I was recently excited to hear that Jax would be getting a new (and apparently already well-known) cupcakery. Sweet! by Good Golly Miss Holly features Hollis Wilder’s famous cupcakes, which made her a 2-time winner of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. The original shop has been operating in Orlando for 3 years, but about a month ago Jacksonville got its very own store in the Town Center.

Sweet!

I went in on my own during their soft open to try some mini cupcakes (LOVE that they have minis…feels less sinful), while Mario decided to dispense himself a cup of frozen yogurt, which Sweet! also sells (yeah, yogurt is the new hotness in Jax, too):
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I feel like there should be an instrumental track of Curtis Mayfield’s “Pusherman” playing behind all my cupcakery posts. I have stumbled upon a new-to-me cupcakery, and they may just be my new favorite pusher(wo)men: Lenox Cupcakes.

Vanilla Caramel Cupcake

I don’t visit Phipps Plaza often, but I recently had a Nordstrom gift card burning a hole in my wallet and decided to peruse the rest of the mall while I was there. I had heard of Lenox Cupcakes before, but kind of put them in my “bourgie” pile with many other things Buckhead. Well, I now know that bourgie cupcakes might just be the best cupcakes.

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If you follow this blog or me on Twitter, you know that I love cupcakes. I actively seek out cupcakeries. Upon request, I can list my top three favorite cupcakes in the Atlanta area (and probably in BR/NOLA too). So it’s always a huge bummer when I come across cupcakes that just doesn’t appeal to me. Such was the case when I visited Gigi’s cupcakes.

Gigi's

Gigi’s is a cupcake chain which originated in Nashville, TN. After checking out their amazing looking cupcake selection online, I visited the Buckhead location to try one out. On the first visit, Mario picked up a candied sweet potato (pictured) and I had a tiramisu.

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Atlantans have fully embraced the cupcake fad, likely because cupcakes make us feel the minimum “eaters remorse” by packing the perfect amount of indulgence into a small package. The following are some Atlanta cupcakeries that are mixing it up with unique flavor combinations and presentations.

Caryn’s Cakes: Located in a nondescript building in West Midtown, I was initially lured into Caryn’s Cakes by the cupcake-shaped sign they place out at the street corner. “You need a cupcake NOW,” it reads. Their rotating cupcake selections are as delicious as they are unique: maple bacon, applesauce, and chocolate hazelnut are a few of my favorites. So, how do they come up with their flavor combinations?

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I am coming to terms with the fact that I am apparently on an unofficial mission to try all of Atlanta’s cupcakes. My latest endeavor was CamiCakes Cupcakes, which originated in Florida and now has 3 locations; 2 in Florida, and one here in ATL. My friend Tracie and I made an impromptu stop after noticing the storefront in a shopping center on Peachtree on our way back from lunch one afternoon.

Camicakes

All of the cupcakes looked really delicious, but I finally settled on a Strawberries -n- Cream (strawberries cream cheese frosting on yellow cake) and a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream (chocolate cake topped with peanut butter cream cheese frosting). Prepare for drooling after the jump:
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As of last week, I have sworn off cupcakes until Thanksgiving. For real. Depending upon my willpower this hiatus may even be extended through December. So for my last hurrah, I visited Vinings cupcakery Sweet Pockets.

Sweet Pockets

Sweet Pockets, like Noon Midtown, is also a product of a daily-grinder (architect) turned chef. I tried their red velvet cupcake, and Mario got one of their specials, pecan pie:
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Here’s a quickie post while I study for two tests, write a fellowship proposal, and make more substantial posts on a girls’ night out last weekend and Taste of Atlanta.

It’s probably no secret now that I’m a certified cupcake addict. Well, I’ve found my new pusher, and she’s fortunately/unfortunately in walking distance of my place. Caryn’s Cakes appears to mostly be a wedding/special events cake shop (think “Ace of Cakes”), but they also have some amaaazing cupcakes, which I discovered when I walked over to pick up 2 last week:

Caryn's Cupcackes

As a quick follow-up to my Vickery’s dinner post, here’s a little blurb on a little cupcake I had from Chocolate Pink Cafe for dessert.

Mochaccino Cupcake

The Mochaccino cupcake (vanilla chiffon cake, coffee cream filling, chocolate ganache, coffee buttercream) was moist and flavorful. I especially loved the coffee buttercream on top (but frosting is always my favorite). I also love cupcake fillings and was really looking forward to biting into the coffee cream filling, but I was disappointed because I didn’t get much flavor out of it. I think the buttercream may have overwhelmed it.

Zifty delivered my cupcake as well, but I hear Chocolate Pink has a really fabulous space that can be enjoyed cafe-style or rented out for events.

www.chocolatepinkcafe.com

If you keep up with first-bite.com, you will soon discover that I love sweets. Currently, my sweet tooth causes me to crave cupcakes (last year, it was ice cream).  Whole Foods has a great cupcake selection, and when I’m able, I take a visit for a sweet indulgence.  Usually I go for a carrot cupcake or plain vanilla, but recently they had a few interesting items in the display case–PB&J and caramel apple cupcakes.

Caramel Apple and PB&J Cupcakes

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I decided to satisfy my sweet tooth last night by making Strawberry and Mascarpone Filled Cupcakes from a recipe I found on foodnetwork.com.  Having never filled cupcakes before, it was an interesting experiment, but fun and delicious nonetheless.  Also, clearly I’m no cake decorator.  First bites and recipe after the break.

Cupcakes

The Money Shot

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