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Cupcakin' Bake Shop

4.6 (754 reviews)
Open • 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Updated over 3 months ago

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Key Lime Pie (Customer favorite) & Red Velvet (Our Top Seller)
Adriana G.

The most delicious cupcakes! I visited Berkeley recently after four years, and I had to make a stop for these cupcakes! My absolute favorite is the red velvet. I love how moist the bread is and the frosting is actually really good! The key lime cupcake has got to be my next favorite with a citrusy taste and graham cracker foundation (with a hidden filling inside)! The service is always great and the ambiance is cozy with a delicious smell in the air that welcomes you! Highly recommend!!

Key Lime Pie (Customer favorite)
Adrienne H.

I cant believe I'm just finding out about this location. My friend asked if I wanted a sweet treat and we went here. They are so cute and small and bite size. I love that. I tried the carrot cake absolutely delicious and it was so moist. Im not even a key lime kinda girl but the key lime was really good. I also tried the red velvet which Im not a chocolate fan but I could see how someone would love it. I'll definitely be back to try more

Liane T.

This review is long overdue. Ordered these for the amazing nursing staff at a local hospital. They looked amazing and they all loved it! They're the cutest and tastiest cupcakes around.

Mini cupcake
Tessa Q.

I recently ordered cupcakes for a party and was really looking forward to them. Unfortunately the packaging didn't seem very secure and by the time I arrived at my event many of the cupcakes had shifted and became messed up. I understand that transport can be tricky, but since these were for a special occasion, it was a bit disappointing that they didn't arrive in a presentable condition.

Flavor destruction between key lime and lemon blueberry
Megan C.

I saw a girl walking down the street with two cupcakes (in black) in her hand which made me think "hey, I haven't had or seen a cupcake establishment in a very long time...I cannot miss out on such a chance!" I ordered the key lime (presumably their best seller), lemon blueberry (because I love this combo) and funfetti (as a baseline). I should of have taken the picture of the box but it slipped my mind. I laid this box completely flat driving home. Subsequently, I somehow experienced a flavor disaster with each cupcake on top of each other (worker placed my three cupcakes in separate compartments in a 4 cupcake box and enclosed it with 3 lovely greased thumb prints on top). However, I did take a photo showing the mixing of the lemon blueberry and key lime... Anyways--I do not know if I received a bad batch due to how crumbling and grainy the cupcakes were. The flavors are there but the quality isn't. I miss that well built, well structured cupcake with a crunch on top. Therefore, one star. Very pricey with one cupcake the size between a mini and a full listed at the upwards of more than $4 each (typically $4.50) No one generally lurks or stays in the store but props to the very chic and modern decor! Usually a grab and go. Parking is complicated as it's located in downtown Berkeley. Am I coming back? Uh, no.

Candace S.

I love Cupcakin! My friend introduced me to this wonderful establishment last year and they have the BEST cupcakes I've ever had. Last time I went to the other Berkeley location and noticed there was a larger selection of cupcakes. Regardless, I still enjoyed thoroughly the cupcakes I bought!

So yummy! I love that they have a wide variety of flavors and I also love that they have mini cupcakes!! They're a perfect size and you can try a bunch of the different flavors without getting an entire cupcake. The packaging is really cute too, I like that they have little cupcake holders in the box, that's smart. Pretty good prices, and they do have a bench to sit on inside which I appreciate.

red velvet, salted caramel, strawberry, key lime pie
Hannah P.

Picked up some birthday cupcakes here and they were delicious! We don't usually find flavors like salted caramel at other cupcake shops, and it was our favorite of the ones we tried. We also really liked the key lime pie and red velvet. I like that they're not too sugary sweet.

Cake
Natalie C.

I love cupcakin bake shop, my favorite cupcake shop since the day they opened on telegraph. I used to come here for a quick sweet treat when I went to school at Cal, and my favorites were always the key lime pie and red velvet. The cakes were always so moist and not too sweet, pairing so well with the buttercream frosting. For the first time this past weekend, I tried ordering their full sized cakes for a friend's birthday. I got a custom cake (the heart shaped one with lots of piping) since I've seen these type of cake decorations on instagram and tiktok a lot. When I got to the store to pick up, the cake was ready for me and it was an extremely fast exchange. However keep in mind that the cake is going to be too tall for the box so you can't close the lid all the way or else the frosting will get squished -- so keep that in mind!! When you're transporting it make sure the lid is still popped open slightly. Other than that the cake was super cute and delicious, and I would buy more cakes from here in the future.

key lime pie cupcake, red velvet cupcake
Jen T.

