Buttercup Bake Shop Inc

(212) 350-4144

973 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10022 40.7559 -73.968

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Neighborhoods: Midtown East (Turtle Bay), Midtown, Midtown East

BUTTERCUPBAKESHOP.COM

Last updated 8.16.11

Category:

Bakeries, Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, MasterCard

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Buttercup Bake Shop Inc

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – Midtown's Buttercup is to the sweet-toothed what pre-Rudy 42nd Street peepshows were to pervs. From the second you enter the close-quartered shop, you're enveloped in a relentless, sensual maelstrom of heavenly scents, ooey-gooey icing and eye-popping frosting swirls. However, just as in the aforementioned establishments, all the goods are ensconced safely in cases--and it's still bad form to press your nose up against the glass. – – The Goods – Ex-Magnolia bakery partner Jennifer Appel's specialty is down-home desserts that caress all the senses. Red…

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
Magnolia Bakery is still going strong.
ambiance
33.3299994468689% positive
  1. “Great customer service, incredibly moist custcakes, great location are all the reasons to try Buttercup rather than Magnolia.”
  2. “Beyond the subpar desserts, the decor was terrible.”
  3. “Every cupcake I have had from Buttercup (regardless of location) has been awful.”
dessert
73.33000183105469% positive
  1. “awesome cheesecake”
  2. “The cake is dry and tasteless and the icing is hard and super sweet - this combo does not work.”
  3. “The Hummingbird cake is my favorite (a sort of banana-bread cake with cream cheese icing) and the Coconut is #2.”
  4. “Good icing, poor cake”
  5. “After calling and talking to rude staff at Magnolia, I called Buttercup and was assisted w/ very pleasant staff member re inquiry for last minute birthday cake for a friend who's a cake connoisseur.”
  6. “The Buttercup Bakery is one of the best dessert places in the city.”
  7. “The cakes are dry and the frosting is too sickly sweet and hard.”
  8. “got one with a marshmallow whipped topping on a rich chocolate cupcake.”
  9. “The icing was good, but the cake itself tasted dry, like they gave us day old cupcakes and cake!”
  10. “in terms of the cupcakes, i'm not too fond of cupcakes in the general, but their german chocolate was pretty good (has coconut shreds).”
  11. “Their cakes are great for special occasions and everyone will ask where the cake came from.”
  12. “Beyond the subpar desserts, the decor was terrible.”
  13. “But for some reason, the cake didn't taste as great as I had remembered the cupcakes to be.”
  14. “The smooth and rich icing and the amazing texture of the cake itself will astound you.”
  15. “This cute bake shop although very small has amazing cupcakes and the hummingbird cake is to die for.”
  16. “The frosting is good, but the cake part was just stale.”
  17. “I've read some reviews saying that the cupcakes are dry, so I dont know if I've been really lucky or those other people went on a bad day but I've been twice now and I've had the chocolate w/vanilla icing, spice, and red velvet cupcakes and let me tell yo”
  18. “The cakes may be beautiful, but who cares if they don't taste good?”
  19. “The coconut cake is scrumptious too.”
  20. “Nice help and great cakes.”
  21. “great cakes!”
  22. “If the birthday girl loves chocolate, this is the perfect classic chocolate.”
  23. “They cakes and cupcakes are delicious and the icing is just heavenly.”
  24. “The cake is dry and crumbly, to the point where you need something to wash it down with.”
  25. “good cake”
  26. “As for cupcakes- very tasty, try the red velvet or the classic chocolate with vanilla icing.”
  27. “Buttercup bakery is famous for the terrfic cupcakes and cakes.”
  28. “The desserts in the cases looked amazing.”
  29. “The cupcakes are not good at all and the cakes and dry, hard and heavy.”
  30. “The cake was a bit dry and chalky, and icing was overbearingly sweet and heavy.”
  31. “Not the best cupcakes and cake”
  32. “The cake is amazing.”
  33. “The red velvet ones were especially good, I liked the spice but I didn't like the rasins in it (I just dont like cooked rasins), and the chocolate ones were awesome almost as good as the red velvet, but those red velvet ones were just to die for.”
  34. “love chocolate but find it overbearing on a lot of desserts.”
  35. “Their cupcakes are incredible, (red velvet is the best), and their hummingbird cake is phenomenal.”
  36. “And my husband is convinced that their mini cheesecakes are the best cheesecake he's ever had (better than Junior's in Brooklyn!)”
  37. “Buttercup Bake Shop was my most favorite cup cake joint in NYC until today.”
  38. “Although they were sold out of cupcakes Dessert Delivery had a beautiful chocolate cake delivered to his office complete with plates, napkins and a plastic knife to cut the cake all delivered by 1pm.”
  39. “The cake is dry and bland, and the icing isn't much better.”
  40. “This is indeed a great place if u want to have dessert with that special someone or just in the mood for a tasty treat.”
