Cream puff cupcakes at Cupcake Magician. (Photo by Susan Ericson. Click to enlarge)
By SUSAN ERICSON
PieHole was surprised to learn recently that Red Bank’s Cupcake Magician is considered one of the best cupcake makers in America.
That’s not a slight. Owner John Nardini, too, said he was “shocked” when we told him his Monmouth Street bakery had been ranked at number 10 nationwide by the influential Daily Meal website.
Daily Meal says it evaluated bakeries on the criteria of menu variety, presentation, number of followers on social media and online review sites, as well as its own editorial discretion. It chose 101 for inclusion on its best-of list, with the Red Bank shop at number 10.
Cupcake Magician arrived in town in 2011 as part of a cupcake outbreak that included Sugarush, which is still going and strong, and the short-lived Mr. Cupcake.
Nardini, whose flavor selection includes “pancake and bacon,” tiramisu and chocolate truffle, said he considered the selection “wonderful.”
What do you think? Forget the best in America: who makes the best cupcakes on the greater Red Bank Green? Let the food fight begin!
