Let them eat cupcakes

The sweetest trend in years sprinkles across South Florida

By Joanie Cox
City Link Metromix

Forget chocolate-chip-cookie-dough cheesecake or crème brûlée. Designer desserts have been replaced by a childhood staple—the cupcake. First experienced at Chuck E. Cheese birthday parties or in elementary school when a mom was nice enough to bake a batch, cupcakes are now popping up at weddings, A-list events and bakeries around South Florida that specialize in the dainty, delectable treats.

"Cupcakes make people happy," says Laura "Lola" Kaplan, who six weeks ago opened Lola's CupCakery in Fort Lauderdale with her husband, Donald Kaplan.

Lola's CupCakery is the Neiman Marcus of cupcake stores. A few weeks ago, Matt Damon stopped in to pick up a batch for his daughters. Oil paintings in giant gold frames line the walls and classical music blasts in the background. Radiating a Marie Antoinette vibe, ornate crystal chandeliers illuminate the cupcake cases, which are reminiscent of a jewelry counter at Cartier.

"We have two bakers working all night long and we've been selling out," Kaplan says of her cupcakes, which cost $3.50 to $4 each. "We're so excited to see people's faces when they walk in the store. They're like kids again."