Review: Kara's Cupcakes

My first cupcake stop in San Francisco was Kara's Cupcakes. I visited their Ghirardelli Square location, since it was closest to where I was staying.




Kara's Cupcakes had many flavors to choose from. I actually had a hard time picking from my favorites. While I was waiting, I overheard a man and women talking behind me in line. The man said, "I've never seen a store that only sells cupcakes." I turned around and smiled. If only he knew...




Pick #1: Chocolate Coconut: Chocolate cupcake with coconut cream cheese frosting.

On my first bite, I was hit with the strong taste of coconut. I was thinking the frosting would be a cream cheese frosting with coconut sprinkled on top, but I think it is a coconut-based frosting in addition to the coconut on top. The cake was very moist and went well with the frosting. My second thought was: Mounds bar. I love Mounds bar and it is great to see it in cupcake form.




Pick #2: Banana Caramel (filled): Banana cupcake with caramel filling and silky cream cheese frosting

Cupcake tasted just like banana bread with cream cheese frosting. I would have considered this a GOOD cupcake until I bit into the middle. Yummy caramel hit my tongue and instantly changed this into a GREAT cupcake! The combination of banana, caramel, and cream cheese made my taste buds tingle. If you are going to eat a banana cupcake from Kara's, make sure it is the caramel-filled one.




Pick #3: Chocolate Velvet: Chocolate cupcake with velvety bittersweet chocolate buttercream.

My first question in a new cupcakery is always, "What's the most popular flavor?" At Kara's, it is Chocolate Velvet. Although I love chocolate, a cupcake that has chocolate cake and chocolate frosting is usually a little too much chocolate for me. But I was ready to try this cupcake! I was not disappointed. Since the frosting was a silky, mousse-like frosting, it wasn't too intense, making this chocolate/chocolate cupcake a winner for me!




My first San Francisco cupcake encounter was phenominal! If this is how all cupcakeries in San Francisco are, I may just move here. If I had to compare Kara's Cupcakes to another cupcakery, I would say they are most like Sprinkles Cupcakes for these reasons: large size of cupcakes, great quality, good proportion of frosting to cake, and price.

Kara's Cupcakes sell for $3.25 each. Don't forget the milk ($1.00) because you will need it to complete this delicious dessert experience!




Kara's Cupcakes
900 North Point
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-351-2253

Next time you are in San Francisco, make Kara's Cupcakes as high of a priority as Alcatraz or the Golden Gate Bridge. Kara's Cupcakes also has four other locations: San Francisco's Marina District, Palo Alto, San Jose, and Napa.