Hong Kong seems to have a ‘thing’ with cupcakes. Although 2012 was supposedly the ‘year of the macaron’ and 2013 the ‘year of the meringue’ (hrmmm…), specialty cupcake bakeries and boutiques don’t seem to be going anywhere soon – thankfully!
At Sassy, there’s always time for a cupcake fix! We figured our last top five needed a bit of an update, so here’s our round-up of the top five places to quash your cupcake cravings in Hong Kong…
SIFT
If a Sift cupcake was a piece of clothing, it would be a little black dress. Classic, simple and perfect for any occasion, these are good old fashioned, no-nonsense cupcakes. From standard selections like Pure Vanilla, Luscious Chocolate, and Red Velvet, to slightly more adventurous flavour profiles like Salty Caramel Chocolate, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, and Lemon Meringue, Sift has a line-up to satisfy all palates and allows the taste of their cupcakes do the talking (no novelty decorations or rainbow-coloured sprinkles here)!
Cupcake must-try: Coconut – a vanilla bean cake covered with melt-in-your-mouth coconut cream cheese frosting and topped with coconut shavings… I’m obsessed.
Check out our review of Sift’s afternoon tea here.
Sift locations in Hong Kong:
- G/F, 46 Graham Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2530 4288
- 22/F, Horizon Plaza, Unit 17-19, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong, 2870 3887
- G/F, Dominion Center, 49-53 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, 2528 0084
- Shop 240-241, Prince’s Building, 10 Chater Road, Central, Hong Kong, 2147 2968
KISSES CUPCAKES
Forget about kissing – these are cupcakes that are good enough to smooch! Nestled along NoHo’s Gough Street, the cupcake cabinet at Kisses is cleared out by loyal dessert lovers daily. What I love most about Kisses is that the cupcakes never fail to score points for nailing the balance of being flavoursome, fluffy and moist. Something worth noting is that the taste of their icing is slightly more toned down than other cupcake joints (I personally don’t mind, but those with a raging sweet tooth might miss the excess sugar). Along with their standard cupcake menu, Kisses can also customise orders, making them perfect for special occasions.
Cupcake must-try: Red Velvet – a rich Valrhona chocolate cake laced with silky cream cheese butter cream frosting… I could happily demolish six of these bad boys in one go – seriously.
Check out our full scoop on Kisses here.
Kisses Cupcakes locations in Hong Kong:
- 24 Gough Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2489 9899
- G/F, QRE Plaza, 202 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, 2234 0088
PASSION BY GERALD DUBOIS
Most known about town for their phenomenally good bread, Passion also boats a small but impressive range of beautifully crafted cupcakes. Aside from packing a BIG flavour punch with varieties like Red Berries on Lemon, Pandan on Chocolate and Pistachio on Vanilla, the presentation of Passion’s cupcakes is the kind of thing amateur foodie photographers dream of (#foodstagram #foodography #foodporn)…
Cupcake must-try: Vanilla on Vanilla – satisfyingly sweet and NOT boring!
Passion by Gerard Dubois, Shop 1, G/F, 74-80 Johnston Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, 2529 1311
SWEET SECRETS
Gluten-free girls, rejoice! With a range of egg as well as gluten-free cupcakes in a variety of classic flavours available, Sweet Secrets has made getting a cupcake fix deliciously easy. When it comes to cupcake customisation, the creations here are in a league of their own. From intricately sculpted art cupcakes (and cakes), along with bespoke cookies and treats, the Sweet Secrets team pretty much caters to all tastes, dietary requirements and themed wishes.
Cupcake must-try: Java Java – a chocolate cupcake with coffee pastry cream & chocolate ganache; perfect for when I want my caffeine fix to fill me up.
Check out our full article on Sweet Secrets here.
Sweet Secrets, 35 Graham Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2545 8886; 28b Canal Road East, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, 2575 6228
CAKE-A-LICIOUS
Located in the heart of Central, Cake-A-Licious has ‘go-to’ status for cake cravers of all kinds (cupcakes… giant cakes… cake pops…) across the 852. Set in a deep foil casing and topped with generous dollops of colourful piped icing, the cupcakes at Cake-A-Licious are fun, vibrant AND taste very, very good to boot.
Cupcake must-try: Outrageous Oreo – a complete chocolate overload but worth every bite!
Cake-A-Licious, 11 Lyndhurst Terrace, Lower G/F, Central, Hong Kong, 2815 2218
If I’ve committed a cupcake crime by not including your go-to cupcake joint, share it in the comment box so the cupcake quest may long continue!
https://www.facebook.com/sakuracupcakes has the best mini, bite-sized cupcakes I’ve tried in Hong Kong. Perfect for birthdays, baby showers, and even for no particular special occasion, because they’re so darn good!
I think you still haven’t tried Blessings Cakes & Sweets (www.blessingshk.com) yet… Highly encourage you to check that out! They should really be on the top list too.
Totally agree with having Sift Cupcakes up there – I think they’ve got the best cupcakes in Hong Kong. And their macarons & other goodies are lovely too.
Sift is overrated. thanks for profiling other alternatives!
Emma, you are amazing. You make me want to eat all of the HK cupcakes! xxx