James and the Giant Cupcake

The display case here is an embarrassment of riches, featuring a rotating selection of fifty flavors, including gluten-free and vegan varieties. Owned by Oakland native Eurydice Manning, the baby blue shop has a neighborhood feel, where grown-up regulars are as likely be mulling over the sugar-packed offerings as their kids. The music-themed flavors are a particular hit, like the Kurd Cobain (lemon cake with lemon curd and light lemon buttercream) and the King of Pop (chocolate cake with buttercream filling and buttercream frosting dipped in glittery white sprinkles, a la Michael Jackson's glove). Fillings like marshmallow fluff, strawberry sauce and salted caramel set these treats apart from their dense contemporaries.