Exploring Paris: One Cupcake at a Time

The French do many things well, not the least of which are their desserts. And one of the things that makes their desserts so universally well-liked is the uncanny ability to find the perfect balance of sweetness. Rarely is a French pastry ever too sweet, or not sweet enough.

Delicious, no doubt. Copyright: wikipedia

But if you have a sweet tooth anything like mine, you may often find your cravings go unsatisfied in the realm of the perfect pastry. Although I can certainly appreciate and enjoy the macarons, tarts, gâteaux and other delights to be found in France, sometimes I feel the urge to dive head-first into a sea of sugar. And in those moments, cupcakes can often be just what the doctor ordered.

Cupcakes have enjoyed a State-side spotlight in the past few years, with several reality TV series focusing on cake creation and boosting the popularity of cakes and cupcakes alike. While living in Boston, I took the time to explore several cupcake shops, and was often impressed with the creative flavor combinations I was able to find. Not only are cupcakes just a little sweeter than typical French pastries, but the effort put into the carefully crafted frostings, which are often flavorful experiences all by themselves, is apparent.

To put France’s reputation for pastry-making to the test, I decided that I would not simply settle for trying out the things we already know the French are good at, but instead set out to discover what the world of cupcakes looks like when it is created with a Parisian perspective. Although I’m no expert, I do know a good cupcake when I have one (for example, in London, you simply must stop in at Sweet Couture–best cupcakes I’ve ever had! So far…), and I plan to see if cupcakes made in Paris can compete with those from the rest of the world.