Robicelli's

I had a great post written up, talking about the future and it’s potential, the tenacity of the human spirit and what we can accomplish, and the great things we all have coming to us in 2013- FAR better than the things we had in 2012.

Then I found out Kim Kardashian is pregnant with Kanye West’s baby. Huh. So, um, Happy New Year? Go America? 

May this year be better than the last. U-S-A! U-S-A!

Flavors: 

We thought by pulling out of holiday markets this year, we’d have lots of time to spend with our children.  As always- WRONG.

On Monday we played hooky so we could finally do the one thing that’s been on my “must do” list for 6 years and has never happened- take the boys to Macy’s on 34th Street to see Santa.  It was, like everything I look forward to, a total disaster. The store was hot as hell, so I had to hold everyone’s bulky winter coats, and the bags, and my purse, and the boys coloring books like a frikkin sherpa.  The hour plus we spent on line was NOT spent playing games or enjoying Santaland with our children, but instead spent completely ignoring them with both of us glued to our iPhones as there was a gigantic problem with a big delivery (reminder to everyone dreaming of owning a small business- you are NEVER “off”. We’ve taken calls from clients while on vacation, at weddings, at my grandmother’s funeral….and now at Santaland!). The Santa we got to see ended up scowling in the picture we spent a small fortune for.  And there were tourists EVERYWHERE! Really- someone needs to give out instructions at the airport to these people, explaining to them that the rules of the road in the rest of the world are the same as the rules of WALKING in NYC: you need to look at something, pull over to the right. Stop short in the middle of a walkway to look at something, someone WILL run straight into you and then curse you out. 

I did manage to get off my phone long enough to get this blurry picture of a tree staring at me. So, you know, that was worth it I guess.

THEN I got into a fight with an Elvis impersonator on 34th Street over the fact that he’s NEVER seen, much less heard of, Full House! And then get this crap- he tells me “I grew up in San Francisco- they didn’t air it there”.  !!!!!!  Are you freaking KIDDING me fake Elvis?!?!!  

Uncle Jesse keeps saying “Settle down, pretty mama”, but I CAN’T.  I sort of feel like Christmas is really trying to kill me.

I give up on trying to get the family to Rockefeller center or Saks, give up on having the New York Christmas experience that I had every year of my life before I had kids, and just get the boys back on the train back home.

*sigh*

So there we are on a packed N train, surrounded by businessmen. And my little Toby Bear (age 4), who loves the subway more than any kid on earth, won’t shut up (like his mom). He’s talking to ALL OF THEM. “Do you know we live on the R train? My name is Toby though, and I wish we lived on the T train. They’re building a T train that’s new! I can’t wait to ride it! No one in my family is an R. Well, we had a cat named Robbie, but he died. I’m not allowed to talk about him though, because every time I do, mommy cries a lot. So don’t say ‘Robbie’ to my mommy, ok?”.

I know every parent says this, but Toby is one of those kids that seriously, almost unnaturally adorable, and without question the most charming kid I’ve ever met. Everyone is smiling at him.

Then he looks at a businessman standing near the door, a tall slender man with thick glasses, nice black suit, completely bald. And Toby says to him “I’m going to Brooklyn! Where are you going- to go buy some hair?”

Oh God, no.

“Everyone, look! That guy lost his hair! Maybe he dropped it!”

Matt avoids the guys gaze, starts shushing Toby the best he can. “Toby- STOP. That’s not nice. Let’s talk about Santa”

Does this stop him? OF COURSE NOT!!!!

“I have lots of hair! You need to go to the hair store and get some. Or maybe you need to get off the train, and get on a train going back to your office. Maybe your hair is still there and you left it on your desk! You need to go back and look for it!”.

In the event that man reads this site- sir, I am SO SORRY. I know you were laughing, even though I couldn’t make eye contact with you. But really- so so so so so so sorry.

And Toby, thank you for once again doing something ridiculous and saving Christmas from being a total painful crapshow for the 5th year in a row. I may not get to see the windows at Bergdorf’s or the Nutcracker anymore, or be able to go Christmas shopping without wanting to throw myself through a plate glass window, or make it to December 25th without having at least one small nervous breakdown. Yet somehow, Christmas is better now than it has ever been before. Because with you and your brother, EVERYTHING is better. 

Hope all of you have managed to find some little moments that have made the holidays less insane for you. Maybe you could have a moment with one of these cupcakes? Maybe a Robicelli’s brownie or a cup of our hot cocoa? That sounds pretty nice, doesn’t it?

Photograph property of Instagram. 

From front: Creme Brulee, Hot Toddy, Chocolate Orange, The Hansel

The Hansel: Gingerbread cake, white chocolate pudding, speculoos buttercream, white chocolate dipped gingerbread cookie

Hot Toddy: Honey whiskey soaked cake, honey cinnamon buttercream, candied lemon peel

Creme Brulee: Vanilla cake, custard buttercream, caramelized sugar

Christmas is 11 days away!!! ACK!!!! And New Year is, um, little more than that? I’m writing this at 1am- I am way too tired for math right now.

With the end of the year quickly approaching, it’s now time for every publication and their mother to be putting out their “Best and Worst of 2012” lists. And we’ve made a big one!

We’ve won the distinction of Worst Case of Wretched Excess for our Salty Pimp cupcake, an exclusive of the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop, courtesy of Esquire Magazine!

