In case you haven’t noticed, cupcakes and specialty cupcake bakeries are popping up everywhere lately. Those dainty yet undeniably delectable treats are irresistible. Whether it’s the airy and light cake or smooth and creamy frosting that attracts you, cupcakes are the perfect sweet snack that can be eaten in just a few bites. Cupcakes are the perfect pick-me-up for a bad day or an affordable gift for every occasion. Here are a few local bakeries where you can stop to find the perfect treat.
1. OllieCake
OllieCake is in the same building (with the same owners) as another dessert shop favorite, Urban Cookies. OllieCake recently won the Miss USA episode of the Food Network’s cupcake competition show “Cupcake Wars.”
When you eat a cupcake from OllieCake you can’t help but feel good about yourself, being an environmentally conscious business. They use at least 75 percent organic and local ingredients in their cupcakes. Both online and in store you can see exactly what ingredients went into your cupcake. Promise: if you even care about indulging in one of these tasty morsels, this will ease your worries.
4711 North 7th Street, Phoenix
602-451-4335, olliecake.com
2. Mind Over Batter
When this bakery comes to mind, you can’t help but think about their moist and fluffy cupcakes with adorable decorations. Mind Over Batter has 25 different cupcake flavors and the popular ones tend to move off the pastry shelves fast so make sure to stop in early.
The names are just as cute as the cupcakes with favorites such as Pink Cadillac, a strawberry cake with vanilla buttercream or the 24 Karat, a carrot cake with cream cheese butter cream and orange crystals.
1805 East Elliot Road Suite 106, Tempe
480-491-0012, mindoverbatter.net
3. Tammie Coe Cakes
In Phoenix, the No. 1 bakery that comes to mind is Tammie Coe Cakes. The best part about Tammie Coe is they keep their cupcake shelf, as it should be, simple and sweet. There are three signature flavors – Ooey Gooey, Red Velvet and Coconut. If you’re lucky you may make it in on a day when they have a special flavor like Carrot Cake.
The staff at Tammie Coe isn’t always super accommodating but the flavor of their desserts tends to make up for it. The only downside to their cupcakes is that the frosting portion is pretty heavy, but for some people extra frosting may be just what you’re looking for.
Tammie Coe Cakes – Arcadia 4140 North 40th Street, Phoenix 602-840-3644
Tammie Coe Cakes– Roosevelt Row 610 East Roosevelt Street, Phoenix 602-253-0829, tammiecoecakes.com
4. 21 Cakes
Sprinkles doesn't have anything on 21 Cakes, a newly opened specialty cupcake bakery in Scottsdale. As the name 21 Cakes implies, they have at least 21 flavors all the time – 20 are on a permanent menu and one specialty cake a month. The cake flavors rotate, though, so if you’re looking for a special cake flavor, make sure you call ahead to confirm it's been baked that day.
The Vanilla Salted Caramel and Snickerdoodle cupcakes are out of this world. 21 Cakes also knows how to appeal to the average candy-bar consumer with their Chocolate Heath Bar Crunch and Signature Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcakes. If you have a gluten dietary restriction 21 Cakes has a gluten-free flavor as well.
7001 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale 480-699-6220, 21cakes.com
5. Treehouse Vegan Cupcakes
Treehouse Bakery doesn’t have an actual storefront, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying these sweet vegan delicacies. Just a quick walk from the Downtown Phoenix Campus is the Phoenix Public Market, where these cupcakes are sold.
One of the most popular pastries created by Treehouse Bakery is the Mocha Latte cupcake with a chocolate espresso cake and espresso buttercream frosting. Even if you aren’t vegan give these cupcakes a try – you won't regret it.
At the Phoenix Public Market
14 East Pierce Street, Phoenix 480-560-5233, treehousevegan.com
6. Bertha’s Café
If you’re on a slight diet for spring break but you’re dying to have a cupcake, Bertha’s Café is the place to go. They have mini cupcakes for only 75 cents, and Bertha’s cupcakes’ tiny size makes them guilt free, affordable and very sharable. Make sure you try the creamy red velvet.
3134 East Indian School Road, Phoenix 602-955-1022
7. Let Them Eat Cake
If the decorations on these cupcakes don’t entice you to buy them then flavors will. All of Let Them Eat Cake’s cupcakes are adorable in both embellishment and name – one of the more creative names is Better Than Sex, a German cake soaked with caramel sauce and whipped cream, topped with fudge and toffee crunch.
They have 25 flavors with two rotating flavors each month. The Cupcake of the Month changes every month along with The Tourist, a cupcake with flavors from around the world. The cost of these cupcakes is average at around $3.25 per cupcake but the size is not.
4747 East Thomas Road, Phoenix 602-952-5272, letthemeatcakeaz.com
Reach the reporter at cavohs@asu.edu
