Red Velvet & Black Bottom - Hummingbird Bakery, Waldour St., London - 14 July 2012

Red Velvet from Hummingbird Bakery

After a number of recommendations from friends to go to the Hummingbird Bakery and review something from there, I couldn't pass up the opportunity when spending the weekend in London.


The Hummingbird Bakery I visited was the one on Waldour Street, off Oxford Street.  With so much selection on offer, my wife and I chose one cupcake each and shared.  I chose a Red Velvet and she went for the Black Bottom, therefore you lucky readers get two for the price of one :) 

Presentation - Score: Both - 10/10

Both cakes open with a maximum for presentation.  For a takeaway cake you couldn't ask for any more!  Each cake was individually boxed in a simple white box with a wire handle and a Hummingbird Bakery pink and brown logo sticker.  The boxes were then placed in a beautiful paper bag to take out.  

Now enough said about the packaging, the cakes were also a sight to behold. The sponge of the red velvet, as per its name, was bright red with a perfectly swirled, thick layer of cream cheese topping and red dusting.  The black bottom, also as per its name, had a rich dark chocolate (almost black) sponge with the same, perfectly swirled cream cheese topping and dark chocolate dusting.

All in all, a very, very good opening score of 10 out of 10 for presentation for both cakes.

Taste - Score: Both - 5/10

I'm sorry to everyone who loves Hummingbird, but I was so disappointed!  Yes, the sponge on both cakes was incredibly soft, but the topping was so sweet and overpowering it was almost all I could taste.  Both cakes were very sickly, particularly the Black Bottom, with its large piece of rich chocolate under the topping, and I actually struggled to finish my share (not something I would ever usually do).  Therefore both cakes receive a very disappointing 5 out of 10 for taste.

Overall - Score: Both - 7/10

No half points here I'm afraid so both cakes score a good 7 out of 10 overall.  The reputation of Hummingbird definitely preceded it, and the first impressions certainly raised my expectations further.  Unfortunately as a result I have been left feeling very disappointed, and I'm sure all you Hummingbird fans are also disappointed with my review.  Next time I go near one though I will give Hummingbird a second chance as I certainly had my eye on the carrot cake :)