The Best Cupcakes in Toronto

The best cupcakes in Toronto are a testament that the cupcake craze has survived, even thrived, in the city far beyond even the wildest expectations. Originating a few years ago in places like Manhattan's Magnolia Bakery, cupcakes spread through Toronto's bakeries like red velvet wildfire, obliging almost every baked goods shop to carry at least a few in their display cases.

Several of the shops on this list are wedding cake specialists who sell cupcakes as a draw for potential big ticket customers, while others are traditional bakeries happy to surf the cupcake wave. Whether cupcakes will persist remains to be seen, and food writers are happy to predict any number of potential next big things, from whoopie pies to macarons to donuts - stay tuned.

Here are the best cupcakes in Toronto.

Note: This list was previously published on May 23, 2008. Comments below made up until March 14, 2011 are in reference to the old list. We've purposely kept the archived comments here because we believe they (mostly) add value to this topic. If you don't want to have to wade through all of them, simply hit the "sort by newest first" link at the top of the thread.

The Wedding Cake Shoppe

This College Street shop’s specialty is obvious, but the Coelho sisters offer several dozen different flavors of cupcake, all of which can be advance ordered from their very functional website. Their menu is adventurous, with varieties such as spicy chai latte and passion fruit, but the sweet onslaught is led by flavors such as dulce de leche, which has a molar-pummeling richness. More »

For the Love of Cake

This Liberty Village bakeshop made a splash soon after opening, thanks partly to its range of mancakes - cupcakes that eschewed the daintiness of vanilla, pink icing and sprinkles for more unconventional flavors such as Guinness, stout, Coca-cola and bacon. The regular cupcake selection is just as audacious, mixing standbys such as red velvet and Death By Chocolate with salted caramel and Japanese ginger. More »

OMG Baked Goodness

With a cupcake mural on their wall, this Dundas West full-service bakery is obviously proud of its cupcake offerings, and proprietor Lesley Mattina says their vegan chocolate and its wild range of multicoloured toppings is a bestseller and a cornerstone of her business. Incredibly moist, Mattina is at pains not to reveal their secret ingredient, but will happily drop tantalizing hints. More »

Designer Cookie

Like the cookies their name advertises, this Eglinton West and Avenue shop will top cupcakes with bugs, monkeys, cars or any logo you provide, as part of their corporate and special function business. Their over-the-counter flavours come under a variety of witty names (Luciano Sobrownie, Jean Paul Brulé, Christian Louboutea, etc.) and feature smashing flavour combinations like butterscotch and candy apple. More »

Yummy Stuff

Morag Cleevely brought cupcakes to Parkdale three years ago, alongside her wedding cakes and decorated cookies. Classics like red velvet and carrot mingle with dark beer and bacon, and can be dressed up for any occassion, private or promotional. More »

Miss Cora's Kitchen

Classic flavors and a quartet of vegan options huddle under vividly coloured frosting in Technicolor hues that seem utterly appropriate to this bakery’s Kensington locale. The classics are suitably paired with creamcheese and chocolate ganache icing, while the vegan cake alternatives get a boost from coconut and peanut butter. More »

Bobbette & Belle

With a reputation built on wedding cakes, it’s no surprise that this Leslieville bakery features the most delicate cakes, topped with frothy swirls of icing and demure garnishes of berries and cookie wedges. With a toe in both the macaron and whoopie pie markets, Bobbette & Belle is already poised to ride out whatever sweet trend is around the corner. More »

Bunner's Bakeshop

This Junction bakery, with its vegan and gluten-free policy, features a stripped-down trio of cupcakes – chocolate, vanilla and red velvet – presented with an almost rustic lack of pretense. The austerity isn’t even skin-deep, however, and their cupcakes are happy to match the heady richness of their signature gypsy cookie any day. More »

Life is Sweet

On the far eastern end of the Beaches main drag, this bakery bills itself as a cupcake house, and features a full range of daily flavours, classically-presented and in both large and mini sizes. With its shabby-chic decor, it aims straight for the heart of the winkingly retro cupcake experience, right down to the sprinkles and coconut shavings. More »