Last year, The Food Channel announced that the cupcake had transcended from trend to icon. The dessert’s status ranks high in Naples, where the latest cupcake specialty business, The Naples Cupcake Company, has been launched by 21-year-old chef and culinary entrepreneur Deniece Vella. Flavors include the Lady in Red cupcake, a red velvet cake with cream-cheese frosting; Sweet Serendipity, chocolate cake with rich Guittard chocolate frosting and chocolate confetti; and Marry Me, a honey/Madagascar vanilla cake filled with blackberry preserves, topped with honey mascarpone frosting. Vella bakes the gourmet cupcakes fresh every morning. They are available at Toast of Naples in the Shoppes at Vanderbilt, or can be ordered online at NaplesCupcakeCompany.com.
