The Hummingbird Bakery

Wow, those cupcakes! They may be expensive, but they’re not overpriced.
I’ve never tried their cakes, so this review is only based on cupcakes. I recently got to try their red velvet and cookies & cream cupcakes. The red velvet was easily my favorite. Truly, wow! First of all, it was gorgeous, no shocker there. But the taste was perfect as well. The cake was so moist and delicious, and the frosting so buttery. The cookies & cream was amazing as well, but red velvet was just mindblowing.
I was also very impressed with the fact that I came in on a Sunday evening, 5 minutes before closing, and they still had a small selection. I don’t know how long before my cupcakes were made, but there was so sign of them going said, and as I mentioned, they were perfect in taste.
I’m not sure it’s a place I would want to sit down and eat my cupcake though. It’s pretty small inside, with only a few cramped tables. There’s outside seating as well, but the street does see its fair share of traffic.

I love cupcakes and have tried many places, mostly in the U.S., and this place is the most disappointing bakery, making me agree, for once, with Jenny Eclaire who says cupcakes are like stupid shoes that serve no purpose.
Had the Christmas spice, eggnog, and gingerbread cupcakes — each costs 5USD — the most expensive cupcakes I have ever tried. Yet they are all so dry and the decorations are just not pretty. Not to mention the eggnog one is sooooooo salty! I feel like the baker must have tripled the amount of salt while baking. And the service is not so good — kind of rude. Maybe the other branches are better, but I am not definitely not returning here.

If it’s true that the majority of the English population are a fan of a good cupcake, then I guess that means the majority of the population need to come here.
I have been informed and hinted to regarding how good these are from my girlfriend, my mum and my sister. I know my mum wants them as a gift. She cannot help but mention them everytime we pass a store. It was about time to try them myself.
The store/​café itself is quite small with only 2 or 3 tables to sit in. Outside on the street there are probably 4 or 5 more tables. Thankfully it was sunny so we didn’t freeze outside, but obviously south Kensington isn’t the most peaceful location to enjoy a cupcake, so the scenery wasn’t ideal.
We arrived last afternoon so certain items were no longer available, but what they had looked delicious. Looking back, I should have gone for the ‘American cupcake’ with a streak of bacon and syrup on top, but I went for the chocolate and peanut butter Whoopie pie.
Amazing.
I would say it is a bit pricey for what you get, but they are very good quality cupcakes. You can do takeaway here so don’t think you need to sit in the café to get the experience.

Cute and lovely cakes and cupcakes !
I took Red Velvet cake, was soft and delicious.
There are only few spaces inside and outside to Eat-​in.

They have a nice amount of pastry. I tried cinnamon roll cupcake. It was great. The only unsatisfactory point was the coffee. I ordered cappuccino and although they used Illy coffee, it tasted watery.

Best cupcakes in all of Europe! Perfectly moist and creamy frosting. I swear by the vanilla-​vanilla cupcake, however I’ve discovered a newfound appreciation for red velvet. It’s hard to reproduce certain cupcakes because it’s difficult to find cream cheese in supermarkets, but the Hummingbird Bakery does a good job with all the frostings! Stop by and try it (it’s marginally cheaper if you get the cupcake to go instead of eating it at the bakery) no matter the occasion — you won’t be disappointed!

I stumbled upon this bakery by accident when I was on holiday from Toronto. I was delighted to learn that there were gluten free cupcakes. The gluten free red velvet cupcake I ate was delicious. It was moist and rich and not crumbly as some gluten free baked goods are. Also the service was excellent. I look forward to visiting this store again on my next UK vacation.

Love it! I am not the biggest fan of cupcakes but I love speciality shops. This one specialise on cupcakes! The have a multitude of flavours and shapes ready for eating.
This branch is well located and very well organised. The staff is friendly and efficient making every customer feel special.
Will visit again!

