As Valentine’s Day approaches, Sacramentans may be in search of something sweet to impress that special someone, and The Sacramento Press found just the place to go when a store-bought box of chocolates simply won’t do. Sacramento native Melissa Johnson took her love of all things sweet and launched an online dessert magazine that features what she said are the Web’s most delicious sweet treats. Best Friends for Frosting offers an eclectic collection of recipes and trends that are gathered from the hippest, freshest dessert blogs in a forum that offers bakers one-stop shopping. Johnson said she started baking when she was a little girl and dreamed of opening a bakery. She started a blog

One couple’s quest to bake the ideal cupcake has created Vanilla Bean Gourmet Cupcakery in Midtown, where gourmet cupcake enthusiasts and first-timers alike will find delicious and uniquely crafted treats. Vanilla Bean, which also houses a self-serve frozen yogurt bar, boasts more than 20 cupcake flavors with names such as Death By Chocolate, Blueberry Pancake and Raspberry Beret. Offerings in the shop change daily, with anywhere from eight to 12 varieties available in the cupcake case. They also do special orders, events and weddings. Both Patricia and Carlos Mares, who own and operate the shop at S and 18th streets which previously was home to Cultivé Frozen Yogurt, claim to have never

Everything was pink, sparkly, floral and cute at the Etsy Party & Craft Supply Swap on Friday in Fremont Park. The event was part of a “global craft party” orchestrated by the e-commerce site Etsy, and hosted by Amy Cluck of IndieSacramento. All handmade enthusiasts were invited to attend. Tables covered with vintage floral sheets and topped with handmade goodies were drenched in contrasting golden specks of light and early evening shade, adding even more charm to the already charmingly intimate gathering. There was a “MacBook photobooth” with handmade props to wear while taking silly photographs, plenty of free swag like Etsy buttons, heart stud earrings from Sweet-N-Salty (Amy Cluck’

Whether you are hunting for speckled eggs or spending time with loved ones, don’t forget to stop by local eateries for their special Easter desserts this weekend. Get ready for the cuteness overload. Freeport Bakery 2966 Freeport Blvd. Freeport Bakery has a beautiful display of Easter decorations and a variety of creative and beautiful cookies, cupcakes and large cakes. You can purchase bunny, duck or Easter egg cookies in a bag, box, on a tray or by the piece. You can also purchase rich chocolate or golden buttermilk cupcakes, topped with buttercream or chocolate frosting and Easter decorations.  Each cupcake is $2.95. There are a variety of cakes available on their Easter menu, i

Saturday, Cafe Au Lait will host Sacramento’s Bake Sale for Japan to raise money for victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami devastation in Japan. The Bake Sale for Japan is a national bake sale held on April 2 at bakeries, restaurants and other places featuring baked goods. Milena Pointer, who works as a nanny, and is one of the also an organizers for the Sacramento bake sale. Pointer viewed videos of the destruction in Japan and said she wanted to find a way to help. “If it happened to us, if it happened to America, we would need help,” Pointer said. “Any person with a heart would feel like they like they need to do something. The difference is some people act on that feeling, an

The economy is finally showing signs of dragging itself out of the quicksand.  This slow but steady comeback has sparked some pleasant surprises throughout downtown over the last few months. Like a chain reaction, specialty businesses are popping up in some rather unexpected places, encouraging more to follow suit, as rents are becoming more affordable and creative spaces more available. Sugar and Spice Specialty Desserts, 1201 F St., is a valuable oxygen source to the span of 12th from D through H streets. For the last six months, that area had stretches of blocks with no tenants as “for lease” signs littered the windows. Now, change has come. I pass by that location every night on my wa

Chocolate lovers gathered for their sugar high Saturday morning for a course in cupcake creation hosted by Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates. The class was taught by owner and world-renowned chocolatier Ginger Elizabeth Hahn. Students meet in front of the L Street retail store and filed across the street to a penthouse kitchen classroom in the 1818 L Lofts. Getting a spot in the class was highly competitive. Within 24 hours of the class' announcement, Hahn said the 35 seats were filled. A second afternoon class was added to accommodate wait-listed students and was filled within hours. In the end, more than 60 people were turned away. "I couldn't wait to see if my friends wanted to take the cl

Paulette Coffman and her daughters Chelsea and Brittany are crazy about cupcakes. They’re so obsessed with baking cupcakes of every conceivable flavor that they opened their own business in downtown Davis called Let Them Eat Cake! The Parisian-themed shop features three daily flavors. Let Them Eat Cake’s menu describes their red velvet cupcake, Scarlett, as a “scrumptious red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting,” while their chocolate cupcake, the Dubliner, is hailed as a “Guinness Stout chocolate cake with chocolate butter-cream frosting.” Their third daily flavor, called Illegally Blonde, is described as a “fluffy, vanilla cake with vanilla frosting.” In addition to the three stapl

Ginger Hahn of Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates may be best known as the area's chocolate connoisseur but if her cupcake classes are any indication, she may need to add a wing to her popular Midtown shop. I stumbled upon Hahn's class thanks to an article in a (not to be named) Sacramento paper several weeks ago. My mom was planning a visit to Sacramento, and as anyone with family outside the area can attest, Old Sacramento loses its luster after multiple visits. I wanted to show my mom the Midtown I'm proud of. A cupcake making class in the L Street Lofts Penthouse seemed like the best way to show off our city's great views and culinary treats. After a sold out chocolate making class several