Ok, technically we’re on “The Worst” list, but hey, we made Esquire, right? Let’s see what they wrote about us:

“New York’s Big Gay Ice Cream and Robicelli’s Cupcakes are now 
selling the Salty Pimp, made of vanilla cake around dulce
 de leche pudding, topping it with dulce de leche 
buttercream frosting in fudge.” - Esquire

Oh. My. GOD. Looking back on this with fresh eyes- seriously guys, I am so sorry. I see where we went overboard with this. When you guys are eating dessert, you don’t want wretched excess- you want sensibility! Cupcakes should:

a) not get you too excited over anything. Know what happens if we get people all riled up at 2 or 3 o’clock in the afternoon?  People start flipping their desks and walking off the job, and the economy collapses. That’s what.

b) fill your daily fiber requirements. Maybe we could add some raisins for extra vitamins.

c) put 300+ calories into your body that you instantly forget, so you can keep mindlessly stuffing your face all day. Don’t enjoy your cupcakes- tolerate them!

Maybe we can talk the Big Gay Ice Cream guys into letting us do a nice bran cake with a schmear of cream cheese instead? Or what about a sensible coffee cake? Who doesn’t like coffee cake?

Until we figure all this out, we’re going to have to keep peddling in wretched excess. In fact, if you use the code “WretchedExcess” in our online store, you’ll get 10% off for the rest of the holiday shopping season! (which ends Tuesday at noon for us)

And if you’re the type of heathen who things that, well, wretched excess is really what dessert is supposed to be all about, the go visit the Big Gay Ice Cream Shops, which are the ONLY place to get the Salty Pimp Cupcake. And now, they’ve got two locations for you to choose from! Now open in the West Village at 61 Grove Street, in addition to their East Village location (125 E.7th).

We’ve also got holiday flavors going around to lots of other, non-Big Gay stores, including the FINAL appearance of the Blatt until next Hanukkah. You’re going to be really sad if you’re one of the poor people who doesn’t get one this year- the Blatt is magic. Honest. And today is the FIRST annual appearance of our ultra-popular “Creme Brulee”, which is also incredibly popular and tremendously rare, like unicorns. (See how I tied all that together? Nice, right?)

Clockwise from front: The Hansel, The Blatt, Creme Brulee, Eggnog

The Blatt (limited editon for Hanukkah! Last appearance til next November!): Vanilla cake, raspberry jam, cheesecake buttercream, fried cookie dough

Creme Brulee: Vanilla cake, vanilla custard buttercream, caramelized sugar

The Hansel: Gingerbread cake, white chocolate pudding, speculoos buttercream, white chocolate dipped gingerbread cookie

Eggnog: Eggnog cake & buttercream, freshly grated nutmeg

Valentine’s Day is here! If you need cupcakes for your sweetie tomorrow, you can’t order from us- we’re completely 110% booked with special deliveries. Fortunately for you, many of our retail partners are stocked with lots and lots of our special V-Day cupcakes and brownies. This is the last time you’ll see the Creme Brulee til December, and the Strawberry Champagne til Mother’s Day, so you’ll want to do what you have to in order to get those. Get your tents our of storage, sleep outside our retail partners, shove people, incite riots- the usual.

This February 14th is a pretty big deal over here in the Robicelli household. I spent every Valentine’s Day of my life single and alone until I met Matt. Then once we met, I spent every Valentine’s Day in a couple, but still alone. As you probably guessed, V-Day is one of the biggest holidays in the food biz, meaning not only were we always working, but we are actually inclined to hate it with the burning passion of a billion fiery suns just a teensy-weensy bit.  

In the past two weeks when we were interviewed by Nona Brooklyn and Eat This NY, both asked us what our Valentine’s plans were, and we just shrugged them off and said we were working. Then we remembered that we have employees now and could get off early, and we already have the kids usual sitter watching them, meaning for the first time in my life I could actually theoretically have a real Valentine’s Day.

I’ve finally been choo-choo-chosen!!! I KNEW 2012 was my year!

Problem is that I have no idea what that means. I’m 31 years old and have never had a proper Valentine’s Day in my life. Really, the only advice I’ve got for the day is “buy cupcakes”, and I’m pretty sure Matt will stab me if I do that.

Sooo….ummm……who’s got ideas? I’ve got two days, and all I can think of is bowling. Advice over either Facebook or Twitter would be sorely appreciated.

In other news, congrats to my girl Betty White on your Grammy win! Bea, Rue & Estelle would be proud!

Clockwise from front: Creme Brulee, Strawberry Champagne, Ebinger, Eve

Creme Brulee: Vanilla cake, vanilla custard buttercream, caramelized sugar

Strawberry Champagne: Champagne cake, strawberry champagne buttercream, champagne strawberry compote, gold dust

The Ebinger: Chocolate cake, chocolate custard buttercream, chocolate fudge, chocolate cake crumbs

The Eve: Walnut cake, pomegranate cheesecake buttercream, pomegranate glazed walnuts

______________________________

Cupcakes Available at:

Cafe at Sam’s Bakery:  94th off 3rd, Bay Ridge

Aloha Grinds: 77th and 3rd, Bay Ridge

Crespella: 7th Ave off 9th Street, Park Slope

Tazza Cafes: Clark off Henry AND Henry off Atlantic, Brooklyn Heights

Cake Shop: Ludlow btwn Stanton & Rivington, LES

Joe Columbia University: West 120th btwn Broadway & Amsterdam, Morningside Heights

