My Favorite NYC Bakeries! Part Three: Magnolia Bakery

I’ve been so swamped planning holiday trips to NYC that I have had no time to update my blog!

Today, I will take a breath and change that. It’s high time that Magnolia Bakery get its due praise and admiration and have a featured place in my Favorite NYC Bakeries series.

Have you seen the photos all over social media, featuring bowls brimming with that heavenly concoction known as Banana Pudding? Can something that seems so basic really be THAT good? Over ten years ago, on my first visit to New York City, I was determined to find out. What I discovered surprised me.

You see, I’m a cake and cupcake kind of gal. My friends know this about me; my family knows this about me. My favorite dessert is any kind of cake, with frosting piled high on top. So, when I stepped foot inside Magnolia Bakery and the warm, vanilla-y smell of cake nearly scooped me up and transported me to another universe, I knew that a slice of one of their gorgeous cakes was coming home with me that day.  Out of curiosity (and as a side dish of sorts), I also ordered a small banana pudding to see what all the hype was about.

With great anticipation and high expectations, I tore into my slice of cake, and it was…okay. Honestly, the cake was kind of dry and the frosting was unremarkable. I love a buttery buttercream, with a hint of salt and notes of vanilla peeking through. This was your average buttercream. Not bad, but neither was it very special. Did I still finish it? Probably.

Next, I decided to try the Banana Pudding. With low expectations I took my first bite, and another, and then another and WOW! This dreamy emulsification of whipped cream, vanilla pudding, wafer cookies and sliced of banana is the stuff that dessert dreams are made of. It is rich and satisfying and makes you feel like you’re eating something your grandma made. It is worth a stop into one of the seven Magnolia Bakery locations to get some when you’re in NYC.

I was thrilled to discover that Magnolia Bakery ships their Banana Pudding, and all their other treats, throughout the United States. During 2020, when travel was NOT a thing, I was missing tastes of the city, so I placed an order and had it shipped to my doorstep. The Banana Pudding arrived every bit as perfect and tasted just as delicious as what is sold in the bakery.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook because on Thanksgiving Day 2021, I will host a giveaway for a $100 E-gift card to Magnolia Bakery.  Bring the taste of New York City to your home over the holidays and be sure to tell me what you think!

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