There are sensible ways to visit Magnolia Market at the Silos in Waco, Texas. Youthe famous grain silos, and enjoy one carefully chosen dessert.
Or you can order every available cupcake, arrange them like a buttercream-covered jury, and investigate which flavor truly deserves your precious vacation calories.
I chose the second approach.
Silos Baking Co. occupies a restored century-old building at the corner of Sixth Street and Webster Avenue. Magnolia describes it as an old-world-inspired bakery filled with Joanna Gaines’ recipes and hand-picked favorites. The bakery’s standard cupcake collection includes five familiar flavors, while additional choices rotate seasonally. For the summer tasting that inspired this ranking, the complete lineup consisted of seven cupcakes: The Chocolatier, Cookies ’N Cream, Shiplap, Strawberries ’N Cream, Lemon Lavender, Orange Cream, and Strawberry Lemonade. en cupcakes may sound manageable. That is because seven cupcakes are being described with words rather than sitting directly in front of you like frosted kettlebells.
First Impressions of Silos Baking Co.
The bakery looks exactly as a Magnolia fan might hope. Its white-brick exterior, striped awnings, vintage details, and carefully arranged display cases make the building feel charming without becoming overly theatrical. It is polished, but it still resembles a neighborhood bakery rather than a dessert laboratory operated by lifestyle influencers.
The setting is not accidental. The building originally formed part of the cotton-oil mill property and later housed a flower shop where Chip Gaines once bought flowers for Joanna. After purchasing the Silos property in 2014, Chip and Joanna transformed the small structure into a bakery that opened in 2016. HGTV documented Joanna testing recipes and refining the cupcake selection during the renovation. ide, the cupcakes are presented with the same visual discipline Joanna brings to an interior makeover. The frosting is piped high in smooth spirals, decorations are restrained, and the colors feel cheerful without looking radioactive. Even the cupcake names belong to the Magnolia universe. “Shiplap,” for example, is both a vanilla dessert and a wink at the wall treatment that launched approximately nine million home-renovation discussions.
The cupcakes are substantial. These are not two-bite party cupcakes designed to disappear before anyone notices you have taken four. Each one contains enough cake and buttercream to qualify as a personal event.
How I Judged Every Magnolia Silos Cupcake
To keep the tasting from becoming complete frosting anarchy, I evaluated each cupcake in four categories:
- Cake: Was it moist, flavorful, and sturdy without becoming dense?
- Frosting: Was the buttercream balanced, or did it taste like sweetened drywall compound?
- Flavor accuracy: Did the cupcake deliver what its name promised?
- Overall enjoyment: Would I happily order it again when paying with my own money and remaining stomach capacity?
I also tasted the cupcakes in small portions rather than eating one completely before moving to the next. This reduced flavor fatigue, although by cupcake number six, my palate was still sending formal complaints to management.
My Complete Ranking of the Silos Baking Co. Cupcakes
7. Lemon Lavender
Lemon Lavender is the most elegant-sounding cupcake in the bakery. It suggests linen tablecloths, sunny gardens, and the sort of afternoon gathering where nobody spills anything on themselves.
The cupcake combines lemon-and-lavender cake with lemon buttercream. On paper, that pairing has potential. Lemon provides brightness, while lavender can add a delicate floral aroma when used carefully. The problem is that floral flavors are notoriously difficult to balance. Too much lavender tastes like hand soap; too little disappears completely.
Here, the lemon dominates. The cake offers a mild citrus flavor, but the lavender is so restrained that some tasters may struggle to detect it. The crumb can also feel drier than those of the chocolate cupcakes, particularly when sampled later in the day. Published visitor reviews have similarly divided over this flavor, with some praising its freshness and others finding it dry or insufficiently floral. is attractive and unusual, but it does not fully deliver the garden-party drama promised by its name.
Verdict: Best for committed lemon-dessert fans who prefer subtle floral flavors.
6. Strawberries ’N Cream
This cupcake features strawberry cake beneath a generous swirl of vanilla buttercream. It looks romantic, cheerful, and ready to appear at a spring bridal shower where all the napkins match.