I make a point of visiting The Hummingbird Bakery when I’m in London, because although I have celiac so I cannot have most what’s on offer, I love the expression on the face of whoever is accompanying me (my daughters, my husband, a friend) when they walk in. The bakery does look almost picture perfect, with all the gorgeous cupcakes arranged by flavor, and the towers of woopie pies and other goodies piles high on cake plates on the counter! The packaging is also absolutely adorable, so much so that I am always tempted to save the box and bag, because they are so pretty! They really do have the branding part down pat, good job on that.
The cupcakes themselves are good, though not the best I have ever had; the cake is always light and delicious, but the icing tends a little too sweet and not quite creamy enough for my taste — I know that adding lots of powdered sugar makes for cupcakes that don’t melt as quickly, but practicality and flavor don’t go hand-​in-​hand here. Also, it’s kind of a bummer to walk in and be told that only two of the myriad of flavors are available gluten-​free: vanilla and red velvet (read: pale chocolate with tons of artificial red dye = yuck). It would be so great if they could add chocolate or something more exciting than vanilla to the selection, and no, red velvet doesn’t count IMO.
Still, it’s a cute little spot, and I will no doubt go by again on my next visit to London!

The cupcakes we ordered were very good and moisty, even the day after (Oreo cupcake and Pink Champagne, 2,95£/each).
I have been disappointed however by the slice of Red Velvet cake I asked (4,95£). The frosting was good, but the cake itself was rather dry (we ate it a couple hours after buying it).
The staff was a little hectic, but we got there at the end of the day, on Mothers Day, which might explain the busy-​ness.

I got a box of twelve classic cupcakes for take-​out ranging black bottom and caramel to red velvet and carrot cake flavors. And I must say, Hummingbird beat my other hard-​to-​match favorite, Crumbs (NYC).
The thing I liked the most about the Hummingbird cupcakes was their perfectly and adequately sweet icings. I’m normally not a fan of icings on my pastries, but this one was an exception. Second, the base bread for all the cupcakes was tastefully soft and made to blend very well with the icings. Overall, each cupcake had its distinctive and exquisite taste truly befitting its name; my favorites in particular were the black bottom (truly one of a kind flavor) and the red velvet (solidly done).
I haven’t had an in-​café experience yet, but at least, I now know where to turn to when I need a sweet fix on-​the-​go in London!

Love the boutique, the location (love south kensington), those beautiful cake colors (the rainbow cake is amazing)…there’s some room if you want to have a little tea with it.
The cupcakes were delicious, I love that there were that many flavours available. However the staff wasn’t that friendly I must say… but I did come at the end of the day, so it might explain the attitude?
I asked for a red velvet and a nutella and got a red velvet and another one, that was everything but a nutella cupcake (and very pink).
Don’t remember the price but it seemed in the average for cupcakes I guess.

#1. Red Velvet Cupcakes are BOMB. I pretty much only get this now.
#2. Black Bottom Cupcakes are pretty darn delicious with a cheesecake filling in the middle
#3. Carrot Cake Cupcake is tasty — good balance with the cream cheese frosting
#4. Chocolate Cupcakes may be a little toooo chocolatey, but hey, if that’s what you’re in to then go for it
-£5 minimum for credit card charges
Yes, it’s a little pricey, but this is probably a good thing because it stops me from coming here multiple times a week

Hübsch anzusehen die Kuchen & Cupcakes leider hauptsächlich supersüß (was ich schon mag, jedoch war kein weiterer Geschmack zu unterscheidendaher Punktabzug).
Der Kaffee ist auch ziemlich gut.
Leider gibt’s dort keine Toiletten!