drinks
50.0% positive
  1. “And I think it tastes even better when you buy some bitter iced coffee; it's such an excellent combo!”
food quality
93.05999755859375% positive
  1. “Good food-Stupid Rules”
  2. “They cakes and cupcakes are delicious and the icing is just heavenly.”
  3. “In terms of their overall consistency, they taste better than the lauded cupcakes at the rival Magnolia Bakery, because ALL of their cupcakes taste delicious.”
  4. “It's also the only place in the city I've seen to serve Hummingbird Cake, which is very rich but also very yummy.”
  5. “As for cupcakes- very tasty, try the red velvet or the classic chocolate with vanilla icing.”
  6. “could have made 2 dozen tasty cupcakes for that price myself!”
  7. “Magnolia is that great but atleast the cupcakes taste fresh.”
  8. “NOT dry or stale but fresh and creamy.”
  9. “The cupcakes are as beautiful as they are delicious here.”
  10. “Great food-”
  11. “This is indeed a great place if u want to have dessert with that special someone or just in the mood for a tasty treat.”
  12. “The Hummingbird cake is my favorite (a sort of banana-bread cake with cream cheese icing) and the Coconut is #2.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “Great little cupcakes in every sort of variety.”
  2. “It is kind of nice to see a menu where there are absolutely NO diet options.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “This is indeed a great place if u want to have dessert with that special someone or just in the mood for a tasty treat.”
service
48.410000801086426% positive
  1. “The people behind the counter are rude and I would prefer to support another bakery with less attitude and better products.”
  2. “The staff is friendly and greet you with a smile not to mention all the good gooey treats that stare at you the minute you walk in.”
  3. “Great customer service, incredibly moist custcakes, great location are all the reasons to try Buttercup rather than Magnolia.”
  4. “No attitude from their gracious staff is also refreshing.”
  5. “While the above-average cupcakes are in and of themselves enjoyable, the abysmal service eclipses any opportunity to enjoy the experience.”
  6. “Staff is very friendly as well.”
  7. “Surly and sour for people who work at a bake shop, the rude and unfriendly staff have forced me to take my bonafide cupcake addiction to Hostess.”
  8. “After calling and talking to rude staff at Magnolia, I called Buttercup and was assisted w/ very pleasant staff member re inquiry for last minute birthday cake for a friend who's a cake connoisseur.”
  9. “The staff is so warm and welcoming, and the treats are outstanding.”
  10. “was in buttercup recently and was immediately greeted by the youthful and friendly staff who were happy to fill my order rather than point me over to a table of dry cupcakes and tell me to help myself (like one place downtown).”
  11. “The staff were very helpful and super sweet!”
  12. “think the product is wonderful; however, it is unfortunate that they do not understand the importance of honest business dealings and client service.”
  13. “cant even compare the frosting to the overly sugared, lard frosting you find in a classic bakery, which some people hate, but at least its standard.”
  14. “It's not worth the prices for mediocre service either, I'm sad to say you can get better results from a Betty Crocker box!”
  15. “was shocked and offended by the poor customer service.”
  16. “The staff is friendly (Who w.”
  17. “ok cupcakes, bad service”
  18. “The comments here that talk about the rude staff/management/ownership/etc are right on the money.”
  19. “I've read some reviews saying that the cupcakes are dry, so I dont know if I've been really lucky or those other people went on a bad day but I've been twice now and I've had the chocolate w/vanilla icing, spice, and red velvet cupcakes and let me tell yo”
  20. “Same quality without the lame service of Magnolia (and proudly lame at that).”
  21. “The worker was very rude to me on the phone and told me that she could not possibly get the cupcakes delivered today and hung up the phone.”
value
50.0% positive
  1. “Please don't waste your money, the cupcakes are horrible.”
  2. “The comments here that talk about the rude staff/management/ownership/etc are right on the money.”
  3. “It's not worth the prices for mediocre service either, I'm sad to say you can get better results from a Betty Crocker box!”
  4. “Then I found out that its a former owner of Magnolia, not surprising considering they too have overpriced dry tasteless cupcakes.”
  5. “could have made 2 dozen tasty cupcakes for that price myself!”
  6. “The frosting was decent, but for $1.75 each I expect the whole package to be worth it.”
wait time
75.0% positive
  1. “After calling and talking to rude staff at Magnolia, I called Buttercup and was assisted w/ very pleasant staff member re inquiry for last minute birthday cake for a friend who's a cake connoisseur.”
  2. “The staff is friendly and greet you with a smile not to mention all the good gooey treats that stare at you the minute you walk in.”
4 Star Rating: Recommended

