Destination: Edible Art

I have a huge sweet tooth, which I'm able to corral most of the time. But, on occasion, after a long work day for me and school day for my kids, I surprise them by taking them someplace for a little treat.

Well ... in this case a few weeks ago ... it was a huge treat!

We weren't the only ones hoping to indulge around 3 p.m. on a weekday. The small shop has about eight tables - several were filled, including a couple with moms and their kids just out of school.

Edible Art features scratch-made cakes, cupcakes, cookies, pies and more. Over the years, at various celebrations and parties I've attended, I've come to love Edible Art's dense, rich, moist, almost gooey cakes though it's been a while since I've had a slice. (It's a favorite bakery for wedding cakes).

Our trip there didn't disappoint. We ordered two giant cupcakes - the almond amaretto and cookies and cream - and a huge slice of cake - the triple chocolate, which includes chocolate cake, mousse and buttercream. The chocolate cake, especially, included that dense, moist cake that I remembered. And the almond amaretto cupcake was the perfect foil to the chocolate selections. It was lighter with the perfect amount of almond flavor.

The staff behind the counter were so nice as my girls took more than the usual amount of time to pick their treats - it was hard! The open, airy space, which sits next to Coquette, was a great place to relax and check in after a long day.

Plus ... the cupcakes and cake slice were so big, we were able to save some for later.

The prices here might be a bit more than you find at other bakeries. It cost us $5.25 for that huge slice of cake and nearly $8 for the two cupcakes. Edible Art is at 4351-115 The Circle at North Hills in Raleigh.