The Urban Cup: 1952 E Grand St., Springfield

Kaitlyn Witts’s take: It was a bit of a drive to get there, but boy was it worth it. I was in a grown-up mood and felt like trying new things, so I ordered the mocha cupcake. A chocolate cake with coffee-flavored frosting, topped with a chocolate-covered espresso bean. Crunchy. There wasn’t an overload of frosting–which I loved–and the actual cake bit was light and moist. The cupcake was on the larger side, but it wasn’t any more expensive than the other shops. Basically, if you want your socks knocked off by a dessert and you’re up for driving into Springfield, this is the place for you.

Deliliah Neff’s take: I was pleasantly surprised by this cupcake shop. It had a nice, welcoming atmosphere with dark gray walls and a small side table decorated for the autumn season. The cake display case was filled with delicious-looking cupcakes that made my mouth water. The Urban Cup had the most variety of flavors out of all the shops that we visited, all having equally appealing looks. I got the carrot cake cupcake topped with cream cheese frosting and chopped pecans. As a self-proclaimed carrot cake enthusiast, this definitely hit the spot. The cake was moist and didn’t leave me needing water to wash it down, the cream cheese frosting was subtly sweet and not over the top and the chopped pecans on top added a nice crunch. Out of all the cupcake places we visited, this was definitely my favorite.

MLP Cake Designs: 210 E Mt Vernon St., Nixa

Kaitlyn Witts’s take: The cupcake from MLP Cake Designs was a little taste of Nixa’s finest. I bought the turtle cupcake, which was a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting, topped with pecans and caramel. I never knew how amazing a pecan could be until this moment. While heavy on the frosting side, it worked out well. The cake was moist, the frosting was smooth, they went all out with decorations and I loved that it’s from our city. The flavors packed quite a punch, much like the atmosphere. The building was homey and colorful, and the owner was welcoming and struck up a pleasant conversation. There weren’t a ton of grab-n-go options, but the ones provided all sounded amazing. All in all, it’s a great place to treat yourself in Nixa.

Deliliah Neff’s take: Walking into the shop was a charming experience. The shop was very cozy and inviting, with metal signs hanging on the wall and a very personable owner. They didn’t have a lot of variety in their ready-to-go flavors, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s all bad. I had the chocolate peanut butter cup cupcake. The chocolate cake infused with peanut butter and frosting on top really scratched my peanut butter itch. The chocolate peanut butter cup on top was a great precursor before the cupcake itself. Although there wasn’t an insane amount of flavors to choose from, the one I did have was pretty good and flavorful.

Star Cakes Bakery: 1332 E Republic Rd #E, Springfield

Kaitlyn Witts’s take: I ordered the peanut butter chocolate cupcake and was a bit disappointed. The name of the shop and the hype from Deliliah’s mother led me to believe this place would be otherworldly, but it was just your average Joe cupcake. The cake half was crumbling, a bit dry, and the frosting was grainy and sugar-filled. I was impressed with the peanut butter filling, but there’s only so much that peanut butter can save. However, I will say that it was better than a retail dessert like Walmart or Price Cutter cupcakes.

Deliliah Neff’s take: The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the crowdedness. It seemed as if they were getting ready for a party or an event. The workers seemed preoccupied and uninterested with what was going on at their job. It was a whole different atmosphere when I stepped through the door. There were very few cupcakes left after a busy day, but that isn’t entirely their fault. However, even if all the cupcakes were there, there was a very slim selection compared to The Urban Cup. I got the red velvet cupcake, which just tasted like the average cupcake — not too special. The cake was dry and I felt as if I needed a glass of water immediately after I took a bite. The only saving grace was the cream cheese icing. It was sweet and was heavy on the cream cheese flavor, which is my personal favorite. On the other hand, their toppings were lacking. Star Cakes is your average, run-of-the-mill cupcake shop