These pastries are pure works of art. From their cupcakes to the icing to their random surprise daily bakes like their Whoopie pies... I am foaming at the mouth just thinking about it. I promise you, this is worth any drive or penny you're spending. I am not normally a cake person and honestly, I've never met an icing that I liked until now. I've also had a friend get multiple cakes from them and they all looked beautifully crafted. Parking is annoying, but there's a garage nearby and some street parking. Cute shop. I recommend checking online for their flavors before driving in to make sure you go on a day that you get something that sounds interesting. Their basic vanilla is anything but basic, so always recommend that one as well. The service has always been good, never had any issues! read more

Stunning desserts perfect for celebrations! The cupcake flavor selection rotates. I went with the salted caramel and chocolate raspberry. They were such a hit! More expensive than your typical grocery store bakery, but the presentation and taste match the price. The bakery itself has a small table. It's light and bright in there. Typically, I've gone in and ordered cupcakes from the case (not preordered). The bakers are sweet and ready to help you make selections. read more

Vanilla Pastry Studio - Desserts Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I have NO IDEA what happened to my review and all my precious pics!! I was literally the first one to review after the grand reopening as I was one of the first in line. Anyway, I digress. I love this bakery. I loved it in Regent Square and I love it now as much as I did then. Locally, woman owned spot with the most delicious cupcakes you'll ever wrap your mouth around. The cookies are freaking perfection as well. I love the oatmeal cream pie cookie so much. The baked goods here rival any famous bakeries in bigger cities like NYC or Chicago. read more

Vanilla Pastry Studio - a vase of flowers and a cookie - Desserts Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Under normal circumstances, a cupcake is a cupcake. I've never craved one but I never turned one down. Then the day came where I first tried one from Vanilla Pastry Studio. I started driving 45 minutes each way to get one. I started going to restaurants that sold their whoopie pies. I was hooked. Needless to say, I am thankful that they have reopened. The recipe hasn't changed and they still send me tastebuds into overdrive. I appreciate that they don't taste artificial, and are light while not sending your molars into sugar shock. Welcome back! And for those that haven't tried them before, make it happen. read more

Vanilla Pastry Studio - Chocolate buttercream, chocolate fudge, red velvet, vanilla, strawberry, lemon - Desserts Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The cupcakes are good, the place is cute. $15 for 1/2 a dozen is fair. However, we were a little taken aback by the counter workers. There were two people in the shop, us and other lady, and one counter worker. As we were waiting, no rush, another work comes in and asked if we need help. Didn't wash her hands or anything. She did eventually use hand sanitizer. We were ready and she was eager to help us, ok fine., she picks up the box then touches her hair. Politely asked if she could wash her hands since she just touched her hair, more hand sanitizer. My recommendation to the owners is to have employees wear their hair in a bun or ponytail. This lady had atleast shoulder length hair. We were in no rush, there was no line, that she couldn't put her jacket away, put her hair up appropriately and wash her hands with traditional soap and water. read more

Was so excited to see the Vanilla Pastry Studio reopened their original location! I made a special trip from the South Hills to get a cupcake since I have not found another cupcake as delicious as the ones that I remembered from them. The shop is small, but the flavors are big! I bought cupcakes for two friends so they could also enjoy them. Make a trip-it is so worth it! My favorite was the Salted Carmel, my husband likes the vanilla and my friend liked the hot chocolate cupcake. I plan to come back soon and may order a cake since there are so many great options read more

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Its as good as it was before they closed. The chocolate cupcakes with either the fudge on top or the chocolate buttercream are easily the best chocolate cupcakes we've ever had. My dad doesn't even like cake that much but we took a 1/2 dozen to my parent's house and he said it was the best chocolate cupcake he's ever had and he's in his 70's, so that's got to be pretty good right? If he said it was the best cupcake he's had all day, then I wouldn't bother writing this review because then I would know he's had a better cupcake before that day right? read more

Purchased a large round cake - it was completely dried out. Clearly cake was made days prior and iced. How do you mess that up? Ruined a party. read more

Amazing cupcakes and they were so friendly and surprisingly cheap per cupcake and gave me my requests even through it wasn't guaranteed. Ordered pickup 2 days and was great experience. read more

