One of the most popular party treats are cupcakes. Although many people love them, I’ve never liked cupcakes. Their usual airy, sponge-like texture and fluffy frosting never appealed to me.

However, as I entered the recently opened CupCakes Bakery, I decided to give cupcakes a chance before I fully committed to detesting them. Little did I know that my distaste would transform into the opposite.

CupCakes Bakery opened three weeks ago, a business venture by Karen Cook and her husband who also own The Tannery nearby. She started the bakery in order to bring the cupcake popularity to Fresno.

“I love to eat and I love food, so one day I decided to start a cupcake business,” Cook said. “Cupcakes have become very popular. Fresno doesn’t have many cupcake locations so I wanted to introduce Fresno to quality cupcakes.”

Once I stepped in the bakery, I felt like I had transported back in time to the 1930s and ’40s. The white paneled walls gave a clean, fresh feel while the faint smell of cupcakes in the ovens wafted toward me. It was similar to an old-fashioned ice cream parlor. An old tin cupcake sign mounted on the wall gave it a subtle touch of history.

Since it opened recently, the shop lacks furniture and finished decoration. WIthin the month, Cook hopes to have a display window along with seating for customers. Drinks will also be available to complement the cupcakes.

The bakery offers cupcakes in two sizes: the regular sized cupcakes cost $1.95 and the minis cost $0.75. Although the price shocked me at first, one bite into the simple vanilla cupcake I chose for the first test of my taste buds silenced any concern about the cost.

Until now, I had never tasted a cupcake that abided by its name ? one that tasted like an actual cake. The cake portion was similar to the texture of cornbread: thick, yet moist enough to melt in my mouth. The crust on top of the cake was slightly crunchy, giving it a unique depth since the texture varied. It tasted like pure sugar and butter, which ? health concerns notwithstanding ? was a good thing.

Unlike most other cupcakes with whipped and fluffy frosting, CupCakes Bakery makes its desserts with the real, thick variant. I easily distinguished the sweet vanilla flavor in the frosting, which tasted as if it were extracted directly from a vanilla bean. Crunchy sprinkles lightly coated the top, which created a nice contrast from the smooth texture of the icing.

I couldn’t help but to react with “Mmmm” after each bite. The cupcake was so rich that I couldn’t finish it in one sitting.

During later returns to the bakery, I explored two more of the 11 cupcakes on the menu: a pineapple upside-down cupcake, Cook’s self-proclaimed most unique cupcake, and a red velvet cupcake, her most popular dessert.

The pineapple upside-down cupcake was very unusual. In accordance with the bakery’s first-rate customer service, Cook offered to warm it in order to achieve its best flavor. Although it didn’t look very appealing, the moist texture made it almost fall apart as it entered my mouth. The cake portion tasted similar to shortcake, topped with sweet, soft pineapple pieces and garnished with a maraschino cherry.

I next tried the red velvet cupcake iced with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles. The deep red hue accentuated with orange sprinkles made for an elegant presentation. Unlike normal red velvet cake that tends to be very heavy, the cupcake was light and delicate. Although the frosting was made from cream cheese, it didn’t overpower the cake but provided a perfect balance.

The CupCakes Bakery offers desserts reminiscent of a mother’s oven. The owner claims to use only real ingredients and her own recipes, free from the shorteners and butter substitutes many other bakeries include.

Although the last few businesses in the Bakery’s location closed down a short while after opening, Cook has received positive feedback from customers. Many patrons want the shop to stay in business after the failure of other venues.

CupCakes Bakery is located at 7062 N. Cedar Ave., Fresno, CA 93720, in “The Promised Land” shopping center across from Peoples Church. The Bakery is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information on the Bakery, call (559) 325-0935 or e-mail the owner.

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