Natasha Kuo of Minicakes keeps the recipe for her boutique cupcakes simple: quality ingredients with a touch of elegance. The San Jose, Calif., bakery accepts online orders for over 31 flavors. She says the "real crowd-pleaser" is the hot-buttered rum cupcake with a spiced whipped cream frosting.

Cupcake Wars competitor CnC Cupcakes is an online bakery with the motto, "whatever bakes you happy." Owner Traci Sparks brings her passion for flavor to every cupcake and promises, "we can make anything work." There is no menu since every order is custom-made and any flavor imaginable is an option.

Stephanie's Pastry Magic believes in making memories a little sweet and a little savory too. The Cupcake Wars judges thought her Smoked Paprika Cupcakes made with cream cheese and smoked salmon were packed with smoky flavor. But for that sugary bite, order her Chocolate/Hazelnut Dreams online.

The sister-brother duo from Simply Cake may have impressed the Cupcake War judges, but usually they stick to wowing locals with their elegant tiered wedding cakes or whimsical birthday cakes.

The Cake Mamas bake in familiar flavors, such as vanilla bean and red velvet, as well as creations like Churro and Passion Fruit-Guava. Owner Janelle Copeland says she likes to "push the envelope testing new recipes." This creative ingenuity was a great asset to her on "Cupcake Wars."

It's tough to resist a cupcake menu with categories like "tropical" and "breakfast." Apple cinnamon or blueberry streusel cupcakes kick start the day; passion fruit, mango and guava flavors - inspired by Island Cupcakes' Hawaiian heritage - come in colors as assorted and vibrant as the setting sun.

On this episode of Food Network's Cupcake Wars, the owner Sinfully Sweet competes to win $10,000 and have her cupcakes featured at an exclusive event honoring the Festival of the Arts.

These aren't the cupcakes of your youth. Known for alcohol-infused sweets HAPA Cupcakes of Irvine, Calif., creates guilty pleasures for all ages that are sexy and playful. Gift a significant other with modern flavors like Strawberries and Champagne, or steal one away for yourself.

On the Hollywood Poker episode of Cupcake Wars, judges told A Sweet Design owner Joeleen Medina that she had an "ace up her sleeve" with her one-of-a-kind cupcakes. But as a full-service cake and cupcake shop, A Sweet Design goes all-in for expertly decorated wedding and birthday cakes too.

This small-batch baker in Torrance, Calif., relies on ingredients like buttermilk, fruit and alcohol to produce luscious little cakes like Zesty Lemon with Meyer Lemon Buttercream. Sample the menu of everyday flavors, specials and even gluten-free and sugar-free offerings.

There's nothing Soleil Cakes' Ana Mendoza hasn't been able to bake. Her customized baked creations include cakes and cupcakes with flavors like pumpkin spice and tres leches. Customers love choosing a cake shape — football, purse or zoo animal, the options are endless.

At Double D Cupcakes, equal parts delicious and delightful are baked into every bite. When owner Marilyn Norris traded in her stapler for a spatula, her desk suddenly picked up a different kind of clutter: cupcakes with romantic names like Wild Irish Mint, Raspberry Truffle and Midnight Madness.

Using her Filipino roots to guide her, Michelle Munoz tackles cupcakes with a tropical flair. Ingredients include mango and coconut, as well as tried-and-true standards like maple and bacon. For a real treat, Michelle also features customized cakes, macarons and baklava on her catering menu.

This bakery brings the sweet taste of the South straight to California with dessert classics like Peach Cobbler and Sweet Potato Pie. Red Velvet cupcakes are this spot’s specialty, but the innovative cakes customized by owner Karolyn Plummer and cake artist Jasmine Frank are also irresistible.

At Bliss Cakes, owner Stephanie Sparkles (yes, that's her real name) uses vegan recipes and all-natural ingredients to cook up specialty cupcake flavors such as Matcha Raspberry Green Tea and Acai Jungleberry Bliss. Stephanie decorates her cupcakes with garnishes like real fruit and edible flowers.