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Some days a cookie from the dining hall isn’t quite enough to satisfy that sweet tooth. It seems that just recently, cupcake-focused shops have popped up around Des Moines and become a favorite for celebrations such as weddings and birthdays.

On a search to find the best cupcakes in Des Moines, I tried three popular cupcake stores in the area: Scratch Cupcakery, Smallcakes Cupcakery and Molly’s Cupcakes. To find the best cupcake I sampled a basic vanilla cupcake as well as each store’s best seller. I then judged each cupcake based on presentation, biteability, frosting and cake.

Scratch Cupcakery

Scratch Cupcakery in West Des Moines is one of five locations. The store has a bright and busy atmosphere. There was pop music playing and tables to sit at, but the business seemed to be a take-it-to-go shop. At Scratch, I tasted a vanilla cupcake called ‘Oh Happy Day’ and their best seller, ‘Wedding Day.’ Both cupcakes were nicely displayed using a paper wrap instead of a cupcake lining as you would use at home. These cupcakes looked the most appetizing as far as presentation because of their professional appearance. Both cupcakes were large and required a fork. The frosting can be daunting on Scratch cupcakes. However, taking my first bite, I found it to be quite light and airy, with delectable taste that complimented the cake. These cupcakes held together well, and the cake was moist with good flavor. Overall, a worthy place to go for cupcakes!

Smallcakes Cupcakery

Smallcakes is a cupcake franchise with locations all over the world but found locally in West Des Moines. The Smallcakes business has been featured on The Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. This cupcake shop has a strong pink theme that doesn’t stop at the door; even the box is pink. I think this is a poor choice of color that suggests marketing mainly to women. There are few tables and a small area to sit, but it is basically another grab-and-go style shop. I tried a plain vanilla cupcake with pink frosting and the bestselling chocolate crème hostess cupcake. The pink frosting on the vanilla didn’t match well with the cupcake’s flavor. The chocolate crème was well presented and looked like a typical hostess cupcake with a lace-like applique on top. The vanilla cupcake was a good size but still biteable but it had too much frosting that overwhelmed the cake flavor. The specialty flavor had a good frosting-to-cake ratio that complimented each other, and the frosting was creamy with good texture, tasting like chocolate fudge. Lastly, both cakes were a little dry and crumbly. Smallcakes would not be my first choice for a cupcake because of the atmosphere and the lack of originality in their cupcakes.

Molly’s Cupcakes

Molly’s Cupcakes in downtown Des Moines and is one of four locations. This cupcake shop is very welcoming and homey, with a schoolhouse theme throughout the building, featuring benches and school chairs to sit in while enjoying your sweet treat. One of the most unique things about the atmosphere are the swings at the counter. At Molly’s, I enjoyed a vanilla cupcake and a crème brulée, cleverly named the ‘foreign exchange student.’ Both cupcakes were simple but cute, with the crème brulée cake featuring a small berry on top of it. I felt that the cupcakes were unique to those at the other cupcake businesses because they reminded me of something a grandma would make. The vanilla cupcake displayed a lot of frosting that complimented the cake with a rich vanilla flavor. The crème brulée had no frosting but had a crunchy caramelized topping, which was easy to bite into. Both cakes were moist, and the flavor came through and complemented the frosting.

Each store encapsulates unique qualities that make their shop special. Ultimately it is not just about the flavor of the cupcake but about the experience as well. Scratch lacks the homey atmosphere, and Smallcakes doesn’t offer much of a space to sit and indulge. That is why Molly’s Cupcakes is the perfect choice; it has the taste and the ambiance.

Molly’s cupcakes are $2 a piece and provide a great atmosphere to stop and enjoy a cupcake on a date, with your family or even a great place to study while enjoying a perfect treat. The location is ideal for Grand View students at only a ten-minute drive and the shop offers Wi-fi and drinks such as coffee and tea. Molly’s is open Monday through Saturday. If you are in need for a sweet treat, try Molly’s.