We are excited to share this guest post from fellow cupcake addict Kim of kimberlyloc.com. Every Tuesday for the month of November she has named her top five favorite cupcake shops in the Kansas City suburbs. Today, she names her #1 cupcakery. Visit kimberlyloc.com today to see my #1 pick for favorite cupcakery in Baltimore City!

My favorite bakery in the Kansas City suburbs had me at first bite.

When I sunk my teeth into the luscious red velvet cupcake, I muffled “Oh My God” with a mouth full of light, fluffy red cake.

(Orange sprinkles were an unexpected touch to a classic red velvet cupcake. Photo Courtesy kimberlyloc.com)

Five more bites of different cupcakes later, I knew I had to name Dolce Baking Company as my favorite cupcake spot in the KC suburbs.

(Dolce Baking Company is located in a sweet shopping area in upscale Prairie Village, Kansas. Photo Courtesy Dolce Baking Company.)

But it wasn’t just the perfect, consistent cupcakes that got me. It was the atmosphere — friendly and warm — coupled with the sweet decor that helped Dolce Baking Company rise above the other cupcakeries that made it into my top five list.

(Dolce employees don’t just smile for the camera. I had superb, speedy and friendly service the day I walked in and ordered six cupcakes. Photo Courtesy Dolce Baking Company)

The shop is tastefully decorated in browns and blues, which is a refreshing departure from some cupcakeries’ typical pink and girly decor. What I love more, though, is how tastefuly decorated (and tasty!) the cupcakes are.

(Isn’t this a fine-looking bunch of cupcakes? Photo Courtesy kimberlyloc.com)

Though Dolce Baking Company doesn’t carry tons of different cupcake flavors, the flavors they do offer on a regular basis are consistent. I don’t think I’ve experienced that at any other cupcakery.

A seasonal flavor, pumpkin pie, was moist and dense like pie but with a perfect dollop of frosting on top that was drizzled with caramel and a dash of sea salt. It was a true delight, and the way the sea salt complemented the caramel flavoring was impeccable.

(I’m a big fan of all things caramel, and though I’m usually just semi-excited about pumpkin (and pie, for that matter), this cupcake simply rocked. Photo Courtesy kimberlyloc.com)

A staple cupcake, Double Chocolate, was rich and decadent without overpowering the palate. Again, the vanilla cream frosting was in perfect proportion to the cake (and was incredible) and was home to delicate dark chocolate shavings that really brought it home for this winning cupcake.

(I’ve never met a chocolate cupcake I didn’t like. But I loved this one. Photo Courtesy kimberlyloc.com)

Though I usually never purposely choose orange-flavored anything (you just can’t beat a real orange), Dolce Baking Company’s Orange Almond cupcake made me reconsider my orange-o-phobia. This cupcake smelled like a fresh orange…probably because it had some fruity orange zest atop the frosting and baked-in orange goodness to follow. The nutty almond balanced the fruitiness of this cupcakes and the amazing frosting — a consistent vanilla cream — tied it all together nicely.

(Even if you think you don’t like fruity cupcakes, I think you should try this. It’s worth a shot to change your mind like it did mine! Photo Courtesy kimberlyloc.com)

Another cupcake flavor I typically never choose is vanilla. I mean, it’s vanilla. Bor-ing. But Dolce’s Vanilla Cream cupcake is more like pure and simple and not the negative connotation I associate with vanilla. The light, silky vanilla frosting is a perfect match to the fluffy, vanilla cake that that will please even the most die-hard chocoholics.

(A few fun candy sprinkles on top liven up this straight-vanilla cupcake. Photo Courtesy kimberlyloc.com)

Dolce’s Pumpkin Praline Carrot cupcake made me think twice about how I feel about carrot cake. I’ve had some hits and misses with carrot cake, but this carrot cupcake with pumpkin and praline was so perfectly moist that carrot cake is once again in my good graces. You just can’t go wrong (or dry!) blending chopped pecans, carrots, pumpkin and pralines together. I loved the texture of this cupcake and again, the wonderfully consistent frosting kept my sweet tooth happy.

(The Pumpkin Praline Carrot cupcake from Dolce Baking Company has great textures, flavors and layers and complexity to it thanks to the wonderful combinations of ingredients. Photo courtesy kimberlyloc.com)

What do you like about cupcakeries? Is it the tons of different flavors? The warm, friendly employees? Nice decor? Great location? Social media activity?

All of the cupcakeries in my top five hit some, most or all of these points, but for me, consistency, friendliness, flavor and welcoming decor mean a lot to me, which is why I’ll be taking my friends, family and hopefully the Cupcake Crusaders to Dolce Baking Company soon!

Kansas City suburbs readers, what do you think of my top five? Baltimore readers, what cupcakeries in your area resemble some of my top five favorites here? Tell me your thoughts in the comments section!

– Review by Guest Crusader, Kim of kimberlyloc.com (Kansas City)