Life lessons and loves

By Andrea Honaker

This is probably not something I should admit, but I have been on a cupcake kick lately. And with cupcake shops being all the rage these days, it’s not hard to find this sweet treat when you’re craving it.

With endless flavor options and icing piled high, these gourmet cupcakes are the perfect reward after a long week. I try not to let myself think about how many calories are in one individual cupcake; I don’t think I want to know. I just reason that if I have been eating healthy and exercising good, one little treat every now and then is alright. And my waistline will certainly let me know if “every now and then” becomes too often.

But with each cupcake costing $2 to $3, it’s easy to limit yourself to just one per trip. I definitely can’t justify spending $20 on cupcakes! It is a bit absurd to think how I could buy a Duncan Hines box mix and make 24 cupcakes for the same price as a single cupcake at a specialty shop. But I just can’t make them as good as they do; they are professionals, after all.

The Charlotte area certainly is not lacking in its share of specialty bakeries and dessert shops. I’ve sampled the cupcakes at Jenn’s Sugarlicious Bakery and Couture Cupcake in Gastonia, Brenda’s Cake Gallery in Belmont, and Polka Dot Bake Shop and Sunflour Bakery in Charlotte. And I’m sure I’ll hit up the other shops I’ve missed in the area soon enough.

(Photo by Jessica Borders) Cupcakes from Jenn's Sugarlicious Bakery in Gastonia

Flavors I’ve tried out include red velvet, strawberry, orange creamsicle, cappuccino, birthday cake, peanut butter cup and chunky monkey. Red velvet is my favorite so far; classic but so very tasty. It’s amazing how many interesting and delicious combinations these bakers come up with. What a fun job that would be!

But after all my taste-testing, I’ve learned one thing: There’s really not a bad cupcake out there. And I’d say the cupcake shop fad is one that will not be fading anytime soon.

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