February 14 is a little more than a big business day for PolkaDot Cupcakery. It’s not only Valentine’s Day, it’s the bakery’s seventh birthday.
It has been in business long enough to see the meteoric rise…and subsequent culling of boutique cupcake shops. When it comes to long-term success, PolkaDot’s got the secret down pat.
And the secret is in the cupcakes. That was probably obvious. It takes cupcakes seriously, so, for example, when you order a Cookies & Cream cupcake, it’s not just a multi-purpose generic chocolate mini-cake with an Oreo on top. Oh, no! There’s a big Oreo cookie baked-in at the very foundation of the confection. For those who have never experienced the joy of baked-in Oreos, it’s sublime. When they merge with the cake itself, the cookies’ stubbornly dense rounds become soft and homey. Teamed with chocolate cake, a curated blob of Oreo icing, and a little mini-Oreo on top, the result is sublime.
You’ll find the same deal with the Triple Berry cupcake. There are sweet berries baked INTO the cake, which is itself a rich yellow cake with tender crumbs. Team that with another blob of sweet, fluffy icing and a bit of fresh raspberry, strawberry and blueberry carefully arranged on top, and you have a serious competitor for stomach space.
The bakery offers cupcakes in a variety of flavors, which change every day. You might find Banana Caramel, Buckeye or Snickerdoodle among your choices. Special order options include vegan versions and holiday pies.
But to find PolkaDot, you’ll have to be looking for it. It’s in a strip mall that doesn’t see a lot of wandering foot traffic (unless you happen to get hungry while waiting to renew a driver’s license). You’ll find it at 2926 Hayden Run Plaza, and it’s open Wednesdays through Saturdays.
For more information, visit polkadotcupcakery.com.