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Baked and Wired, Teresa Velazquez's Magnificent Cupcakes and Coffee on Thomas Jefferson St. in Georgetown


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For one thing, Georgetown's are smaller, which I appreciate.  For another, Georgetown's whipped Callebaut icing is far and away my favorite chocolate icing -- it's a big part of what makes their Chocolate Squared the perfect cupcake, in my book. 

Okay, I can appreciate the desire to not eat a behemoth of a cupcake, but shouldn't the pricing be commensurate? I'm fairly certain that GC and B&W charge roughly the same price for their cupcakes, and GC's are a good deal smaller than B&W's. While I don't think it's appropriate to be charging for hype"”which is what I think GC is doing"”I suppose that is the American way.

For the sake of argument, I will probably conduct a comparison test at some point. Hard work it is, but it must be done in the name of the Internetâ„¢.

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If I had one, and only one, question to ask a stranger, in order to determine whether or not they were plugged in to the DC food scene, it might be the following:

"Where do you get your cupcakes in Georgetown?"

My expectations of Baked and Wired have become so unwaveringly high that when something falls short of perfection, it sounds like a wrong note in Mozart K545 (the "Simple Sonata" in C Major).

After a business meeting at one of the three (ugh, yes, three) Georgetown Starbucks, I hiked up Thomas Jefferson Street to Baked and Wired around 3 PM, delighted to see it packed with people, just as it richly deserves to be (for far too long, Baked and Wired languished in the overwhelming shadow of its highly publicized neighbor and rival; not any more - people in-the-know have found it, and even though they may prefer one over the other, they still *always* at least mention it in reference to my question up above, thus passing my superficial little test.

I ordered two Cakecups (that's what they call them) and a Bar ("sweet squares of something special") to go, enjoying nibbles of each later in the day.

The Carrot Cake Cakecup ($3.50) was glorious perfection, and everything you could possibly want in a mini-carrot cake. Baked and Wired's website describes it as "moist carrot-filled cake with an even balance of spices and crunchy pecans (no raisins here) and cream cheese frosting." As tempting as that description sounds, it was happily incorrect: there were lots of raisins, lots of glorious raisins, just as there should be in a proper carrot cake <ducks as tomatoes are thrown>.

I've had the Pretty Bitchin' Cakecup ($3.50) before and loved it (it's chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting - what's not to love?); yesterday, however, it became the first thing I've ever eaten at Baked and Wired that wasn't pretty much perfect (this includes coffee, quiche, etc.). While the quality was clearly there, the cake-cup had seen better times in the past: it was the first dry cupcake I've ever had here, and the peanuts on top were just a little too old. If I were someone visiting for the first time, and I'd gotten only this, I probably wouldn't return (I do hope Baked and Wired reads this - it's meant as constructive criticism only).

A hilariously named Soccer Mom Bar ($3.15 I believe) is Baked and Wired's 7-Layer Bar, graham cracker crust, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, coconut, pecans, and "lots of sweet, gooey stuff." It's the type of bar that every child in the world would adore, and every adult would bemoan because of the calories - it's something you'd want to eat every day, for every meal.

Despite one dud, Baked and Wired remains strongly in Italic in the Dining Guide, and is my favorite cupcake shop in the whole world. Okay, I haven't been to every cupcake shop in the whole world, but I can try.

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Okay, I can appreciate the desire to not eat a behemoth of a cupcake, but shouldn't the pricing be commensurate? I'm fairly certain that GC and B&W charge roughly the same price for their cupcakes, and GC's are a good deal smaller than B&W's. While I don't think it's appropriate to be charging for hype"”which is what I think GC is doing"”I suppose that is the American way.

GC charges $2.75 ($3.03 with tax); B&W charges $3.50 (~3.80 with tax).  You do get quite a bit more cupcake for that $0.73.

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GC charges $2.75 ($3.03 with tax); B&W charges $3.50 (~3.80 with tax).  You do get quite a bit more cupcake for that $0.73.

Xochitl10 is exactly right on the cupcake value.  It's probably 50% more (excellent) cupcake for around 27% more $.  And, B&W is still (supririsingly) the only place to get high-quality coffee in Georgetown.  Positively laps GC on the java track.

