I’ll go anywhere for cake—parties, meetings, funerals, weddings. I’d even run through a “test chamber” for a slice of cake.

I used to think the best local cupcake bakery was in the kiosks at the mall, a place called The Fresh Bakery, and they’re a solid B+.  

Then I heard about Kupcakes & Co. in Elkridge. It’s off of 103 in that new plaza near the traffic circle. You’ll have to drive around to the back, and cupcake nirvana is located there.

I stopped by on a Saturday before a meeting, and at 10 a.m., there was a line. Who besides me orders cupcakes before lunch? Apparently, a large contingent in Elkridge does.  

I ordered a half dozen: two strawberry lemonades, two snickerdoodles, one orange creamsicle and one chocolate with butter cream. When I asked if it would keep in my car, the girls working offered to store it in the back until my meeting was over.  

Two hours later, I returned to an even larger crowd and even more cupcakes. I bought another half dozen: two Blossoms of Hope, two black bottoms and two peanut butter and jelly.

I consider it my research and my journalistic duty to sample the cupcakes. The first one I ate was the chocolate with butter cream. The cake was light and fluffy and had tiny chocolate chips sprinkled throughout the batter. The cream was thick but still extremely creamy. Solid B+

Then my daughter dove into the creamsicle, and it was even better. The icing was lighter than the butter cream with orange-infused bits, and the cake was moist and light. A-

I also ate the snickerdoodle, and all I can say is "wow." It was amazing, the perfect blend of cinnamon and sugar. In fact, even as I write this, I’m still tasting it in my brain. A

My husband had the Blossoms of Hope. As he left the kitchen with the cupcake on a plate, he declared, “I’m only going to have half.” A few minutes later when I asked how it was, he responded, “I ate it all. It was really good." I didn’t eat that one yet, so I will not rate it, but my husband is a picky man, so if he liked it, that’s saying something.

The one that blew all others out of the water was the peanut butter and jelly cupcake. Peanut butter icing on a strawberry-jelly-filled cupcake. It was insanely good. No, it replaced my need for oxygen—I don’t need to breathe as along as I have that cupcake within arm's reach. A+

At Kupcakes & Co., cupcakes cost $2.50 for a single, $12.50 for a half a dozen and $25 for a full dozen. There are currently more than 25 flavors on the website and the bakery offers several others. The menu changes daily, so check the Facebook page for the day’s flavors.   

Kupcakes  & Co. is a family-owned business. With all the negative aspects of Elkridge that have been popping up in the news, Kupcakes & Co. is a source of pride and excitement. I have a feeling I will be swinging by at least once a week. I think I’ll start to reward myself, one cupcake for every article I write for The Patch.

This article has been corrected to reflect that Kupcakes & Co. is on Route 103.