How Sweet It Is

Sweet Bessie's: The Better Bakeshop.

Cupcakes are most certainly the new “it” dessert. Sex in The City—and the tour that now immortalizes it—did wonders for Magnolia’s sales and the competition has been popping up all over the place. Billy’s Bakery, Cupcake Café and even the now defunct Burgers & Cupcakes, which made a go on 23rd Street (the name explains the demise).

And the craze is not only in New York, I was in LA last week and my friend requested none other than Sprinkles cupcakes for her birthday celebration. I waited in line for half an hour and dropped nearly $40 on a dozen.

I totally understand the buzz around cupcakes. They’re a nostalgic little food that brings us back to a life less complicated, when birthday celebrations meant pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey and not 30-person dinners at Mr. Chow (just to kick the week off, of course).

Cupcakes are fun and make people happy. In a world with so many choices and preferences, cupcakes are a dessert that is so easily personalized. Why bring a pie to a dinner party when you can bring 12 varieties of cupcakes? There’s always something for everyone.

My only problem with these designer cupcakes is the fact that they are so overloaded on sugar that eating half of one makes me want to kill myself. I cannot move and my appetite is non-existent for at least 12 hours. A cupcake coma, if you will.

So imagine my delight when I discovered Sweet Bessie’s.

Sweet Bessie’s is a brand-new Manhattan-based bakeshop that boasts of 25 flavors of all natural, organic, allergen-free cupcakes. The little cakes are sweetened with natural sweeteners like agave nectar and fruit puree. All the recipes have been created and perfected for years by secret family recipes.

This mom-and-pop bakeshop is sure to be the next big thing. Well, if I have anything to do with it.

Final Word: Sweet Bessie’s makes its official debut Thursday November 15 at the Doucette Duvall/ Madison Harding sample sale & cocktail celebration. More details to follow.