Battery Place Market: 77 Batter Place, Battery Park City

Bergdorf Goodman: Bar 5F (5th Floor), 58th & 5th Avenue, Midtown

Queen City Cupcakes: West Main Street, Patchogue, Long Island

_____________________________

Whoopie Pies Available At:

Red Hook Lobster Pound: 284 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook

Tazza Cafes: Clark off Henry AND Henry off Atlantic, Brooklyn Heights

Queen City Cupcakes: West Main Street, Patchogue, Long Island

______________________________

Brownies Available At:

Queen City Cupcakes: West Main Street, Patchogue, Long Island

Oaxaca Tacos: 250 4th Avenue- Park Slope Brooklyn; 251 Smith Street Cobble Hill Brooklyn; 16 Extra Place, LES Manhattan

We’re only halfway through the week and I got to do two really cool things.  Monday night, me and my BFF Danny Macaroons hit the launch party for the redesigned Zagat blog, which was even more fun than you can imagine.  Saw lots of great friends, made some new ones, got to meet a lot of fans for the first time, AND I went home with a snazzy tin of Zagat breath mints! I smelled like an effervescent bouquet of wintergreen and sweet & sour chicken all night, which is no doubt why I was so popular!

Even thought that pretty much would have qualified as the coolest thing EVER on any given week in my life, this week, it gets second place.  WHAT could have been more exciting? Well how about on Sunday night at Madame X, getting all amped up for…….

CUPCAKE CRUISE!!!!!

Once again- YES, this is a real thing! I wouldn’t lie about something this important!

This is what I know from the meeting:

A- This is going to be pretty much the coolest thing ever. Matt and I have been looking over all the stuff there is to do on the Celebrity Summit, and want to get on the boat NOW.  They’re also well known for having the best food on any cruise line, and as someone who’s been on a few cruises before, that’s really saying something (I still remember every single meal I had on a Princess Cruise 10 years ago- it was that memorable).

B- If you call it a “boat”, the people from the cruise get REALLY mad. It’s a ship, and you hurt the ship’s feelings when you call it a boat. Sorry, ship

C- The cruise isn’t all about cupcakes, so everyone who’s thinks they can’t take seven whole days of cupcakes can relax.  What it IS is a regular Celebrity cruise with all the normal events, shows, entertainment etc.  HOWEVER, if you book through the Cupcake Cruise tour group, you will get all the regular stuff, plus

          -a pastry science and technique master class with us! 

          -a recipe development class with the dudes from Baked!

           -a cupcake decorating class with the authors of Hello, Cupcake!

            -a “How to start a small business” class with us!

             -a private cupcake and cocktail party!

              -a tour of the cruise ship kitchen with Celebrity’s pastry chef!

              -a private beach party with other bakers from across the globe!

               -the chance to work out with me in the gym every morning, and watch me berate myself on the treadmill as I cry!

All that stuff above is over a $500 value on land. But at sea, all those things, PLUS all your food, PLUS your lodging and travel to Bermuda, PLUS your entertainment, PLUS childcare, PLUS all the room service you care to order- it’s all included in the price of your trip! How ridiculous is that!

If you love baking, this really is the best vacation you can take this year.  And did I mention the free childcare yet? I did? Can I admit that this is my favorite part of the entire trip? Like, I can drop my preschoolers off and have a romantic dinner with Matt, or leave them on the boat while I go snorkeling at the site of a sunken ship?  Or maybe my favorite part is that once they go to sleep, Matt and I can order unlimited room service pizzas and eat them in bed?

Start talking your family into it now- that last thing I learned at the meeting is that there’s only a limited amount of room on the cruise, and bookings have already started coming in from all over the country.  So essentially, book sooner rather than later- they told me by April, the boat (er, ship) is usually fully booked.

Also remember- if you own a bakery or a food blog, you can write this off! Seriously! Go call your accountant right now and ask him- it’s going to make your entire day! And if it doesn’t totally make your day, then maybe you need a cupcake for that extra push!

Clockwise from front: Banana Nutella, Creme Brulee, Dark Chocolate Dulce, Boston Cream

Banana Nutella: Banana cake, Nutella buttercream, banana hazelnut praline

Creme Brulee: Vanilla cake, vanilla custard buttercream, caramelized sugar

Dark Chocolate Dulce: Dark chocolate cake, dulce de leche buttercream, dark chocolate ganache, Maldon sea salt

Boston Cream: Vanilla cake, vanilla custard buttercream, chocolate fudge 

__________________________________________

Cupcakes Available at:

Hom: Third Avenue and 88th Street, Bay Ridge

Cafe at Sam’s Bakery:  94th off 3rd, Bay Ridge

Tazza Cafes: Clark off Henry AND Henry off Atlantic, Brooklyn Heights

Brooklyneer: 220 West Houston Street, West Village

Queen City Cupcakes: West Main Street, Patchogue, Long Island

Whoopie Pies Available At:

Red Hook Lobster Pound: 284 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook

Tazza Cafes: Clark off Henry AND Henry off Atlantic, Brooklyn Heights

Queen City Cupcakes: West Main Street, Patchogue, Long Island

Brownies Available At:

Crespella: 7th Ave off 9th Street, Park Slope

Queen City Cupcakes: West Main Street, Patchogue, Long Island

Oaxaca Tacos: 250 4th Avenue- Park Slope Brooklyn; 251 Smith Street Cobble Hill Brooklyn; 16 Extra Place, LES Manhattan

Posting the blog a bit on the later side because apparently when the Giants won last night, the entire internet broke.  Seriously, I had to live without Twitter for, like, twenty freaking minutes! It was awful! How were any of you supposed to find out what I was eating, or if I was itchy, or if I was saying “Yay Giants”? HOW WOULD YOU KNOW?!!?!