I spent every birthday for a very long time getting a dozen vanilla caramel cupcakes. I've never craved a dessert more. I was so absolutely bummed when the location was closed. Now it's reopened in its original location which happens to be a half mile from my job. I'm in so much trouble cause I'm gonna be there all of the time! Welcome back.. god I've missed you! read more

We've placed multiple orders with them and everything has been phenomenal - they went above and beyond on both the decorations and flavors read more

Vanilla Pastry Studio - a birthday cake in a box - Desserts Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I ordered abut 500 mini cupcakes for my wedding without doing a tasting at all! I actually had never even had any cupcakes at Vanilla Pastry Studio. I simply went off of yelp reviews, and their interesting unique flavors. I was not disappointed, and neither were my guests! The service at Vanilla Pastry is wonderful. They were quite helpful over the phone, and understood that I didn't have time to come in for a tasting. Everything was package perfectly, and you could taste that it had been baked that day. Everyone at the wedding reception was raving over them. Since then I have stopped by their shop multiple times to treat myself occasionally. Their cupcakes are unbelievably moist, seriously... I have no idea how they do it! I recently went to another wedding where they had done a cupcake tower, again they did a stellar job. If just want a treat, or a large order this is definitely the place to go. I just wish they had multiple locations, like dozen. I would definitely pick this place over dozen any day. My wedding order was: 1. Mango-Passionfruit 2. Vanilla - Dulce de Leche 3. Chocolate - Raspberry 4. Vanilla Chocolate 5. Vanilla - Vanilla They allowed me to pick theme colors for the balls on top too. It matched perfectly! read more

Vanilla Pastry Studio - Cupcakes at my wedding reception! Photo courtesy of "Sky's the Limit Photography" - Desserts Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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These are the tastiest most addicting little morsels! For my birthday I decided I did not want cake I wanted mini cupcakes because we were going to be in a crowded bar with no seating and a band playing! This idea was perfect for my festivities and super cute! I looked up the web site to find the vast array of cupcake selections. They had so much to choose from, they could satisfy anyone's tastes. I decided on the flavors I wanted and called in my order. The woman who worked with me was so incredibly nice and accommodating. The menu is big but they don't carry every single item on the list at all times. It is best to call and see what they will be making and what they have to choose from as some are seasonal. I had chosen 2 dozen split into boxes of six. So 6 mango passion fruit, 6 s'mores, 6 chocolate peanut butter, and 6 cookies n' cream. I also ordered a jumbo chocolate cupcake for the centerpiece with pink icing. They offered to add a fondant top that said Happy Birthday to MEEE! I'll add my pic so you can see. I'm a customer for life and they are sooo delicious. read more

Vanilla Pastry Studio - My cupcake platter!! Yumm - Desserts Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

If I could have three wishes when entering Vanilla Pastry Studio they'd be: 1. To have the body type and metabolism that allows me to eat as many sweets as possible without the weight gain. 2. An endless supply of milk. 3. A lifetime supply of their cupcakes. To me Vanilla Pastry Studio is the premier sweet shop in Pittsburgh. No matter what time of day you are there the cupcakes, cookies and such are always so fresh tasting. It's like biting into heaven and if you think heaven is something else well I feel a little sorry for you. The only complaint with these types of shops are they tend to be a bit on the pricey side which helps me with gorging on delicious sweets. But I definitely feel as if you are truly paying for a quality ingredient. I would love to be a commercial of theirs just so they could pay me in cupcakes. read more

I have a cupcake obsession. I like of think that i am a cupcake connoisseur.... who doesnt love a glass of rose champagne with cupcakes? I have tried almost every cupcake speciality bakery in pittsburgh and all of them failed to satisfy me....thats until i tried Vanilla. I was a having a small soiree and i ordered a dozen cupcakes from here. It was a last minute order but they were able to accommodate me. They had a range of flavours the usual (red velvet, vanilla chocolate) as well as some unique flavours (mango passion fruit, chocolate malted) and with a bit of notice they can pretty much bake any flavoured cupcake for you. I thought the price was reasonable ($25 for the dozen) they also do mini cupcakes and jumbo size ones. The cupcakes were the perfect size. The cake was moist fresh and not heavy. The icing wasnt overwhelmingly sweet and it was also smooth and not too buttery or milky... In other words i didn't feel like a fat panda after consuming them. Pure perfection. Their customer service was amazing they even recommended some of their favourite flavours . I should mention that the soiree i was talking about mostly consisted of my BF's guy friends and they loved the cupcakes no left overs!!! The hits were the red velvet and the peanut butter chocolate. The store is also really pretty and cute very High tea!!!. read more

