Cupcakes...who knew?

While FHFB and I were traveling through Virginia and Washington DC we came across two wonderful cupcake bakeries!  Now, you need to know that FHFB is a dessert fanatic - he loves sweets.  I am usually satisfied with a bite or two of his desserts, except maybe for a delicious chocolate lava cake or strawberry shortcake.  Anyway, for better or for worse I've become enlightened to the simple pleasure of biting into and finishing the perfect serving of dessert - the cupcake - most specifically, the coconut cupcake.

In the little historic town of Abingdon, Virginia we stumbled upon a little cupcake bakery (located inside of a larger home with a cafe and bookstore) called Babycakes Cupcakery.  Babycakes Cupcakery is owned by Natalie Shortridge and the store was full of little ones with their moms stopping off for a delicious cupcake after a long day at school. The service was friendly and very relaxed.   Natalie told me that she was inspired by the gals at Georgetown Cupcake (below) and that they inspired her to start her own business - isn't that unbelieveable?  She is very excited about being featured in my little blog and is delightful to correspond with.  You can contact her through her website - she is currently looking into the possibility of shipping her cupcakes in the future.

My choice of cupcake at Babycakes Cupcakery was a strawberry cake with light fresh strawberry icing.  It was out of this world!  I ate the whole thing while FHFB and I walked back to our car.  FHFB had the tiramisu cupcake topped with a light coffee icing and a dark chocolate covered espresso bean.  He was in heaven!

Here's their website:

http://www.babycakescupcakery.vpweb.com/default.html

Our second find was Georgetown Cupcake in, of course, the Georgetown section of Washington, DC.

  This little business is well developed and has had lots of exposure through newspapers, television, and the web.  Georgetown Cupcake is owned by two sisters, Katherine Kallinis and Sophie LaMontagne.  A visit to this store reminded me of our many visits to the Magnolia Bakery in Manhattan - there is always a long line of people waiting for cupcakes.  What was different here is that people were ordering 1-2 dozen cupcakes at at time, and at the door there were bags and bags of pink cupcake boxes ready for pick-up or delivery.  FHFB and I each ordered a coconut cupcake to go and a half-dozen to take home with us. 

I was able to take some photos before FHFB (and I) began taste-testing the cupcakes!

Our selection included coconut, chocolate lava, chocolate cake/vanilla icing and hazelnut/chocolate.

My favorite kind of cupcake with my favorite flower!!

This is the cute pink box they packed our cupcakes in.

Here's the website for Georgetown Cupcake:

http://www.georgetowncupcake.com/

I hope you enjoyed my little tale of our cupcake adventures!

Ciao, bella!