries at bay inside. The strawberry and red velvet cupcakes are in my fridge at home, waiting for me and the boyf to tear into them, so we'll see how they hold up overnight.
They also serve coffee here, and there's free wi-fi available...though I think it'd be pretty dangerous to stay for long in a place that's got so many tasty treats. You'll leave with your pockets considerably lightened. Expect to pay an average of $3 a cupcake by the time you get out the door.
I loved this Baby a lot better than Crave, and think they have a lot more going for it (quality of cakes, space enough to spread out and eat, wonderful decor inside). In response to Lisa A.--forget being thirteen, I'll gladly turn twenty-three here!Listed in: The Sweet Truth, I'm in ur coffee shops,…
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Review from J L.
Houston, TX
3/24/2011
Sugarbaby's sits on the south end of a small strip of shops on the west side of S. Shepard. Crossing Shepard during rush hour can be a pain but the cupcakes are worth it. Parking is limited and located behind the store. Upon entering the store customers are greeted with pink everywhere (with black accents) and the aroma of sweet, sugary cupcakes. The display is simple and clean with cupcakes lined up in rows and clearly labeled by type. The employees behind the counter are friendly, helpful and patient with the indecisive customer. It is obvious that they enjoy working there.
Customers make their purchases and walk through an open doorway into a small sitting area, which seats around a dozen people (there is a party room curtained off and it is available for reservations). Like the rest of the store, the sitting area is pink with black accents. Windows along the east wall allow one to sit and enjoy a cupcake while watching traffic slowly drift down S. Shepard.
Sugarbaby's has a schedule for the week listing which flavors of cupcakes are offered on which days.
Our purchases:
Va-va-vanilla with chocolate buttercream icing: $2.75
Coffee and donuts: $3.25
Mini coconut crème pie: $1.50
Our ratings:
Atmosphere: 10
Price: 7
Location: 9
Taste: 9
Service: 9 -
Review from Jessica J.
River Oaks, Houston, TX
Updated - 10/13/2011
Oh em ged. Cookies & Cream cupcake is to die for. If you see it, get one, because they don't make them year 'round. Velvet Rouge, 24 Carrot, and Va-Va-Vanilla are really good, too.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/28/2011
Staff is very nice, and I LOVE their cupcakes. I've been looking forward to having a party there… Read more »
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Review from Wei W.
10/27/2010
Sugarbaby's need to re-work their cupcake formula if they wish for more returning customers. I can see there's still a good amount of customers coming in on a weekend, maybe because they like their cupcakes with overloaded frosting or maybe because the place is so pink that it's attracting them to come in and not noticing the dryness of the cake itself.
Like many other have mentioned below, the cake is dry and there's too much frosting on top for a normal person with normal jaw size to bite down without the frosting touching the tip of your nose. Then you would need to take a gulp of whatever drinks you have ordered, which we simply ask for a cup of ice water to wash it down.
A few things Sugarbaby's do stand out from other cupcake stores is that the place is very pink and light green. The decoration is very elegant with real chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and chic with faux light fixtures made out of cardboard like cut out on the wall.
They also sell / promote their unique brand of tea and coffee for sale. Then there's also assorted cupcake related accessories such as cupcake container in a shape of a cupcake to keep the cake fresh, cupcake toppers for special occasions, even knitted cupcake decorations is for sale.
They also have sprinklers for you to put it on your cupcakes at the condiment area. This is also where you can get your napkins, utensils, etc.
Overall, it's a decent place for an one time only or first timer who haven't tried other cupcakes from the competitors. But once you have a taste of Mmm...Cupcakes, Craves, or even Sprinkles, you would have a second thought on coming back for more at Sugarbaby's. -
Review from Connie B.
Houston, TX
2/1/2008
After being recommended to this place by a friend of mine, my husband and I stopped in for a little treat. We ordered two peanut butter cupcakes, a German chocolate, the Black Forest and a cup of coffee. The place was a ghost town, so I should have taken that as an indication not to order coffee, especially once I realized I would be serving myself from a thermal carafe. For a $16 tab, I was expecting a sweet exclamation point to our earlier lunch out.
I don't think I could have been any more disappointed. All of the cupcakes were dry, crumbly and tasted like cake from a box. Actually, I think cake from a box might even taste better. Don't get me wrong, I grew up on Duncan Hines and Pillsbury, but once I realized that people actually made cakes from scratch, my whole cake world-view changed.
We each took one or two bites of each cupcake and then tossed them, and I can't imagine any reason to go back and repeat the experience. -
Review from Shing-Hwa C.