08/29/10

Love These Cupcakes

by AimLand

Ive been buying cupcakes here since I moved into this neighborhood... and loving every bite! I get 20 of them for any birthday party I throw and they arrange them in the most beautiful way for show... and they taste beyond amazing!!! The frosting is actual buttercream and not a lard based pile of yuck and the cupcakes themselves are moist and delicious. Highly reccomeended!!!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

03/28/10

Humingbird cake is off the hook!

by Fit4Caroline

This cute bake shop although very small has amazing cupcakes and the hummingbird cake is to die for. You absolutely MUST try it asap!

  • Pros: love the cake and frosting here
  • Cons: staff can be a little short with customers
1 Star Rating: Poor

03/24/10

Will Not Go Back

by fairreviewernyc

Buttercup Bake Shop was my most favorite cup cake joint in NYC until today. I was reviewing my credit card bill when I noticed a charge for $50.00. On March 12, 2010 I ordered 9 cupcakes to be delivered and agreed to the minimum delivery charge of $35.00 (which is stated on their website), and a $5.00 dollar tip for the delivery boy for a total of $40.00. While on the phone, no one informed of the $10.00 additional delivery fee. When the cupcakes were delivered, I did not receive a receipt itemizing all the charges. I looked on their website for the $10.00 delivery fee - nothing there.

When I called and spoke with someone from the shop, they were unable to return my $10.00 to me. They were not willing to work with me on this, and would not admit that they were in the wrong. They did not apologize for not informing me of this fee. This is fraudulent behavior on their part and I would strongly encourage people to stay away from Buttercup given the fact that they have no commitment to client service or honesty. While being charged over $5.00 per cupcake is almost insane, it is not the money that peeves me. I work in client service, and I understand how frustrating it can be to be on the other end of a phone call with an angry client; however, the customer is generally correct, and when the company is at fault, it is the employee's duty to make things right again and work to regain the trust and confidence of the customer.

Needless to say, I will never frequent Buttercup Bake Shop again. I think the product is wonderful; however, it is unfortunate that they do not understand the importance of honest business dealings and client service.

  • Cons: Dishonest, Terrible Service
4 Star Rating: Recommended

08/15/09

I can't stop thinking about this place - AMAZING

by sanderford

We ordered a cake from here for an office birthday and it was incredible. It was a large Red Velvet and everyone was completely satisfied.

My only con about this place is that you have to pay a delivery charge AND tip the delivery guy. So after all was said and done it costs us an extra $20 on our (approx) $40 cake which is a little excessive. However, I know a lot of other bakeries charge twice as much for delivery so I guess I have to keep that in perspective.

  • Pros: the best cake I have had in NYC so far...
  • Cons: price, delivery charge
2 Star Rating: Below Average

08/10/09

Good icing, poor cake

by rook0719

We ordered a bunch of cupcakes and a red velvet cake from them. The selection of flavors was great and delivery was on time. The icing was good, but the cake itself tasted dry, like they gave us day old cupcakes and cake! Disappointing for the price.

  • Pros: On time delivery, icing and flavors were good
  • Cons: cake was very dry

The Details on Buttercup Bake Shop Inc

Place Categories:

  • best little cupcakes
  • dry tasteless cupcakes
  • dry cake
  • rude staff
  • great coconut cake
  • good icing
  • best little bakery
  • mediocre customer service
  • stale not
  • love classic chocolate
  • outstanding better treat
  • especially recommend lemon
  • very good red velvet
  • most stupid rules
  • stale colors
  • rude people
  • enjoy experience
  • awesome cheesecake
  • not too fond german chocolate
  • favorite hummingbird cake
  • polite girl help
  • not like cooked rasins
  • not recommend shop
  • really good frosting
  • great magnolia
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