Frostings Etc.? More like Frostings AMAZING

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes © Frostings Etc.
photo from Frostings Etc.'s Facebook Page

After being severely disappointed at the overwhelming generic-ness of The Cupcake Spot in St. Pete, I was admittedly a bit hesitant to try another cupcake-centric establishment in the Tampa area. However, when a livingsocial deal on half-price cupcakes at Frostings Etc. graced my inbox, I decided to give it a shot.

To make a long story short, the deal was for 12 mini-chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes and they were like magical cakey gifts for my soul.

The location is pretty easy to miss on the first pass: it's an unassuming end cap on the corner of Howard and Horatio, across the street from a Chipotle and a couple doors south of the Pita Pit. (Here's the store in Google Maps.) It's pretty small, and at first blush the interior feels like the modern interiors that populate the 1-day remodeling shows on TLC and HGTV. However, once you meet the owners, it quickly becomes evident that the entire business is a personal labor of love.

One of the major things that stood out to me was the fact that the cupcakes are hand-made from scratch. The most disappointing thing about the Cupcake Spot was that the cakes tasted and felt like something that could be purchased at Publix. The cutesy descriptions were more interesting than the actual products. The cakes at Frostings Etc., however, were dense and cakey, not spongy and artificial. And the variations themselves were more than just different icings, as some cakes had very specific flavors associated with them, sometimes filled, and topped with a corresponding icing. I''m excited for the holidays, as they have a mint cake that sounds awesome.

Overall, I cannot recommend Frostings Etc. enough. They are open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays (for late-night cupcake cravings) and the owners are very personable and passionate about serving the best cupcakes in the Bay area.

Written by Phil McCollam