Would you like a slice of cake on top of your cupcake?

That's what Dotty Cupcakes in Cardiff, UK, is serving up! They've also made these beautiful rose cupcakes. Via Flickr. Find out more at dottycupcakes.co.uk or their Facebook page.

The Cupcake Activist Visits Retro Bakery

This day has been in the works for a looong time. I've driven through Las Vegas so many times, but fate never allowed me to partake....that is, until last month. The stars finally aligned and The Cupcake Activist made it to famous Retro Bakery! I met the super-sweet Kari, owner of Retro Bakery, and ate some of the best cupcakes ever....ooops! Did I spoil the surprise already? I'm sure most of you have already heard about the amazingness of Retro Bakery, but read on anyway (you can also read my review here).

Choosing cupcake flavors is always a hard decision, but I knew I couldn't go wrong at Retro Bakery. Everything looked so good! Normally I pick a handful of flavors to sample, but this time I just couldn't do it. One of everything please!

From left to right, top to bottom:

Glazed Donut - just like a dense glazed donut

Hop Scotch - yum, yum, yum!!! Everyone was right!

Apple Cider - reminiscent of a caramel apple lollipop. It had a strong green apple flavor.

Milk & Cookies - my husband said the frosting tasted like milk. Of course it wasn't, but the cookie topped off this cupcake perfectly.

Chocolate Coconut (flavor of the day) - tasted just like one of my favorite candy bars: Mounds. I loved the chocolate ganache covering the coconut and frosting.

Chocolate Fountain - extra moist

Peanut Butter Cup - can't go wrong with this flavor combo.

Mint Chocolate Chip - they pulled off this cupcake nicely. Sometimes the mint flavor is too strong and makes me feel like like I'm eating toothpaste. Not here, delicious!

Maple Bacon - the center of this cupcake was coated with maple syrup. The maple buttercream was very sweet. I wish this cupcake was a little more savory and had more bacon. Can't go wrong with lots of bacon, right?

Cherry Cheesecake - I liked the cheesecake buttercream and the cherry cake was just ok. But I'm not much of a cherry person anyway.

Pink Lemonade - the lemonade buttercream frosting was so perky. Might be weird to describe it that way, but this cupcake was just so fun and tasty.

Red Carpet - similar to the Red Velvet from Sweet Tooth Fairy because it uses almond buttercream instead of cream cheese frosting. I prefer red velvet with cream cheese frosting.

The cupcake that stole that whole show was Hop Scotch. This unique cupcake was recommended to me by everyone who has visited Retro Bakery before. I knew I couldn't pass it up and I'm so glad I didn't. It is a vanilla cupcake topped with vanilla buttercream, dipped in butterscotch ganache. Heaven! The only negative thing I can say about this cupcake is that I wish the wrapper was edible too. I regret not getting two because sharing with my husband was pure torture. I tried telling him it was awful, but he wasn't fooled.

Before I left with my cupcake treasures, Kari told me I had to get some cookies too. My stomach said I couldn't add cookies to the dozen cupcakes I was already going to eat by myself, but I did as I was told. Kari then confided in me that she makes good cupcakes, but she makes even better cookies. Sold! A chocolate chip, sugar with sprinkles, and peanut butter chocolate chip pretzel cookie came with me. Kari was right, these cookies were the best I've ever tasted....ever!

(The look of love. I wish my husband looked at me like this!)

What can I say about Retro Bakery? It lived up to its hype as one of the best cupcake shops I've ever been to! Lots of variety, perfect buttercream frosting, great prices ($2.65 each), and most importantly, amazing-tasting cupcakes. And let's not forget about the to-die-for cookies, which can be shipped directly to your house (I've already done it). This gem of a cupcake shop is absolutely worth the drive whether you're in the Las Vegas area or not. There's no doubt that I will be stopping by here every time I'm close by. Don't make the same mistake I did and wait too long to stop by.

It really is all about the buttercream!

Retro Bakery

7785 N. Durango Dr. , #130

Las Vegas, NV 89131

702-586-3740

www.retrobakerylv.com

Facebook: Retro Bakery

Twitter: @retrobakery

Bakery Visit: The Treats Truck Stop In Brooklyn

I first met Kim Ima, the owner of  The Treats Truck over five years ago when she first started driving Sugar, her dessert truck. She is one of the early pioneers in the local New York food truck movement. Last fall, The Treats Truck Baking Book was published and less than a month ago, her first storefront, The Treats Truck Stop (521 Court Street) opened in Brooklyn.




I stopped by the new place last weekend and I sampled many treats. There are brownies, blondies, cookies, cupcakes, rice krispie treats and more!

 

I loved the red vinyl chairs!


Even the writing on the bathroom wall is cute

4 not-to-be-missed masquerade ball mask cupcakes

Please give a giant cupcake round of applause to blogger The Lone Baker - I am always in awe of her cupcake creations, but these fondant masquerade masks are simply stunning. Wow! She shows you how to make each one in her post. Via Flickr. Also visit The Lone Baker on Facebook.

2 upcoming novels with cupcakes on the cover: When in Doubt, Add Butter and What You Wish For

Cupcakes continue to be a draw for novels that aren't necessarily about cupcakes (though I haven't read either of these so I don't know for sure how much, if at all, cupcakes play a role).