Vanilla Pastry Studio - Vanilla pastry studio yum yums - Desserts Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Really, this place gets a 5 star rating for the cupcakes. I've had many--every time they are scrumptious!! Icing is always silky, cake is moist and light. BRAVO!! However, I feel the need to complain BECAUSE, twice I've bought cookies from there and have brought them home, today was one of those days. BOTH times I found a long (about 10 inches), dark piece of hair inside one of the cookies!!! Right now the toffee cookie and piece of hair are sitting on my kitchen window sill--I'd like to mail it back to them!! Ugh, very frustrating! read more

I've never met anyone who doesn't like cupcakes - cake, frosting (buttercream), and a soft wrapper that hold all of that goodness together. Cupcakes have been around for decades, but recently there's been a serious surge in their popularity. One of the reasons for their increased popularity, I suspect, is that cupcakes takes us back to our childhood, a simpler time when the only thing we had to worry about was getting home before dark, and making sure we finished our homework. Cupcakes are back in a big way, and aren't a passing trend. If you haven't tried these delicious treats recently, you're missing out. Evolution When I was kid, there were two kinds of cupcakes, vanilla and chocolate. The icing was sweet, and you could always taste the granulated sugar. These days, bakers have expanded their techniques, thus improving flavor, texture, and vastly increasing flavor combinations. Try a Mimosa cupcake with tangerine icing, or a Mexican Chocolate cupcake with burnt cinnamon buttercream. If you haven't had the Elvis (banana-cake with peanut butter buttercream), or the Passion Fruit, you're missing out. The possibilities are endless; if you can think up a flavor combination, it's probably been made. Talent Not all pastries are created equal. Have you ever taken a bite of cake that looks beautiful, but tastes bad? Have you ever experienced a "moist free" cupcake? Well, I have, and there aren't enough glasses of H2O to get that dry cake down. Baking is an exact science; measurements must be precise to maintain a consistent, high-quality product. A perfect cupcake must have certain components in order to be considered perfect. These elements are: a smooth, fluffy buttercream. Next, the cake should be moist, and flavorful. Lastly, the cupcake needs to be visually attractive. Vanilla Pastry Studio in Pittsburgh Over the past six months, I have catered several events where the pastries from Vanilla Pastry Studio were served. Some of the pastries and cupcakes that I've sampled are: Vanilla/Vanilla, Raspberry Cream, Coconut (my personal favorite), Chocolate Raspberry, Red Velvet, Toasted Almond, and Pumpkin Spice. The cupcakes are light and delicious - deliriously wonderful from start to finish. Each cupcake is a small work of art; almost too beautiful to eat... I've sampled cupcakes from other bakeries in the area, and I can say with certainty that these are the best! Not Just Cupcakes Vanilla Pastry doesn't just serve cupcakes; they have a myriad of other treats to choose from. If you're on your way to the office in the morning, stop off and grab some freshly baked cranberry-orange, apricot, or five-spice scones. You may also want to try the Banana, or Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins. One of Vanilla's specialties is the Lolly - a small dessert served on a stick. Lollys are easy to eat, delicious, and look, no mess on your hands! Some of the Lolly flavors are: Salted Caramel * Passionfruit Cheesecake * Chocolate Custard * Key Lime Pie * Raspberry Cheesecake * Lemon Cheesecake * Tiramisu * Dark Chocolate-Espresso Vanilla Pastry Studio also offers wedding cakes, celebration cakes, and seasonal items, and cookies. If you haven't taken the time to experience the tasty treats at Vanilla, make plans to go. Grab a cupcake on your way home from work and let yourself be transported back to your childhood; just remember to order enough treats for everyone. For pricing and ordering call: 412-361-2306 read more

