Reason to go to the Upper East Side: Two Little Red Hens

Sex and the City did the world a major disservice. By focusing on Magnolia cupcakes, it convinced everyone that pastels and proximity to Marc Jacobs stores meant that those cupcakes are the best. It totally ignored the diminutive, no frills, and unfashionable cupcake heaven known as Two Little Red Hens.

This Upper East Side shop wont’ win any prizes for décor. It’s somewhere that your grandma might decorate – a few knick knacks and 2 small wooden tables. And it’s small – really, really small. Don’t come here with a big backpack or you might accidentally push someone out of line. There is always a line. And it’s here that the curiosity starts. Sure it’s on the Upper East Side, but it’s not just trust fund babies and octogenarians here. It’s yuppies, hipsters, foodies, families, and every other demographic under the sun. All trekking to where the subway dare not go. And why?  Well, the cupcakes of course.

Two Little Red Hens – Bring on the Fudge!

The signature cake is the Brooklyn blackout. This is elegant and rich enough to be a wedding cake. A fudgy layer of icing covers a moist, dark chocolate cake with a tender crumb. The taste is intensely chocolatey – none too sweet and even edging on bitter. Luckily, the filling of creamy, sweet chocolate pudding on the inside pulls it back from the brink and gives it the nostalgic taste of childhood. It’s just an uber chocolatey, totally dreamy cupcake.

If you’re not a chocoholic, consider the vanilla cupcake with Swiss buttercream. The cake is light and vanilla scented and the buttercream is incredibly creamy and rich. It has none of the stiff or greasy qualities of lesser frostings – this is simultaneously feather-light and indulgently creamy.

Don’t miss a slice of coffeecake to take home. It’s some of the best in the city – moist and cinnamon scented, with a crunchy, sugary cinnamon streusel swirl.

Two Little Red Hens – Website
1652 2nd Avenue (at 86th Street), New York, NY