Review: Coccadotts

One of the favorite parts of my job (aka: owning my own business) is the opportunities I get to travel. Last month my work took me to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. 

This was my first visit to South Carolina and I made sure to make the most of it. I ate at a delicious cash-only burger bar, the "best Thai in town," and of course the local cupcake shop.

Coccadotts has four locations: Albany, NY, Clifton Park, NY, Loudonville, NY, and Myrtle Beach, SC. I knew I had to visit them because Coccadotts won Cupcake Wars in 2013.

The problem with Coccadotts is that they had 40 flavors to choose from! My stomach is only so big. After staring at my choices for a few minutes, I finally made my decisions.

Sea Salt Caramel: Vanilla cake with vanilla frosting, topped with salted caramel drizzle. This cupcake was a bit plain to me, but I'm not a vanilla vanilla fan. The drizzle made it a bit more interesting, so I'm glad it had that.

Snickas: Vanilla cake with chocolate icing, topped and filled with Snickers chunks. I was hoping for a more thick chocolaty frosting, but this one was whipped, light, and airy. My favorite part was the chunk of Snickers in the middle.

Shirley Temple: Cherry flavored cake with cherry champagne buttercream, topped with cherry filling, a dollop of buttercream, and a cherry. I loved the meld of flavors in this cupcake. Very unique. The frosting was a bit too sweet for me though.

OMG: Saved the best for last! Let's start the description from the bottom up: a whole Oreo cookie, a layer of peanut butter, chocolate cake, topped with chocolate buttercream, then dipped in white peanut butter chocolate (see below). Not kinda amazing, but over-the-top AMAZING! I knew this cupcake was trouble, but I ate the whole thing anyway. So worth it!!

There are a lot of good qualities about Coccadotts: variety of flavors, low cost ($2.50 per cupcake), and good-looking decorations. There are way too many cupcakes to try, so I'll definitely be heading back to Coccadotts the next time I'm near one. 

Coccadotts

106 Sayebrook Parkway

Myrtle Beach, SC 29588

843-294-2253

Facebook: Coccadotts Cake Shop

Twitter: @Coccadotts

Pistachio Hot Fudge Cupcakes from How Sweet It Is

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I love trying new cupcakes flavors and I can honestly say that I have never eaten a pistachio hot fudge cupcake. 

The recipe from How Sweet It Is has brownie bottoms, pistachio gelato, cream cheese frosting, topped with chocolate, crushed pistachios, sprinkles, and a chocolate-dipped cherry. You can make these cupcakes from scratch with the recipe from How Sweet It Is or you can fake it with a brownie mix and store bought frosting. Either way, these cupcakes sounds like winner!

Cupcake at Disney California Adventure

My son and I go to Disneyland a lot. Why not? We have a pass and he loves it! He's obsessed with Cars (the movie), so we spent a lot of time at Disney California Adventure.

Disney doesn't have a shortage of cupcakes, but I loved finding a "cupcake" in Bugs Land on the Heimlich Train Ride. Even better was hearing my boy point it out before I said anything "Cupcake!" That's my boy!

Casey's Cupcakes Location Closure

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Earlier this month the Orange County Register reported that Casey's Cupcakes Laguna Beach location has closed. The Laguna Beach store was the second of six Casey's Cupcakes in Southern California. 

The article says that they plan on re-opening their shop, but no location has been given yet. Laguna Beach is the hometown of Casey Reinhardt, the owner of Casey's Cupcakes, so I might think that a nearby location would be a priority.

I reviewed Casey's Cupcakes last year when I stopped by their Irvine Spectrum location. You can read my review HERE.

My First 50k, Mother's Day, and of course Cupcakes!

I never had a desire to run further than 26.2 miles. But for some reason this 50k was calling my name. I signed up with lots of trepidation, but excited for a new challenge.

The race couldn't have gone any better. Great weather, great running buddy, no upset stomach, legs felt strong, and I finished with a good time.

I knew exactly where I was headed after the race....Sweet & Saucy Shop! It was literally right down the street, so how could I resist?