The frosting is the strongest part. It is light for buttercream, pleasantly creamy, and sweet without immediately numbing the tongue. The cake, however, plays strawberry flavor unusually quietly. Instead of the juicy berry intensity suggested by its pink color, the flavor can resemble vanilla cake with a faint strawberry breeze passing through the room.
That restraint will appeal to visitors who dislike artificial fruit flavoring. Anyone expecting the bold taste of fresh strawberries, jam, or strawberry shortcake may be disappointed. The official menu describes it simply as strawberry cake with vanilla buttercream, so there is no filling or fruit compote to strengthen the berry element. rong>Verdict: Excellent buttercream, but the cake needs a louder strawberry voice.
5. Strawberry Lemonade
Strawberry Lemonade was one of the seasonal summer cupcakes included in the original seven-flavor tasting. Seasonal selections change, so visitors should check the current menu rather than arriving emotionally attached to a cupcake that may be on vacation.
The combination sounds perfect for a hot Texas afternoon: strawberry cake, lemon buttercream, and colorful sprinkles. The frosting supplies a lively citrus kick, cutting through the sugar more effectively than plain vanilla buttercream. Unfortunately, the strawberry cake remains understated, creating an experience that tastes more like lemon cake wearing a pink name tag.
It is still refreshing by cupcake standards, an admittedly competitive category dominated by butter, flour, and denial. The tart frosting also makes it easier to return for another bite after sampling several richer flavors.
Verdict: A bright seasonal choice, although the lemonade half clearly wins the argument.
4. Shiplap
Shiplap is the bakery’s vanilla-on-vanilla classic: vanilla cake topped with vanilla buttercream. Its name references the wood paneling closely associated with Joanna Gaines’ signature design style. s is the safest choice on the menu, but “safe” should not be confused with “bad.” The cake is soft and familiar, the buttercream is smooth, and the uncomplicated flavor makes it a reliable option for children, traditionalists, and anyone who considers lavender an unnecessary complication in dessert.
Shiplap’s weakness becomes apparent only when it is placed beside more distinctive cupcakes. Vanilla cake and vanilla frosting cannot generate the same excitement as deep chocolate or a nostalgic seasonal flavor. It is the dessert equivalent of a beautifully painted white room: tasteful, versatile, and unlikely to start a fight, but not necessarily the part of the house everyone remembers.
Verdict: Dependable, polished, and ideal for vanilla purists.
3. Cookies ’N Cream
Cookies ’N Cream starts with chocolate cake and adds cookies-and-cream frosting plus crumbled chocolate cookies. The texture immediately gives it an advantage. Instead of delivering one continuous note of soft cake and soft buttercream, the cookie pieces introduce a welcome crunch.
The frosting tastes creamy rather than aggressively sugary, and the cookie crumbs distribute chocolate flavor without making the cupcake as intense as The Chocolatier. It is rich enough to feel indulgent but approachable enough for visitors who do not want their dessert to resemble a full chocolate emergency.
The main challenge is balance. A large frosting swirl can dominate the cake unless each bite captures some of both. This is not a cupcake to eat delicately from the top down unless consuming a tower of frosting by itself is part of your personal wellness plan.
Verdict: The best all-around crowd-pleaser and a strong choice for families sharing a box.
2. Orange Cream
Orange Cream was the surprise of the tasting. Inspired by the familiar combination of orange and vanilla, it evokes frozen creamsicle treats, summer afternoons, and childhood decisions made while chasing an ice-cream truck.
The orange cake brings more personality than the other fruit-based cakes. Citrus zest adds brightness and a slightly tart edge, while vanilla buttercream softens the flavor into something creamy and nostalgic. The contrast keeps the cupcake from tasting flat or excessively sweet.
Its appearance also contributes to the experience. Bright cake, pale frosting, and small orange decorations make it one of the most photogenic selections. Better Homes & Gardens tasters separately praised the cupcake’s creamsicle-like character and its balance of orange cake with vanilla frosting. ause Orange Cream is seasonal, availability is not guaranteed. That mild uncertainty somehow makes it taste more exciting, like spotting a rare bird made primarily from butter.