For those of you who were disturbed by my Twitter silence, I assure you- I WAS saying “Yay Giants”.  Pinky swear.

It means more if you sparkle.

Not that we’ve survived til Monday morning and our precious internet has come back, we were anticipating posting something big, but, um…..we’ve got nothing.  I mean, I’ve got SOMETHING exciting to tell you, but it’s not going live til this afternoon, and I’ll be out and about when it actually happens.  I hate it when I have exciting stuff to talk about and I can’t do anything about it just yet. Blargh.  More of a reason to follow me on Twitter where I can bring you exciting cupcake developments as they happen while I’m standing on line at Ikea or fighting over $1.99 a pound pork chops at Waldbaum’s.

Regardless of all that nonsense, IT’S A SUPER EXCITING CUPCAKE DAY! It’s Lunar New Year, meaning it’s time to release TWO super limited edition flavors- like “we made them for today, and then you have to wait til next year to get them again”.  With the Giants, the New Year, and the return of the internet, you’ve got THREE things to celebrate right now, and celebrations need cake, right?

Clockwise from front: Black Sesame, Green Tea Mandarin, Creme Brulee, Dark Chocolate Dulce

Black Sesame: Black sesame cake, vanilla buttercream, white and black sesame seeds

Green Tea Mandarin: Mandarin cake, green tea buttercream, honey glazed mandarin orange

Creme Brulee: Vanilla cake, vanilla custard buttercream, caramelized sugar

Dark Chocolate Dulce: Dark chocolate cake, dulce de leche buttercream, dark chocolate ganache, Maldon sea salt

______________________________

Cupcakes Available at:

Cafe at Sam’s Bakery:  94th off 3rd, Bay Ridge

Aloha Grinds: 77th and 3rd, Bay Ridge

Crespella: 7th Ave off 9th Street, Park Slope

Tazza Cafes: Clark off Henry AND Henry off Atlantic, Brooklyn Heights

Cake Shop: Ludlow btwn Stanton & Rivington, LES

Joe Columbia University: West 120th btwn Broadway & Amsterdam, Morningside Heights

Battery Place Market: 77 Batter Place, Battery Park City

Queen City Cupcakes: West Main Street, Patchogue, Long Island

Whoopie Pies Available At:

Red Hook Lobster Pound: 284 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook

Tazza Cafes: Clark off Henry AND Henry off Atlantic, Brooklyn Heights

Queen City Cupcakes: West Main Street, Patchogue, Long Island

Brownies Available At:

Crespella: 7th Ave off 9th Street, Park Slope

Queen City Cupcakes: West Main Street, Patchogue, Long Island

Oaxaca Tacos: 250 4th Avenue- Park Slope Brooklyn; 251 Smith Street Cobble Hill Brooklyn; 16 Extra Place, LES Manhattan

Well, Christmas has come and gone, and I’m bummed.  There’s no more decorating to do, no more gifts to open, no Christmas carols on the radio and all the holiday shows are gone from the tv.

But wait a second……THERE’S STILL ONE HOLIDAY SPECIAL LEFT!!!!!

And now it’s time to ring the New Year in right!  New Year’s Eve is one of the FOUR times a year we make our famous “Strawberry Champagne” cupcake- plus we’ve got three more favorites for you to enjoy!  Private orders for the holiday are closed, but you can pick these up at many of our retail partners and our store at DeKalb Market.  Remember- our store is open today from noon til 8 and tomorrow from 11-4, then we’re closed until April!  Go visit before it’s too late!

Clockwise from front: Chocolate Merlot, Strawberry Champagne, Creme Brulee, Car Bomb

Chocolate Merlot: Chocolate Merlot cake & buttercream, merlot reduction, chocolate shavings, cracked black pepper

Strawberry Champagne: Champagne cake, strawberry champagne buttercream and reduction, edible gold dust

Creme Brulee: Vanilla cake, vanilla custard buttercream, caramelized sugar

Car Bomb: Chocolate Guinness stout cake, Jameson whiskey ganache, Bailey’s Irish Cream buttercream

Available at:

Robicelli’s at DeKalb Market: Corner of Flatbush Ave Ext. & Willoughby

Aloha Grinds: 77th & 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

Bagel Schmagel: 76th & 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

Crespella: 7th Ave off 9th Street, Park Slope

Tazza Cafes: Clark St off Henry AND Henry St off Atlantic, Brooklyn Heights

Eastern District: Manhattan Ave off Eagle, Greenpoint

Brooklyn Standard: Nassau Street off Jewel, Greenpoint

Cake Shop: Ludlow btwn Stanton & Rivington, LES

Battery Place Market: 77 Battery Place, Battery Park City

Queen City Cupcakes: Patchogue, Long Island

Check Out Episode One of “Let’s Bake The Whole Thing Off”

There’s a lot of stuff to go over right now, so forgive me if I don’t get into the jokes or small talk or have any sort of command of the English language.  Thems got orders in the whonow to properfy!

