On the site of what used to be Josephine’s Bakery sits The Perfect Bun, promising to satisfy ex-pats in Rome who are fed up with cannolis and sflogiatelle (like that could ever happen) and want a true American cupcake. I found out about it because I was sick of cannolis and sflogiatelle and wanted a true American cupcake.

The website promised cupcakes, sticky buns, scones and…BAGELS. All of a sudden beautiful images of pizza bagels started swimming through my mind and I decided to check it out. In addition, the site said that the bakery has its own grocery section, containing American products that are next-to-impossible to find in the eternal city. My mind switched from pizza bagels to thoughts of light brown sugar and Kraft mac&cheese (I’ve got the blue box blues, you see), and I was totally sold. As if that weren’t enough, it is two blocks away from my apartment. I love it when I have to burn so few calories to consume so many!

Once I entered the shop (after accidentally walking past the non-descript, unmarked door twice), I was greeted with a cute little display of special-occasion cakes, made-to-order. So pretty, but I came for the cupcakes and bagels, folks. Moving right along.

The cupcake display case didn’t disappoint. There were 5-6 different varieties, including lime, vanilla, something with apples (the names were in Italian and I don’t remember the exact translation) and, of course, cioccolato. Unfortunately, the bagel rumor proved to be false, and I bought two cupcakes to console myself – the apple-something and the chocolate. I then turned my attention to the grocery section.

No light brown sugar, only dark brown sugar. That’s two dreams dashed. They do carry potato chips, Ziploc bags, canned chili, ketchup, mustard, maple syrup, and peanut butter, among other things. They also, unbelievably, carry Indian products. No Kraft mac&cheese for me, but I can buy all the curry vindaloo I want. Blasphemy. Nevertheless, its good to know they have some of the essentials from back home. Let’s talk about the cupcakes.

I’m very picky about cupcakes, especially with regards to the frosting. I found the frosting on the apple cupcake to be a little too heavy, not the fluffy, light stuff I was hoping for. The cake itself was delicious though, and if they removed the icing, they’d have a seriously yummy muffin on their hands (and in my belly).

The chocolate frosting was also a little heavier than I was expecting, but I tend to be more forgiving of chocolate frostings, and thus will allow it. The cake was yummy and moist, and satisfied any and all cupcake cravings that I had been having. I didn’t get to try the sticky buns this time, but once the pain of the bagel/Kraft disappointment wears off, I’ll go back and check them out.

The Perfect Bun

Piazza del Paradiso 56

Rome, Italy, 00186