Cupcakes come in all colors, sizes and calorie counts. You see glorious cupcake displays at weddings, birthdays and lining bakery shelves. If you’re going to eat the whole thing, it’s probably best if it’s a cupcake rather than the three-tiered alternative. Here are five of the Southland’s best to tempt the palate and keep you relatively guilt-free.

 

Enjoy Cupcakes in Santa Barbara & Los Olivos

Established in 2009 in Los Olivos and Santa Barbara in 2014, Enjoy Cupcake has so far created more than 650 Wine Cupcake recipes.  Baker Amber Joy Vander VlietI produces six flavors each week with input from chief executive taster/partner Kevin Vander Vliet.

Creations include their signature Chocolate Blackberry Syrah — syrah-infused cake with dark chocolate fudge topped with blackberry frosting and a wine-soaked blackberry rolled in sugar crystals; Blueberry Lemon Chardonnay — chardonnay cake with creamy Meyer lemon filling topped with blueberry cream cheese frosting and wine-soaked blueberry; and Chunky Chocolate Salted Peanut Butter Caramel — chocolate chunk cake oozing with peanut butter mousse, topped with peanut butter chocolate chip frosting, caramel and pinch of salt.

enjoycupcakes.com | 805.451.0284

 

 

Georgetown Cupcake in Beverly Hills

In 2008, co-founders Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne left the corporate world to follow their passion for baking and opened Georgetown Cupcake in Washington, DC. Today, they have six locations across the country, offer more than 100 different cupcakes, and ship them nationwide.

The sisters also star in the hit series DC Cupcakes on TLC and are best-selling authors of The Cupcake Diaries and Sweet Celebrations. They’ve also been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, on NBC’s Today Show, Martha Stewart, Oprah Winfrey, and more.

The menu features 18 classics including Bubblegum Pink Chocolate, Baby Blue Vanilla, and Red Velvet plus eight daily specials such as chocolate salted caramel, lemon blossom, key lime as well as gluten-free and vegan offerings.

georgetowncupcake.com | 310.271.2171

 

 

Casey’s Cupcakes in Irvine, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Riverside

This charming confection boutique in Irvine is filled with beautifully-decorated cupcakes, each topped with Casey’s signature chocolate medallion. Company founder Casey Reinhardt, who began baking with her great grandmother at age four, conceived the ambience: À la “glitzy Parisian café.” In 2011, she won Food Network’s Cupcake Wars with her white chocolate cherry, white Russian, chili chocolate and lavender.  Now she has four locations.

Signature flavors include Beach Boy — Tahitian vanilla cake with creamy vanilla buttercream frosting topped with a red gum ball rolled in yellow sugar crystals; Decadent Dark Chocolate — rich dark chocolate cake with dark chocolate chips and dark chocolate icing; Razzmatazz Raspberry with Tahitian vanilla bean icing; as well as gluten-free vegan chocolate and sugar-free coconut vanilla creations.

caseyscupcakes.com | Irvine – 949.379.7300

 

 

Over the Rainbow in Palm Springs

How about a Meyer lemon cupcake with mustard or a chocolate with crispy onion buttercream?  Over the Rainbow Desserts, the Coachella Valley’s only bakery, is co-owned by Pastry Chef Roman Blas and Ken Kempka who have made quite a name for themselves since opening in 2012.

Food and Wine Magazine has named Roman’s Chocolate Covered Potato Chip Cupcake one of “America’s Most Savory Cupcakes” and CNN’s “Living” called it one of “America’s Craziest.” Palm Springs Life Magazine dubbed the Chocolate Covered Jalapeno the “Sexiest Chocolate Dessert.”

In addition to traditional cupcakes and spectacular cupcake bouquets, the menu features such creations as Vanilla Mango Habanero and Blue Cheese Blue Berry Cheesecake. The Happy Hawaiian Cupcake — pineapple macadamia nut with cream cheese buttercream rolled in coconut and topped with a macadamia nut and pineapple, is billed as having been Frank Sinatra’s favorite dessert.

romanblas.com | 760.322.CAKE (2253)

 

 

Sweet As Bliss in San Diego

Sweet As Bliss, a web/commercial bakery delivering to customers throughout Southern California started as a dream and became a reality for owner Tara Konitshek. Her bakery offers more than 50 different flavors and can accommodate any special dietary requests such as vegan, gluten-free, organic and whole wheat. Standard options include Chocolicious, Burgundy Velvet, Carrot Top and Coconut Dreams.  Fruity Flavors feature Lemon Drop, Orange Cream, Raspberry Champagne, Lavender & Lemon and Mud Pie. On the Special Flavor list are Salted Caramel Cappuccino, Green Tea & Honey, Roasted Almond Bliss, Taro & Coconut.

The bakery prides itself on creating delectable yet healthy cupcakes, which are never overly sweet. Ingredients include real butter, freshly imported vanilla beans & extracts, organic coconut milk, Bensdorp cocoa powder, premium Korintje cinnamon, high-quality gluten-free flour, and fresh citrus.

sweetasbliss.com | 858.610.6500

Linda Lang
Latest posts by Linda Lang (see all)
August 27, 2018