Talk about the joining of two great ideas!  And what a great way to celebrate that we’ve been joining together to discuss books for over 4 years now!

So here’s the deal…back when I was planning my birthday, I was craving some Strawberry Lemonade cupcakes from Layers Cupcakes (I tasted them a month or so earlier at a local cupcake meetup).  Thing is, I wasn’t able to afford them at the time, so I did what any good blogger would do and well, I blogged about this sad turn of events.

Ebony of Layers Cupcakes (Facebook Fan Page) did what any good, modern business woman would do and checked her links (or had an alert set up) and got notified about my post. She then offered up the opportunity for me to taste some of her new, Naja Tea-infused cupcakes and asked if I wouldn’t mind blogging about them (Naja Tea Facebook Fan Page & Twitter).

Well, better than just me sharing my thoughts…I asked the whole gang of book club gals (at least the ones in attendance) to share their thoughts as well.  And yes, the teacher in me created a form for them to share their thoughts anonymously.

Overall, we definitely enjoyed the cupcakes quite a bit and the experience of tasting and sharing feedback, even more so (did I mention that our group has quite a few foodies and bakers in residence).  The Mix and Mingle was a hit, but Sassafras didn’t seem to have as many fans.  Everyone pretty much agreed that we were hoping to taste more of the tea’s flavor.

To get a feel for our thoughts, I randomly divided the stack in half and one batch of comments for each flavor. Here are some of our thoughts (in no particular order):

Mix and Mingle

• This was my favorite.  Nice and light, very moist, but could maybe have used a bit more intense frosting – it seemed too light for the cupcake.
• I probably should have tried this one first.  The flavors were still  lingering from the Sassafras. This one had more subtle flavors and I liked the topping.
• I liked this one! Very tasty and delicious cake!  Frosting is light and fluffy.  I might have wanted to have a bit more substantial (thicker?) frosting.
• This is delicious for such a light cupcake!  Love the vanilla and coconut combination.
• Crumb is too moist for that filling – cake needs more structure.  Flavor is great.  Frosting is too creamy.  Needs some salt.

Sassafras

• I found this to be delicious.  Not much of a summer flavor since it was more spicy and fall-like.  Very moist, maybe too moist if that’s even possible.
• The yam mousse overpowered the other flavors making it more difficult to taste.  Meringue is a little mushy.
• Too many flavors – very confusing for the palate.  Crumb is very wet. Icing not complimentary.
• This is a nope!  Did not like.  Too many spices and flavors going on.
• Frosting should be creamier (less fluffy).  Good flavors for fall, but probably too many rich flavors for spring/summer.
• I love the taste of the cake – a great surprise to have the yam.  It was a little moist, but I don’t mind that.  The meringue didn’t add much, maybe a cream cheese frosting would be better.

My husband wasn’t invited to share his thoughts (but he did get to eat some leftovers). He said that these were the best cupcakes he’s tried of what he’s tasted around town.  He loved that they were flavorful, but not overly sweet (his typical complaint about cupcakes).

I don’t know about you, but now I’m craving some cupcakes!