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I consider that $0.73 well spent.

I do agree about the lack of wifi as a major downside, though.

I'm pretty sure it's because there's such a limited amount of seating space that they can't have people lingering (I understand that doesn't ease the pain of not having WiFi, but it's a possible reason for it).

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I consider that $0.73 well spent.

I do agree about the lack of wifi as a major downside, though.

I'm pretty sure it's because there's such a limited amount of seating space that they can't have people lingering (I understand that doesn't ease the pain of not having WiFi, but it's a possible reason for it).

To me, Baked & Wired is a place that can frustrate or be written off as just an example of everything can't be perfect or how we might prefer.  Is it a place with understandably inconvenient policies or one more indifferent to customer pain?  Unclear but is as it is.

Limited seating isn't why they don't offer WiFi. Seating isn't any more limted here than it is at other small coffee spots that offer Wi-Fi.  Filter in Dupont has maybe half the seats.  Likewise all three Dolcezza outlets in/close to DC (Dupont, Bethesda, G'Town).  Baked & Wired doesn't offer Wi-Fi because its owner doesn't want to offer it.  And that's her right. It's philosophical in the same way that Filter made that decision for it's downtown location by World Bank. They want you to talk or "read a book."  Laptops are prohibited. But, smart phones?  No problem.

Same applies to the dueling cashiers at B&W.  Kind of wacky and, at times, frustrating system.  If you want a coffee and cupcake and it's crowded, you wait on line for your cupcake but then have to know which of a bunch of different options and prices apply for whatever coffee drink in order to pay for both.  If you first get your coffee, they can't ring you up for a cupcake.  A bit crazy to have to queue and pay for both separately but, often, that's necessary.  They get a good amount of complaining about that but it's as they want to do it.

On other hand, of course, great baked goods and Georgetown's best coffee program.

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The GF's Sister ordered 16 (yes 16) cupcakes from Baked & Wired...a grab bag of flavors.  and Yes they were good.  They even freeze and defrost well...because, really, no one can sit down and eat 16 B&W cupcakes in one sitting.  My personal favorite was:  The Tessita - Vanilla Cake with dulce de leche filling and chocolate-hazelnut satin icing. 

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Note that Baked and Wired will be opening a second, bread-oriented, location at the Lyric 440K apartment complex in Mount Vernon Triangle in early 2015. This new location sounds more like a boulangerie and a sandwich shop, and I'm not even sure if they'll offer cupcakes (though I suspect public pressure will almost force them to).

"Baked & Wired To Open Bread Shop in Mt. Vernon Triangle" by Matt Cohen on dcist.com

"Baked & Wired Owners Bringing Artisanal Toast To DC" by Jessica Sidman on washingtoncitypaper.com

My young dining companion and I went to Baked and Wired for breakfast the other day - I didn't get receipts or take notes, so I have no pricing information to share with you.

I've never really liked the bifurcated lines at Baked and Wired, but being an odd space, I suppose the Velazquez's had to make do with what they were given. Matt headed left towards the cupcakes, and I headed right towards the coffee - our plan was to reconvene on the far side.

I got a Large Americano, and just as the coffee at Baked and Wired always is, it was wonderful. I love the fact that they have a sign up refusing to serve iced espresso (does anyone know why serving iced espresso is considered heresy in the world of coffee? As something of a layman, it just doesn't make that much sense to me, but I suppose the rapid cooling might affect something chemically - never mind :)).

In the coffee line, there are also wedges of quiche on the bottom shelf, and I got a slice of Ham and Gruyère Quiche, as well as two Ham Jalapeí±o Biscuits. Oh, and also a slice of Banana Nut Bread with walnuts and chocolate chips (I've always loved this combination, but it's a lethal one for anybody watching calories).

