Second in a series about independent shops and restaurants in the Northwest Ohio area.

Something about Midwestern cities like Toledo just screams ‘practicality.’  In economic times like these, cities like ours sometimes struggle – and while we struggle, sometimes we start losing hope.

Cake in a Cup Toledo is an independently-owned and operated cupcake bakery that can make any Toledoan forget those struggles.  While the shop itself is small, the atmosphere and the food can give customers a sense of delight.

Food & Beverages

The primary food product at this shop, as I’m sure you can imagine, is its specialty cupcakes.  Three flavors are always available: vanilla, chocolate, and red velvet.  There are many flavors of cupcake offered by Cake in a Cup, but these rotate daily – and every month, there is a different selection of flavors rotated each day.

I’ve visited Cake in a Cup twice, but I’ve only tried one cupcake: the Black Bottom.  This type seems to be dark chocolate with a lighter flavor in the middle, topped with dark chocolate frosting and a raspberry.  It was one of the most delicious things I’ve ever tasted: a little bit rich, but fresh and sweet, and the cupcake part was moist and perfect.

There is also a small coffee/cafe bar in the shop with a few different offerings.  Mainly, it’s an espresso bar, but there are other things you can also order including hot tea.  When we visited, I tried to order a hot tea, but they didn’t have any.  I was a little disappointed, because I thought it would go well with my cupcake and I absolutely love hot tea.

One can purchase cupcakes as singles, groups of four, or by dozens.  A single cupcake is usually $2.50, but just $2 if you want a vanilla or chocolate cupcake.  You can even walk in and buy up to 2 dozen cupcakes without pre-ordering, according to the girl who was working at the counter when I was there.

Products

As one might expect from a boutique bakery, there are also a few additional products available both at the counter and on a shelf inside the shop.

On the shelves, there are a few different artist pieces.  I’m not sure if any are available for purchase, but the artist’s card is there, so she may be contacted if you’re interested in anything you see.

At the counter, there are a variety of greeting cards available.  They are all specialty cards and very pretty.  Most were birthday cards and Father’s Day cards, since we went about a week and a half before the holiday.

Critic’s Conclusion

If you don’t have a lot of spare money to go around, visiting Cake in a Cup for a once-in-a-while treat is your best bet.  While it’s not too expensive if you’re just getting one for yourself or a couple for a date, more than four cupcakes start to get very pricey very quickly.

However, getting that once-in-a-while treat is definitely worthwhile.  The cupcakes are moist and very tasty, and it’s easy to tell just by the taste how fresh they are.  If you DO have the spare cash, buying a dozen or two for a special occasion would be worth your while as well.  Your guests will be thrilled with the delicious cupcakes – and they’re also very pretty to look at, as well.

I would also recommend sitting in the shop to eat your cupcake.  There are a few tables inside the shop, and it was a lot of fun to sit and watch the customers come in and out.  Cake in a Cup seems so busy for such a small shop; it’s enjoyable to just watch everything happen.