I can’t stop LOVING THIS PLACE! It’s a like a drug, but it’s legal, it gives you more of a high (so I’ve heard…) but it’s just as addictive. For me anyway, I am a Hummingbird JUNKIE.
So I tried this place first when I was at uni over in South Kensington. I then started making excuses to go there at least once a day — my work wasn’t going well, I needed a pick-​me-​up, I was celebrating a good grade… it didn’t matter what the excuse was, the end results was always a hummingbird cupcake. It was also almost always a RED VELVET because that is the A-​list of cupcakes. If I strayed from the path to try Hummingbird’s other delights, it would have to be quickly followed by a red velvet. Otherwise it just felt like cheating!
Serious review mode. The cupcakes are perfectly priced, perfectly sized so you get a sweet fix without getting that guilty feeling afterwards and served with a delicious coffee if you wish (as a caffeine addict I do wish!). I love this brand SO much that I bought the latest baking book and now SWEAR by it for all things dessert.
MORE PLEASE. In fact, if I weren’t currently an hour away from the South Kensington branch I would go for a red velvet right now. As it turns out, I shall go to the Soho branch instead ;)

Leckere Törtchen und andere Süßigkeiten gibt’s hier. Da das Auge bekanntlich mitisst, ist alles liebevoll mit Lebensmittelfarbe eingefärbt und dekoriert. Ein wenig british-​kitschig für meinen optischen Geschmack. Das Geschäft und die Bedientheke ist sehr sauber und aufgeräumt, die Mitarbeiter etwas versnobt für mein Gefühl, da hat eine Vorschreiberin ja schon ausführlich drüber geschrieben.
Alles in allem ordentlich, lecker, sehr süß und ordentlich TEUER!

I kept hearing about this place, so since I’m a sugar fiend, I had planned to stop in before heading over to the Victoria and Albert Museum, which was nearby.
Even before trying its cupcakes, this place was already visually delicious. The counters had little colorful specks that made them look like someone baked sprinkles into them, and there were framed whimsical illustrations of cupcakes up on the walls.
There isn’t much seating; there’s just a few tables outside and some wall bar seating inside. My friend and I sat inside. I had a glass of soy milk and two cupcakes there and bought two more cupcakes to try at home. The eat-​in cupcakes were served on a cute, tiny plate with a utensil. In retrospect, the soy milk was a great choice because the cupcakes were rich and sweet (which I personally love).
Rating this bakery in Bay Area terms, I’d say it’s better than Kara’s Cupcakes but not as good as Sprinkles. The four flavors I tried were: chocolate chip cookie, custard, red velvet, and black bottom. Black bottom was my favorite by far. It had a rich chocolatey flavor with delightful surprise bites of cheesecake pieces and chocolate chunks. Red velvet was alright, but I’m biased because I really love Sprinkles red velvet cupcakes. Chocolate chip cookie and custard were both delicious and interesting. I don’t think I’ll be craving the chocolate chip cookie cupcake again, but I’m glad I tried it. I could see myself being in the mood for a custard cupcake in the future though.

We got some amazing Red Velvet cupcakes, and a few other varieties… All were Amazing!!!

A friend ordered Hummingbird cupcakes to enjoy for her birthday celebration. I had been curious about this classy bakery place with stellar marketing since moving to South Ken. And I’m so glad I finally got to try a few cupcakes!
I am not a cupcake person, but I enjoyed the cupcakes and found that the frosting was not too sweet. Usually, I find myself wiping off the majority of frosting when eating cupcakes because of the sweet overload, but I was not overwhelmed by sugar with this cupcakes. Okay, maybe I was a little bit. But, as I said, I’m not really a «cupcake person.»
I can’t vouch for the actual location because I haven’t been there, but I have to say I’m a fan of the Hummingbird cupcakes. I would definitely go back whenever I’m in the area again!

