Mouth-Watering Moxie Goodness

A few days a week, I groggily wake up during the wee hours of the morning, hop on my bike, and ride to town to get to work before 7AM – a real feat for the typical weary college student. And every morning, in my sleep walking (or, should I say sleep riding) state, I pass Moxie Cupcake, longingly wishing to stop for a simple, delicious cupcake. Come to think of it, the thought comes to my mind every single time I pass the shop, seemingly beckoning me to come closer; and yet, I ride past it time and time again.

So one beautiful Saturday afternoon, I finally decided to give into the temptation, dragging my nocturnal roommate out of hibernation and into the shining sun to try out these hyped-up cupcakes once and for all.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Moxie Cupcake, let me tell you – you’re absolutely missing out! It’s located right on Main Street, tucked in the back corner of a little hole-in-the wall strip – a real “hidden gem.”

Moxie Cupcake’s reputation precedes itself – ever since I came to SUNY New Paltz, I’ve heard countless people rave about these local cupcakes. The shop touts their use of strictly local dairy, eggs, produce, and fruits, that they never use trans fats, added preservatives, or stabilizers, and that everything is made right from scratch! Cool, huh?

The shop itself is quite charming. The pinks and browns that paint the walls make it very obvious that the shop is run and owned by two female bakers. A cozy patio sits next to the main shop, and makes for a perfect location to sit and enjoy a Moxie treat on a picturesque afternoon.

My mouth started watering as soon as the baking aromas hit me, immediately titillating my taste buds. I’m not the best chef, per say, but I do love to bake. There’s just something about making sweets and desserts for myself, family, or friends  (and eating the ingredients while I’m at it!) that I find simply irresistible. There were countless flavors to choose from, including The Moxie (chocolate cake, chocolate ganache, vanilla bean buttercream and a candy Moxie flower), Vanilla Sky (vanilla cake, vanilla bean filling, vanilla bean buttercream, pearl sprinkles), Cherry Darling (chocolate cake, tart cherry filling, vanilla bean buttercream, organic chocolate shavings, chocolate cherry), and Annie Get Your Gun (red velvet cake, chocolate ganache, cream cheese frosting, chocolate shavings)… as well as SO many more… 

The Moxie 

Cherry Darling

…but my roommate and I both had our eyes set on the Salt Away My Sugar cupcake.

The main attraction: Salt Away My Sugar

For anyone who is a true caramel fanatic like myself, this is THE cupcake for you. The Salt Away My Sugar is made up of a chocolate cake iced with a chocolate butter cream frosting. Upon taking a bite, freshly made caramel ganache oozes out from the inside, which is absolutely and perfectly compatible with the flavor of the chocolate cupcake itself. More caramel is artfully drizzled on top, and the cupcake is finished with a sprinkle of fleur de sel, commonly known as sea salt.

“Sea salt?!”, you might wonder – does that strike you as odd? It did to us too, at first. My friend wrinkled her nose when she heard that, although that minor oddity obviously didn’t stop her from indulging in the delicious treat at once. The sea salt, surprisingly, complimented the caramel, and created a fun, sugar-like texture. The combination of salt and sweet was a perfect juxtaposition that made our mouths water and tingle with delight. Who knew?!

Simple, yet perfect.

My only gripe is in regards to the prices – they’re a just a tad too expensive, especially for a student on a college budget. Each cupcake is about $3.00, though the prices decrease a bit as you buy larger quantities at once. While this could not be a daily expenditure for most, it certainly makes for a nice way to treat yourself every once in a while! For what I paid, the cupcakes could be a bit larger as well. As they were undeniably scrumptious, they could definitely be larger in size.

In addition to their Main Street location, Moxie Cupcake just opened another shop in the Water Street Market. I’m excited to head down there soon to check out that location and to taste test many more of their alluring cupcake flavors! They have different daily specials for each day of the week, which are always posted on their Facebook page. I encourage you to do the same and check it out, cupcake lover or not! We all deserve to spoil ourselves & treat our sweet tooth every once in a while.

Bon appétit!

Awkward solo shot - but I had to flaunt my purchase!

Look at how cute it is!

Why just buy one? The more the merrier!

Check out Moxie's Website for directions, mouth-watering images, and more information!

Photo Credits for first six images: http://www.moxiecupcake.com/