By: Cori Sue
Red Velvet holds a special place in my heart as the first cupcakery I sampled while in D.C. I was in town for a job interview, and, I remember exactly where I was standing (on 7th Street in Chinatown) when they called me a few days later and told me I had the job. (Hip-hip-hooray!) I immediately treated myself to my 2 favorite vices: cupcakes and shopping at the nearest 2 locations: Urban Outfitters and Red Velvet.
Now, like many of you, red velvet is my favorite flavor, so I do love this cupcakery. Correspondingly, I love that they’ve renamed said flavor “Southern Belle” as to not confuse said cupcake with the store’s namesake. I definitely frequent Red Velvet in Chinatown the most of any cupcakery, typically after dinner in Chinatown or a movie at Regal Gallery Place. So, naturally, I thought “my” cupcakery was the best.
Photo credit: Cori Sue Morris
My opinion has since changed, as Georgetown Cupcake and Hello Cupcake have better quality, lovelier frosting, and more flavor selection than Red Velvet. Red Velvet’s cupcakes are good, mind you, particularly if you are having a sugar craving (or crisis) nearby one of their 2 locations in Chinatown (7th and E NW) or Dupont Circle (21st and P NW).
I recently stopped by the Dupont location for the first time. For starters, the Dupont location is more of a Tangy Sweet (same owners) that sells Red Velvet cupcakes. The cupcakes are set out in towers.
Photo credit: Cori Sue Morris
Pro: Should you desire, you can get both fro-yo and a cupcake. Con: The cupcakes are certainly not as fresh as the Chinatown location where they are made. On this visit, we had: Southern Belle, vanilla, mocha, and carrot cake.
Photo credit: Cori Sue Morris
The cupcakes were yummy, but, frankly, no more delicious (or better frosted– a difficult skill in my opinion) than those I make myself.
The Cupcake 5 Factor:
Pretty? Not really.
Extensive Flavor Selection? Not really.
Moist cake? Usually, but not in the evenings. It depends on the time of day.
Good Frosting? Decent.
Good Ambiance? No.
Red Velvet Cupcakery
675 E St. N.W.
Washington, D.C.
(202) 347-7895
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