Verdict: The best fruit-forward cupcake and the flavor most likely to convert orange-dessert skeptics.
1. The Chocolatier
The Chocolatier is chocolate cake topped with chocolate buttercream. There is no fruit, floral accent, architectural joke, or seasonal gimmick. It simply promises chocolate and then delivers enough of it to make the other cupcakes look underprepared.
The cake is the star. It is moist, fudgy, and deeply flavored without becoming as heavy as a flourless cake or brownie. The buttercream adds richness but maintains a lighter texture than its appearance suggests. Instead of piling sweetness onto sweetness, the frosting reinforces the cocoa flavor and creates a smooth finish.
Chocolate cupcakes often fail in one of two directions: dry cake or frosting so dense it could repair a pothole. The Chocolatier avoids both. Multiple published tastings have also placed it among the bakery’s strongest offerings, particularly praising the moist cake and comparatively airy frosting. rong>Verdict: The best overall cupcake at Silos Baking Co. and the one I would order again without conducting another seven-dessert investigation.
The Silos Cupcake Awards
- Best overall: The Chocolatier
- Best seasonal flavor: Orange Cream
- Best frosting: Strawberries ’N Cream
- Best texture: Cookies ’N Cream
- Best classic choice: Shiplap
- Best appearance: Orange Cream
- Most ambitious flavor: Lemon Lavender
Are Magnolia Silos Cupcakes Worth the Hype?
Yes, with a small buttercream-covered asterisk.
The cupcakes are not identical in quality. Chocolate-based flavors generally offer stronger cake texture and more recognizable flavor, while some fruit and floral varieties can taste restrained. Individual freshness may also affect the experience, which helps explain why public reviews range from declarations of cupcake perfection to complaints about dry cake. ll, Silos Baking Co. succeeds at something larger than selling cake. The bakery connects food, design, nostalgia, and place. Joanna Gaines has described food as an important way of creating memories and bringing people together, and the bakery applies that philosophy in a highly accessible form. Visitors do not need to purchase furniture, renovate a farmhouse, or develop strong opinions about reclaimed wood. They can simply buy a cupcake and sit outside beneath the Silos. experience is undeniably branded, but it does not feel empty. The recipes, restored building, presentation, and surrounding grounds contribute to a sense of occasion. Even a middle-ranked cupcake becomes more memorable when eaten during a long-awaited trip with family or friends.
Tips for Planning Your Own Silos Baking Co. Taste Test
Visit Early or Late
Magnolia recommends arriving near opening or closing time for a quieter experience, noting that the grounds are busiest around lunch and especially crowded on Saturdays. Going early also gives you a better chance of finding the full selection before popular items sell out. hare a Box
Do not attempt seven full cupcakes alone unless you have trained professionally. Bring two or three people, cut each cupcake into sections, and compare reactions. Sharing also makes it easier to order a seasonal flavor without risking an exclusive long-term relationship with a cupcake you may not enjoy.
Use a Clean Knife
A plastic knife works, but wiping it between flavors matters. Otherwise, Lemon Lavender may acquire chocolate frosting, and your tasting notes will become unreliable dessert fan fiction.
Alternate Rich and Light Flavors
Start with Shiplap or a fruit-based cupcake before moving into Cookies ’N Cream and The Chocolatier. Save water or unsweetened coffee for palate cleansing. Lemonade is refreshing, but adding another sugary drink to seven cupcakes is an athletic decision.
Confirm Seasonal Availability
The five staple cupcakes are more predictable, while rotating choices change throughout the year. Magnolia’s online ordering page is the most practical place to check the current selection before visiting. The bakery does not ship its cupcakes, although pickup and local delivery options may be offered. n>
Extra Experience Notes: What Eating Every Cupcake Felt Like
The first few minutes of an all-cupcake tasting are pure optimism. The box opens, every frosting swirl is intact, and the table resembles a dessert advertisement in which nobody has yet experienced consequences.
