As former Cupcake Wars competitors, New Cascadia Traditional has become a favorite among the vegan and gluten-free communities in Portland. The shop's vanilla and chocolate cupcakes are big sellers, and also on offer are gluten-free bread, muffins and even pizza.

After working in the military, Kris Butler opened the Plane Pastries cupcake food cart in Portland, Oregon. Today she works with "The Treat Fleet" of cupcakes that make taste buds take flight, like the s'more cupcake topped with toasted marshmallows and The Black Widow dark chocolate brownie.

With just a spoonful of sugar -- organic, that is -- Carla Jennings has become an in-demand baker for her sweet, simple cupcake creations. Locals and judges agree that these all-organic cupcakes embody pure elegance, with flavors like grapefruit champagne and maple brown sugar with candied bacon.

What started on a whim has become Josh Bartell's full-time business -- lucky for his customers, who have been gobbling up his fresh-baked gourmet cupcakes. Popular flavors include Salted Caramel and the customer favorites like Murder by Chocolate and Snickerdoodle.

Cupcake lovers in Columbus, Ohio, can get treats wherever they go thanks to the 3 Babes and a Baker Cupcake Truck. Mix and match cakes and icings to create your own personal cupcake concoction, or enjoy specialty flavors, including Banana Split and Pineapple Upside Down.

On this episode of Food Network's "Cupcake Wars," the owner of Kari's Konfections competes to serve their cupcakes backstage at an exclusive party for the boys of Big Time Rush.

After appearing on Cupcake Wars, Bonbon Pastry in Cleveland has grown from an online business to a European-style café. Owner Courtney Bonning is a Culinary Institute of America grad, and it shows in inventive creations like a Dark Chocolate cupcake with orange-scented fig and cream cheese.

At Cake in a Cup, self-taught baker and Cupcake Wars contestant Lori Jacobs offers a daily rotation of special cupcakes such as Cherry Coconut, in addition to everyday standbys like Red Velvet. Locals love flavors like Snickerdoodle, Toffee Crunch and Cookies & Cream.

What started as an online business in the small town of Morehead, N.C., has quickly blossomed into a thriving business. HappyCakes Cupcakery offers 45 cupcake flavors, all made from scratch. Can't decide? Start small with a Pucker Up lemon cupcake, or go big with the signature S'more.

On Food Network's Cupcake Wars, the owners of Do You Love It compete for the chance to win $10,000 and have their cupcakes featured at a VIP party celebrating the 2012 Los Angeles Marathon.

Maddy's Fatty's not only bakes vegan but also gluten-free, sugar-free and "not-so-fatty" treats too. The all-natural bakery specializes in gourmet custom cakes and cupcakes. As the Cupcake Wars judges noted, the fillings tasted delicious with frostings that were just as delightful.

An Asheville, N.C., artisanal bakery, Take the Cake! uses organic and local ingredients to create cakes and cupcakes with deluxe flavors, including Honey Lavender, S'mores and German Chocolate. Call for a special order, or look for them at the Asheville City Market on Saturdays.

On this episode of Food Network's Cupcake Wars, the owner of Le Petit Cupcakery competes to win $10,000 and have her cupcakes featured at a celebrity-packed event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

As a Cupcake Wars finalist, Coccadotts surely isn't finished with baking. Storefronts can be found in South Carolina and Albany, N.Y., with cupcakes like Snickas or the Brown Chica Brownie. And the name? Owner Rachel fused her last name, Cocca, with her husband's, Dott, and Coccadotts was born.

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