Toronto Life

This autumn-themed composition by Adrienne Weinberg and Sara Tesolin is almost too beautiful to eat. Vibrantly stained buttercream anchors the flowers and leaves made from fondant and icing. Flavour options range from kid-friendly fruit, chocolate or vanilla to adult-approved Baileys, Grand Marnier or limoncello.

Cupcakes start at $2.50 each; bite-size are $1.75.

She Takes the Cake, 1600 Dundas St. W., 416-538-2253, shetakesthecake.ca. shetakesthecake.ca .

Yes, that Whole Foods. The famously organic grocer turns basic vanilla or chocolate sponge into things of beauty, employing varying permutations of coloured sugar and butter frostings (our favourites are those flavoured with raspberries, mint or chocolate). Seasonal designs are sure to please both actual and inner children.

Cupcakes are $3 each.

Whole Foods Market, 87 Avenue Rd., 416-944-0500, wholefoodsmarket.com/toronto.

Lori Hutchinson (a.k.a. The Caketress) was named Canadian Cake Designer of 2008 for the exquisite detail she brings to her craft, including the pleated white chocolate ruffles, sugar cameo and edible gold dust application seen here. These couture cupcakes may have a hefty price tag, but every aspect is customizable, from the design to the filling.

Custom cupcakes are $50 each.

The Caketress, Info@TheCaketress.ca, TheCaketress.ca.

Morag Cleeveley’s Parkdale bakery lives up to its name. Popular options include the luxurious, cream cheese-frosted red velvet cupcake and the bacon cupcake—a salty-sweet number comprised of maple-bacon buttercream on a chocolate-oatmeal base. Cleeveley keeps things simple with a tight twirl of frosting that’s studded with crunchy flowers, sugar plaques or shards of bacon.

Cupcakes are $2.75 each; six for $15. Decorative toppers range from $0.75-$1.50 each.

Yummy Stuff, 1660 Queen St. W., 416-531-9732, yummystuff.ca.

Sophisticated craftsmanship and flavour combinations ensure that Jamie Ho’s wicked little cupcakes taste as good as they look. The apple-cardamom version, with its supple cinnamon cream cheese frosting and chic white chocolate rose, is a refreshing break from industry standards. The spiced cake core is surrounded by a white chocolate wrapper that’s elegantly finished with 24-karat gold, edible petal dust and silver dragées.

Cupcakes are $5.50 each; custom orders are priced independently.

Wicked Little Cake Company, 647-296-0150, wickedlittlecakecompany.ca.

SWEET INSPIRATIONS: SWEETTHINGS

Juanita Koo’s mission is to create thoughtful and personalized sweet things. Case in point: these treats based on Toronto Life’s “Best of the City” issue. The whimsical shapes—here we have pizza, bags and booze—are made from spongy Swiss meringue fondant, and impress in both design and flavour (they taste like marshmallows). Cupcake flavours are available by the dozen and range from chocolate sour cream to strawberry vanilla. There’s even a brownie-like, gluten-free option.

Cupcakes start at $3 each; custom designs start at $5 each.

SweetThings, 416-315-9303, sweetthings.ca.

Cat Chen, this year’s Bonnie Gordon School Cake Show Cupcake Challenge winner, uses everything from edible glitter to gum paste to create these memorable desserts. Cake flavours include Lululemon (homemade lemon curd with cream cheese frosting) and Ferrero Rocher (rich chocolate cake studded with chocolate chunks then topped with Nutella buttercream). Cupcake towers are also available and can be finished with cake toppers or cookies.

Cupcakes range from $22–30 per dozen.

Sugar Baking, 647-669-9754, sugar-baking.com. sugar-baking.com.

Lesley Mattina’s are the most popular vegan cupcakes in town. And no wonder—they’re moist, not too sweet, and as light on the palate as they are on the conscience. Available in both regular and mini sizes, each dome is finished with a perfect spiral of frosting, coloured sugar or sprinkles.

Cupcakes start at $2.50 each.

OMG Baked Goodness, 1561 Dundas St. W., 647-348-5664, omgbakedgoodness.com.

LPK has long been known for its commitment to green practices—using certified-organic, fairly-traded ingredients in a Bullfrog-powered kitchen—but recognition is fast increasing for Lesia Kohut’s line of gluten-free products. We like the aromatic coconut cupcake with lime-scented frosting, and are pleasantly surprised to discover that it’s vegan. LPK also makes arty mini cupcakes garnished with edible flowers from Cookstown Greens.

Mini cupcakes are $2.50 each; large cupcakes are $3.50.

LPK’s Culinary Groove, 718 Queen St. E., 416-461-6440, lpksculinarygroove.com.

Eini Cheng’s royal icing flowers have gained a reputation for pleasing crowds at weddings and bridal showers. The flowers are nestled into thickly piped bubble tea-inspired buttercream frosting (we prefer the mango over the honeydew). Eini and Co. supplies many venues including the Fairmont Royal York and the Park Hyatt, but takes large custom orders with a minimum of four months notice.

Bite-size are $1.75 each; standard-size are $2.75; $5 royal icing-decorated.

Eini and Co., 416-899-3168, eini.ca.

The floral centerpiece is re-imagined with this cupcake bouquet that doubles as dessert. Buttercream rosettes, bejewelled with decorative sugar, decorate plain and Oreo-spotted vanilla cupcakes. Jennifer Gill and her bakers artfully arrange the mild flavoured cupcakes into clay flower pots then finish the look with tissue paper and ribbons.

Individual cupcakes are $2.50 each; custom designs are an additional $1.50 per piece. Cupcake bouquets (like the one pictured here) start at $30.

The Cupcakery, 1034 St. Clair Ave. W., 647-430-7409, thecupcakeryTO.com.