I believe in cupcakes. And, I believe in a lot of cupcakes. I first tried out Hummingbird Bakery in 2010. I got hooked right away. It was a call from home. These cupcakes coin themselves after American cupcakes. Believe me, they are right up there with some of the best that I’ve had in DC and NYC.
The South Kensington location has a lot of seating– more than the one in Notting Hill.
Try the Red Velvet first!

oh wow — i am a cheesecake cupcake-​aholic
these are divine. I love this chain and have been to this branch and the one in soho

Ich war lange skeptisch gegenüber Cup Cakes, da ich dachte, dass es letztendlich Muffins sind, die ein wenig kunstvoller verziert sind. Aber dieser Laden wirkt so liebevoll, dass ich es am Wochenende einfach mal versuchte überzeugt wurde ich jedoch nicht. Der Laden ist wirklich sehr süß, die Einrichtung ist liebevoll und sogar die Verpackung der Cup Cakes wenn man sie take away bestellt wirkt wie ein kleines Geschenk. Aber: Für 3 Cup Cakes habe ich 8,25 Pfund bezahlt, also ca 10 EUR. Ich selber habe davon nur einen gegessen (irgendwas mit caramel im Namen), und der war das Geld definitiv nicht wert: dunkler Schoko-​Teig nichts besonderes. Obendrauf eine klebrige, weißlich-​gelbe Schicht weder besonders geschmackvoll noch mit einer interessanten Konsistenz. Das einzig gute war der Klecks Karamell obendrauf. Anscheinend war versucht worden, einen Karamell-​Kern zu erzeugen, das heißt der Klecks ging auch ein bisschen in den Teig hinein, das war ganz nett. Aber auch nicht mehr. Leider also wirklich: Muffins, nett verziert. Aber nicht einmal soo nett, dafür sehr teuer.

Just not my cupcake, eh? —and you’re talking to a cupcake lover here
Very little seating indeed, it was all filled out, outside was too cold so no one was out there. There was only one person in front of me when I got to Hummingbird, and there were 3 girls working behind the counter. My salesgirl was very pleasant. I ordered the red velvet and the black bottom cupcake; I was debating between the black bottom and the regular vanilla one with all the diff color icings, she said her fave was the black bottom, so i chose that. The personalized cupcakes looked real nice, glitter in the frosting! Too bad it’s over 3 pounds, so I opted for those two above. My total was 5.15. I got take away because it’s cheaper and there wasn’t any seating anyways…
It’s amazing close to the south kensington tube station. surprisingly!
Red Velvet: Whoa, what kinda frosting is this? A bit, well WAYYY too sweet for me! And i love sweet things! So that was a no-​go, initially I thought the cake part was going to be dry, but it was surprisingly very moist as you chew, a bit hard, but that’s just the moisture I believe. The cake part is rather nice, better than Lola’s BUT the frosting, Lola’s beats this place by a mile! Plus, Lola’s cupcakes but just a bit more pricier, maybe by 50 pence? Overall, I did not like this cupcake.
Black Bottom: I should have known this was chocolate cake… hahaa, there is something else in there though, as I reached the end. it was harden cream cheese that is really sweet? Or maybe a truffle of sorts? Again, the frosting is way too sweet, but the cake is moist.
I prefer Lola’s over this sadly :(I really wanted to like this! I rather have more options, but alas, no. I don’t think I’ll return again, since it didn’t really «WOW» me, it was like I didn’t even have a cupcake today… I like those that make me crave another one after I eat the first…
The place is soo cute though, and the packaging is rather nice. Shame I didn’t like.

C’est ici que j’ai fait la première fois la découverte de cupcakes savoureux.
Impossible de passer à côté sans la voir, la queue devant la pâtisserie né désemplis pas. Les férus de douceurs américaines en ont pour leur argent (ont y trouve également cheesecakes et autres pecan pies). Tout est vraiment gouteux et délicieux pour les yeux comme pour le palet. Mention spéciale pour le Rocky Road (lequel n’est pas un cupcake à proprement parlé) qui joue formidablement de textures.
Il est «possible» de déguster sur place, si toute fois vous avez la chance de trouver une table libre.
Pour l’instant il existe seulement 2 boutiques à Londres (l’autre étant située à Portobello Road, là où se trouve le marché aux puces du même nom). Mais c’est réellement un spot de Londres à né pas manquer.