Cupcakes are IT. Rather than wedding cakes, there are people opting for wedding cup cakes. This year, instead of the myriad of candles to show how old I turned, I had (nearly) as many birthday cup cakes instead. Heck, Hallowe'en is a holiday - time to celebrate!

I won't be out trick or treating this year, so I figure I need me a nice treat and cupcakes would hit the spot. Let's see, I can bake me up some (too lazy), there are local bakers with delicious offerings ( read about the Flour Girls), but I happen to walk by The Cupcake Shoppe and the spider cupcakes draw me right in.

The selection is vast and not being able to decide on just one, I'm in for a half dozen ($13, one for $2.50 and $25 for a dozen). I like cute and these cupcakes sure are CUTE.

There's a vanilla cake with strawberry buttercream topped with a smiley ghost (Pretty In Pink) and another vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream with a pumpkin on it (Yonge N' Eligible). Clearly, they are chosen to be part of my six pack, along with a couple of Sticky N' Sweet (vanilla buttermilk cake dipped in caramel), a Curious George (chocolate buttermilk cake with banana buttercream) and a Purple Haze (vanilla buttermilk cake with blueberry buttercream).

The Cupcake Shoppe also takes custom orders with 24 hours notice for regular sized cupcakes ($20 for six), mini cupcakes ($1.50 each minimum of 12), and mini cupcakes with flowers ($2.00 each minimum of 12).

And these cupcakes are tasty. They are full in both flavour and in density. There's also no question as to why the word "butter" shows up in all the descriptions.

Is it possible to treat myself TOO well? Well, maybe... it's something to think about after I down my Purple Haze.

The Cupcake Shoppe

2417 Yonge Street

416-322-6648