Baby cakes

Cake decorating tips

Sprinkle-topped cupcakes are making grown-ups young again at Cupcakes by Heather & Lori in Vancouver, British Columbia. But at San Francisco's Citizen Cupcake cafe, mini cakes―like Moka Choka―are matching grown-up tastes. ("Cupcakes needed a makeover," says owner Elizabeth Falkner.)

Cupcakes, in short, are one hot dessert―a trend we happily endorse. To get you going on your own, we're passing along Falkner's recipes for vanilla buttermilk and chocolate chiffon cakes, plus vanilla and chocolate frostings.

If you'd rather leave it to the pros, we have a roll call of bakeries you should know about:
Cupcakes near you