Matt had ordered two German Chocolate Cakecups ($3.65, and yes, they call them cakecups), not realizing the onslaught of baked goods headed his way. We grabbed the sofa at the communal coffee table (no pun intended), just on the other side of the wall, and I sipped my coffee as Matt was in breakfast heaven - although I was there primarily to enjoy my coffee, and only nibbled, the two of us managed to finish everything except for the cupcakes (which we enjoyed later in the day).  Every single item would get my vote as "Best of DC" for its type - the quiche, the biscuits (these biscuits are just tremendous), the banana bread - only the cupcakes (which are *always* the best in the city) were less than perfect, but that's because we waited about twelve hours to eat them, and they'd become a little dry - for me, that's a plus because it shows they aren't using additives to extend shelf life.

I've been raving about Baked and Wired for a long time now, and have always thought, and continue to think, that they are superior in every way to Georgetown Cupcake (and I'm certain they're sick of hearing about Georgetown Cupcake, but the comparisons are as inevitable as those between Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion). Although I don't know the Velazquez family, I could not be happier that they have become so popular - Baked and Wired used to be a ghost town, and it tore my heart out to think that this superior bakery might fall prey to television and fluff, as so many things in this world do. But people finally caught on, and I suspect the popularity of and spillover from Georgetown Cupcake had more to do with it than meets the eye (and once again, for the record, I like Georgetown Cupcake and was even sticking up for them at one point when others were deriding them (this is before things got crazy)).

Another great thing about Baked and Wired is that they've always maintained a good website, with a thorough list of offerings, and pretty much everything you'd want except pricing (which probably fluctuates enough so that it's a pain for them to keep it current, but it would be nice). There's no annoying music, no flash pop-ups, and no hard-to-find basic information. In fact, the only thing wrong with their website is that there's no mention of another website who has been one of their biggest supporters and cheerleaders since day one. I think they should rectify this situation, and then name a baked good after me called the Grumble Crumble.

Baked and Wired is the best cupcake-and-coffee shop in the DC area, and always has been. It is one of Washington, DC's great culinary treasures, and should be placed upon the highest pedestal.

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Baked and Wired is the best cupcake-and-coffee shop in the DC area, and always has been. It is one of Washington, DC's great culinary treasures, and should be placed upon the highest pedestal.

Yep. I always steer out-of-town guests who want to try GC here, and they are never disappointed.

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I stopped in for an ice cream sandwich this afternoon, the "Boy Blue." Described as oatmeal cookies and vanilla ice cream with a blueberry swirl, it was really more like oatmeal cookies around blueberry ice cream with big old fat blueberries scattered throughout. The cookies were wonderful, slightly chewy and buttery, and the ice cream was tasty, if not amazing. It was probably at least 1-1/2" thick; I was able to carry it from B&W back to my office at 34th and K with hardly any melting. At $6 a pop, it was a pretty special treat. And inspiration to make ice cream sandwiches with homemade oatmeal cookies and ice cream both.

PS: My office has taken to celebrating occasions (which we define loosely as new hires, birthdays, pregnancies, bar passings, really impressing the President and/or our board of directors, etc.) with cupcakes from B&W. They're getting business from us at least once a month. :)

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Is this still the place to get a a special treat in D.C., or has it been overtaken? What about the bread?

To the best of my knowledge, there is no bread. For cupcakes, it's my favorite place in the area by far - for coffee, it's very good, too. I haven't been since perhaps last summer (and probably not since they opened their second location), but as recently as a year ago, they were still the best cupcakes I've ever had.

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To the best of my knowledge, there is no bread. For cupcakes, it's my favorite place in the area by far - for coffee, it's very good, too. I haven't been since perhaps last summer (and probably not since they opened their second location), but as recently as a year ago, they were still the best cupcakes I've ever had.

I stand corrected thanks to GennaroE.

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Thank you. If anyone could either comment on the breads and or point me to some good bakeries around D.C., it would be great.

Try Bread Furst in NW DC for breads.  Some Whole Foods locations also carry their breads.  Whole Foods in the past has also had breads from Firehook Bakery, which has retail locations in the DC area.  That bread is decent, but the more mass they scale up, the less I like it.  I like some of the breads at Spring Mill Bakery, which has locations around the DC area, but their bread is mostly of the sandwich loaf variety and tends to have sweeteners.

There is also the international chain Le Pain Quotidien, which has locations in the area.

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