Hannukah: We are not taking any sort of online orders for Hannukah, since we have never received a single request to make a Hannukah delivery, and thanks to my limited technological skills coupled with my stupendous procrastinating skills, it takes me 16 hours to put together each order form we do.

-HOWEVER-

We ARE, in fact, making special items for Hannukah that will be available at DeKalb, Union Square, AND at our retail partners!  We have our Blatt cupcake which is our homage to sufganiyot, and we’re introducing a blueberry cheesecake whoopie pie for the occasion!  We were working really hard trying to come up with a Hanukkah brownie and asked for suggestions on Facebook and Twitter, and everyone said “Make brownies and put latkes on top of them!”.  So…..erm….NO.

Christmas Ordering: We’re taking a limited number of Christmas orders for pickup/delivery Christmas Eve.  Click HERE to get your order in.  You can also order in advance from our participating retail partners, but as always, terms and conditions are solely at their discretion.  Cupcakes = PURE JOY. Remember that.

New Year’s Eve Ordering:  I want to say that’s going up soon, but I really say a lot of things and then they get shot to poop.  So how about I say I’m never doing a NYE ordering page and we see what happens! Or you can contact us and ask for an order.  This year’s flavors are Strawberry Champagne, Chocolate Merlot, Car Bomb & Creme Brulee- any of which would raise the classiness of your party to an 11.

Gift Boxes/Corporate Gifts: We are offering these for pick-up at Union Square, and have decided that we still want to be able to put these together on a custom basis.  Next year we may grow into a company that does everything by online form, where you’re nothing but an order number- but we don’t want to be that company just yet.  We’re still a mom and pop, and we’re going to talk to our customers as much as we can until we can’t anymore.  So you want a $10 box of whoopie pies for your cubicle mate? A $100 box of brownies for your aunt and her three teenage sons?  Or maybe a few dozen cupcakes hand delivered to the office of your best client to let them know you appreciate them? Email me at allison at robicellis.com.  I’ll do my best to design the perfect gift(s), and get them all freshly produced for you to pick-up any day between now and Christmas Eve.

Will you have extended hours the next week for last minute shopping? Yup! Union Square Holiday Market hours are:

Friday 12/16: 11-9pm

Saturday 12/17: 10am-9pm

Sunday 12/18: 10am-8pm

Monday-Friday: 10am-9pm

Christmas Eve: 10am-4:30pm

Our store at DeKalb Market will have it’s normal hours of 12-8 weekdays, 11-8 Saturday, 11-7 Sunday, and 11-4pm Christmas Eve.

Anything else?: But of COURSE.  SOMEHOW I have totally neglected that tonight and tomorrow you can find us at:

If the last Night Bazaar was any indication, this will be THE shopping/entertainment event of the 2011 Holiday Season.  Plus it’s the only appearance we’re making in Williamsburg this month since we’re no longer in Radish and have yet to hit the pavement and find a new outlet in those parts.  You can find us with cupcakes, hot cocoa and other stuff only steps away from the front door, so stop by for a glass of cocoa to keep you warm while you shop!

Anything Else? No, Allison. Just post the flavors and you can go to sleep now.

Thanks.

Clockwise from front: Eggnog, Chocolate Panforte, Creme Brulee, Riskrem

Eggnog: Eggnog cake, eggnog buttercream, nutmeg

Chocolate Panforte: Chocolate cake, mascarpone buttercream, homemade Italian panforte

Creme Brulee: Vanilla cake, vanilla custard buttercream, caramelized sugar

Riskrem: Vanilla cake, rice pudding buttercream, candied almonds

Available at:

Robicelli’s at Union Square Holiday Market: C34

Robicelli’s at DeKalb Market: Corner of Flatbush & Willoughby, Downtown Brooklyn

Cafe at Sam’s Bakery: 94th Street off Third Avenue, Bay Ridge

Aloha Grinds: 76th and Third Ave, Bay Ridge

Bagel Schmagel: 76th and Third Ave, Bay Ridge

Crespella: Seventh Ave off 9th Street, Park Slope

Tazza: Clark Street off Henry AND Henry off Atlantic, Brooklyn Heights

Blue Apron Foods: Union Street off 7th Avenue, Park Slope

Eastern District: Manhattan Ave off Eagle Street, Greenpoint

Brooklyn Standard: Nassau & Jewel, Greenpoint

Cake Shop: Ludlow St btwn Stanton & Rivington, LES

Joe Columbia University: West 120th btwn Broadway & Amsterdam, Morningside Heights

Queen City Cupcakes: 62 West Main Street, Patchogue, Long Island 

Red Hook Lobster Pound: Van Brunt Street, Red Hook; Brooklyn Flea; Roving Food Truck (Whoopie Pies Only)

I know the Tumblr is crazy late today.  Last night I came home, collapsed into bed and just watched the lights on my Christmas tree.  Atticus was up, too.  He said he stayed up in his bed til I got home because he loves me and he misses me.  Of course, after he says this I start crying.  Then he starts petting my head and saying “It’s ok Mommy! Don’t cry- I’m right here! It’s ok!”.  

This, of course, makes me cry more.

With all the craziness of the holiday season- with the gift buying and running from market to market to dealing with extended family and making travel arrangements and whatever you start to think that the holidays are meant to kill you.  Then you have moments like that where you realize that the holidays are about nothing more than taking a little step back from the insanity of your life, looking around, and realizing not what you want, but what you already have.  And I am an incredibly lucky person.

