Disclaimer: I am not a cake lover. I am 100% an ice cream person. I am a little scared of cake, especially dry cake. And cupcakes are fine, but nothing beats a good ice cream cone. However, Créme Cupcake + Dessert was a nice change from the typical cupcake shop.

We went into Créme after our dinner at Proof for an end-of-the-night drink and dessert. First and foremost, they operate as a cupcake shop. On their door is a proud sticker showing they had been on Cupcake Wars, placing 2nd place in a 2013 episode. From 5 pm on, they host a Dessert Lounge.

The Dessert Lounge menu focuses on homemade desserts and house cocktails crafted by their own mixologist. They have 7 desserts on the menu, and each features a cocktail, wine, coffee, and tea pairing. For example, their Chocolate Flourless Torte is paired with a Spanish Coffee cocktail, a Cupcake Red Wine, an Almond Latte, or a black tea.

The restaurant itself is fairly small. There is some small bar seating by the cupcake display case, as well as high tables and cushion seating on the sides of the room. You walk in and take a seat, and a waitress comes over to take your order.

I had the Cinnamon Créme Brûlée with a cinnamon sugar crust with whipped cream paired with a Masala Chai Latte. All the drinks came out at the same time before the desserts. I would have liked them to come at the same time, but since I was drinking hot tea it didn’t make too much of a difference. The adults received cocktails, which generally had good reviews, but maybe a little too much on the sweet side. My tea was good, but a pretty average cup of masala chai I could brew at home. Definitely not worth 5$.

The desserts were definitely much better than the drinks. The Cinnamon Créme Brûlée was warm and creamy. I loved the cinnamon twist, it was a nice spice on a traditionally very heavily sweet dessert. I really enjoyed the suggested pairing of the dessert with the tea, the flavors complimented each other in an unexpected way. The only complaint I had (which is not really a complaint) is that the portion size was quite big for one person, and the waitress took my plate away before I was finished. Sad face.

Zach had the Peanut Butter Lava cake with a Masala Chai. It was a small chocolate cake filled with peanut butter, with a spiced berry jam and peanut brittle on the side. He took one bite and immediately went into chocolate heaven, so I would say it was pretty good.

Overall, I would suggest paying the Dessert Lounge a visit. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the concept, which is very much unique in the Des Moines area. The execution of the desserts was definitely good, but not impressive. I did think it was overpriced on the whole, 5$ for a chai and 9$ for the dessert was pricey for the quality.

The Bottom Line

Fun concept, good desserts. Didn’t blow me away, but worth a visit!

Cone Rating: 3.5 Cones 

Price: $$ (10-20$ for a full meal)

Location: Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines

On the Internet: Créme Cupcake Website and Yelp