When in Doubt, Add Butter by Beth Harbison


What More Could You Wish For by Samantha Hoffman

Pet Rat + Cupcake: Master Splinter

Prepare yourself: pet rat + cupcake:

This is my first pet rat + cupcake post, I guess I wasn't really thinking I'd see that day.  Master Splinter was, I believe, well behaved around the ninja cupcakes.  Image courtesy fourpointreport.

Stanley Cup special: NJ Devils fans can get a free cupcake for showing their hockey team spirit at Mr. Cupcakes

And continuing today's New Jersey theme...cupcake bakery Mr. Cupcakes posted on their Facebook page: "ATTENTION Customers, come into any of the Mr. Cupcakes locations wearing a NJ DEVILS T-Shirt and GET A FREE CUPCAKE!!! *One per customer. Offer valid during Stanley Cup Finals only." Visit mrcupcakes.com for more information.




Spiderman cupcake cake


donuts!


unrelated to hockey, Mr. Cupcakes has its own line of beverages!

What kids look like with their faces buried in cupcakes

I wish I'd known about this kids' cupcake eating contest held on Monday in my hometown of Teaneck, New Jersey, because I would have attended! (Please let us know about your cupcake events by emailing cupcakestakethecake at gmail.com with "Calendar" in the subject line.) These fun photos are Facebook page of charity cupcake bakery Zoe's Cupcake Cafe, who you can find online at zoescupcakecafe.com.




victory!

California cupcake bakery Yummy Cupcakes set to open franchise in June in Doha, Qatar

California cupcake bakery Yummy Cupcakes will open a franchise in Doha, Qatar, according to their Facebook page - email franchising at yummycupcakes.com for more information if you're interested.. They currently have locations in Burbank, Brentwood and Santa Monica, California. Find out more at yummycupcakes.com; all photos below via Facebook (these cupcakes are from their California stores, just wanted to add some cupcake color to this post). Update: Via @yummycupcakesla on Twitter: "Doha joins Turkey & soon Kuwait, Mexico & more intl locations for us."




black and white milkshake




popcorn!




Blue Hawaiian and lemon drop cupcakes


margarita and mojito cupcakes

Caramel Cupcake From D's Just Desserts

Over the holiday weekend, I attended a surprise birthday party. The birthday girl has been wanting a caramel cake, and I have been wondering where I could order one.   D's Just Desserts, a bakery in Prospect Heights made a  delicious caramel cake and cupcakes for the party.

Say it in French with cupcake flags: je t'taime, amour, merci, plus "I do. We did." and "to have" and "to hold"

Say it with cupcake toppers in French or English from Etsy seller looploft.





They also sell personalized cake or cupcake toppers like these:

Sitting pretty: chocolate and banana cream pie cupcakes in the window at Cupcake Jones, plus get a free cupcake photo shoot

These cupcakes in the window of Portland, Oregon bakery Cupcake Jones look like they're just hanging out, having fun, waiting to be selected and eaten. I love this photo! Via Cupcake Jones on Facebook. You can also keep up with them @cupcakejonespdx on Twitter and find out more at cupcakejones.net.



That's not all that's going on with Cupcake Jones. From their Facebook page:

Want a professional photo taken of you DEVOURING a Cupcake Jones cupcake? Contact our awesome friend Amy Vining Photography at amyvining at me.com to sign up for an express photo shoot this Friday. FREE CUPCAKES to do with as you please in the photo....keep it clean folks! We'll post some of them in the bakery, too! Have fun!

And they've just changed their benefit days to benefit months, meaning each month your purchase will benefit a different charity. All June purchases, including custom orders, will benefit PHAME Academy. From their website: "PHAME is the Portland region’s fine and performing arts organization serving adults with developmental disabilities. PHAME is an acronym: it stands for Pacific Honored Artists, Musicians and Entertainers. PHAME Academy supports the development of skills and self-esteem in adults with developmental disabilities through education and participation in the fine and performing arts."


And another photo: chocolate chip cookie and lemoncello cupcakes from my visit to Cupcake Jones in April

Pistachio Pudding Cupcakes

Mmm, pistachio. Pistachios are one of my favorite things in the world, scratch that. ANYTHING pistachio flavored are my favorite things in the world! Eat Live Run has created a super easy recipe that will have you enjoying pistachio cupcakes lickety split!

The recipe adapts a cake mix and transforms it with the addition of two boxes of instant pistachio pudding! One box for the cake, one box for the frosting! You can find the recipe here but be forewarned, this recipe is for pistachio lovers only!

Summer cuteness alert: gumdrop crab and fish candy cupcake toppers

These sweet and cute crab and fish edible gumdrop candy cupcake toppers by blogger The Decorated Cookie say "summer" to me! Visit The Decorated Cookie to find out how to make them using gumdrops, Twizzlers Pull n’ Peel licorice and some decorating magic.

~Sweet Shoppe Birthday~

LOVE LOVE LOVE.....these party decorations!

The colors are awesome....

The food is gorgeous....

Candy necklaces...lollipop Pinata....gumballs...... Party Hats...colored mason jars

How could anything go wrong with a party like this one?

Stop by Hostess with the Mostess to read all about the details!!

Candy Art....this is so adorable!