I don't normally allow myself to eat things like this. But on October 1, 2012 I decided to allow myself a cheat month. That's right, an entire month to eat things that I haven't eaten in years. I will tell you now, that I have paid dearly for every single cheat that I have done this past month, but in the case of Vanilla Pastry Studio I can say that it may have been worth it. I have tried the following cupcake flavors: Lemon Pumpkin with Cream Cheese Frosting Vanilla Bean Chocolate with Chocolate Buttercream Chocolate with Chocolate Fudge I despise foods that are sweet just for the sake of being sweet. The cupcakes from this studio are anything but sweet for sweetness sake. The flavor just bursts into your mouth with every bite. Everything is so moist, ooey and gooey. My favorites so far have been the Lemon cupcake and the Pumpkin with Cream Cheese frosting. If I had no self-control, I would have returned every day of the month to eat one of each. It does sadden me that it will be at least a year before I allow myself to take even a single bite of these delicious morsels of heaven, but it will make the taste that much better. Vanilla Pastry Studio deserves the spot as my 700th review. read more

I'll be honest, I didn't believe all the hype this place was getting. But smack me across the face b/c I should have known better to doubt the majority of the reviews on Yelp! This place is amazing. I can only speak on behalf of the cupcakes b/c that is all that I tried, but they were soooo good. I bought a dozen for my friend's birthday and they were a huge hit. I got a variety and I did like some better than others, but overall they were all delish. This place is a bit pricey - $25 for 12 cupcakes which I think is kinda steep - but people these are gourmet cupcakes so once in a while it's worth the splurge. I'll definitely be going back to this place and picking more up to share with family and friends. My only complaint is their hours aren't really conducive to those of us who work for a living. They close at 6 pm during the week and the only way I was able to get there was b/c I was able to leave work a bit early and made it to the store at 5:00. I guess I can always go on the weekend, but it's tough for me to get the time to do that as well. Oh well - when there's a will there's a way...and believe me my sugar addiction will make me find my way back to Vanilla Pastry Studio. read more

I love Vanilla Pastry Studio. Their cupcakes are without a doubt the best in Pittsburgh. They are moist, and perfectly paired up with real buttercream frosting. Some of my favorites are the strawberry champagne, lemon, and grape. (Yes, grape)! Other winners at this place include the lollies (chocolate covered desserts on a stick), the homemade ho-hos, and the seasonal pastries. April (the owner) is always friendly and helpful. When I ordered a large number of cupcakes for a birthday party and the order had a mistake, she worked hard to correct it the day before the event. I am giving it four stars instead of five because I believe that some of their items are overpriced. Moreover, every time that I have tried to order a cake, (week or two in advance) I was turned down because they were "booked for weddings." I suppose this is the drawback to having a small, popular, bakery. In a nutshell: It's a nice splurge to have once in awhile, but if you want to order a cake, call a few weeks in advance! read more

Here's the deal: I didn't read through the rest of the reviews to see if anyone else had mentioned this, but it's better than Dozen. That's pretty much all you need to know when thinking about cupcakes in PGH. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the non-cupcake fare at Dozen, like their pot pies, quiche and chicken salad sandwich (even though $8 is a bit steep for a cafe sandwich and small bag of chips), but Vanilla is simply better. I'll go so far as to say it's better than Magnolia Bakery in NYC. I lived in Greenwich Village for a few years and visited often, so I say that with great authority ;). Why?: -Their cupcakes start moist and stay moist throughout the day -The icing is light and fluffy and not too sugary and gritty like some, just the way it should be -My favorite item: The chocolate with peanut butter icing. Best cupcake I've ever had -April and the rest of the team are incredibly friendly read more

I didn't get to eat the cupcakes here but, I wanted to give them five stars for their service, presentation, and getting the cupcakes to my friend right away! My friend moved to Pittsburgh recently, and I wanted to have cupcakes sent to her workplace. I called them up, they were friendly, and the next morning they were delivered and my friend said they were delicious. I saw a pic too, and they were cute as can be. What a great success! read more

I first discovered these delicious cupcakes at a Maniac Magazine event. They were so delicious, I could hardly wait to check out Vanilla bakery! The shop and staff were so inviting. The fresh pastries displayed in the front give off a wonderful sweet aroma. I selected an assortment of Red Velvet, Lemon and Chocolate Espresso flavored cupcakes. Each one was so delicious in its own way! I just love the creamy icing! I could really tell that they were made with fresh ingredients from scratch. I became a fan of the bakery on facebook, and they always update their status so you know what is cooking in the oven. (: read more

