London's best cupcakes

The combination of sweet icing and fluffy sponge in an irresistibly cute package is our tea-time treat of choice. Here's our guide to the bakeries, cafes, tea rooms and coffee shops baking London's best cupcakes

  • London's best cupcakes

    © Elan Fleisher / Time Out

    • Photo for Bake-a-boo

      Bake-a-boo

      86 Mill Lane, NW6 1NL (020 7435 1666/www.bake-a-boo.com).

      This West Hampstead tea room taps in to the girlie side of things, even paying homage to Carrie from ‘Sex and the City’ with a cupcake flavoured with vanilla, cranberry and Cointreau – the ‘Carrie’ Cosmopolitan. There are gluten- and dairy-free creations too. Read more

  • Photo for Bea's of Bloomsbury

    Bea's of Bloomsbury

    44 Theobalds Rd, WC1X 8NW (020 7242 8330/www.beasofbloomsbury.com); 83 Watling St, EC4M 9BX (7242 8330).

    Best known for its light buttercream frostings, such as a deliciously tart raspberry number atop rich chocolate cake. Get your fix from either the Bloomsbury original or the new branch at One New Change near St Paul’s Cathedral. Read more

  • Photo for Crumbs & Doilies

    Crumbs & Doilies

    Partridges Fine Food Market, Duke of York Square, SW3 4LY (10am-4pm Sat/www.crumbsanddoilies.co.uk); Chocodeli, 24 Upper Tachbrook St, SW1V 1SW (9.30am-5.30pm Fri; 9am-5.30pm Sat).

    This market favourite is still going strong, trading in crowd-pleasing cupcake flavours from salted caramel (made with proper Maldon sea salt) to raspberry and white chocolate. There are vegan cupcakes, too.

  • Photo for Hummingbird Bakery

    Hummingbird Bakery

    133 Portobello Rd, W11 2DY (020 7229 6446/ www.hummingbirdbakery.com); 47 Old Brompton Rd, SW7 3JP (7851 1795); 155a Wardour St, W1F 8WG (7851 1795).

    For ultimate US-style cupcakes. They tend to err on the sweet side, but the range of flavours is a big plus. Strawberry cheesecake, for example, is vanilla sponge with strawberries, cream cheese frosting and a sprinkling of crushed digestive biscuits. It’s recently launched a ‘Made Without’ range, which means cupcakes made without gluten. Read more

  • Photo for Violet

    Violet

    47 Wilton Way, E8 3ED (020 7275 8360/www.violetcakes.com).

    Pastry chef Clare Ptak brought her beautifully made cupcakes to Broadway Market in 2005, and finally opened her own café in increasingly trendy Wilton Way, Hackney, in 2010. The signature is a candied violet cupcake, though we’ve a soft spot for the mellow coconut milk creation. The mini bite-sized cupcakes are perfect for a spontaneous treat. Read more

  • Buttercup Cake Shop

    16 St Alban’s Grove, W8 5BP (020 7937 1473/www.buttercupcakeshop.co.uk); 1/F (outside Habitat), Westfield London, W12 7SL (8746 0333).

    US favourites such as red velvet and banana split make up a good chunk of the flavours on offer here, but there are some British concessions, too, such as Bounty bar. The main shop is in Kensington but a kiosk at Westfield London provides sweet respite in between shopping sprees.

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  • Tried to find some of these in the directory at London Cupcakes. Does Timeout referesh this list?

    Mario Wed Jun 13 2012
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  • We ordered a birthday cake and cupcakes from Flavourtown Bakery... A Mazing! The best choccy cake and frosting I've ever had and the Red Velvet cupcakes were to die for. These his don't have a shop but bake to order I think.

    Paula Mon May 28 2012
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  • I would recommend "The Outsider Tart" - an absolute gem! They have a stall at the southbank/royal festival hall at the weekends.. ...check it out :)

    Natalia Tue May 15 2012
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  • banter

    freddie collins Mon Feb 20 2012
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  • Kooky Bakes at Bricklane Markets is the BEST!!! He also does amazing whoopie pies. All amazing and quirky flavours.

    Renee Fri Jan 20 2012
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  • She's back in April I believe, although I'm not sure that she's officially announced that yet. Whoops! Ha ha. I'm so excited I'm going to get to eat a Wraggamuffins cupcake again, especially as my birthday is in May so it's perfect timing! She did my birthday cupcakes last year and they were so delicious. We even had strangers who weren't part of my party coming up and nabbing them! For anyone who hasn't tried one yet you have to check them out, they're fantastic.

    Cake Fanatic! Mon Nov 14 2011
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  • Oh my god, Wraggamuffins! YES! I found out this week that she's coming back too. I loved the peanut butter truffles she did, I know this is a thread about cake, but those were amazing. Does anyone know when she's reopening?

    Ian Sat Nov 12 2011
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  • I was in Balham this week and had a some fantastic cupcakes at Bertie & Boo cafe. Great flavours ( rose, lavender, Apple, Chocolate & Orange among others ). Nice friendly staff on the high street.

    Lucy Sat Nov 12 2011
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  • Tried Hummingbird again this week as it was a colleague's birthday - they have gone really downhill. I remember when I first tried them about 5 years ago they were good, it seems once these cupcake places get big they forget to add any flavour to their cakes. The cakes were dry, the frosting was too sweet and had no vanilla, the chocolate sponge did not taste of anything (certainly not chocolate), the carrot cake was bland and dry, the vanilla cake was like cardboard. Total waste of money.

    Jo D Thu Nov 10 2011
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  • I was addicted to Wraggamuffins before she moved to the US, but I hear through Facebook that she's moving back next year (yay!). Her cupcakes were amazing because they weren't too sweet like most of the others, and you could actually taste the flavour without feeling like you've just had a mouthful of sugar. She did others bits and pieces too, so I'm really happy she's coming back.

    Cake Fanatic! Wed Nov 9 2011
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