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Sugar is always in style. How it’s ingested, now that’s where gastronomic trends come in. This year’s dessert du jour is a pint-sized powerhouse.

The cupcake.

The little bundles of carbs, cake and icing are small enough to enjoy without slipping into a sugar coma, but pack enough sweetness to satisfy the most mammoth of cravings.

And tomorrow, National Chocolate Cupcake Day, is a celebration of the most decadent of the hand-held treats.

"We do our chocolate cupcakes with a cup of coffee mixed in for extra kick," says Mary Reid, who co-owns Delicious Bakery on Battleground Avenue with her sister, Lori Loftis.

The bite-size treats have long been standards for the elementary school set, but ever since the "Sex and the City" ladies licked pastel icing off Magnolia Bakery cupcakes, the hand-held cakes have enjoyed a resurgence at adult celebrations.

"A guy was in here a few weeks ago who ordered 100 cupcakes for his fortieth birthday," Reid says. "He wanted them to be like the ones from Magnolia."

Sure, New York has the Buttercup Bake Shop and Sugar Sweet Sunshine, Los Angeles has Sprinkles, but now the in-between states are dipping into the money-making batter.

"They’re something different, something fun," says Melissa Michos, Spring Garden Bakery manager. "You can do one big design, or have them individually decorated with initials or a color scheme."

The neighborhood bakery creates cupcake trees for weddings, bridal showers and other special occasions. Cupcakes are available for order, and extras are sold at the shop.

Cupcakes could quite possibly be the perfect dessert. They’re just as welcome at a dinner party as an afternoon tea.

Plus, they can be eaten sans fork. Well, unless you want to try a new local twist on the nostalgic dessert.

The family-owned Sweet Shoppe in High Point recently ditched cupcake wrappers altogether and sells the treats decorated on all sides.

"It’s just something you can put on a co-worker’s desk, a nice gesture," says Judy Cagle, one of the owners.

Cagle’s father and aunt opened the bakery 61 years ago when he came back from World War II. It started as a wholesale doughnut bakery and now includes cakes, pies, cookies — just about everything but bread.

Regular cupcakes sell for 74 cents, $8.88 a dozen or $3.19 for the decorated cupcakes sold sans wrapper.

"You get to know regulars," she says. "A child will come home from college and stop in for a cookie; someone’s husband will be in the hospital and want a coconut cake."

Cagle’s parents still work in the shop, and two of the bakers have worked at the Sweet Shoppe for more than 20 years.

"This is our livelihood," she says. "We use fresh ingredients, listen to our customers. We have to get it right."

Contact Katie Reetz at 691-5091 or kreetz@news-record.com.

Contact Katie Reetz

at 691-5091 or kreetz@news-record.com.

Delicious Bakery's Chocolate Cupcakes

2 cups all purpose flour 2 cups white sugar 1 cup unsweetened cocoa 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 cup cold brewed coffee 1 cup milk 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vinegar Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In electric mixer with whip attachment combine sugar, coffee, vinegar, milk and oil on low speed until combined. Add eggs and mix just until eggs are broken up. Add baking powder and baking soda. Sift together flour and cocoa, then add one large spoon at a time to wet mixture, allowing each spoonful to dissolve before adding the next. Mix until smooth, batter will be very thin. Pour into muffin tins with cupcake paper and bake for 22-25 minutes or until they spring back when touched. Be careful not to overbake.

Banana-Chocolate Cupcakes from Southern Living 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 large eggs 3 small bananas, mashed 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup buttermilk 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

Vegetable Cooking Spray

1 16-ounce container vanilla frosting (optional) Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, banana and vanilla, beating until blended. Stir together flour, soda and salt. Add flour mixture to banana mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in morsels. Place paper baking cups in muffin pans and coat with cooking spray; spoon batter into pans, filling cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees for 17 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans immediately, and cool on wire racks. Spread with frosting, if desired.

S'more Cupcakes From Southern Living

2/3 cup shortening 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 large eggs 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cups milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 24 chocolate nuggets 4 cups miniature marshmallows 1 cup chopped pecans (optional) Beat shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs one at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Combine flour and next three ingredients; add to egg mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Place paper baking cups in muffin pans, and spoon 1/4 cup batter into each cup. Bake at 350 F for 18 minutes or until done. Quickly insert a chocolate nugget into center of each warm cupcake; top each with four to five marshmallows, gently pressing into melted chocolate. Sprinke with pecans, if desired.