Cupcake-Mania Sweeping the Streets of Georgetown

Sprinkles, “the original cupcake bakery,” recently joined the ranks of the 24 designated "cupcakeries" that already exist in the D.C. area alongside many other specialty shops that offer cupcakes.

"We come up here from Fredericksburg to get cupcakes. We have them semi-often, probably more often than we should. They're so good," raves Jennifer Coss, an avid Georgetown Cupcake fan.

Whether you pick them up on the way to work, during lunch or on the way home, cupcakes are must-have portable treats.

The question for many people is how can cupcakes continue to dominate the market? The idea of paying $4 for one cupcake is a bit foreign to many in these trying economic times, yet cupcake shops keep popping up.

Georgetown has a number of these places to stop by and grab a cupcake, including:

• Georgetown Scoops

Maggie Norman, pastry chef for Classic Residence in Chevy Chase, gives a baker’s point of view. "I would definitely have cupcakes in my store front. Not only do people love them, but they keep longer than other desserts. The cake stays moist because of the wrappers and because the icing covers the entire top of the confection. The icing to cupcake ratio is almost even, and with a cake there is not as much icing to lock in moisture," Norman says.

Cupcakes are also cost effective and less time consuming than other traditional baked goods. "The batter for a standard cake yields approximately 24 cupcakes. A standard cake takes 35-40 minutes to bake while cupcakes take 10-15 minutes. Cakes take up to an hour to cool before decorating while cupcakes take 20 minutes," Norman says.

People from all over the country wait in lines stretching down 33rd and M Streets to grab a cupcake at the famous or more popularly known to tourists as DC Cupcakes, after the TLC show that features them. Customers and DC Cupcake fans get a chance to taste a wide range of specialty flavors as seen on TV.

Georgetown Scoops claims to have the best red velvet cupcake in town. If you have tasted one better, they will practically give you their cupcake for free. This café style shop serves a number of gourmet ice creams and coffee in addition to their cupcakes made fresh out of the oven.

Sprinkles, the newest arrival in Georgetown, offers yet another form of this eatable art that the citizens of Georgetown and loyal followers are extremely excited about. “We provide some of the purest and freshest ingredients in our cupcakes” says Candace Nelson, the owner and founder of Sprinkles. Sprinkles offers a wide variety of flavors and specialty flavors of the day.

The local crowds pile into when they need a cupcake fix without the lines. Their cupcakes are crafted as miniature cakes or “cakes in a cup” and are noticeably larger than the other Georgetown offerings.

There is a steadily growing cupcake market catering to this niche demographic of customers.

More and more shops are putting these easily-made and efficiently-produced treats on their menus.

Not only are people stopping by “cupcakeries” just to grab a cupcake, but many people are staying for the entertaining atmosphere that the business creates. Many customers treat these cupcake bakeries as places to be seen or as hangout spots.

“I like Baked& Wired because it’s kind of tucked away and relaxed. Really good music is always playing. The people are really nice, and they have excellent cupcakes,” says Caroline Biden, a devout Baked & Wired customer.

Georgetown Cupcakes has a fun staff who keep the lines moving; you will be hard pressed to find a tourist who has not had their photo taken outside the store. Quiet Georgetown Scoops has a small European café vibe; it offers popular Italian Illy coffee and espresso. Sprinkles has an energetic staff who happily call out your name when your order is ready; small booths at the front let the customer literally sit out in the middle of M Street.

“When we opened six years ago people thought that we were nuts. This is a trend. It will die,” said Nelson with a smile.

Though there is often talk of the “cupcake bubble,” DC has 24 “cupcakeries,” four in Georgetown alone, and looking at the lines, it seems that may not be enough.

“I’ve always had a belief in the lasting power of cupcakes because they are an intrinsic American treat,” says Nelson.

Check out this video to see what the owners of , Sprinkles, and some fellow Georgetowner’s comments about the cupcake-mania that is sweeping the streets of Georgetown.