Vanilla Pastry is located right near my office, so we always get their cupcakes for somebody's birthday, any other special occasion....or you know, when the cupcake mood strikes. I've picked some up on the way home for a dessert to share with my boyfriend, and given them as a gift to friends. The quality is always excellent. The cupcakes are the most beautiful things, each looking more delicious than the previous. The flavors rotate, and I can't recall all the ones I've tried, but I know I enjoyed the lemon cupcakes, and the red velvet in particular. The frosting is creamy and appealing, and that's a lot coming from me since usually I find frosting to be too sweet and overwhelming. The decor is adorable too - it really is the cutest, brightest little shop! I want to say the cupcakes are about $4 each? But I think it's worth it for the price. Rather than buy a whole bunch, I'd say just get one for you and one for your lover and just eat them fresh. They taste best the day you buy them. It's easy to find metered parking in the area, so stop in the next time you are craving something sweet and beautiful! read more

Went in to order some cupcakes to celebrate a friend's new job. The woman behind the counter was helpful as I had no idea what to order though settled on the following: salted caramel, raspberry almond, spicy chocolate, red velvet, buttermilk chocolate and fudge chocolate. I ended up with the raspberry almond and it was delicious. The cupcake AND frosting were light to the bite which is my preference as to a cupcake with a heavier density (Dozen). And everyone else devoured theirs as well! It came out to $2.25 per cupcake (they have a special of $25 per dozen) so a bit steep for me to make it a regular habit however I'll keep coming back for any special occasions, big or small, to celebrate. However they will be moving to Regent Square in April. read more

On a recent visit to Pgh I was happily surprised to find that numerous cupcake shops have sprung up since my last visit. Being the cupcake fanatic that I am, I tried Dozen, Coco's and Vanilla Pastry Studio. Although I think all three cupcake shops could have come up with better names, the VPS had the best products hands down. Over my 2 month visit, I tried their vanilla/vanilla, vanilla caramel, carrot, mocha and choc peanut butter. They were all incredible with the vanilla caramel being my favorite. And the atmosphere inside the shop is adorable, it made me want to skip around like I won the Willy Wonka golden ticket, and after tasting one of their cupcakes, into another world I went. read more

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As a birthday present to myself, I decided to try Vanilla Pastry Studio's baked goods. This was a fantastic idea. Vanilla gets two major things right, that a certain other local cupcake business gets wrong: the frosting and the cake. The frosting is light and just the right amount of sweetness. The cake is moist. I could taste the chocolate in my chocolate buttercream cupcake, and I liked the hints of lemon in the frosting on my red velvet cupcake. It was hard to choose just two. They are, however, cheaper than Dozen's cupcakes (Dozen sells theirs at $2.50 a pop, Vanilla $2.25). Just remember to handle Vanilla's cupcakes carefully if you're taking them to go. Even though they were packed up nicely in a box, I managed to tip my box at some point so the box was a bit messy when I opened it. The frosting is whipped and softer than at other places, so these cupcakes shouldn't be tossed around (unless it's directly into your mouth). Vanilla also sells some goodies pre-packed into cellophane bags and tied up with pretty ribbon--nice for a spur of the moment gift. I bought a small bag of brownie bites with peppermint cream centers. Amazing! I don't think I'm going to share these. Maybe next time. The space is very nice--sort of girly, but don't be scared to come in, because these treats are too good to miss. read more

I've noticed that I've been giving way too many 5 star reviews and I should cut back. However, I shouldn't give Vanilla less than 5 stars. I know the cupcake fad hit big like 3 years ago. As much as I wanted to jump on the bandwagon and be hip like everyone else at the time, I didn't think much of them. I've tried several cupcake places and thought... "I think the cupcakes at Ralphs/Safeway/Giant Eagle are better." The reason Vanilla's is so good is that the topping (or is it called frosting) is so light, buttery, and whippy. It's not too sweet either. Just perfect. From my taste tests, I've noticed that the cupcakes with the balloon tops are better than the ridged tops. Even their sprinkles aren't obnoxious. When there is a birthday in our office or I feel 'eh' $2.25 cupcake from Vanilla's hits the spot. So far, I'd give Vanilla's My Favorite Dessert Spot in Pittsburgh Award. Yum, yum. read more

