Forget the giant plastic cupcake: Sugar Mama’s is the best cake-bakery in town. It does a brilliant imitation of New York’s famous Magnolia Bakery, decorated like the kitchen set from a late-’50s sitcom, right down to the Formica countertops and throwback friendly service from the young couple that owns the place. They pay obsessive attention to the details, right down to the colorful sugar sprinkles decorating the fluffy frosting swirl swooshed on the top of each flawless little cupcake (which can be whisked home in a carry-out box that ensures each swoosh goes unsmooshed).

These cupcakes are more ambitious, more elaborate, less greasy-sweet, and, on the whole, better executed than the competition’s. The menu includes the usuals, like vanilla-Valrhona chocolate, red velvet, and carrot cake; but also a rotating lineup of exciting combinations like Guinness and vanilla-cream cheese with Irish cream; chocolate and salted caramel; and chocolate-cherry. Bars and mini pies are adorable and unrestrained in their sweetness (we find the banana and key lime a bit liqueur-cloying, but nothing a little coffee won’t fix).

There are cupcakes for vegans, and cupcakes even for dogs; periodic baking classes help empower the people; and everything’s made from scratch, using cage-free eggs. Man, even chickens love this place.