Sweet Reasons Cupcakes

Yes... it's another cupcake review!  Allie and I were in Fredericksburg doing some shopping and couldn't help but notice Sweet Reasons tucked into a strip of the Central Park shopping metropolis.  When we stopped in to satisfy our mid-afternoon sweet tooth, Sweet Reasons was packed!  I have to admit that I was a little disappointed in the flavor selection, having seen their Facebook page which mentioned such past selections as: caramel macchiato, bananas foster, strawberries & champagne, and the boss hog (a maple brown sugar cake with bacon!).  The weekly specials when we visited were much less inventive and included hot chocolate, blueberry pancake, and cinnamon roll.  Regardless, we made our selections and settled in at a high-top table to indulge ourselves.

I opted for the turtle cupcake... a chocolate cake with caramel center, pecans, and chocolate buttercream frosting.  The cake itself was really moist and tasty, thanks in large part to the perfectly salty caramel sauce poured down the middle.  The pecans added a nice crunch and the chocolate buttercream was smooth and delicious.  Allie went with the cookies and cream cupcake.  In case you couldn't guess, that's a vanilla cake with pieces of Oreo in it and topped with vanilla buttercream.  Allie's cake wasn't quite as moist as mine, but certainly wasn't dry by any means.  She enjoyed the sizable chunks of cookie (and Oreo cream filling!) in the cupcake, but felt that the cupcake as whole was just a touch too sweet. 

Even though Sweet Reasons' cupcakes (like those from Sweethaus) don't beat our all-time favorites from Bubblecake in Roanoke, they are definitely not a fad that's going out of style anytime soon.  And always remember - Love thy cupcake!

Overall Impression:  Really tasty (though not the most unique) cupcakes that we will definitely try again next time we're in Fredericksburg!

Food Rating:  

Contact Information:
          Sweet Reasons Gourmet Cupcakes
          1672 Carl D. Silver Pkwy, Fredericksburg, VA  22401
          (540)785-1550
          http://www.sweetreasons.com/#!

Sweethaus Cupcake & Candy Shop

We needed cupcakes... and we needed them bad!  So Allie and I headed over to Sweethaus Cupcake and Candy Shop.  Sweethaus is located in a strange-seeming location, inside of the old Charlottesville Tire building on West Main Street.  From the outside, it doesn't necessarily seem like it would work, but once you're inside, it really does!  The Sweethaus team has transformed the space into a rustic yet inviting bakeshop.  The cupcakes are displayed behind a large glass case next to the coffee bar.  Next to this is a small retail area with everything from t-shirts to cards to baking supplies (Allie fell in love with all of the "cute party supplies").  And, of course, there is the candy!  Sweethaus has dispensers with a rainbow of colored chocolate candies (so you can make your own mix of colors) and candy treats ranging from swedish fish to chocolate-covered pretzels to cayenne pepper truffles.  Sweethaus has also put in a large picture window that looks in on the bakery, so you can watch owner Tara Koenig and her team in action.  There is also a space in the back with tables for enjoying the goodies, or hosting a party.

I chose to order the Special of the Day cupcake - called the "Salted Caramel."  Allie went with the vanilla coconut.  The salted caramel was very tasty - moist marble cake topped with caramel buttercream, chocolate, and a salted caramel swirl.  The perfect blend of sweet and salty.  Allie's vanilla coconut cupcake was just as good.  The cake was very moist and flavorful and the cupcake was topped with creamy, not-too-sweet buttercream and then sprinkled with grated coconut.  Allie also ordered an espresso, which paired nicely with her cupcake.  All in all, Sweethaus' cupcakes were moist and delicious, and certainly rank among the best in C-Ville (though I must admit that they still don't quite stand up to my all-time favorites from Bubblecake in Roanoke).

Salted Caramel

Vanilla Coconut

Overall Impression:  Really good, fresh cupcakes from a charming little bakeshop that's definitely worth a visit!

Food Rating:  

Contact Information:
          Sweethaus Cupcake and Candy Shop
          843 West Main Street, Charlottesville, VA
          (434) 422-2677
          http://www.sweethaus.com/