Cupcakin' is such a cute spot for a quick treat for friends or family, but i found the cupcakes a bit too sweet key lime cupcake-- sweet tangy lime flavor & i found this one to be easier to eat than the red velvet. i'd order mini ones of this flavor again! red velvet cupcake-- really really moist with a thickk cream cheese frosting, but the frosting and cake together was an overwhelmingly sweet combo i think the mini cupcakes here are a the perfect portion and found the full-size ones a bit much. stellar service and very attentive when boxing up my cupcakes!!

Too good to go
Ninnis B.

Great cupcakes! Cake is moist, frosting isn't achingly sweet. Great flavors. My favorite is key lime pie!

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Very good cupcakes!! Very moist and they are cute too. Love getting these as a sweet treat.

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Is there an option that is both dairy free and gluten free?

Unfortunately, only gluten free at this time.

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Fournée Bakery - Meyer Lemon Shortbread ($2.25) - really dry, felt old. Not good.

Fournée Bakery

4.6(741 reviews)
1.0 mi
•$

I don't even know why I'm sharing this "secret bakery" with y'all... ugh…read more Oh mmm geee. I will forever wait in line for Fournée because the baked goods are THAT good. The cheese roll is a must, but beware, it can sell out by around 10am. And that damn chocolate almond croissant is an absolute yes every damn time. Take it home, warm it up, and thank me later. The melty chocolate inside with all that almond goodness baked on top?! oouff Heavenly. I'll occasionally get the veggie quiche slice too, especially when they have the corn & potato one. Somehow I always stick to my same three favorites even though everything in those cases looks amazing. I really need to venture out already because those cakes?! Whew. The two gentlemen who usually help me are always so nice, keep the line moving and are welcoming too, great service every time. Yes, it's a little pricey, but I mean...you're in the Berkeley Hills and isn't EVERYTHING overly expensive nowadays? At least here, I leave feeling like it was worth it. Worth the line. Worth spinning the block for parking. Next time I'm getting an assorted box to "share." Anyway, I've already said too much. Please don't make the line longer.

Always great! Love the breads, love that they change pastries regularly and even the biggest lines…read morenever take too long. I also LOVE the quiches Very nice staff and it's a huge plus paving a Peet's Coffee next door

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Fournée Bakery
Fournée Bakery - Inside of Fruit Croissant ($4.75) - Organic Seville orange marmalade, cream cheese, and Lemon Verbena oat streusel. Good!

Inside of Fruit Croissant ($4.75) - Organic Seville orange marmalade, cream cheese, and Lemon Verbena oat streusel. Good!

Fournée Bakery - Inside of Cheese Roll ($4.25) - Levain dough with Gruyère cheese, Manchego cheese, & cubeb pepper. Delicious. Chewy bread, very cheesey.

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Inside of Cheese Roll ($4.25) - Levain dough with Gruyère cheese, Manchego cheese, & cubeb pepper. Delicious. Chewy bread, very cheesey.

Masse's Pastries - Mango mirror mousse cake

Masse's Pastries

4.3(1.1k reviews)
1.1 mi•North Berkeley, Gourmet Ghetto
•$$

I have been shop forever and I'm finally here. The store is kind of small, but it's very cozy and…read moreyou can tell that they decorate it themselves. The chef was outside helping out and he was super nice very friendly. He was very enthusiastic about his dessert and was introducing it to us. We went when the store is almost closing, so there wasn't that many selection left, but we got the vanilla custard and that was so good full of the vanilla flavor. It's not overly sweet and feel very light. It was so good that I even got another one to take home with me. They also have a good selection of Macaron and they are not overly sweet. They are very light and the seasoning was really well. The cake was also really good. I got one of the chocolate walnut cake and that one was very rich with coffee flavor. I love it. I will definitely come back again.

The descriptions and prices are not marked on the display case, but the employees (owners?) there…read morewere more than happy to list them all out. Honestly, they really need to include signs and probably allergen information as well. But I'm not sure if the owners opt to omit the signage on purpose to encourage conversation. The cakes were good and the pricing was fair. Limited seating available. Overall, I enjoyed the pastries and would come back if I'm craving some European style cake.

