Too Sweet Tooth

To satisfy your sweet tooth and achieve an immediate sugar high, step into a few of the best cupcake speciality bakeries and shops throughout London. Decorated to perfection with icing and sprinkles that look more like a picture than something edible, these little pastry treats of joy will bring some kick into your normal café or French patisserie run routine.

At Candy Cakes on Monmouth Street in Covent Garden, a very friendly staff amidst bright green walls serve up idyllic looking cupcakes in a tiny, charming café. Even if you don't immediately find a table at this small, usually bustling place, tables open up quickly and the service is just as fast.

It's a nice escape from some of the more pretentious coffee shops in town. They're simple and delicious, offering you exactly what they say they do: cakes with candy. But this colourful store, which opened in 2004, tries to bring creativity to standard baking too, mixing combinations you wouldn't normally expect. To satisfy you even more, they also have a Fat Reduced Range, a Sugar Free option of cupcakes, and ones that are Gluten Free by special order.

The many flavours offered go beyond your standard vanilla and chocolate varieties, and you'll be tempted to try them all! Displayed in the windows, these giant cupcakes that are baked fresh daily look so perfect, you almost might not want to eat them. Almost.

From apple to cheesecake filled ones, Blueberry Burst with gold chocolate buttons to Toffee Fudge with caramel, and The New Yorker with cherry jelly to the Technicolour Mouse with marshmallow topping, these sweet treats will leave you satisfied and guarantee your return. And if it's a nice day, you can sit outside on the adorable, pink tables and chairs.

Even if you've had your fill, the café also offers an assortment of sandwiches, salads, and coffee and smoothies. But diet, beware. Within close proximity, you won't be able to resist for long. So go ahead and indulge. Very prettily packaged, they can be shipped to you next day delivery.