Food for Thought: Cupcakes and Sugar Rolls

Nowadays we are spoilt with choices when it comes to cakes and pastries. There's Brunetti, The Pattisier, TWG and the list goes on and on.  Not to be forgotten are the great old dames like Chin Mee Chin, Sembawang Confectionary, LE Cafe and Balmoral Bakery.  And then there is Dino Cake House & Cafe, a newer player which offers some old-school recipes including cupcakes.

Yes, cupcakes and sugar rolls!  In spite of the proliferation of modern cake shops offering a much wider spread including some with fanciful Continental names, I still find great delight in the good old cupcake and sugar roll.

While many grand old cakes shops are no longer around, Chin Mee Chin along East Coast Road still makes some the best cakes on the island.  One of the most popular items here is the Sugee Cake. They are also famous for the kaya as well as their buns with butter kaya. However, to me, it is their sugar roll that reigns supreme.  The roll falls under the 'die die must eat' category.  The pastry is springy albeit a little dry and the rolls are generously coated in sugar (not the fine type though) which gives it the extra crunch.

Sugar Rolls from Chin Mee Chin

Another one of my childhood favourites is the cherry cupcake. And the best can be found at Dino Cake House & Cafe along Upper Thomson Road.  The ones sold here are more spongy and buttery than the ones from Chin Mee Chin.  Besides cherry, they come in several other flavours but only the cherry ones do the trick for me.

Dino's cherry cupcake

Chin Mee Chin
204 East Coast Road
Open Tue-Sun 8.30am-4.00pm
Recommendation: Sugar roll (Rating - 9.5/10)

Dino Cake House & Cafe
257 Upper Thomson Road
Open daily 9.00am-9.00pm
Recommendation: Cherry cupcake (Rating - 9/10)