the proof is in the cupcake

{photo credit: weheartit.com}

over the weekend, i worked a few shifts at swank. it was fun being behind the bar pulling shots, steaming milk, making iced mochas. there was a moment when i got very flustered, knocked over a customer's drink, and then started sweating profusely. what is wrong with me? *covers face with hands.*

as if she knew i would need a pick-me-up, petra, co-owner of swank, had walked in earlier with a box. a pink box. a pink box stamped with the word "cupcakery." i'm pretty good at new words. cupcake + bakery = cupcakery. i knew what was in that box.

in your group of friends, i am that one who is not above mooching. the who reaches across her plate to get to yours to sample whatever you have going on over there. in this scenario, i didn't have to. petra handed the box over and told me to take two (2!) one for me and one for my "family." yeah, right.

{photo credit: me}

i carefully and thoughtfully selected salted caramel with chocolate frosting and cinnamon cream cheese frosted banana cake. then i carefully and thoughtfully inhaled them. the salted caramel was my favorite. the top was decorated with a scalloped ring of chocolate frosting around a sticky caramel center. sea salt was sprinkled over the top and when i bit into it, i realized the caramel sauce went through the entire center of the cake. like a freaking caramel sauce roller coaster. that didn't even make sense, but it's how it made me feel.

the cupcakes had come from a brand new cupcake bakery about a block from swank called c cups cupcakery. on saturday, after barista duties were over, my mom and i walked across the street to make a personal appearance at c cups. when we walked through the front door, the scent of butter cream, cake batter, and rainbows hit me square in the face. there was a woman behind the counter surrounded by trays and trays of unfrosted cupcakes. she introduced herself as the janell, the owner, and we started talking. turns out, she has only been open two weeks and manages the entire operation by herself. you go, girl.

{photo credit: me}

i became distracted from the conversation once i spotted THEM. the cuppycakes. along her countertop were about 10 different varieties of glorious baby cakes. each flavor was grouped together on a different cake stand-mocha with chocolate covered coffee beans, peanut butter cream, red velvet, chocolate with ganache. salted caramel was nowhere to be found which is probably a good thing because i probably would have picked it again.

i debated between 10 of the 10 options but finally settled on strawberry shortcake. the cake was a delicious, dense yellow cake filled with strawberry jam and then topped with rich butter cream frosting and more strawberry jam. did anyone else just notice i am terrible at describing food? in one short sentence, i used the word "cake" twice and the word "jam" twice. whatever. words cannot describe. well, except these two: totes delish.

{photo credit: me}

c cups cupcakery was a sweet experience (see what i did there?) i am so happy they are making a home in downtown southern pines. go show some local love and support janell by buying one or two or a dozen of her amazing cupcakes. if you don't want to go by yourself, i'd be happy to accompany you. i'm actually considering a move back home so i can go there all the time. i'm sure my parents will be over the moon.

p.s. the name behind c cups is a very good one. read about it here.
p.p.s. not about cupcakes, but this song is just as sweet. and maybe a little cheesy.