San Francisco, CA
7/23/2007
I walk into Sugarbaby's about 15 minutes before closing on a Saturday. They have only 3 kinds of cupcakes left: chocolate, vanilla, and banana. That's o.k., I understand that they're perishable.
The chocolate looked too good, so I got one of those and I was kind of skeptical about the banana one, since it looked a lot like banana bread. And at $2.75/cupcake, I'd want something more fabulous than banana bread in dixie cup. So I asked the lady behind the counter, "is that one just like banana bread"? She proceeds to go into a description about how it's her grandmother's recipe...yada, yada. She did a good marketing job, so I get it.
I get home and taste the cupcakes. Here's the quick and dirty:
Chocolate cupcake: good flavor, moist, frosting not too sweet.
Banana cupcake: a little dry and tastes just like banana bread (DOH!) So disappointed! It didn't even have that much banana flavor.
OVERALL: pretty expensive for average sized cupcakes. I would be more inclined to go somewhere else or bake my own -- and that says a lot.
Sugarbaby's is probably good for a) a girls outing b) if you love pink (it looks like pepto bismol had its way with the place) or c) you're in the cute, puppy-dog love stage of your dating life and you want to snuggle up to your honey with some refined sugar.
In my opinion, I don't think Houston has a cupcake place that is on par with Magnolia bakery in NYC. (I've also tried The Cookie Jar here in Houston. ) But I'm an optimist, so I'll keep hoping. -
Review from Jackie M.
Houston, TX
7/18/2011
the decor was really cute. it felt like stepping into a scene from alice and wonderland, but i gotta say i was really disappointed with the cupcakes. they were dry and flavorless. they almost tasted like stale bread. and the icing was way too sweet. the sugar overpowered the flavor of the icing. the staff wasn't that friendly either. no greeting or acknowledgment, and of course, no thank you for giving them your money. on top of that, their piercing gaze seems as if they're sizing you up to see if you're deserving to even come into the store.
i got 3 different cupcakes, the red velvet, the strawberry, and the humming bird (like a tropical carrot cake). none of them got past the 1 star mark, and i will definitely not try any of the other cupcakes. but, what they did a good job with was the macarons. they are spot on, and perfect, with a nice variety of flavors. i got the mango, chocolate orange, and white chocolate raspberry. i am a macaron nut, and will totally come back to try the other flavors! -
Review from Jess V.
Houston, TX
6/18/2009
I should think about changing my name to Betty Crocker with the way I frequent cutesy little cupcakeries. I saw the overall rating for Sugarbaby's and I always have to try something myself regardless of any other reviews.
I walked in and immediately fell in love with their decor. The place smelled sugary-sweet, and my eyes were fixated on everything cupcake related. After trying a couple of their cupcakes, sadly enough the decor is all they have going for them. I picked out 6 different cupcakes to try and they were all extremely dry! I have no problem shelling out some cash for a cupcake that's worth the buck $$, but Sugarbaby's cupcakes were a poor attempt to re-create fancy-shmancy cupcakes like at other establishments. I've gotten a half doz cupcakes at other places and paid no more than $18, but sugarbaby's came to a total of $20.03 for 6... I repeat 6 frigging cupcakes! That's just outrageous considering the cake was dry and grainy like dirt.
I can't say I'll never go back, but if I do, it might be for one of their cute little individual cupcake holders, but definitely not for their cupcakes. -
Review from Morgan N.
5/15/2009
Perfection: I haven't tried all of the flavors but from just 1 cupcake, I could tell this is quality.
When I first walked in I noticed the smell, the sweet smell of cupcakes mmm. The place is adorable! Who ever decorated it did a great job!
It's not "just a cupcake" as other reviewers have put it. It is a delicious cupcake with top notch ingredients.
My friend and I split the neopolitan. It's a chocolate cupcake with a large dollop of vanilla butter cream and a small dollop of strawberry on top. The dollops were perfectly placed, I'm not sure how they were able to get rid of the little peak. Kind of like the peak that you get from a soft-serve machine. They were perfectly placed on top of the cupcake.
The taste was better than I expected! The cake was very moist and chocolaty. The butter cream was whipped to perfection! There is something to be said about quality, made correctly butter cream. It's not an easy thing to get right. The strawberry part was delectable! The sweet but tangy taste made my mouth water. This place is MUCH better than crave. My new love... -
Review from Holly S.
4/18/2010
Sugarbaby's is the place to fulfill all over your pure cane sugar needs. But if you're expecting out of this world cupcakes...maybe you should keep looking.
Now as a disclaimer I do not have much of a sweet tooth, but every now and then I get a hankering for a cupcake - just enough cake and just enough icing to hit the spot. After running some errands I stopped into Sugarbaby's hoping to satisfy my craving. The shop is gorgeous and the scents of baked goods instantly put a smile on your face. After looking over their offerings I decided to get half a dozen to share with mi familia for Sunday dinner the next day.
