Ode to a Ding Dong

“Eat the cupcake, then tell me what you think of it,” said my friend, as we exited Cake Nouveau on North Fourth Ave. Given that this particular friend has a sense of humor that’s dry like the Mojave Desert, I could tell she didn’t think these particular confections were all they’re cracked up to be.

And sure enough, as I strolled north toward Kerrytown and bit into my $2.50 chocolate cupcake, I was…underwhelmed. Cake Nouveau has a lovely, whimsical interior and is a great addition to that block. And I know that owner Courtney Clark has won accolades from the Food Network. Perhaps my expectations were too high.

Which got me thinking, what’s a similar dessert that has knocked my socks off, rather than induced a yawn? So allow me, for a brief moment, to post an ode to Big City, Small World Bakery’s homemade Ding Dong. Two disks of moist chocolate cake, encompassing tooth-achingly good white frosting (is “white” a flavor? I’m not sure it’s actually vanilla), doused in chocolate frosting and charmingly topped with a few chocolate shavings. Oddly shaped, awkward to eat, bearing little resemblance to the Hostess confection that is its namesake. But simply fantastic. At $3.50, 30% more than the Nouveau cupcake, but 130% more satisfying for the dessert-a-holic. Shout out to the Big City, Small World Ding Dong – what a cupcake should aspire to be.