Cereal Review: Post Cupcake Pebbles

While browsing the cereal aisle this week, I spotted a strange new box next to the Fruity Pebbles display: Something called Cupcake Pebbles, with the same Flintstones characters that appear on all Pebbles cereal boxes.

Since I practically grew up on the Pebbles line of cereal, I had to give Cupcake Pebbles a try. I found the taste to be quite different from most breakfast cereals, but in a good way. Here's my review.

Cupcake Pebbles review: Background

For years, Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles have been mainstays in the cereal aisle and on kitchen tables across the country. In recent years, Post came out with other flavors which didn't fare as well - Berry Pebbles, Marshmallow Mania Pebbles, Cinna-Crunch Pebbles, and Dino Smores Pebbles.

Now comes the latest from Post's Pebbles line of cereal: Cupcake Pebbles. The box stands out on the shelf - it features an aqua background with the word "cupcake" in bright pink. The illustration shows a cupcake with pink icing and pebbles on top, while Flintstones characters Pebbles and Bam Bam wear party hats and jump in excitement.

Cupcake Pebbles review: Sensory judgments

Upon pouring a bowl, two things jump out right away: the color and the smell. The smell is an overwhelming aroma of cake icing. Post obviously put some effort into making the cereal smell like cupcakes or birthday cake. It's a different smell than you get from any another breakfast cereal.

The color is also unique. Instead of the bright colors we're used to seeing from Post, Cupcake Pebbles are a white-ish yellow. They seem almost devoid of color, except for tiny specks of purple and blue and pink, apparently designed to give the appearance of sprinkles on a cupcake.

The smell and sight of Cupcake Pebbles are definitely unusual, but in a good way.

Cupcake Pebbles review: Taste

Birthday cake is obviously a hot flavor right now - go to any ice cream store and you're likely to find a "birthday cake" flavor with sprinkles and the taste of cake icing.

Post has taken that concept to the world of breakfast cereal, with great results. The taste of Cupcake Pebbles is just like the smell - the flavor of cake icing takes over.

I found the cupcake cereal to be less sweet than Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles. The cereal still has 11 grams of sugar per serving, but the flavor is a bit milder and less overpowering than the other Pebbles brands.

For those who think sugary breakfast cereals are too sweet, Cupcake Pebbles might be worth trying.

Cupcake Pebbles review: Summary

Interestingly, the Post website makes no mention of the existence of Cupcake Pebbles, suggesting that this cereal may be a limited-release test product in certain areas of the country. Supporting that theory is the fact that boxes of Cupcake Pebbles are available on eBay at a cost of $6 a box plus $9 shipping and handling.

I wouldn't recommend paying that much for a box of Post Cupcake Pebbles, but I do suggest trying them if you happen to see them in your local grocery store.

Cupcake Pebbles review: Sources

http://www.postcereals.com/