In all I ordered a carrot cake, chocolate truffle, italian cream, vanilla with chocolate icing, and 2 red velvet. Out of the six I tried the italian cream and red velvet, both of which had way to much frosting for my liking and the cake seemed almost greasy?!?!? My niece thoroughly enjoyed the chocolate truffle, but at 12 her review was simply "it was good." The rest of the fam ate the remaining cakes and there impression was about the same. Decent but not enough to make you wanna spend another $20 on a half dozen.
Looking at their menu they do offer many other concoctions such as mini cheesecakes, tarts, pies and specialty cakes. But based on what I've had I can't say I'll be back anytime soon...Betty Crocker can make something better for me! -
Review from Jessyca B.
Houston, TX
3/14/2011
My favorite cupcake place in Houston. Yes Crave is good, but this place is better! The decor is amazing, and there is plenty of room for seating! The Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes are the best!
Bonus: There is an awesome magazine store across the street you can pick up some nice reading material to read while you indulge in your cupcake! There's also a Starbucks nearby! -
Review from Amaranta C.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 4/10/2009
I placed a specialty order for Sugarbaby's mini-cupcakes for pickup on a Saturday. They require 2 day notice for all specialty orders, and 2 days before I realized I needed to increase the order due to some last minute RSVPs. I called Sugarbaby's, to be told the maximum amount of mini-cupcakes they can make per day was already reached, so I could only add regular sized cupcakes to my order. Ok, that works. But then the sales girl tells me that the bakers had left already, and so I would have to come in the next day to make this increase.
(the next day)
I arrive right at 9 am (when Sugarbaby's opens) to talk to the baker about my order. Upon explaining this to the sales girl (the same one I talked to the day before) and asking for the baker, however, the sales girl tells me that I cannot change my order at all without the 2 day notice, in contradiction to what she had told me the day before. My only option was to buy the cupcakes they had that day in the case. I almost start crying, having one of those typical hostess-with-too-much-to-do-today moments, but a baker happens to walk out at that moment. When she hears the situation, she tells me OF COURSE I can add to my order, just tell her what I want.
In the end, I was happy with the way the cupcakes turned out, they tasted delicious, everyone loved them. However, there seems to be a disconnect between the sales staff and bakers.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/25/2009
Like many others have said, Sugarbaby's is not all that, much less having a bag of chips. I, too,… Read more »
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Review from Hoa P.
Saraland, AL
10/1/2011
I have been coming here for a little over a year! My most favorite cupcakes are the St. Arnold's Chocolate Cupcakes!! Its a dark chocolate cupcake made with St. Arnold's Winter Stout! The frosting is delicious and not too sweet! Meredith and Lauren are my two favorite persons working there. They are always sweet and hooks me up with extra cupcakes because I am a frequent flyer! I love this place!!! I recommend it!
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Review from Kee M.
Houston, TX
10/14/2009
Sugarbabys is a cute, girly place thats got great interiors and friendly service. They also sell cute, cupcake related stuff. The coffee was okay.
However, for a place that is supposed to be a "Cupcake Boutique", the cupcakes in this place are mediocre at best. The cake was dry. So dry that I had to gulp down water to get the dry cake past my throat. So dry that I worried if I would need the Heimlich maneouver to make it out of the cupcake boutique alive.
The frosting was sweet and had the texture of cement. The entire cupcake was just blah. Blah and overpriced. Not a good combination in my book. -
Review from Katie L.
Houston, TX
4/2/2009
I adore-adore-adore cupcakes. So when a little cupcake boutique opens up with an enormous variety of flavors in a convenient location, I thought I'd be a regular sugar junkie at Sugarbaby's.
Wrong.
The cupcakes are 'okay'. I've been in the store a handful of times ( but have had cupcakes from there at least twice as many times) and literally every single flavor I've sampled has been pretty dry and tasteless. Their icings are barely passable and the presentation very so-so.
It's really the customer service that keeps me from returning more frequently or recommending them. At the very best, you'll get a girl looking bored and plopping a cupcake unceremoniously on a plate without making eye contact - at the worst you'll stand in front of the counter for a few minutes as the ladies in back finish their conversation about a rude customer and how 'they'll show her next time'. Really.
On the plus side, the interior is incredibly cute - think black/white/pink Rococo-esque. They have a party room in the back that would really pop for a little girls' birthday party with pink balloons and great flowers on the table (however, given the $55/hour price tag, lame employees and blase cupcakes I'll pass).
Oh well, at least it's something cute to look at as I drive by (on my way to Crave Cupcakes).
