Weekend Adventures: Chicago + the Cheez-It Cupcake

July 21, 2022

 I had a delightful reunion/vacation in Chicago this past weekend, a city I would visit in my childhood as a suburbanite and spent a couple of years in college and a couple summers living as a working professional. I cheered on the Cubs, rode the el like a local, visited a couple museums, rode MY FIRST CHICAGO BOAT TOUR and of course, ate! 

Out of curiosity, I thought I'd see if any new cupcake bakeries had popped up in the past few years since I last reviewed a place in 2017 in Chicago. I was overjoyed when I saw that Stephanie Izard had opened a bakery, which further expands her empire on the Chicago food scene. Sugargoat opened in 2020 and serves whimsically-flavored cookies, cakes, pies and of course, cupcakes! 
The unique menu has items like a chocolate shake French fry pie, oatmeal pickled raisin cookies (which is delicious!) and pancake cake. But the oddest flavor of cupcake available was a Cheez-it: cheez-it cake, strawberry nesquik buttercream, cheddar caramel buttercream and with a chocolate peanut butter Cheez-it topping. I had to order it! (Each cupcake is $4.25). 
The description of the cupcake above describes a whole array of different flavors: cheese, strawberry, chocolate and peanut butter---things I don't think I've ever had together in the same bite. Surprisingly, it wasn't that unusual combined. I mostly tasted strawberry and each bite ended with the flavor of the Cheez-it topping. 

The cake itself was super cheesy and salty but it was muted when eaten with the strawberry frosting. I could barely taste the cheddar caramel buttercream, which was in the middle of the cupcake. Peanut butter-chocolate covered Cheez-its aren't such a bad idea either. This wasn't off putting like the last cheesy cupcake I had at Sprinkles years ago--it was quirky, inventive and pretty enjoyable. 

Sugargoat
West Loop
820 West Randolph
Chicago, Illinois

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