Last week, I asked my Facebook friends what I should be thankful for that isn’t fashion, food or furry. I am, of course, thankful for the obvious things: family, friends, my health, a roof over my head, plumbing, modern technology and cable TV (that includes a DVR). But I anticipated the “thankful blog” to be all about the frivolous things that we could live without, but that we are grateful for nonetheless.
Looking back, the list of things I am thankful for includes Indian buffets, shoe porn and wine in a box. I count wine as food, and I am half tempted to add local breweries and low calorie beer to the list, but time is running out on the “thankful blog.” But I digress.
Although I wanted to stray from food, I couldn’t resist being thankful for cupcakes. It’s more than the moist cake topped with smooth frosting made with the finest ingredients ... in my mouth. Oh, yum. It’s about the happiness I feel when I see the dainty, little confections. I don’t even need to eat the cupcake to feel that euphoria.
If I could only describe myself using pictures, there would be a cupcake cutout on the construction paper collage about me. The kitsch, sweetness, creativity and decorativeness that we have in common make use kindred spirits. Yes, I just described a cupcake as a kindred spirit.
Now, I have always loved cupcakes and have never had a party without them, but it wasn’t until I started baking vegan cupcakes that the obsession came to live. One of my favorite cookbooks is called “Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World” by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. I now have a cupcake tree, a cupcake carrier and my DVR is set to record “Cupcake Wars” on Food Network.
If you are not as talented as I when it comes to cupcake making (I kid, I’m not that good, but that first picture with the banana split cupcake is one labor-intesive one that I made myself!), there are some wonderful local places to satisfy your sweet tooth and find a smile on your face with my favorite confection.
Check out these local businesses for cupcake happiness:
Cakewalk Vegan Bakery and Grocery
434 S. 900 East
Follow them on Facebook and they will tempt you with daily updates of Peanut Butter Massacre Cupcakes, Raspberry Filled Chocolate Cupcakes, pumpkin cheesecake cupcakes and they have even veganized the bacon maple cupcake.
Diva’s Cupcakes and Coffee
1560 E. 3300 South
Not only this a cozy coffee shop with a gorgeous patio and green room, there is a reason why they have cupcake in their name. Diva’s has wonderful lunch options that you’ll love followed with a cupcake. You can’t resist ordering one to go with your coffee.
Mini Cupcakes
14 E. 800 South and 1751 S. 1100 East
With cupcakes with names like “Smore Please” or “PB Fix,” you know I’m a big fan. Mini’s has a wonderful box lunch special where you can reward yourself for eating your 1/2 sandwich and green salad with one of their delish cupcakes. What these itty bitty cupcakes lack in size, they more than make up for it in taste. I highly recommend the “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “the Diva” and “Carrie Cosmo” - a cranberry cupcake soaked in vodka, topped with a tart lime frosting and cranberries. It’s the confection equivalent of the popular ‘tini from “Sex and The City.”
So Cupcake
3939 S. Highland Dr.
This local shop has so many flavors to choose from, but you’ll become a fan when you try their everyday flavors: So CK “Carrot Kake,” “So Coco Delight,” “So Dreamy Creamy Coco,” “So Hanky Panky Red Velvet” and “So Key Lime.” In the spirit “Twilight,” they have “The Edward,” a vanilla cupcake with white butter cream frosting and a shimmery sparkle on top and “The Bella,” a red velvet cake with butter cream frosting. Plus, they have Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett and, Jacob, of course.
The Sweet Tooth Fairy
1334 Foothill Dr. (more locations in Draper, Provo and St. George)
I have only had a strawberry lemonade cupcake here, but it was a cupcake I can’t stop thinking about. The shop is adorable and I am dying to go back to try their strawberry shortcake, FairyFetti, Peanut Butter n’ Chocolate and sooo many more.
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