I've always wanted to try the mail-order cupcakes from
Williams-Sonoma, made by
Perfect Endings, but the price tag was a bit cost prohibitive. So when Williams-Sonoma offered to mail me a free box, I jumped at the chance.
I was wondering how the company would manage shipping and if the cupcakes would be tasty after their big trip.
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They arrived packed in what looked like a Styrofoam cooler, with a card of defrosting directions on top. I wasn't thrilled with the cooler, but I decided to reuse and recycle it.
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And dry ice! I love dry ice. (N.B. Don't touch with bare hands.)
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The cupcakes looked frozen but in great shape.
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And here they are without the plastic wrap:
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There were three each of the three flavors: Chocolate-chocolate, vanilla-vanilla, and red velvet.
The vanilla was very good, with a moist dense cake and a sweet creamy frosting.
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The company recommends letting the cupcake come to room temperature first, which I should have done, because it is much much better at room temp.
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Also, I tossed the fondant (?) heart on top, and you should too, it's awful. Pretty to look at though!
The red velvet was not very red, which I appreciated, as it didn't have the typical chemical taste that red velvets can have.
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and bisected:
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You know, I have no idea if the frosting was cream cheese based, but it didn't taste like it. The cake was cocoa-y and again, moist and dense.
The chocolate-chocolate surprised me, because I really liked it! I am not a huge chocolate fan, but this cupcake was yummy. With several large glasses of ice-cold milk I would have been in hog heaven. The frosting was rich and gooey and creamy and dense. Everything you might want in a chocolate frosting.
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Again, toss the fondant decoration. I wasn't a huge fan of the waxy sprinkles, but they did add a bit of texture to the super-creamy frosting.
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The cupcakes were pricey at approximately 50 dollars plus shipping, but if you couldn't bake any yourself, and don't have any bakeries nearby, you could proudly serve these as a valentine's day treat. And a lovely gift delivery to a sweetie. We get a lot of queries about shipping cupcakes and companies that do it, and Williams-Sonoma's Perfect Endings cupcakes shipped perfectly.
The cupcakes keep in the fridge for about 3 days, or 2 months in the freezer.
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