Candy crush

Sitting at the top of our list is unassuming Breach Candy patisserie, Toujours. Toujours' cupcakes are a treat for the taste buds—the cake underneath all soft and moist, topped with a voluptuous swirl of frosting. They're a treat for the eyes too. Perched atop the frosting you may find a single chic marzipan flower, a swathe of frivolous sprinkles, a piece of biscuit and even-themed toppings, like tiny, twee red hearts on Valentine's Day.
There's a cupcake here for everyone—fudgy chocolate oreo cupcakes, hazelnut and red velvet to fresh lemon, orange and raspberry flavours. Perveze Amrolia, a Breach Candy resident herself, is a frequent customer at Toujours. "Not only is it convenient for me, the flavours are delicious and the cakes always fresh."
A spinoff from the cupcake trend is the mini-cupcake, the perfect way to hew a cupcake down to size. Toujours' confections are moist and delicious, with a slick of icing on top. We suggest biting into butterscotch, one of the more unusual flavours around.
Where: Toujours, 63, Breach Candy, Bhulabhai Desai Road. Call: 022-2369 3254.

New kid on the block, The Rolling Pin has been whipping up winsome cupcakes at their Lower Parel bakery. We love their gently-domed red velvet cupcake, with a dollop of tangy cream cheese frosting. But perhaps the red velvet has fallen from grace in your eyes. No matter! Instead, you can dig into The Rolling Pin's chocolate or mellow vanilla offerings that come daubed with various frostings like chocolate and cream cheese or even customise your cupcake the way you like. Added bonus for vegetarians? They are eggless!
Where: The Rolling Pin, Ground Floor, R City Mall, R City, Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, Amrut Nagar, Ghatkopar (W). Call: 022-2497 9953.

Leave the hustle and bustle of the streets behind and plunge into Kitab Khana's jumble of bookshelves until you come upon a pastry counter, brimming with baked goodies. You have reached Food for Thought, Kitab Khana's vegetarian in-store café, run by Reshma and Kapil Sanghvi. Order a grilled toast and cutting chai for lunch and then amble onwards to the glass counter. Food for Thoughts' cupcakes have old-fashioned flavours, redolent of childhood—vanilla, oreo and double chocolate that are moist, but not greasy. Peddar Road resident Neeti Mehra swears by their creations, "Kitab Khana has the best cupcakes in town. Absolutely the best, hands down."
Where: Kitab Khana, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Phulara Fountain, Next to Dawar's College. Call: 022-2284 4242.

This one's an oldie but a goodie. Chef Kainaz Messman's cupcakes are available in a constellation of flavours, including our dusky favourite, Nutella. Akhil Varasya, Bhuleshwar resident and MasterChef Australia addict prefers the red velvet. "The creamy icing on top complements the cake beautifully," he believes, "I also used to enjoy digging into their peanut butter cupcakes." Theobroma also whips up eggless cupcakes which, though a tad dry, have just the perfect hint of sweetness, and are topped with a jaunty swirl of frosting.
Where: Theobroma, Shop 24, Cusrow Baug, Colaba Causeway and Theobroma, A/2, Poornima, Near Jaslok Hospital, Off Peddar Road. Call: 022-2288 0101.

The brownie takes pride of place at Aadore Sayani's Sleight of Hand. But cake lovers needn't fret as chef and owner Aadore Sayani serves up dense, velvety cupcakes, without being too gooey. If you're loco for coco, try Sayani's chocolate demi-cuit, where the sponge cake blankets a melting cocoa heart. Or try her chocolate chip cheesecake versions. They deserve a gold star for innovation!
Where: Sleight of Hand, Trafford House, 6 Prescot Road, Ghansyam Talwadkar Road, Opposite Cathedral School, Fort. Call: 022-2209 1445.

Note: An honorary mention goes to Le15, for their consistently delicious nutella, peanut butter and Belgian chocolate cupcakes.