Uh oh, I had cupcakes and a camera

Two weeks back, I was on a bus back from Bondi Beach when I noticed a cute little sign with a chic pastel design. The Cupcake Bakery.

Stop the bus!

I restrained myself from doing anything more drastic than thrusting my hand into my beach bag to retrieve my handy dandy notebook and scrawling basic coordinates for future reference: The Cupcake Bakery, Oxford St. near busstop before Centennial Park.

I would be back.

Fast forward to this latest Saturday when two friends and I made a leisurely trek to the classy neighborhood of Paddington for the weekend bazaar. We enjoyed the sunny breezy day walking past high-end boutiques and the people who shop at them. The Paddington Market is stocked with fine jewelry, garments and crafts, well above our Uni price range, but wonderful to admire.


By then it was cupcake time, though I wasn’t convinced I’d even order one. I’m picky about cupcakes because, though beautiful, they’re often too sweet for my taste. I mostly wanted to look.


We began to walk, hoping it wasn’t much further since we’d already gone about four miles that day. Just then I noticed a little girl in a stroller burying her face in frosting. She has a cupcake! I said, pointing directly at her. I glanced up and found the sign just a few stores ahead.

Once we entered, it became pretty clear I’d have to get a cupcake for myself. There was a display case full of appetizing options, but I found the one for me. A single chocolate chili cupcake with chocolate buttercream frosting waited on a covered tray atop the counter. I had just sampled a bit of chili-cinnamon dark chocolate from a chocolatier at the market so my tastebuds couldn’t be more on board.

We sat in the tea garden and took a few minutes for a photo shoot before diving in.



I wasn’t disappointed. The cake was moist and chocolaty with heat from the chili surfacing after each bite. The frosting was nice, not too sweet. I’d like something dark and richer, but it did the job.



I see another Oxford Street/Paddington Market/Cupcake Bakery day in my future...