After three years of slaving over a hot oven in Primrose Hill, the folk behind one of the capital’s best loved cupcake brands have opened a cafe in Selfridges.

The Venue
Selfridges’ Food Hall has always been a maze of delicious temptations, one of the most eye-catching of which was boxes of LOLA’s glittery, colourful, sprinkle-topped cupcakes. If you’d rather dedicate a well earned rest to your cupcake rather than just grab a box and make a run for it, LOLA’s have recently opened up a little cafe that rubs elbows with the Selfridges’ other in-store restaurants.

It’s small, with about four or five plain white tables, most of which can seat three or more at a pinch. There’s little in the way of decor besides LOLA’s logo proudly displayed on the wall, plus some flowers from the florist next door, but the centrepiece of the area is clearly the display counter filled with cupcakes. From the traditionally simple versions topped with a coloured ring, the more outlandish versions covered in vivid frosting, quirky shaped candies and sprinklings of iridescent glitter, and small but perfectly formed mini versions, eyeing them all up could take a while. Large signs listing flavours and types of drinks are easily visible if you need help making your mind up.

The Atmosphere
LOLA’s have managed to net themselves a quieter section of the Food Hall, and whilst there’s plenty of people coming and going it still feels private. Expect the usual Selfridges crowd of lunchtime office shoppers and tourists, who gaze at the counter with looks of reverence in their eyes. Lots of staff are on hand to easily and quickly deal with the predictable queue.

The Food
LOLA’s specialise in American-style cupcakes, with mountains of buttery frosting resting on moist, flat-topped cakes. The cupcakes at this location are baked at the Primrose Hill headquarters and delivered each morning, and the full list of flavours are available, from the usual vanilla and chocolate versions to the more interesting options of banana, lemon, Oreo, chocolate coconut, carrot and Rocky Road. Regular sized cupcakes are priced at £2.25 each and the smaller versions are £1.10, but prices raise slightly if you have a seat. A word to the uninitiated – the icing used here is very, very rich, so expect a thick, buttery taste. If you’re not a fan of all things sweet this probably isn’t the best place for you, but then again what cupcake shop would be?

If you’re having trouble choosing which flavours to try, it might be best to pick several of the tiny cupcakes and split them down the middle, as each are made to the same specifications – and offer a similarly large icing-to-cupcake ratio. The plain chocolate version is topped with an indulgent dark chocolate icing that’s brightened up by confetti-like circular sprinkles, whilst the classic American red velvet flavour is topped with a slightly sharp, tangy cream cheese icing. Rocky Road – an American ice cream classic – is translated into cupcake form with a striped chocolate and vanilla cake and a topping made up of mini marshmallows and cross-hatched with chocolate and caramel to hold it together. The Oreo cupcake has a subtle, almost milky flavour and is topped with a mini Oreo cookie, whilst the chocolate coconut version is covered in little coconut flakes and a rainbow of shiny glitter. Boxes of cupcakes are also available to take away along with cupcake cakes (basically a cake topped with mini cupcakes) from £24 and a massive giant cupcake for £45, just in case you fancy attempting to eat a cupcake that’s roughly the size of your head.

The Drink
Several varieties of hot drinks are available with most prices coming in at about £2 (again, each is slightly more expensive if you have a seat). Coffee is supplied by South Africa-based vida e caffe, and choices include the usual options like espresso, Americano and cappuccino, which has a smooth, well rounded flavour nicely topped off by some light foam. Teas and hot chocolate are also on offer, as well as a frozen hot chocolate drink.

The Last Word
Although the rich, buttery frosting and colourful explosions of sprinkles may be too much for some, if you’re looking for a sugar rush with your morning coffee, or just need a bit of an energy boost to make it through another floor at Selfridges, don’t miss LOLA’s.

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