The Best Vegan Cupcakes in Philly

Benji's Pupcake

After class today and to mark the end of a very long week, I treated myself to some lunch at Su Xing House Restaurant. Unlike Philly's venerable but I guess rat-infested vegan Chinese spots (which, of course, Brian loves), Su Xing is clean, almost classy, reliable, free of mock meat (they rely on tofu, seitan and a variety of veggies instead) and not heinously greasy. I feel almost virtuous when eating there. This stop today did not, however, soothe the Beast of PMS who roared, "CHOCOLATE, Bitch! Hormones cannot be sustained on garlic sauce alone!" I quickly acquiesced and headed over to Philly Cupcake.

MINE

I discovered this teeny, very pink spot by accident a few months back when I was studying for the GRE. I'd walked past them before but assumed nothing would be vegan. I was proven wrong on that day I finally noticed their "We Have Vegan Cupcakes," sign. Most of their flavors are not vegan but they usually have about four vegan selections per day. Today I picked up a peanut butter chocolate and red velvet cupcakes. Ostensibly, one is for me and one is for my husband but he isn't due back home until tomorrow night and I never vowed on our wedding day to always share cupcakes with him. I've kept my last name, why not my sweets? So far, the red velvet is sitting safely in the fridge but I've already nicked the chocolate swirly candy once placed on top of it along with a pinky-sized serving of frosting. I would not hold my breathe, Brian.


I love the Vegan Treats peanut butter bomb cake and Vegan Treats catered the desserts at our wedding but Philly Cupcake easily takes the cake (forgive me). Vegan Treats is a junk food delight, for sure but Philly Cupcake's items are moister, less crumbly, and way less synthetically sweet than most Vegan Treats' varieties. In fact, I find most Vegan Treats cakes to border on being Hostess-like and I never liked Twinkies or Ding Dongs (their donuts and sticky buns, however, are near-perfect and I don't even care for donuts...until that rare moment when nothing else will do). Philly Cupcakes are just right. They even have mini pupcakes, so Benji got a treat, too.

At $4 a pop, they are priced more than they are worth. Philly Cupcake also has an environmentally nasty custom of using tall plastic cups and covers to house a single cupcake rather than using a paper box. But, as a very rare treat, they are definitely worth it.