Now to today’s flavors.  Today’s sort of special to me, because as we’ve made many cupcakes that touched on “traditional” Christmas flavors, most of those things were never found at my house growing up.  Now while those of us who were born and raised in Brooklyn know about American Christmas traditions from tv and pop culture, our neighborhoods were divided into ethnic enclaves where we held strong to the traditions of the old world, regardless of when our families arrived from there.

At my Sicilian grandmother’s house, I don’t think we ever had a turkey, or eggnog, or gingerbread.  But we DID have lasagna, red wine, orange flavored chocolates and panforte.  Panforte is a sort of chocolate fruitcake/candy hybrid that is not remotely like the fruitcakes we all joke about.  It’s so rich that only a small slice will do.  And it’s wonderful.

My mother’s parents came here to escape the Nazis in occupied Norway.  For Christmas, my bestemor made “Riskrem”- rice cream.  Now, the Persians and Mexicans and whomever else can talk about how great their rice pudding is, and yes, it’s delicious- but Norway OWNS rice pudding, and nobody realizes it.  The secret? Once they make the pudding, they fold in an equal amount of whipped cream.  And yes, it’s ever better than you’re thinking it is right now.

Riskrem is made in a giant pot, then one solitary almond is mixed in, and whomever gets it has good luck for an entire year, AND gets a marzipan pig! I got the pig when I was 8, and let me tell you, marizpan? Tastes like VICTORY.

Today we have a chocolate and mascarpone cake topped with a sliver of homemade panforte for you to try, and another topped with riskrem and some almonds so you’ll all have good luck in the New Year.  If you like them, maybe you can make them into traditions for your family in the years ahead.  

That was pretty much the best part of growing up in Brooklyn.  We had all our own cultures, but we got to have all our friends cultures, too.  And that was a lot more interesting than the tradition of holiday red velvet milk. (it’s red flavored!)

Clockwise from front: Chocolate Orange, Creme Brulee, Chocolate Panforte, Riskrem

NEW! Chocolate Panforte: Chocolate Cake, Mascarpone Buttercream, Homemade Italian Panforte

Riskrem: Vanilla cake, rice pudding buttercream, roasted almonds

Creme Brulee: Vanilla cake, vanilla custard buttercream, caramelized sugar

Chocolate Orange: Chocolate orange cake & buttercream, candied orange peel

Available at:

Robicelli’s at the Union Square Holiday Market: Booth Number C34

Robicelli’s at DeKalb Market: 138 Willoughby Street, Downtown Brooklyn

Hom: 88th & 3rd, Bay Ridge

Cafe at Sam’s Bakery: 94th Street off 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

Blue Apron Foods: Union Street off 7th Avenue, Park Slope

Tazza: Clark Street off Henry AND Henry Street off Atlantic, Brooklyn Heights

Jem: Broadway off Franklin, TriBeCa

Battery Place Market: 77 Battery Place, Battery Park City

Joe Columbia University: West 120th Street btwn Broadway & Amsterdam, Morningside Heights

Brooklyneer: 220 West Houston Street, West Village

Red Hook Lobster Pound (whoopie pies only)

We’ve been at the Union Square Holiday Market for two weeks now, and I’m still getting lots of tweets from people who claim they’re there but can’t seem to find us. Apparently the map I made isn’t good enough for you guys! 

How can anything of that caliber of quality be confusing?! Trader Joe’s, Upside Down Elephant, US! We even finally got a sign and a number- we’re C34 now!  EVERYONE knows good old C34! But in case you don’t here’s some super-clear text directions you can print out and stick in your pocket:

From N,R,Q

When you get out of the subway you’ll be exiting into this round gazebo-like dealie.  Is it a gazebo if there’s a subway under it? Maybe it’s just a roof? I’m really not sure what necessarily constitutes a gazebo and how it differentiates from a kiosk or ramshackle lean-to.  Once you get to the top of the stairs, look straight ahead and there’s an “Information Booth”.  Ask them where we are.  OR turn left, pick the wide aisle that runs along 14th Street, and take that til almost the end.  We’re on the right side. C34.

From the L, or people who got out of the R,N,Q out of the wrong exit:

You’re probably in front of Whole Foods.  Walk to “Shoemania” on the corner of 14th and Broadway.  You’re going to pass a girl who has a sign saying she’s homeless & needs money, but every time I see her she’s on her iPhone, so I end up thinking about the nature of necessity versus basic survival, and whether or not the need for connection to the internet and vis a vis society as a whole actually trumps the long thought basic necessities of food and shelter in 21st Century NYC.  

By the time you’ve begun to sketch out two compelling sides to the argument, you’ll have overshot your target by about 5 blocks.  Ponder these questions on your subway ride into Manhattan, so by the time you arrive you’ll already behalfway to your conclusion and can keep an eye open for Shoemania.

At Shoemania: Stop, turn left, cross the street, enter the first aisle of the market.  Stop again, turn right, walk about halfway down. C34.

From the 4,5,6

I keep getting lost coming from this line.  You kind of just have to hug the outside rim of the market and jump into what you think is the southermost aisle, and keep your eye out on the left hand side for us.  Or just hang along 14th Street and follow the Shoemania directions, but without the philosophical crisis since that girl is on the other side of the street and you won’t see her. OR you can cross the street and then cross back so you can have the crisis and won’t feel left out.

