The Gourmand Syndrome: Cupcake Royale (West Seattle)

Picture it: Christmas 2005, and we are driving around Seattle with my dear grandfather behind the wheel, headed to the Cupcake Royale in Ballard. I have never been to the sweet spot but as a cupcake fan, I'm already convinced that I will love it. Grandpa has taken several wrong turns (though we would never point this out) and we are winding around a residential neighborhood near Northgate mall. (Which if you know Seattle then you know is nowhere near Ballard.) To make a long story short, a driver in what we think was a stolen car (he was also talking on his cell phone, maybe calling his probation officer) suddenly came at us, driving the WRONG way on our side of the road, and with no intention of stopping. We watched in horror as his front bumper neared ours, before he hopped the curb, slid between our car and a stop sign, and kept going. No one was much in the mood for cupcakes after that.

This year J and I took matters into our own hands, renting a nice sedan upon our arrival at SeaTac. In the year's time Cupcake Royale has established a new location in West Seattle, an area we know and love. We made a beeline for the California Avenue location near Easy Street Records, where all my sweet dreams about the bakery finally came true.

My personal favorite: the Coconut Bunny - $2

Vanilla frosting topped with coconut. Available in chocolate or vanilla cake. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.

Lavender - $2

A little sweet, even for me. But J was a good sport and ate it.

A dozen cupcakes for the road - A cool $22

After the car experience in 2005, the least we could do was take some cupcakes to my grandparents.

- K

Cupcake Royale (West Seattle location)
4556 California Avenue SW
Seattle, WA 98116
206.932.2971