Take the Cake Here, there--cupcake bakeries are everywhere.

New York City wouldn't be the same without its tasty selection of cupcake bakeries. But there was a time when the nostalgic goodies hadn't yet made it big in the Big Apple. In fact, today's cupcake frenzy wasn't even a blip on the trend radar when founders Allysa Torey and Jennifer Appel opened the doors to Magnolia Bakery in 1996. But their selection of freshly made cupcakes, artfully displayed in a 1950s setting, soon caught the attention of customers, making this quaint bakery a hit. Magnolia Bakery also spawned a number of cupcake offshoots. In 1999, Appel ventured off to start Buttercup Bake Shop, another cupcake hit. Today, entrepreneurial-minded employees of both bakeries have followed suit, each hoping to add a unique touch and find the path to sweet success.

Friends Peggy Williams, 43, and Debbie Weiner, 40, had worked the counters at both Magnolia Bakery and Buttercup Bake Shop before they started Sugar Sweet Sunshine in 2003. Creating a '60s and '70s vibe with the help of mismatched thrift store furniture and gracing their sweet concoctions with unconventional names like "Ooey Gooey" and "Bob," the duo quickly proved they had a style all their own. "The flavor of the store is reflective of our personalities, from the baked goods to the big green chair to the names on the cupcakes and cakes," says Weiner. "The flavor is just us."