Dozen cupcakes more moist

In a college world where you can’t change your homework deadline, your boyfriend’s fantasy football habit or your overpriced rent, you can, apparently, change your baker. Dozen Bake Shop

417 South Craig St.

Mon. – Thurs. 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Friday 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Closed Sunday

Rating: A-

In a college world where you can’t change your homework deadline, your boyfriend’s fantasy football habit or your overpriced rent, you can, apparently, change your baker.

The Dozen Bake Shop closed after a two-year downturn in the company’s profits amid comments that its cakes were too dry. But with a new business plan and a moister recipe, The Dozen Bake Shop chain reopened its South Craig Street location under new management, Friday, Sept. 2. The Lawrenceville location reopened this past Monday, Sept. 12.

Every day the bakery features a different set of cupcake combinations along with its daily Vanilla Vanilla and Milk Chocolate flavors. While it is still committed to providing vegan options on the cupcake menu, there is nothing in the store that tastes like dry health food.

The cake part of the new cupcakes could absolutely stand alone, sans icing. In fact, the sweetness of the icing almost distracts from the richness of the porous cake. Together, the decadence of one cupcake from Dozen Bake Shop is enough to act as a full slice of cake — exactly what any cupcake lover wants.

As of now, cupcakes are still $2.50 each and $25 for a dozen — a bit pricey — although all of the bakery’s prices could still change with the recent transition into new ownership.

And, of course, cupcakes are only part of the Dozen menu. Morning pastries include a variety of quiches, cinnamon rolls, scones, Danish pastries, muffins and banana bread. The savory scones — which include tomato, onion, basil and mozzarella — have a subtly tasty, buttery flavor, and are moist and soft inside their crispy shell. One might actually wonder why they aren’t called biscuits and served with a poached egg. Morning pastries range in cost from $2.50 to $5.00.

Other sweetmeats available at Dozen include brownies, blondies, peanut butter cornflake chewies, krispie treats and cookies. All of these treats cost between $2.25 and $3.00, and have improved significantly from their original recipes.

Dozen Bake Shop has definitely upped the quality of their cupcakes and baked goods — dry doesn’t even come to mind while consuming anything off the current menu. Although the sweetness of the cupcake icing borders on overkill, the cake and pastry texture is remarkable and the piquant items are as savory as savory gets.