Aztec Chocolate Cupcakes from Mission Minis

J. Birdsall

The sugary plankton of the local pastry scene.

Number 47: Aztec Chocolate Cupcakes from Mission Minis

While we've never turned down the offer of a cupcake, we're certainly not the kind of guy to go all Carrie Bradshaw over some pink and swirly, heavy-in-the-hand specimen ― one reason we're in love with Brandon Arnovick's cupcake-ettes from Mission Minis. Every day, Arnovick's storefront bakery on 22nd Street produces a pink pastry boxful of diminutive treats (approximately one-third the size of standard cupcakes) in flavors that, while they inhabit smallish morsels of cake, nevertheless deliver full-strength flavor. Our favorite? Aztec chocolate, crack-topped chocolate cakes with just enough cinnamon to make them skew Ibarra, but without pounding home the point. There's powdered chile in there, too, in quantities small enough just to turn up the heat one or two degrees Fahrenheit. And the bean-specked vanilla buttercream on top is homey with the faintly sandy texture of not-quite-dissolved sugar. Like Mission Minis' horchata-flavored cakes, Aztec chocolates represent what Arnovick calls a tilt of the hat to the neighborhood's Latino culture. We like them because they don't make us feel silly.

Mission Minis 3168 22nd St. (at Capp), 378-7827; also available at Philz, Whole Foods, Ritual, and Asqew Grill, among other locations

Hungry for more? Check out these previous links to our countdown:

No. 92: Cracked Half Dungeness from Swan Oyster Depot
No. 91: Pastrami Sandwich from Orson
No. 90: Coconut Bun from Out the Door on Bush
No. 89: Brown Sugar-Black Pepper Biscuits from Little Skillet
No. 87: Indian Pizza from Zante
No. 86: Tamales from All-Star
No. 85: Chilaquiles from Nopalito
No. 84: Poc Chuc from Poc-Chuc
No. 83: Chocolate Beignet from Arlequin Cafe
No. 82: Scallop Crêpe from Ti Couz
No. 81: Gin and Tonic from Pizzaiolo/Boot and Shoe Service
No. 80: Quesadilla from Rico Pan
No. 79: Turkey Kati Rolls from Kasa
No. 78: Emperor's Pancake from Suppenküche
No. 77: Lasagna from Zuppa
No. 76: Chicharrones from 4505 Meats
No. 75: Langka Ice Cream from Mitchell's
No. 74: Bacon Potato Chips from Who's Your Daddy
No. 73: Lamb Dumplings from Kingdom of Dumpling
No. 72: Chile-Braised Carnitas Sandwich from Bento 415
No. 71: Chili from Mission Burger
No. 70: Croissants from La Farine
No. 69: Xiu Mai Banh Mi from Saigon Sandwich
No. 68: Creme Brulee from Sweet.
No. 67: Limon Cebiche from Limon
No. 66: Chicken and Waffles from Brown Sugar Kitchen
No. 65: Brioche Bread Pudding from Tartine Bakery
No. 64: Turkish Salad from Old Jerusalem
No. 63: Ribs from Bruno's
No. 62: Prupisceddu in Umidu (Stewed Octopus) from La Ciccia
No. 61: Hot and Spicy Beef Jerky from Marin Sun Farms
No. 60: Pozole from Chilango
No. 59: Lobster Roll from Sam's ChowderMobile
No. 58: Dry-Fried Chicken Wings from San Tung
No. 57: John Campbell's Scones from Lovejoy's Tea Room