There’s a fun piece up on The Billfold by Jason Diamond (former Jewcy editor, holla!) about being a cupcake bouncer at Magnolia Bakery, New York City’s most overrated temple of confection. (For those of you too young to remember the craze, Magnolia Cupcakes were to the early 2000s as Dominique Ansel’s cronuts were to the summer of 2013.)

Basically, Diamond worked crowd control, ensuring that customers: a) were not being dicks, and/or b) absconding with more than the allotted daily limit of 12 cupcakes:

I was and still am, in fact, a bigger person. I have a beard, and thanks to my Eastern European ancestors, a fair amount of body hair. Put me next to a door in an apron, and people might understand that I’m 220 pounds of Jewish guy standing there to make you stop. But people didn’t always stop, so sometimes I’d have to literally stand in front of the door, using my body to block them from going in….

We hated the ones who waited in line, and when it was time to close, complained if they didn’t make it in—too bad for them, there was no sympathy. I don’t know what it’s like to work at Magnolia now, but back when it had a single owner whom we hardly ever saw, long before she sold it to a buyer that has been working with franchisees all over the world to open up Magnolias, if you bought a cupcake from Magnolia, there is a high probability that the person behind the counter hated your guts.

Anyway, check it out! It’s a fun read. And instead of buying cupcakes—which, in New York City at least, is an increasingly fraught endeavor—trying making your own.

Related: Not Your Bubbe’s Recipe: Chocolate and Cinnamon Babka Cupcakes
Hope for Shuttered Kosher Cupcake Chain Crumbs
In NYC, Cupcakes Sprinkled With Anti-Semitism

(Image: Hanukkah Cupcakes by Magnolia)

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It’s been a tumultuous week for kosher cupcake lovers.

First came the news that Crumbs Bake Shop, the New York-based cupcake empire with 48 stores nationwide, was closing down: “Regrettably Crumbs has been forced to cease operations and is immediately attending to the dislocation of its devoted employees while it evaluates its limited remaining options,” a company spokeswoman told The Wall Street Journal on Monday. It seemed likely the kosher chain, which went public in 2011, would file for bankruptcy.

But now it looks like there might be a reprieve for Crumbs. The New York Times’ Dealbook reports that the company “was said to be close to securing financing from a group of investors,” which includes Fischer Enterprises (rescuer of Dippin’ Dots), and Marcus Lemonis, CEO of Camping World (and star of reality TV show The Profit).

Founded in 2003 by husband and wife duo Jason and Mia Bauer, Crumbs rode the cupcake craze from a single shop on the Upper West Side to dozens of stores across the country. Unfortunately, the chain began an aggressive expansion plan in 2011 (aiming for 200 outlets) just as the market became saturated and consumer demand for cupcakes began to decline. According to The Wall Street Journal, “Crumbs posted a loss of $18.2 million last year, layered on a loss of $10.3 million in 2012, according to securities filings. Its cash on hand fell to $893,000 at the end of 2013, down from $6.3 million the prior year.” Ouf.

For the sake of kosher cupcake mavens nationwide—and more importantly, Crumbs’ 820 employees—we hope the deal comes through.

The post Hope For Shuttered Kosher Cupcake Chain Crumbs appeared first on Jewcy.

Hungry for Hanukkah pastries? Aren’t we all. Too busy to find places around New York City that will satisfy your craving? Consider this an early Hanukkah present.

1. For the Fancy Side of the Family: Eleni’s Playfully Unique Cookies

Sip tea and nibble on elegant nosh with your relatives on Upper East Side relatives at this nut-free bakery.

2. For You, the Cupcake Lover: Two options, of course.

Magnolia Bakery

Simple and delectable Magnolia cupcakes will make you croon “All I want for Hannukah is you.” Enjoy these chocolate and vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting and delicate little Jewish stars and Menorahs on top.

Crumb’s Bake Shop

The Holiday Signature Collection includes two types of cupcakes: the scrumptious Stars of David (vanilla cake filled with chocolate cream cheese frosting topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting) and mouthwatering Mazel (vanilla cake filled and frosted with vanilla buttercream sprinkled with blue and yellow nonpareils)

3. For your Gluten-Free Homegirl: Babycakes NYC (kosher, vegan, and gluten-free)

They’re selling special-edition rugelach and jam donuts for the holiday season.

Despite their seemingly limitless ingredient restrictions, we hear this place is quite good.

4. For the Jelly Donut Enthusiast: Susan Sez

Susan sez “say it with cake” has a new answer to Israeli sufganiyot. Owner Susan Berlin says her jelly-filled cupcakes “taste amazing” and are healthier than traditional fried donuts.

5. For the Dessert Builder: Baked By Melissa

Unfortunately, Baked by Melissa does not carry any Hannukah-specific treats. What they do feature, however, is a pretty extensive blueprint for how to build a dreidel out of several different signature flavors.

All you need is 100 cupcakes to create this picture—no big deal.

Happy snacking!

The post A Sweet-Toothed New Yorker’s Guide to Hanukkah Desserts appeared first on Jewcy.

• This is awkward, but it looks like Hanukkah envy is the new Christmas envy. [Tablet]

• The company behind Peeps apologized for a holiday ad referencing shiksas. Not apologized for, however, was the nebbishy yarmulke-wearing Peep also featured in the ad. Low blow, Peeps. [Media Decoder]

• George Costanza is headed to Community—oh wait, it’s just Jason Alexander. [Vulture]

• Gwyneth Paltrow wants to help you be a better parent. Step one: stop watching TV in English. [HuffPo]

• A look at Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s new movie. [THR]

• The time Lena Dunham’s Girls character, Hannah Horvath, applied for a job with too little enthusiasm:

The post Daily Jewce: ‘Hanukkah Envy’ Is a Real Thing, Paltrow’s Parenting Tips appeared first on Jewcy.

Whenever my mom visits me in New York the first place she wants to go to is Crumbs to get a cupcake.  Even though I’m strange and hate most baked goods, I will always oblige her and tag along.  A week later she gets home and tells me she really misses the massive signature size “Elvis” cupcake — which is vanilla cake filled & frosted with banana cream cheese frosting, topped with a swirl of real creamy peanut butter and edged with peanut butter chips.

She doesn’t miss me.  She misses Elvis.

Well now she might not have to hop on a plane to get her fix, as the company is going public.  Crumbs will receive $27 million in cash and $39 million in stock from the 57th Street General Acquisition Corp. reports Inc. They will also be officially known as Crumbs Bake Shop from now on.

No word about expansion, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the kosher cupcake company branched out with this investment.

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