The visual differences are immediately useful. Shiplap looks clean and classic. The Chocolatier announces itself through dark cake and chocolate frosting. Cookies ’N Cream arrives with enough crumbly decoration to distinguish it from the crowd. The seasonal cupcakes provide brighter colors, making the box feel less like a collection of beige baked goods and more like an actual tasting flight.
The first bite should be small, but enthusiasm makes this difficult. Cupcakes encourage commitment. Once your fork passes through frosting and reaches the cake, the natural instinct is to take a complete bite. That works beautifully for the first flavor and becomes a questionable strategy by the fifth.
Sharing the tasting creates the most entertaining part of the experience: disagreement. One person may praise Shiplap for being simple while another calls it boring. A lemon lover may defend Lemon Lavender with the intensity of a trial attorney. Chocolate fans will spend several minutes pretending to consider the alternatives before selecting The Chocolatier, which they had chosen emotionally before the box was opened.
Texture becomes increasingly important as the tasting continues. At first, flavor dominates the conversation. Later, the contrast between soft buttercream, tender cake, citrus zest, and cookie crumbs keeps the palate interested. Cookies ’N Cream benefits enormously from this effect. Its crunchy topping feels almost refreshing after several smooth, heavily frosted bites.
The frosting-to-cake ratio also becomes impossible to ignore. Silos cupcakes carry tall buttercream swirls, and the most satisfying method is to cut vertically through the cupcake so every piece includes cake and frosting. Eating from the top produces several bites of nearly pure buttercream followed by an unfrosted cake base, a structural problem that could probably be solved with shiplap.
By the middle of the tasting, the fruit flavors offer relief from the chocolate selections. Orange Cream performs especially well here because its citrus notes wake up the palate. Strawberry Lemonade does something similar through its lemon frosting, although its strawberry component remains less noticeable.
Near the end, portions naturally become smaller. Nobody announces this change. It simply happens as everyone begins cutting pieces approximately the size of decorative gravel. This is also when water becomes the most respected guest at the table.
Despite the sugar overload, the tasting never feels purely competitive. Cupcakes are attached to birthdays, school celebrations, family gatherings, and small rewards after difficult days. Sampling them at the Magnolia Silos adds another layer of nostalgia. Around the bakery are restored buildings, gardens, shopping spaces, food trucks, and the recognizable grain silos that transformed the property into one of Waco’s best-known destinations. Texas travel coverage has described the Silos as a major draw for visitors and an important part of Waco’s modern tourism identity. final surprise is that the winner is not necessarily the cupcake you remember most. The Chocolatier is technically the strongest, but Orange Cream produces the clearest sense of discovery. Shiplap prompts the most debate. Lemon Lavender becomes the flavor everyone continues discussing precisely because opinions differ.
That may be the real appeal of ordering the entire lineup. One cupcake provides dessert. Seven cupcakes provide an afternoon story, a ranking nobody requested, and enough sugar-fueled confidence to browse decorative pillows afterward.
Final Thoughts
Silos Baking Co. is worth visiting for more than its connection to Chip and Joanna Gaines. The restored building is charming, the cupcake presentation is thoughtful, and the best flavors compete comfortably with desserts from dedicated boutique bakeries.
The Chocolatier earns the top position because it combines moist chocolate cake with balanced buttercream. Orange Cream follows closely with its bright, nostalgic flavor, while Cookies ’N Cream offers the most satisfying combination of richness and texture. Shiplap is the dependable traditional choice. The strawberry cupcakes are pleasant but need stronger fruit flavor, and Lemon Lavender remains the lineup’s most polarizing selection.
You do not need to order every cupcake to enjoy the Magnolia Silos Bakery. In fact, your body may submit a written recommendation against it. For most visitors, The Chocolatier, a seasonal cupcake, and one classic flavor will create a well-rounded tasting without requiring an emergency nap.
But if you arrive with friends, an empty stomach, and a sincere commitment to unnecessary dessert research, the complete box is considerably more fun.