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Masse's Pastries - Raspberry chocolate

Raspberry chocolate

Masse's Pastries - Hazelnut chocolate cake

Hazelnut chocolate cake

Masse's Pastries - Chocolate raspberry cake

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Chocolate raspberry cake

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - jouraku ceremonial latte (10/2026)

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley

4.3(1.2k reviews)
1.9 mi•West Berkeley
•$$

Omg, such great ideas for selling mochi donuts and drinks! Such a perfect combo!!…read more This place has been on my list to try, so when I was in Berkeley yesterday, I had to stop by! I got the Strawberry Lychee Roasted Matcha Latte (Hojicha) and the Ube Coconut Butter Mochi Donut As I've been more into hojicha lately, I had to try the strawberry and lychee flavor! It was perfectly balanced and not overly sweet. I loved it! The donut was so chewy and delicious, and the Ube flavor on top was amazing. I also love that it's an open kitchen, so you can actually see them making everything fresh. It smells SO good when you walk in! Definitely add this place to your list if you're around the area! FYI, there's no designated parking lot, but there's plenty of street parking around. There's also no seating inside. Hopefully they open more locations around the Peninsula because this combo is too good! PLEASE!

Maybe back in the day, Third Culture's matcha was considered novel, innovative, and really good…read more But compared to all the new matcha spots popping up, I honestly don't think their drinks hold up anymore. Especially at the price point, you expect a more premium drink. The matcha was gritty and tasted mostly like milk, with just an essence of whatever flavor it was paired with. For the price, I was expecting something much more flavorful and refined. The donuts were fine, but nothing particularly special or memorable. Overall, I just don't think the drinks or donuts justify the price compared to what's available now.

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Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Strawberry lychee roasted matcha latte

Strawberry lychee roasted matcha latte

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Strawberry Lychee Matcha Latte, matcha einspanner (06/2025)

Strawberry Lychee Matcha Latte, matcha einspanner (06/2025)

Third Culture Bakery - Berkeley - Pandan Mochi Donut

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Pandan Mochi Donut

Starter Bakery - Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are back!  Taste a flavor of the holidays. Lean into winter with deeply fudgy cookies topped with crushed canes

Starter Bakery

4.3(168 reviews)
1.5 mi•Rockridge, North Oakland
•$$

I'm really happy to discover Starter Bakery. It's become one of those easy go-to spots for me when…read moreI want a good sandwich, fresh bread, flaky croissants, or just something a little special. Their sandwiches are probably what first got me hooked. The bread is so good, with a chewy inside and a nice crust, and the fillings are always fresh and flavorful. The combinations are also really well thought out. From there, I started working my way through the rest of the menu. I've had their Kouign Amann, Quiche Lorraine, croissants, baguette, Sourdough Batard, Sunflower Rye Spelt, pretzel buns (you can probably tell I'm a bread person), pies, seasonal radicchio salad, and passionfruit madeleines. Their seasonal radicchio salad has actually become one of my favorites to take to work for lunch. I also love that they rotate the Kouign Amann flavors, so there's usually something new to try whenever I stop by. I've enjoyed almost everything I've had here. One pie was a little too sweet for me personally, but that's really the only thing that comes to mind. I also really like the presentation and the atmosphere. The pastry case always looks beautiful and tempting, and the space feels relaxed and welcoming. It's easy to pop in and grab something, but it's also a nice place to meet friends for coffee and something sweet. The prices feel very reasonable for the quality, which is another reason I keep coming back. More than anything, I just really enjoy having Starter Bakery in the area. It's become one of my neighborhood go-to spots, and I always seem to find another reason to stop by.

​I have been reading amazing things about Starter Bakery, so I was excited to try it out with my…read moregirlfriend. The ambiance is wonderful - I absolutely love the deep blue color scheme, the cute matching mugs, and gorgeous plants. They have a lot of different pastry choices, but unfortunately, there was only one vegan option: a tiny hazelnut sweet bread. ​I ordered the bread along with an Americano. When I tried to take the pastry out of the package to share it with my girlfriend, it completely crumbled into a big mess. I went up to the counter to let them know, and the employee told me it was actually meant to be eaten straight from the package. She mentioned it was on the drier side being vegan, she took the crumbled mess and gave me a new one but it ended up having the exact same issue. It wasnt dry, but it just wouldn't hold any moisture and was far too crumbly to eat. ​For $5, this tiny pastry was a major letdown. To make the interaction weirder, she took the original crumbled bread back from me and I'm only assuming threw it away, which felt entirely unnecessary. Having been vegan for nine years, I've had some truly amazing, moist vegan baked goods, so this was incredibly disappointing. While the vibe and aesthetic are great, the vegan options were major letdown. CC accepted Restroom available

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Starter Bakery - Mille bisous for mille feuille with pear! Now available at College Ave.

Mille bisous for mille feuille with pear! Now available at College Ave.

Starter Bakery - Our Stollen holiday bread makes winter mornings festive. Shown here in our regular size--preorder by 12/19 at 12pm PT for pick-up on 12/24.

Our Stollen holiday bread makes winter mornings festive. Shown here in our regular size--preorder by 12/19 at 12pm PT for pick-up on 12/24.