If you get it wrong, don’t bother asking any of the other vendors because nobody has any idea how to get around over there.  Seriously, I have no idea where anything is but the information desk, and the stuff that’s immediately around me. I’m across from Gnome Enterprises, which is kinda awesome because they make the best shirts in the world and are the coolest people ever.  And we’re right next to Fortune Keeper which is my current obsession, because it proves to me that I’m not the only person who totally believes that what fortune cookies tell me is 100% true.  Like that time that cookie said “You are young, wonderful and attractive”, and I was like “Hells YES cookie! I AM young wonderful and attractive! You are one smart dessert!”.  And then I ate it.

And if all else fails, you can click on this link to be taken to a detailed map and directory of the market so you’ll be able to tell where everything is.  It’s alphabetized and everything.  

Once you find where you’re going, THESE will be waiting for you, alongside brownies, whoopie pies, Danny Macaroons, hot tea and Matt’s new homemade hot Valrhona dark cocoa!  And if you can’t come visit us directly at Union Square, these will still be at a store near you, so go check them out!

Clockwise from front: Chocolate Orange, Chocolate Merlot, Eggnog, Creme Brulee

Chocolate Orange: Chocolate orange cake & buttercream, hand candied orange peel

Chocolate Merlot: Chocolate merlot cake and buttercream, merlot reduction, black pepper, chocolate shavings

Eggnog: Eggnog cake and buttercream, fresh grated nutmeg

Creme Brulee: Vanilla cake, vanilla custard buttercream, caramelized sugar

Available at:

Robicelli’s at Union Square Holiday Market: C34! C34! C34!

Robicelli’s at DeKalb Market: Corner of Flatbush & Willoughby, Downtown Brooklyn

Cafe at Sam’s Bakery: 94th Street off Third Avenue, Bay Ridge

Aloha Grinds: 76th and Third Ave, Bay Ridge

Bagel Schmagel: 76th and Third Ave, Bay Ridge

Crespella: Seventh Ave off 9th Street, Park Slope

Tazza: Clark Street off Henry AND Henry off Atlantic, Brooklyn Heights

Blue Apron Foods: Union Street off 7th Avenue, Park Slope

Court Street Grocers: Court Street off Luquer, Carroll Gardens

Eastern District: Manhattan Ave off Eagle Street, Greenpoint

Brooklyn Standard: Nassau & Jewel, Greenpoint

Cake Shop: Ludlow St btwn Stanton & Rivington, LES

Joe Columbia University: West 120th btwn Broadway & Amsterdam, Morningside Heights

Queen City Cupcakes: 62 West Main Street, Patchogue, Long Island 

Red Hook Lobster Pound: Van Brunt Street, Red Hook; Brooklyn Flea; Smorgasburg; Roving Food Truck (Whoopie Pies Only)

Last day of November, and I’ve already reaching my threshold for tolerating Christmas songs.  This is especially sad as I’m one of those people who LOVES Christmas music.  Like, listens to it in July loves it.  And for this, I blame the fact that we as a society are insistent in playing the SAME TEN SONGS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN FOR SIX FREAKING WEEKS.

Nothing can hold up in that rotation. Nothing. Except Nat King Cole’s “Christmas Song”, which is technically perfect.

In the event that you’re in the same boat, here’s a few songs that I’m actually loving to death right now that are getting me in the Christmas mood- regardless of our 70 degree weather.

Alan Jackson & Alison Krauss- “The Angels Cried”

Probably the most beautiful Christmas song I’ve ever heard. Pay no attention to the fact that the lighting director of this video attempted to make Alison Krauss look like a demon from a Japanese horror film.  Also don’t remember what we were all thinking regarding hairstyles back in 1993.  It’s like we had learned nothing from the 80s.

Sting: “Gabriels Message”

Sting’s a total effing pretentious weirdo, which lends itself perfectly to traditional Christmas music.  Plus he looks kinda hot with that beard.  Yes, I hate myself for thinking that.

Weezer: “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”

Did you know Weezer cut an entire Christmas EP? I had no idea! There’s something incredibly exciting about learning a band you love cut a holiday album, like…..

HALFORD!!!! Lead singer of Judas Priest, heavy metal GOD Rob Halford apparently has a Christmas album.  So that means it’s TOTALLY OK…..

……to now declare Slayer to be the official band of Christmas.  Take that, Bing Crosby! 

Now for the most metal thing of all- CUPCAKES!!!!  The ridiculously popular Creme Brulee is back, and the Chocolate Merlot has returned after an absence of over two years.  Let us know if you’d like to see it return for good!

Clockwise from front: Pear Mascarpone, Chocolate Merlot, The Bluth, Creme Brulee

Pear Mascarpone: Pear cake, mascarpone buttercream, pear chip

Chocolate Merlot: Chocolate merlot cake and buttercream, chocolate shavings, black pepper, merlot reduction

The Bluth: Chocolate banana cake, chocolate buttercream, roasted walnuts, ganache

Creme Brulee: Vanilla cake, vanilla custard buttercream, caramelized sugar

Available at:

Robicelli’s at the Union Square Holiday Market: South row closest to 14th Street, towards the east side, booth C34

Robicelli’s at DeKalb Market: 138 Willoughby Street, Downtown Brooklyn

Hom: 88th Street & 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

Cafe at Sam’s Bakery: 94th Street off 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

Blue Apron Foods: Union St off 7th Ave, Park Slope

Tazza Cafes: Henry Street off Atlantic AND Clark off Henry, Brooklyn Heights

Radish: Bedford Ave off N8th, Williamsburg

Joe at Columbia University: West 120th Street btwn Broadway & Amsterdam, Morningside Heights

Battery Place Market: 77 Battery Place, Battery Park City

Queen City Cupcakes: Patchogue, Long Island

I finally put up the fancy picture of the rotation cupcakes!  Of course, it was supposed to go up last Wednesday night, and now it’s Sunday and new cupcakes are going into stores tomorrow.  Jesus, if you can hear me, I REALLY need that personal assistant who will work for free ASAP.  Thanks.

