The variation in the Starbucks baked goods confuses me. Sometimes they seem close to homemade, sometimes they seem manufactured/plastic. The “manufactured” ones always surprise me – Starbucks seems like too much of a premium brand to do such a thing.

ChickenFreak

When Starbucks came out with the more wholesome foods over the summer, I wondered to myself whether cupcakes would ever return. I’ve tried the new vanilla offering. It’s definitely not as moist but still tasty in my opinion. And if you look at the ingredients over on the website, you can at least recognize everything on the list. True there are still some intimidating sub-ingredients in the baking powder and emulsifier for example but overall it seems better and true to the wholesome ingredients promise.

One cupcake is still more than 400 calories but that kind of comes with the territory, right?

“This frosting is gross, it tastes like I just bit into Crisco”.

I also think the cake part tastes like Duncan Hines or some other box mix.

I really think it is a lot worse than the original, which is too bad, I enjoyed having the occasional indulgence, but now I have no desire for one at all.

Thanks for the review on the the toffee almonds, I did see them and was tempted but didn’t give in. If they still have any left I may buy a box.

This is a very nice site Melody, I saw the link on My Starbucks Idea.

To say that I am disappointed in the new cupcakes (as well as the mini donuts) is an understatement. All the fancy descriptions and Starbucks sales promotion cannot make up for an inferior product.

Like too many things recently, Starbucks has taken a good thing and ruined it.

FWIW, a specialty cupcake shop opened this summer in my town. Their cupcakes are to die for, plus they are twice as big and half the price of a Starbucks cupcake. Another example of how a local bakery could provide local Starbucks with a superior product.