I recently tried Vanilla's cupcakes for the first time. I've been to plenty of cupcake shops, and as many others have mentioned, am usually disappointed, but these cupcakes are something special! The cake is moist and light, not dry or overly dense as sometimes cupcakes are, and the icing is wonderful. Most cupcakes are burdened with a heavy-handed overly sweet frosting, but the lightness of the frosting on these was pretty special. I haven't had many flavors, just the key-lime, but I'll definitely be back again. Cupcakes are $2.25 and I got a cup of coffee to go with mine for just $1.50 more. Although parking can be a bit tricky, it's worth the effort if you're looking for something sweet! read more

Let's first talk about how amazing the folks at Vanilla are with customers. For my girl Steph's birthday, I wanted to order her some of her fave Vanilla cupcakes. One problem though: I kinda-sometimes do things last minute and I sorta kinda lost track of dates so....only 3 days till birthday dinner, and 3 days that I had to work. Not only did Vanilla create the most delicious cupcakes with mouth watering buttercream frosting, they offered to personally deliver them to my home because I couldn't get off work to pick them up myself! I would eat a cardboard box if it was covered in that frosting. These guys are great. Yes, it's a little pricey but SO worth it. Not to mention you are supporting an adorable local business! read more

Whenever I head to Paris 66 for din-din, I ALWAYS pass Vanilla Pastry Studio. And it's always closed. This past weekend I had Paris 66 for lunch on Saturday and I walked by to see the store was open! So after lunch I headed back to check it out. Vanilla Pastry Studio has a giant selection of tasty treats ranging from brownies to their special lolly's to of course cupcakes! I ended up getting their red velvet cupcake topped with a standard frosting and their chocolate cupcake topped with Espresso Buttercream. The Red Velvet was absolutely delicious; rich and moist and not dried out even though I had the cupcake three hours after I bought it. The frosting was a tad too sweet for my liking, but overall it was still delicious. I love all things espresso and I found the chocolate cupcake absolutely amazing. The flavor of the Espresso Buttercream was a perfect pairing with the chocolate. I found the cupcake itself to taste a little off just at the edges, but the espresso-flavor definitely made it all better. At $2.25 each, it's definitely on the affordable side when it comes to cupcakes ($25 for a dozen, basically buy 11 get one free). They're open until they sell out of tasty treats, so some days they might close earlier than other days. Vanilla Pastry Studio definitely has the best cupcakes I've had in Pittsburgh so far, I'll definitely be back. read more

I love their cupcakes and the fun (and very bright) decor of the studio. One thing that I really enjoy about going in is the window they have that shows the kitchen staff hard at work. The staff is always super friendly and the scent that welcomes you in is divine. Their cupcakes are always delicious and fluffy, the icing to die for, and everything is beautiful! My sister recently turned 30 and, for me, there was no other option of where to order her cake. We decided on a cake and a mixed order of cupcakes. The cake was gorgeous. They matched our colors perfectly, not only on the cake we ordered, but they also included the colors on the cupcakes!! (A total, wonderful surprise to us). One thing that I really like about coming here is their willingness to answer questions (and check if they aren't 100% sure) about ingredients. As a person with an odd food allergy, it is sometimes disheartening to hear "I'm not really sure, but I guess I can check," followed by a roll of the eyes. That is never the case here. They even go so far as to check to see if it could have even come in contact with the cause of my allergy. read more

Quite simply, this is as good as it gets. The variety and quality of the baked good here is unmatched in Pittsburgh, and probably most other places. Highlights (there are many): chocolate butter cream, carrot cake (my favorite), peppermint brownies..... Not open Monday FYI read more

Oh, Vanilla - your name evokes "boring"; however, your cupcakes are anything but! Since I just reviewed another cupcake joint in Pittsburgh, I thought it only fair to include this one - especially since I like it more. My most recent trip to Vanilla, I had the chocolate and peanut butter cupcake. In comparison to my other review, this cupcake blows that one out of the water! The cake is light and moist and very chocolatey and rich. The frosting was light yet creamy and decadent - topped with a peanut. Sure, these may be simple things, but when the simple things are done to perfection, that's really all one needs! read more