I picked up my favorite flavor, Candy Bar, along with a dozen minis to share with my mom (it was Mother's Day weekend after all). I also had to get their special MOM sugar cookies. Yes I bought them for myself, but I'm a mom and I certainly deserved them after running 31 miles that day.

On Mother's Day I was treated like a queen, which was perfect since I was pretty sore from my race. My husband and son sure know how to spoil me. I can't wait to get my Burke Williams massage! 

Love My Cupcake Running Twin

Is it weird that people bring me cupcakes as gifts? My friend, Sugar Coated Athlete, came to visit and brought cupcakes from Arizona! She races Ironmans and eats lots of sweets like me. 

I visited & reviewed 21 Cakes when I raced my Ironman in November 2012. I fell in LOVE with the moist cake and thick & creamy frosting. Missy had no idea that I already LOVED them. Boy I got lucky!

Yes I had six cupcakes, but I didn't want to share them at all. My favorite of the batch was the Chocolate Salted Caramel! Oh Missy, can you visit me again and bring more cupcakes?!

Not a Hard Decision

Which way to go? No thinking necessary.

Review: Hapa Cupcakes

I first heard about Hapa Cupcakes in 2012 when they were looking to expand their custom-order bakery to a storefront. What's so special about another cupcake bakery opening in Orange County?

Have you heard of alcohol infused cupcakes? That's what Hapa Cupcakes specializes in.

I visited their new shop in Fullerton, CA last month and got a chance to try some of these alcohol infused desserts. Hapa Cupcakes opened their storefront in January 2014. Their location is perfect for their product, as they as in an area where lots of college students visit bars.

I grabbed three cupcakes, two alcohol infused and one regular cupcake (for my little one). 

Vanilla Raspberry: vanilla cake, cream cheese frosting, raspberry filling. Even though their alcohol infused cupcakes are only made with 1/24th teaspoon of alcohol, I figured I better get one without for my two-year old. My son loved the cupcake, but I thought the frosting was a bit too sweet.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry & Champagne: strawberry cupcake with chocolate frosting. This cupcake tasted just like a chocolate-covered strawberry! The thick chocolate frosting was just like the coating on a chocolate-covered strawberry. Delicious!

Cinnamon Sugar Kahlua: Madagascar vanilla and Kahlua cupcake with bits of cinnamon streusel, cream cheese frosting, topped with caramel. By itself, the cake was nothing special, but all together....this cupcake was a great meld of flavors! I would definitely get it again.

The alcohol infused cupcakes run a bit higher than the non-alcohol ones, but both are still a good price. All three cupcakes cost me $9.50. I would love to stop by again to try some of their other flavors. It's nice to see a cupcake shop branching out to something new.

Hapa Cupcakes

105 W. Amerige Ave.

Fullerton, CA 92832

Facebook: Hapa Cupcakes

Twitter: @hapacupcakes

Beverly's Best Bakery Expands to Yorba Linda

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Beverly's Best Bakery has been open in Fullerton, CA since 1979. That's 35 years! I actually got my wedding cake from Beverly's 9 years ago.

Well, Beverly's Best Bakery is expanding to a second location in Yorba Linda. It will be located in the Yorba Ranch Village shopping center at 4975 Yorba Ranch Rd. They will have a full kitchen and customer service area. 

Their main focus will be on creating custom cakes and specialty pastries/desserts. Their Fullerton location currently sells cupcakes, so I would assume their Yorba Linda location will too.

I Take Sweet Revenge Cupcakes as Payment

My favorite cupcakes from New York City are from a place called Sweet Revenge. So when a friend came to stay with me for a few days, I might have suggested that I take payment in cupcakes. But not just any cupcakes, Sweet Revenge cupcakes.

And she came through! Four fresh, delicious cupcakes from Sweet Revenge delivered to my house. Could I be any luckier?

It didn't take me long to dive in. I grabbed a fork and took a few bites of each one. Sweet Revenge, Pure, Dirty, and Crimson & Cream. Looking at these photos, I wish I had them right now. Even if it were just a few crumbs.

The next time you are in NYC, you MUST visit Sweet Revenge to grab some cupcakes.