Saturday, March 26, 2011

A cupcake inspires trips to two amazing NYC shops this week: New York Cakes and Baking Supply and Economy Candy

A Panda cupcake. That's where it started. Inspired by my sons desire for cupcakes shaped and decorated to look like Panda bears, I made my list and headed out to two old-timey NYC shops that have the absolute best selection of baking and candy in the city.

First stop, New York Cakes & Baking Supply on 22nd Street at 6th Avenue. I've been coming here for years, it's my go to place for cake decorating supplies, ingredients, tools and obscure stuff you just can't find anywhere else, like "sugar eyes." The big, wooden carved double doors are the first hint that you're entering a real NY classic store, with merchandise everywhere you look. In the aisles, climbing the walls. Handwritten signs calling out lollipop sticks, cupcake liners, liquid frosting, etc...

I overhear the man behind the counter ringing up a customer saying, "Ever since those cake shows started on TV,  it's been crazy here." I find the dark chocolate disks, the sugar eyes and the brown cupcake tin lines I came for, but they don't have the nonpareils! "We're out," I'm told.  Never mind, I know where to go next for those. In the meantime I wander the narrow aisles getting an eyeful of all the fascinating tins, rolling pins, cake toppers and more.

To source the nonpareils and some chocolate covered peanuts, I had the perfect excuse to plan a visit to my favorite candy store in the city, Economy Candy on Rivington at Ludlow Street.
Economy Candy storefront.
Economy Candy is located in the newly hip gallery district of the lower east side of Manhattan, 
a couple of blocks below Houston Street.

All photographs: Copyright of Monica Forrestall. 
May not be used without Monica Forrestall's written permission.