Who Crowned Magnolia's The King of New York City Bakeries?

I still don't get it. I've been to Magnolia's Bakery about a dozen times -- sometimes upon my request, but mostly upon the requests of friends -- and I still don't understand why it's considered the best bakery in New York City.

Magnolia's Bakery, located on Bleeker Street in downtown Manhattan has been featured on TV shows, in cook books, and is recognized as a sort of bakery God.

What really makes it that special, though? You stand in this imaginary line that, I am convinced, is formed to advertise the store just as much as to keep it breathable inside. Then you're crammed into the bakery, stepping on toes to get around. Ah! now they're icing in your hair.

After all that, there's no where to sit, so you go to the park across the street to eat the cupcake that you've just worked so hard for. You eat it and you try to smile, but you feel so sick after eating so much of that secret ingredient. Oh yeah, it's not that much of a secret: BUTTER.

What's pleasurable about that?

And eating one of these disgustingly creamy cupcakes comes at a price: 389 calories according to this NPR article.

So I go with friends because it's famous, and only because it's famous, but what about those other cute cafes in that area?