Isobel’s Cupcakes & Cookies

This place is uneven. Some things are great, their cupcakes for example. Others, many cookies, for example, are tasteless. But the thing that truly disappoints is a decision made about the holidays. Isobel’s always observes the holidays with decorated cookies. They are a big hit with kids. For years, they made and distributed Chanukah cookies. For whatever reason, they have chosen to ignore the holiday entirely, and those who celebrate it. Truly, truly disappointing.

Went to Isobel’s and I have to say that everything looked fantastic! Everything looked perfect, almost non-​edible because their desserts looked so good. We bought a few cupcakes and chowed down! They were a bit dry and just lacked flavour. Having had the famous Sprinkles Cupcakes, these just didn’t taste nearly as rich. My significant other is obsessed with Red Velvet and has yet to find a place in Ottawa that does it properly… cream cheese icing is a must for real southern RV. Might try them again in case we just had an off-​batch! Anyway, they looked beautiful, but the taste was not up to par. Sorry Isobel, it’s not you, it’s me…

Isobel’s was my first cupcake experience, and it’s become head and shoulders above the rest my favorite one. I’ve tried a number of others in town, but nothing compares.
Since moving to Hintonburg, their location is great and the locals will tell you it’s the place to go for cupcakes. Their lemon curd is tangy and delicious. I currently live in Kanata, and will (and have) made the drive there just for those cupcakes.
They also do great cookies and custom order cakes that are just as adorable as the miniature cakes. Take a moment and drop in

I am a big fan of the lemon curd cupcakes! They are divine! I can eat the in one *poof*.
As far as the icing, there are two kinds Isobel’s does: one is more for kids, and the other is the buttercream. The buttercream one is rich and *pure*.

I an a cupcake maniac. I have a cupcake everywhere I see them! So, I heard of this place and decided to give them a try. I had the chocolate banana and the kids vanilla.
The chocolate banana had a really light tasting cake that was so spongy that it crumbled. The banana filling didn’t do anything for me. It made the cupcake mushy and fell apart. The icing was a thin whipped creamy/​oily mix. I did not care for it at all.
The vanilla cupcake had a richer cake and thicker buttercream icing. It was very traditional tasting but left an oily film in your mouth.
Overall, I found these comparable to good grocery store cupcakes. At 2.50 each, they are overpriced for the what you get considering grocery stores sell them for 99 cents. I gladly play $ 3 a cupcake for my favourites b/​c they knock my socks off! These do not. They are not the worst cupcakes that I have ever had but they are not the best in Ottawa. The main thing I disliked about these us that left a greasy film in your mouth. Pretty mediocre.

As the business name suggests, cupcakes are one of the main delicacies at Isobel’s, and the first thing you notice upon walking in. A multi-​level display case houses standard favorites such as chocolate with chocolate frosting as well as seasonal bits, such as green mint frosting for St. Patrick’s Day.
The cake portion of the cupcakes is delightful: it’s just the right texture of sponginess that a cake should be, with the kind of delicate flavoring that lingers in your mouth while your eyes roll to the back of your head. I’m not a fan of buttercream frosting, although the kind used at Isobels tastes like it’s made with high quality ingredients. I found the texture to be a bit waxy.
The cookies aren’t overly sweet, so if you like your desserts subtle, they might be right up your alley. The sugar cookies in particular were yummy without making my teeth feel as if they were decaying in my mouth. The shortbread, however, was a bit dry and not at all buttery.
All in all, the treats are a nice addition to a meal, even if the flavors weren’t exactly to my preferences.