It’s not every day that Duff Goldman calls your cake flavors "visionary" ... unless you're Cupcake Charlie's. This fast-growing, family-run Cape Cod cupcake powerhouse churns out hits in 71 flavors. Duff was bowled over by Charlie's Samoa Chocolate Cupcake with Caramel and Coconut.

Sweet Retreat has been declared the number one cupcake shop in Minneapolis by CityPages, so there’s no doubt this shop's desserts are hard to top. The Strawberry Balsamic cupcake is a local favorite; other fascinating flavors include White Chocolate Raspberry and Coo Coo for Coconut.

At East End Cupcakes in Portland, Maine, the best cupcakes come from quality ingredients that speak for themselves. East End serves up the classics, but it also plays with unusual ingredients like bacon and lavender in its cakes, and honey and avocado in its Italian and American buttercreams.

With a Wedding Cake Cupcake on shelves at all times, you know this is the place to create your next custom cake for a celebration. Katie Bakes of Lafayette, La., is acclaimed for a lineup of tantalizing flavors like Birthday Cake, Red Velvet and Death by Chocolate.

When Kim Hand created Buttercups Cupcakes in Shreveport, Ala., her goal was to create modern interpretations of classic flavors, such as the popular Red Velvet. The elegant simplicity of Kim's cupcakes helped showcase her skills on Cupcake Wars.

Owner Shelly Stannard says a spark of creativity (and a small sugar rush) makes her day. Inspiration comes to her by many names, you see. Snickerdoodle, Black Bottom, Even Chocolate-Dipped Vanilla Macaroon. Catch her creative juices in action with a stop in to Flavor's "cupcake happy hour."

Cupcakes in Bloom takes the edible arrangement to a new whole level. Mason-Dixon favorites like Strawberry Pretzel Salad or Root Beer Float cupcakes are good, but (like most things in life) are even better on a stick. Their staked and styled cupcake bouquets just make flowers feel so old-fashioned.

"Cupcake Wars" competitor Blondies Baking Company has whimsical cupcakes such as Love Potion, Pink Feather Boa and Texas Turtle as well as delicious classic flavors like Salted Caramel and Mocha Crunch. Owner Cindy Selby strives to offer customers high-quality pastries and warm hospitality.

In historic Lexington, Kentucky, James Brown's cupcakes are old-school Southern. His aptly named Brown's Bakery brings king-size personality and charming flavors to Bluegrass country with hits like Bourbon Chocolate Pecan, Pineapple Upside-Down and Ice Cream Sundae.

At Rocket Girl Treats, owner and Cupcake Wars contestant Zoe Duvall specializes in vegan cupcakes with decadent flavors like Chocolate Raspberry and Peanut Butter and Jelly. In addition to cupcakes, Zoe also bakes gourmet doughnuts with toppings like fresh blueberries and walnuts.

These two Emporia, Kan., sisters (sisters-in-law, that is) really know what's cooking in the cupcake kitchen. Those looking for inventive flavors should look no further. As they say here, "The sky's the limit," and with more than 120 flavors, from Key lime to bacon French toast, it truly is.

Smallcakes' philosophy is all about giving a cupcake to those in need of cheering up. Slowly but surely, owners Jeff Martin has been winning over locals and Cupcake War judges alike with their flavors like Chocolate Cream, the most popular, and the signature Cookies-n-Cream oreo cupcake.

Shannon Clarke needed a jolt - a Kona coffee-chocolate cupcake kind of pick-me-up, double shot with espresso glaze and buttercream. She ditched the desk to start her whimsical Starry Night Bakery and now has only one complaint: she needs more things to put chocolate and salted caramel into.

At CakeDreams in Rockville, Md., owner Jane-Marie Kane takes pride in the fact that, unlike most bakeries, her cupcakes are topped with meringue-style buttercream. One of her specialties is the Banana Cream cupcake filled with rum custard and topped with caramelized bananas.

On this episode of Food Network's Cupcake Wars, a baker at Sweet Bakery competes to win $10,000 and have her cupcakes presented at a celebration at SeaWorld.