Fall into a Cupcake Coma without Leaving Sanlitun
Let’s talk cupcakes today, dear reader! Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve noticed people sometimes give a hard pass on these baked treats, dissing them as little more than overpriced madeleines.
To those folks I say: you haven’t tried a good cupcake!
Whether you’re a vile naysayer or a fan, why don’t you run to this new, snazzy bakery in Sanlitun? Cupcake Coma —such is the name of this shop— is located on the the left side of the 3:3 shopping mall and was incredibly busy on its first day right before the Golden Week holiday. In fact, it was so hectic that it took me, your intrepid journo, a couple of days to be able to try them for myself.
Boy, was the wait worth it though! The holidays passed, but their hype remained — perhaps because these are no newcomers to the local bakingverse recently. Wanna know more? Check this interview with Hanqi, the baker and laoban extraordinaire behind Cupcake Coma!
A sweet endeavor
Q
Congratulations on the opening of your shop! Quite the original name, by the way. Goes well with the décor accents, it all feels very fresh.
A
Thank you for noticing! You know how cupcake shops tend to use a vintage pink vibe? We don’t want our customers to feel like our cupcakes are only for women. So we went for our own color palette, with some street vibes and a different name. Our original name was “Cupcakes on Court,” which we thought was pretty masculine. “Cupcake Coma” seemed to go along with our theme and concept, which was that, if you indulge in one too many cupcakes, you fall into a happy coma. In addition, both the name and the concept are gender neutral.
Cupcake aesthetics revamped
Q
Damn right it’s a joyful state. I am chomping on your "Oh Canada" cupcake right now and it is maple syrup bliss. Also, this is after I feasted on your banana pudding.
A
I am happy that you love our flavors. Cupcake Coma has been around for a while already. When we were in lockdown, my wife and I tried to order cupcakes from different bakeries, but we couldn’t find any that we liked. Most of them were muffins with whip cream. That’s why I started to make my own cupcakes.
We had our friends at the International School of Beijing give us feedback on the flavors and textures of the cupcakes, and they introduced them to other people as well. Over time, I came up with a list of about 30 different cupcakes that I regularly offer and make. Essentially, Cupcake Coma started on WeChat as I added new flavors. Here at the shop, though, we will be bringing small batches of a few varieties at a time, plus our special C Treats, such as the pudding you just mentioned, which is our own twist on the famous one from Magnolia Bakery in NYC.
I’m actually really excited to see what flavors will work best in our shop here at Sanlitun, and for sure you guys can look forward to exciting offerings regularly.
Can't go wrong with vanilla and chocolate
Q
That’s true, I’ve seen plenty of other items on your menu. Give us a rundown of your goodies, pretty please?
A
These flavors are chosen from the 30 on my list. Since it is fall, I based the offerings on the season. “Plain Jane” is one of our staples. For fall, we included "Biscoff," "Lemon Bomb," and "Oh Canada." The latter is for my wife who is Canadian. Banana pudding is our specialty and should be served chilled. I also make red velvet, Biscoff, and chocolate cookie cups.
We make coffee in partnership with Berry Beans, a popular coffee shop in Beijing. In fact, our barista is from Berry Beans as well.
The shop offers other snacks besides cupcakes as well, like this bomb banana pudding
Q
Ideal for the imminent cold. Can people still hit you up for delivery? And, can you spill the beans on any exciting stuff for the future?
A
As for delivery, not for the time being —we are focused on the shop as our new project and it’s a small team, though of course we might look into it later down the road. The future, hmm? Soon enough we’re going to have a really cool event going on with a certain sports brand.
There’s our WeChat group that we can pull you in so that you’ll stay updated on all things Cupcake Coma…just come over for a cupcake and a chat, really. Back in our online days, our awesome customers brought us to where we stand now. And, that’s exactly how we want to keep it. Cheers, Beijing!
May the cupcakes keep rollin’!
Cupcake Coma
1/F, 3.3 Shopping Center, 33 Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区三里屯路33号3.3大厦一层
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Images: Ana Padilla Fornieles, courtesy of Cupcake Coma
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