Life is just a cup of cake

Gourmet Cupcakes at 'Life Is Just a Cup of Cake'

Cupcakes at Life Is Just a Cup of Cake/ Korea Times Photo by Cathy Rose A. GarciaBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter The cupcake craze is slowly but surely creeping into Seoul. The popularity of cupcakes may have something to do with ``Sex & the City,'' which prominently featured the delectable cupcakes from the famous Magnolia Bakery in New York City. As a result, cupcakes have become the ``in'' thing, with cupcake shops sprouting up all over the city. Sure, these gourmet cupcakes look cute and sumptuous. At an average price of 4,500 won to 5,000 won each, these small cupcakes are pretty expensive. But are they worth it? We went to Life is Just a Cup of Cake, a cafe located near Itaewon Hotel, to find out. Aside from its quirky name, the shop stands out in the area because of its quaint country-style exterior.When you enter the cafe, there's a glass case filled with cupcakes with colorful frosting. It was difficult to choose, since everything looked appealing. The first bite of the All About Chocolate cupcake revealed a somewhat dry base. But once you take a bite, there's a moist chocolate center. The good thing about the frosting is that it's not sickeningly sweet like those at other cupcake shops. The Blueberry Cream Cheese cupcake had creamy purple frosting and a tiny blueberry on top. It was moist, and the frosting was sweet, with a hint of blueberry flavor. If you like your cupcake with a slight tang, the Lemon cupcake is for you. With its white cream frosting, this refreshing cupcake is perfect for spring. On the other hand, the original Vanilla cupcake didn't really make much of an impression. But what we unanimously loved was the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cupcake. The peanut butter frosting was simply addictive, and the cupcake itself had a few chocolate chip bits. All the cupcakes are freshly baked, although special flavors such as Banana Cream Cheese, Cinnamon Sugar, Lemon and Peanut Butter are not available every day. The shop also has a selection of coffee drinks, both hot and cold. The iced coffee drinks are served in a tall glass. An iced latte costs 5,000 won. The cupcakes are a bit expensive, especially when people are trying to cut back on unnecessary expenses. Then again, getting something sweet and tasty like a cupcake might just be the thing to take your mind off the hard times. And for 4,500 won, that's a bargain. To get to Life is Just a Cup of Cake, get off at Itaewon Station Line 6, Exit 2. Walk straight towards Itaewon Hotel. Turn left at the second alley after the hotel. The shop is located right next to the Korean restaurant Shigolbapsang. Visit www.cupcake.co.kr or call (02) 794-2908. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr