Photos by Taylor Woodhouse
Gigi’s Cupcakes
10709 Blacklick-Eastern Rd, Ste. 200
Gigi’s products tout a two-to-one icing-to-cupcake ratio, distinguishing themselves from their contemporaries by way of towers of icing.
The company’s signature cupcake is its cookie dough cupcake – complete with chocolate chip-festooned icing and topped with a chocolate chip cookie – but its best seller is the wedding cake cupcake, which is white cake with vanilla buttercream. Chocolate salted caramel and Kentucky bourbon are a couple of the other menu highlights.
In addition to cupcakes, Gigi's also makes customizable cakes, cheesecakes, mini cupcakes and cookies. The Tennessee-based company has two other locations in central Ohio.
Sweet Persuasions
1260 Hill Rd. N.
Melissa Lewis opened Sweet Persuasions in November 2012 after her home-based business grew beyond the capacity of her house.
The bakery is known for its custom cakes, cupcakes and “ugly bars,” the latter of which are layered with chocolate chip cookie, caramel, peanut butter cup and a peanut butter crumb cookie topping. Its signature white chocolate cupcake is a top choice for weddings, and its salted caramel vanilla bean cupcake is a fan favorite, but the bakery can make 100-plus flavors.
Customized items, 3D cakes and doughnuts are among Sweet Persuasions’ other offerings.
Red Velvet Café
1188 Hill Rd. N.
www.facebook.com/redvelvetcafepickerington
The vintage coffee machines that decorate Red Velvet Café, opened 2011, help establish the hospitable vibe sought by owners Reuel and Lida Cruz.
Among customers’ top choices, the Cruzes say, are the salted caramel and maple bacon cupcakes. More exotic creations – including Crema de Fruita, which is vanilla cake with custard filling, stuffed with cocktail fruits cooked in gelatin – are gaining popularity, too.
Beloved as the pastries are, Red Velvet has also gotten a reputation for its coffee, including a traditional Cuban coffee made in a moka pot.
Swirlykins Cupcakes
8523 Refugee Rd.
Tamara Williams opened Swirlykins last year, but she’s been baking since age 10, and that lengthy experience with homemade goods informs her skill in cupcakery.
“I stepped out on faith and opened it,” Williams says.
Customers have gravitated toward the bakery’s standard chocolate cupcake, but Williams’ specialty is a sweet potato cupcake with buttercream icing that blends savory and sweet flavors.
In addition to custom orders, cookies, pies, cakes, banana pudding and cake pops are among Swirlykins’ other offerings.
Bakerhouz on 8
8 E. Columbus St.
Extensive experience in culinary school, restaurants and resorts led up to Chiat Mei Yow’s decision to open Bakerhouz on 8 in October of last year.
Among Bakerhouz cupcakes, the caramel apple crumble variety has proven popular. For the most part, though, Yow specializes in custom cakes for weddings and other special occasions, and her buckeye torte – layers of peanut butter and chocolate formed into a rich cake – and German chocolate cake are big favorites.
“Cake is what I love to do,” Yow says.
Cookies, muffins and scones are also on the menu.
Taylor Woodhouse is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