Starter Bakery - Earl Grey, coming in hot -- in our Plum & Earl Grey Kouign Amann, available this week for Oakland Style.

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Earl Grey, coming in hot -- in our Plum & Earl Grey Kouign Amann, available this week for Oakland Style.

Acme Bread Company - Inside the bakery

Acme Bread Company

4.6(823 reviews)
2.0 mi•West Berkeley
•$$

I will forever rave about Acme Bread. Also, yes- the line is absolutely worth the wait, plus it…read moremoves fairly quickly! Every time it's finally my turn to pick out the best breads to take home, I am greeted with the glorious smell of freshly baked bread. All kinds too, but my absolute favorite is their cheddar biscuit! Savory, buttery, and soft. Grabbing a half dozen of those biscuits to eat throughout the week or pair it with a nice chili really makes me jump for joy. I especially love how when entering the building, there is so much bread, literally everywhere, that you have less than a 10x10 space to stand in. It is actually very comforting to know that everyone who visits is welcoming the warm and fluffy embrace of Acme's delicious bread. Special shoutout to the giant bread ring that they had one day that I brought to a concert to share with friends. It was a wonderfully tasty experience.

Don't let the line intimidate you, it moves pretty fast, and it's worth the wait! I've gone on…read moredifferent days and at different times, and there is ALWAYS a line. PROS * Super fresh bread with a great daily selection. Some sweet stuff as well. * Great prices * Two types of pizza specials * Helpful, knowledgeable staff KEEP IN MIND * There's pretty much always a line, but it moves * The parking lot out front is limited, but there's a back lot too Inside, it's small and BUSY. Bread is constantly being made, to-go orders are getting picked up, and customers are being helped. There's a lot happening in a little space, but they have their system down pat! Honestly, the line has become part of my strategy. It gives me time to scope out everything in the window and plan what I want before I get to the front. The freshness of the bread is hard to beat, especially for the prices. Between the selection, helpful staff, and quality, this is one line I don't mind standing in. Bottom line: See a line? Get in it. Then start studying the window.

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Acme Bread Company - Olive oil cake with apricots

Olive oil cake with apricots

Acme Bread Company - At the register

At the register

Acme Bread Company - Cherry puff

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Cherry puff

Bake Sum - Inside of Chocolate Chunk with Maldon Salt Cookie ($3.50) - very good!

Bake Sum

4.5(423 reviews)
3.8 mi•Grand Lake, Lower Hills
•$$

My second time visiting this cute coffee shop/bakery, and I enjoyed it just as much as the first!…read more My friend ordered the matcha and the milk bun, and both were delicious. She's very particular, so I was especially glad that she enjoyed everything. The interior is beautiful--you can tell it was designed with so much attention to detail. I love the color scheme; the whole space feels very soft and whimsical. They also have a few non-food items like books, pins, stationery, and other little things that would make really cute gifts. Service was friendly and welcoming. I'll definitely be back! I'm

Gluten challenge stop #7. All I can say is WOW! We got the yuzu bun and a pandan bun…read more The yuzu meringue bun was amazing. It's like a morning bun, and the texture of the morning bun is light, fluffy. Lots of sugar on it, it shedded everywhere while eating. The filling is the star. It is a curd and has a strong a prominent yuzu flavor. They filled it VERY generously. You get curd with every bite. We both agreed the meringue on top, while good, was not needed. The yuzu curd is not too sweet, they really lean into the sour so it balances out the sweet bun nicely. The pandan bun is like nothing I've EVER had. It's the strongest pandan flavored anything I've ever had. You can smell the pandan before you even bite into it. It's a lot like a brioche bun (not dissimilar to challah in texture) with a pandan-flavored concha top. It has a cream-style pandan filling which is a SUPER strong pandan flavor. Generously filled, very generously. Will definitely return if I can. Their flavors are on a rotating basis. The woman at the counter was enthusiastic and polite, eagerly answered questions.

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Bake Sum - Inside of Mocha Cake ($3.75) - it's quite sweet and soft, but not really chocolatey.

Inside of Mocha Cake ($3.75) - it's quite sweet and soft, but not really chocolatey.

Bake Sum - Inside of Hojicha Double Chocolate Cookie ($4) - great, strong hojicha flavor. I still prefer the black sesame snickerdoodle though.

Inside of Hojicha Double Chocolate Cookie ($4) - great, strong hojicha flavor. I still prefer the black sesame snickerdoodle though.

Bake Sum - Almond Cake ($4) and Hojicha Double Chocolate Cookie ($4)

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Almond Cake ($4) and Hojicha Double Chocolate Cookie ($4)

Cupcakin' Bake Shop - bakeries - Updated November 2026

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