It’s 2am and we just got home from the kitchen.  There’s an 18” snowdrift in my driveway right now.  I’m not sure when these cupcakes are getting to stores….let’s just say “eventually”.  Keep up with us on Twitter for delivery updates.

On a serious note- as irritating as the snow is to everyone, this weather is literally killing small businesses all over New York City.  Every independent business that doesn’t sell rock salt is hurting bad right now, and needs your help. Before the month is over, please go out to eat, order in one night, or go buy yourself something pretty.  All us little guys will appreciate it something terrible.  :)

NEW FLAVOR!!! Banana Cashew:  Banana cake, cashew buttercream, homemade cashew brittle

Chocolate Caramel Pretzel:  Chocolate cake, salted caramel buttercream, crushed pretzels, ganache, salted caramel

Irish Coffee:  Bailey’s espresso cake & buttercream, ganache drizzle, ground white chocolate

Creme Brulee:  Vanilla cake, pastry cream buttercream, caramelized sugar

Available Thursday at:

HOM- 88th St and 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

CAFE AT SAM’S BAKERY- 94th Street off 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

BLUE APRON FOODS- Union St. off 7th Ave, Park Slope

CRESPELLA CREPE & ESPRESSO BAR- 321  7th Avenue at 9th Street, Park Slope

MARKET- Cortelyou Road btwn Westminster & Argyle, Ditmas Park

TAZZA CAFES- Henry off Atlantic and Clark off Henry, Brooklyn Heights

BEDFORD HILL:  Corner of Franklin & Greene, Bed Stuy/Clinton Hill

FARMACY:  Corner of Henry & Sackett, Carroll Gardens

Available Friday at:

RADISH- Bedford Ave off N8th, Williamsburg

EASTERN DISTRICT- Manhattan Ave off N8th Eagle St, Greenpoint

BROOKLYN STANDARD:  Nassau Ave & Jewel St, Greenpoint

CAKESHOP- Ludlow btwn Stanton & Rivington, Lower East Side

THE BROOKLYNEER-  220 West Houston btwn 6th & 7th Avenues, West Village

LILY O’BRIEN’S AT BRYANT PARK-  E40th btwn 5th and 6th, Midtown

Also beginning Friday: Wild Maine Blueberry Cupcakes available at

Red Hook Lobster Pound

284 Van Brunt Street -AND- The Brooklyn Flea @ One Hanson Place

Clockwise from front: Strawberry Champagne, Creme Brulee, Car Bomb, Southern Belle

Holy crap- an entire year has gone by!  Matt and I have had an amazing 2010, all thanks to you guys.  We’re very, very blessed.

And welcome to all of you who are checking us out for the first time based on our win in Serious Eats’ Readers Choice 2010 Poll!  A brief intro- I’m Allison, the mom half of Robicelli’s, and the one who does all the Tumblring and Tweeting.  My husband Matt is the pop half.  We do all the baking, delivering, dishes, emailing, and everything else ourselves.  That’s the entire company.  Glad to make your acquaintance! 

So now to flavors- we’re very happy to be back to work in our kitchen after it lost power for 3 days and the streets were unplowed.  Now you can finish off 2010 the way God intended- belligerently drunk and stuffing your face full of cupcakes.  Happy New Year everyone!

Flavors:

Strawberry Champagne:  Champagne cake, strawberry champagne buttercream, homemade strawberry champagne jam

Car Bomb:  Chocolate Guinness stout cake, Jameson whiskey ganache, Bailey’s Irish Cream buttercream

Southern Belle:  Banana bourbon cake, vanilla buttercream, brown butter-bourbon pecans

Creme Brulee:  Vanilla cake, pastry cream buttercream, caramel shards

Available at:

CAFE AT SAM’S BAKERY-  94th Street off 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

BLUE APRON FOODS- Union St. off 7th Ave, Park Slope

CAFE 474- 4th Ave off 11th St, Park Slope

FLYING SAUCER CAFE- Atlantic Ave. btwn 3rd Ave & Nevins St, Boerum Hill

MARKET-Cortelyou Road btwn Westminster & Argyle, Ditmas Park

TAZZA CAFES- Henry off Atlantic and Clark off Henry, Brooklyn Heights

RADISH-Bedford Ave off N8th, Williamsburg

EASTERN DISTRICT:  Manhattan Ave. off Eagle Street, Greenpoint

CAKESHOP- Ludlow btwn Stanton & Rivington, Lower East Side

LILY O’BRIEN’S AT BRYANT PARK-  E40th btwn 5th and 6th, Midtown

If you own a shop and would like to be one of our locations, contact us at info@robicellis.com!  We’d love to talk to you!

And if you don’t own a store, but would like to see us in a store/cafe near you, TELL THE MANAGEMENT OF THAT SHOP!  We’ve gotten 100% of our locations based on referrals from cupcake-lovers just like you.  Nothing would make us happier than to be in your neighborhood helping make you fat. :)