Seattle's Best Overpriced Baked Goods

I once talked to the owners of Trophy Cupcakes at a party. They told me that they adjust their recipes every month to compensate for the changing temperatures and humidities.

Yes, I know I can buy two entire boxes of cupcake mix for the price of a single Trophy Cupcake. But there’s a reason I don’t. These are the cupcakes that ruined all other cupcakes for me forever.

Some people will tell you that Cupcake Royale makes the best cupcakes in Seattle. Those people are wrong, but sometimes you just don’t have time to make the trip to Trophy. They’re still pretty damn good, though. I recommend lavender.

I suppose even vegans need variety. When you get tired of vegan donuts from Mighty-O, try the vegan everything else here. They have something that looks like a softball made out of peanut butter and granola covered in chocolate and tastes like a pile of peanut butter and granola covered in chocolate. Mmm…

The very first time I came to Seattle, it was on an expense-paid trip for a Microsoft interview. I bought a guide of Seattle and hit every restaurant with four dollar signs next to its name. My dinner at Dahlia Lounge was decent, but it was the coconut cream pie I had for dessert that made me fall out of my seat.

Fortunately, Dahlia Bakery sells coconut cream pie bites that you can afford without a corporate expense account.

Mighty-O Donuts are vegan! In my mind, that means they’re just like eating your vegetables. When my vegetarian friends come to town, I take them two places: Mighty-O Donuts and Araya restaurant in the U-district.

At twelve tiny doughnut bites for $4, Pike Place’s Daily Dozen Donut Company definitely qualifies for this guide. I am embarrassed every time I pull out a five dollar bill for a tiny brown bag of warm cinnamon sugar goodness. Fortunately, I have a bag of warm cinnamon sugar goodness to make me feel better.

I’m hardpressed to call Hiroki overpriced. I feel like I should be selling a piece of my soul to taste the Green Tea Tiramisu, and the Okinawan sweet potato chiffon cake dances like fairies on my palate. Hiroki is a genius who marries Japanese flavors with American desserts, and best of all he’s usually behind the counter and more than happy to talk to you about his creations.

I know people who used to drive an hour out of their way before work, just for a hot Krispy Kreme doughnut. And the worst part is, I understand. The best part of Krispy Kreme doughnuts is that they go down like air. I can eat six doughnuts without batting an eyelash and not regret a thing for thirty minutes, sometimes more.

Yum. Yum. Yum.

So what’s good here? Everything. Do not stop eating until you’ve tasted everything here. This is the bakery that will make you wish vomitoriums had never gone out of fashion.