They are almost too beautiful to eat. They sit in neatly lined rows along a marble countertop—thick pink and blue swirls of vanilla frosting, some with ruby red raspberries atop, others with drizzles of chocolate.
But one whiff of these creamy confections will have taste buds reconsidering not taking a bite.
At St. Petersburg’s Sweet!, co-owner Daniel Delgado makes fresh batches of cupcakes daily. The shop features creations like the Lemon Drop, a golden cake with lemon drop frosting and graham cracker sprinkles; the Dulce De Leche, a caramel cake with fluffy dulce de leche frosting; and I Love Chocolate, a rich chocolate cake filled with chocolate fudge and topped with dense vanilla frosting drizzled with chocolate fudge.
Delgado and his mother, co-owner Jeanette Milne, are equal parts business and creativity.
“We make a good team,” Delgado said.
Milne has 15 years of baking experience under her apron and Delgado brings the business edge. The two decided to open a cupcake shop in St. Petersburg and add their own unique twist.
Each month, Sweet! creates an exclusive cupcake for a chosen nonprofit charity and donates 50 percent of all proceeds to that organization. This month local charity Music Sweet Music, Inc., a nonprofit that focuses on music therapy for children, is the recipient. The Brain Tumor Foundation will be the next charity recipient in May.
Delgado believes in giving back to the community and each day after closing, he packs up the unsold cupcakes and donates them to local nursing homes and shelters.
“I do it myself because I want to,” Delgado said.
Although the cupcake flavors change on a daily basis, some, like popular favorites the Red Velvet and the Bugs Bunny, are usually available. Sweet! also offers seasonal flavors. Spring’s is strawberry cheesecake.
The décor is modern and chic—pastel green walls with hot pink accents, taffy pink plastic chairs, and crisp white tables. Lounge-y music quietly plays in the background.
Customers can purchase their freshly made cupcakes or make a sweet creation of their own with a variety of cakes, frostings and toppings at the cupcake bar.
Both originally from Venezuela, Delgado said he and Milne like to add a little “Latin flavor” to their creations. They use both vanilla and mantecado, a vanilla ice cream flavor, exclusively from South America.
Vegan and gluten-free cupcakes are also available. Prices start at $2.50.
Sweet! is located at 1100 Fourth Street N, Suite 101 in St. Petersburg.
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Three more sweet spots to try:
Paciugo
300 Beach Drive, Suite 120
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Cool off at this delectable gelato shop with the best waterfront view in town. Try classic flavors such as Italian Wedding Cake or Black Cherry Swirl, or go for something more unusual like Violet or Black Pepper Olive Oil.
Schakolad Chocolate Factory
401 Central Ave., Snell Arcade Building
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Located in downtown St. Petersburg, this haven for local chocolate connoisseurs creates unique chocolates based on a third-generation European recipe. Try their hazelnut pralines or their salted caramels for an out-of-this world taste bud experience.
Le Macaron
203 First Street N
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
A macaron is a French cookie made with ground almonds on the outside and a creamy center. Flavors such as pistachio, chocolate passion fruit and lemon are just a few of the unique samplings offered
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Photo by Aimee Alexander
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