I don't entirely "get" the recent cupcake fad. I like to eat the baked goods, sure, but specialty stores flaunting some kind of "mission statements" just leave me cold. So Vanilla Pastry Studio did not look promising at a first blush. Its decor made me think of high-end flower boutiques that cater to bridezillas. I was really craving for some sugary snack; however, so I bought two anyway. I'm glad I did, because the cupcakes really were delicious. I got one mocha and one praline (one for immediate consumption; one for the next morning). Both were satisfying. The icing was not cloyingly sweet; the cake itself was moist and not too crumbly. I was impressed that even the one I ate the next morning still tasted fresh. Selling at $2.25 each, these cupcakes make an expensive afternoon treat, though the pricing is still a quarter less than its compeitors (e.g. Dozen). Finally, the store clerk was helpful and friendly, dispelling the initial snooty boutique vibe I got. Ultimately, it doesn't matter whether I love their decor or their mission statement, just keep the delicious baked goods coming! read more

Vanilla serves our favorite Pittsburgh cupcake (sorry, Dozen, things just aren't the same as they were when you started out), but we have many other favorites on the menu. It might sound a bit obvious, but try their version of the "Ho-Ho" on a stick. Dark, not too sweet, perfect. The cake is always fluffy, light, and moist. The icing is creamy and never too "sugary." Cupcakes aren't too huge and tend to pack a lot of flavor. You'll pay dearly for the baked goods--but that works out ok for something that's an occasional treat. Of course, you do get to walk off some of the calories as you hike back to wherever you were able to find a parking space. read more

I am in Pittsburgh for Super Bowel weekend. I will say that the cupcake was very moist. The icing is ok, but the reason I only gave them 2 stars is because their service SUCKS! When I got back to my hotel I told the guy at the front desk not to send any of there customers there if they are expecting to receive good customer service or just good service PERIOD. read more

Although I LOVE the idea of cupcake shops, I regret to say I am usually disappointed with the reality. I have been spoiled by my mother, who always made homemade cookies, cakes, brownies, and candy - and never let so much as one oreo into the house. "Why would you eat that processed junk when you can have a freshly baked cookie?" When I was a kid, I wanted to be like everyone else - boy was I stupid. Even though I'm an "adult" my mom still occasionally sends me CARE packages with baked goods but in the months between, Vanilla Pastry Studio really fills the void. First, the cupcakes. WOW. The icing melts in your mouth and isn't too thick or overwhelming as with most cupcake shops. The balance of icing and cake is perfect. The flavors aren't artificial at ALL, it feels like they use the best ingredients for everything. I recently had a coconut caramel concoction that was just heaven in my mouth - the cake was light and fluffy - just like mom's but the icing was BETTER (shhh don't tell!). I also love the little boxes they use to package the cupcakes, perfect for uncrushed cupcake delivery. I also got a couple of brownies for my boyfriend which he gobbled up in about three seconds - good thing I hid a turtle one and had two delectable bites of chocolate caramel pecan goodness before he stole it out of my hands. I better get more next time! read more

Vanilla Pastry Studio makes the best cupcakes in Pittsburgh, no doubt. I have had their cupcakes twice, both of them were chocolate cupcakes but different buttercream. I don't remember the flavor of my first cupcake, but the second time was peanut butter. The peanut butter chocolate cupcake was amazingly delicious. The buttercream was full of peanut butter flavor and slightly salty as well. It goes very, very well with the cake on the bottom. The butter cream is fluffy and light, and not too sweet. It makes the overall taste and texture of the buttercream not too heavy. Same with the cupcake below - its soft and airy, and not too sweet at all. I felt like the cake could had have more chocolate flavor to accompany the buttercream, but it was overall still amazing. What makes Vanilla's cupcakes so amazing is definitely the light and airy-ness of the buttercream and cake. The combination produces a dessert that is not too heavy, but also amazing and flavorful. I don't even like cupcakes, but I love Vanilla's. It is the best cupcake I have ever eaten in my life. read more

I've been trying to find an excuse to stop by Vanilla Pastry Studio for some time now and I am sorry that I waited so long! I ordered a box of four cupcakes and each one of them was delish in their own special way! (Don't judge - i only ate two cupcakes and had a small bite of the two I bought my boyfriend. But who knows what would have happened if he wouldn't have been home.) But I have to aggree with Rachel C. that they have tons of flavor. And in my quest to eat everything mint chocolate chip, I gravitated right towards the mint chocolate cupcake. This is a must have! I'm not sure how often they make these but I will definitely be ordering more in the future! read more