Among other fun weekend events, Matt, Mazen and I had the pleasure of attending the grand opening for Pearl’s Cupcake Shoppe here in Cville.
The shop has been open for over a month, but this was a cupcake + sweets celebration grand opening of highest quality. I didn’t know what to expect, so when I walked in to see trays of cupcakes in every corner I nearly fainted with excitement.
Pearl’s feels like a darling bakery from yesteryear in the most charming way possible. I felt a little like one of the women in Mad Men surrounded by pastels and a vintage flair.
The opening had an entire table of savory foods for guests, but I had my eye on the cupcakes from the moment I walked in.
Plus other fun bites like the most colorful macarons I’ve ever seen
Clockwise from 12 (I hope I get these right…) (Look at all of the specialty flavors here!)
Champagne with Champagne Frosting \\ Black and White \\ Raspberry \\ Chocolate Mint \\ Mocha \\ Lemon with lemon curd
I shared the above halvsies with Matt plus a few more bites from the macaron table.
What made Pearl’s cupcakes extra special was that some of them were stuffed!!! Here’s the inside of the lemon ‘cake. I’m not sure I could name a favorite because I’m sure it would change depending on my mood, but I really liked the mint and the champagne.
There were also gluten free and vegan options, which I had to try for research purposes. Obviously.
The gluten-free cupcakes were just as good as the regular (because we all know the frosting is the best part!) and the vegan ones, while not quite as good as classic buttercream, would be an amazing treat for anyone who doesn’t want to eat butter.
The owners were as sweet as the cupcakes themselves. Can’t wait to go back to try more flavors!
We ended up calling cupcakes dinner (along with the savory foods we had first). Delicious day!
Hope says
June 25, 2013 at 8:16 amI love that you love cupcakes/frosting so much. 🙂 They look delicious!!
Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries says
June 25, 2013 at 8:17 amOh gosh, I’d be in heaven with all of those little cupcakes! All of the flavors sound incredible, and they are beautifully decorated!
Paige @ Your Trainer Paige says
June 25, 2013 at 8:19 amyou’re right – I’ve never seen macaroons so colorful and pretty!
Shari says
June 25, 2013 at 8:20 amOh my goodness, they all look so good!!
Sheila says
June 25, 2013 at 8:30 amI could also have cupcakes for dinner any night!
Those are actually macarons, not macaroons. Macaroons are the kind with coconut.
KathEats says
June 25, 2013 at 8:40 amThanks, I’ll change it!
Marisa @ Uproot from Oregon says
June 25, 2013 at 8:31 amOh my gosh- what a fun opening to be able to attend!! You guys are so lucky to have been invited. I will take a dozen of the lemon cake, because the inside looks tasty!
Carly @ Snack Therapy says
June 25, 2013 at 8:39 amWhat a charming little place! I love the decor! I’ve never had a macaron, but those look incredible. So gorgeous.
Melissa says
June 25, 2013 at 8:44 amI’m drooling! I’m a total sucker for specialty cupcakes. And that bakery looks absolutely adorable – the jewels on the cake stands are precious!
Ali @ Peaches and Football says
June 25, 2013 at 8:44 amI’m dying with jealousy! What a fantastic (and dangerous) store! I really want a cupcake shoppe around here. Maybe I should quit my day job and start a new career as a cupcake baker – however I’m guessing that would cause havok with any diet ambitions 🙂
Lauren @ The Highlands Life says
June 25, 2013 at 9:01 amOh my goodness. That looks ridiculous!! I love all those bright, fun colors. What a fun place to have a treat!
Julie @ RDelicious Kitchen says
June 25, 2013 at 9:10 amThat place looks really cute!!
Laura says
June 25, 2013 at 9:10 amYUM! I now want cupcakes! 🙂
mel says
June 25, 2013 at 9:26 amCute shirt, where’s it from?
KathEats says
June 25, 2013 at 9:27 amThanks, LOFT
Beth @ Mangoes and Miles says
June 25, 2013 at 9:31 amDessert for dinner is always my favorite. 🙂 These cupcakes looks absolutely fantastic. I used to live near a cupcake shop that had half-baked cupcakes–there was “batter” (completely safe) in the inside of the cupcakes, and they were FANTASTIC.
Gigi says
June 25, 2013 at 9:35 amOmg cute shop!!! I think you mean “vintage flair” instead of “vintage flare” unless you’re referring to a fire. 🙂
KathEats says
June 25, 2013 at 10:22 amyes, thanks
Lindsay says
June 25, 2013 at 9:58 amThey look to pretty to eat! 🙂
Susan H @ The Food Allergy Chronicles says
June 25, 2013 at 10:15 amYummy, yummy, yummy! Love that they offer gluten free and vegan options…I wonder if they are peanut/tree nut free too? 🙂
Emily @ Life on Food says
June 25, 2013 at 10:26 amOh that place would be dangerous close by…it is always nice to have a good bakery around for special occasions though. The mini cupcakes are super cute.
