The Sweet Lobby, DC

As a new visitor to the Barracks Row area of Capitol Hill, I'm still getting to know the area. As I was making my way to the Yes! Organic grocery store, I spotted a bakery. Eh, what the heck -- why not check to see if there are any vegan baked goods, right? So, I did...and there was!

The Sweet Lobby opened in June of 2011 and the website states that it is best known for its globally inspired French macroons, madeleines, eclairs, shortbread and caneles. The owner, Winnette McIntosh Ambrose, is a self-taught pastry chef who won Food Network's Cupcake Wars.

There were three vegan cupcakes on this particular night. We decided to try two different flavors. The first was the chocolate cupcake with a white icing. It was not very good. The cake was on the dry side and the icing was really bad -- not the right sweetness at all.

Chris ordered the carrot cake, which was even worse. The spices were overpowering -- like way too much nutmeg and the icing was the same on this cupcake as it was on mine. Unfortunately, this was Chris' first vegan cupcake and I had to reassure him that most are very good.

My guess is that the baker wanted to offer vegan cupcakes, but did not take the time to understand vegan baking. So they got the vegan options on the shelves, but did not perfect the taste and, unfortunately, that led to not-so-tasty cupcake flavors.  I prefer Red Velvet and Sticky Fingers cupcakes over these any day. Not recommended.

The Sweet Lobby
404 8th Street SE
Washington DC 20003
(202) 544-2404