In search of the Great Pumpkin? Good luck. Reports of a vile pumpkin fungus invading some patches this year have caused us to look elsewhere for our annual fix. Good thing Chicago bakers have a great alternative: pumpkin cupcakes that are all treat and no trick. Grab your goodie bag and hit these sweet spots–no costume required.
TipsyCake
1043 N. California Ave. 773-580-8113
If you prefer your pumpkin with a side of rum, you’ll enjoy this bakery’s Halloween cake of choice. Starting Saturday, TipsyCake will sell a pumpkin-spice rum cupcake ($1.75). “You might need a designated driver for one of these,” owner Naomi Stepanek jokes. Fresh walnuts, raisins and a secret spice mix add to the flavor. The creamy, rum-colored cake is topped with black or orange buttercream frosting featuring a bat or a skeleton design. Give 24-hour notice to purchase a dozen or more of these handmade cupcakes or one of TipsyCake’s 9-inch, three-layer pumpkin-spice rum cakes ($30).
Swirlz Cupcakes
705 W. Belden St. 773-404-2253
Halloween is all about surprises and so is this new Lincoln Park cupcake-only bakery. Each day during October it’s featuring one surprise flavor. Among the expected flavors: a pumpkin marsala cupcake ($3). The spiced pumpkin cake is topped with featherlight Italian buttercream frosting flavored with imported marsala–a sweet, fortified wine similar to port. Then, the whole shebang’s topped with candied pecans flavored with hints of black pepper, brown sugar and cinnamon. Expecting a gaggle of goblins at your Halloween bash? Order a dozen cupcakes for $34.
Bleeding Heart Bakery
2018 W. Chicago Ave. 773-278-3638
This all-organic bakery is putting a fancy twist on the cupcake for October: a pumpkin mousse charlotte. Haven’t met charlotte yet? Bleeding Heart’s recipe features layers of chocolate velvet cake topped with pumpkin mousse and yogurt mousse and held together by chocolate lady fingers. The bakery will serve petite charlottes ($5), which are about twice the size of a cupcake, in addition to 6-inch ($24) and 8-inch ($36) cakes.
Cupcakes
613 W. Briar Pl. 773-525-0817
Lakeview’s all-cupcake shop is featuring a different pumpkin-flavored cupcake each week during October. This week: pumpkin pie-flavored cake with white-chocolate buttercream and crushed graham crackers on top. Look for appearances by pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin cinnamon truffle cupcakes as well. Chefs are using fresh, organic pumpkin when available, and a buttercream frosting corresponds with each recipe. Individual cakes sell for $3. Other flavors to look for this fall: peppermint hot chocolate, Mexican hot chocolate and orange rosemary.
Angel Food Bakery
1636 W. Montrose Ave. 773-728-1512
Halloween means it’s time for making whoopee–or at least, whoopie pies. Angel Food chef and owner Stephanie Samuels will start selling pumpkin whoopie pies ($3) in mid-October. If you’re not familiar with these treats, imagine a cupcake sandwich. Samuels starts with two cakey cookies made from pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, butter and eggs. Then she places a marshmallow-butter meringue between the cookies, dips the whole thing in white chocolate and tops it off with orange sprinkles. Samuels also will offer vanilla and chocolate cupcakes with Halloween-themed designs.
———-
metromix@tribune.com