[email protected] says
June 25, 2013 at 11:33 amWowsers!!! They’re all so pretty and love the fact they had gluten free and vegan options! My kind of heaven!
char eats greens says
June 25, 2013 at 12:39 pmOh dear…now I want to eat about 7 cupcakes lol
Anna @ On Anna's Plate says
June 25, 2013 at 12:43 pmYum! Looks like a delicious way to spend an afternoon. Love the vintage look of the shop– so cute!
Christina @ The Beautiful Balance says
June 25, 2013 at 1:26 pmThey’re so tiny, I love it!
Andrea D says
June 25, 2013 at 1:28 pmI love the Mad Men reference 😀 I’m a sucker for vintage decoration and that amazing show! Beautiful cupcakes!
[email protected]s says
June 25, 2013 at 1:31 pmThat place is SO adorable! I love the champage with the rose on top. That would make an adorable dessert for a baby shower or bridal shower. Gonna have to remember that one!
Melissa @ HerGreenLife says
June 25, 2013 at 1:40 pmYum! I ate some leftover (frozen) birthday cupcakes (chocolate cake with orange dreamsicle butter cream frosting) right before reading this.
What a generous spread they had for the grand opening party — I think I might have left feeling a little sick . . . and later craved a nice serving of fresh vegetables to balance things out!
Mom says
June 25, 2013 at 1:54 pmOn my way!
Chelsea @ Designs on Dinner says
June 25, 2013 at 1:55 pmI was so excited to try a stuffed cupcake this weekend. I ordered a double chocolate caramel stuffed cupcake….and there was no stuffing! Yours looks much more satisfying. 🙂
Katie @ Talk Less, Say More says
June 25, 2013 at 2:10 pmA champagne cupcake?! YES.PLEASE!
robin says
June 25, 2013 at 3:48 pmWe have a cupcake store in my town as charming as this one, so much fun for a treat:)
[email protected] for the soul says
June 25, 2013 at 5:14 pmEeeek! So much good food! I really want to try that lemon with lemon curd cupcake~sounds so heavenly.
Brieanna @ Going Brienanas says
June 25, 2013 at 5:20 pmI have passed this place so many times and have wanted to go in. This post has definitely prompted me to go in the next week because those cupcakes and macarons look to die for!!
Lindsay says
June 25, 2013 at 5:44 pmFirst, LOVE that blue top on you! You look gorgeous;) And hello, of course you have to try everything for research! I’m off to hunt down a mint/lemon cupcake recipe now because I just bought a bundle of fresh mint and can’t see it going to waste! The place looks charming, I loved how cozy and homey it felt. But now I want cupcakes…and lots of them….
Meghan says
June 25, 2013 at 6:59 pmCupcakes are such a fun dessert and there are so many themes and ideas for them. They all look delicious!
Megan @ MegGoesNomNom says
June 25, 2013 at 8:10 pmWhat a beautiful shop! Those macaroons are stunning.
Mer says
June 25, 2013 at 8:16 pmCute little cupcakes!
Sarah says
June 25, 2013 at 8:26 pmYou must try their Sugar Daddy Cupcake — salted caramel, pretzel and vanilla cake. Pearl’s has the best cupcakes in Richmond in my opinion, so I’m not surprised to see they were a hit with you!
Tina says
June 25, 2013 at 8:54 pmand now I think I need to bake something. That all looks ridiculously delicious!!! I actually just tried a macaron for the first time ever a couple of weeks ago!
Jacqui says
June 25, 2013 at 9:45 pmAll the cupcakes look AMAZING! I love that there are gluten free and vegan varieties. It would be so hard to choose just one – or two, lol!
Sara @ sarasmiles says
June 26, 2013 at 6:35 amWe have a Pearl’s in Richmond! I think that is where the original opened, unless I’m wrong and there are more than 2. Everyone raves about the cupcakes but have yet to try one. I don’t know which one I’d pick!
[email protected] Food Katie's Way says
June 26, 2013 at 6:47 amHow sweet is that!!!!
I love the shirt you are wearing in the last photo!
Hope @ With A Side Of Hope says
June 26, 2013 at 7:35 amThat cupcake shop is so cute! I love how many different varieties they have and how beautifully they are decorated. 🙂
Alyssa says
June 26, 2013 at 5:47 pmI love the GF cupcakes! It is rare to find GF baked goods anywhere 🙂
Maria Tadic says
June 26, 2013 at 6:34 pmThose cupcakes look so good! Definitely going to try this place next time I’m in Charlottesville! It seems like a really super cute place! And those macaroons look so cute!
Fancy says
June 27, 2013 at 7:01 amJust watched the first episode of season 1 of Mad Men and didn’t love it…does it take a few episodes to get into? Everyone I know loves it!
KathEats says
June 27, 2013 at 8:42 amYes, it’s a serious show and takes the right mental state to enjoy. I couldn’t watch it when Maze was a newborn (too much on my mind) but now we love to unwind with it after he is in bed for the night
Neil Butterfield says
July 5, 2013 at 5:21 amThese cupcakes do look delicious. My kids and wife would eat that shop clean 🙂