Sweet Spot: Vanilla Bake Shop

I left the office to run some errands the other day and decided I wanted to do something special for the Mrs. There is this chic little bakery on Wilshire called, Vanilla Bake Shop. I stopped there a few months ago, before they opened because the design geek in me was drawn to the posh sign-age that adorns the storefront. I had a feeling then that I was going to love this place, and I was right! Vanilla is a concept shop with a straight forward product line. They do high-end cakes for weddings and special occasions, but I was there there for their wide range of gourmet cupcakes. Gourmet? Santa Monica? This is gonna hurt my pockets right? Nope! I asked the nice fellow behind the counter to run down the numbers on their gift assortments. The large cupcakes work out to be about $10 for three (which is plenty considering how rich they are). They also have “Cupcake Babies” which are a smaller version of the original that will allow you and your sweetheart to sample everything without feeling too guilty. I opted for a box of three grown-up cupcakes. The spicy carrot and fudgy brownie varieties stood out and went over well with my queen. They bake a different assortment of flavors each day of the week. I think I’ll check back next Sunday and try the mint-chocolate joints.

Over all this spot is definitely elevated. For less then fifteen-bucks you can get a nicely wrapped gift for someone you dig, and a cupcake or two for you to devour on the way home. The next time you are on the west side, drop in for a box and tell Amy (the owner and baker) that Propaganda Champ says hi.

Vanilla Bake Shop

512 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: 310.458.6644