Coffee & Treats in Kenner

The decor of the Kupcakes Etc., with its alternating lines of dark and light lime green, brings to mind the crinkled ridges and grooves of a cupcake wrapper, perhaps putting visitors in the mood to select from the menu's 20 cake and frosting flavors. Strawberry-shortcake, lemon-meringue, and red velvet cupcakes can be consumed in one of four sizes, ranging from bite-size minis to gigantic cakes that feed up to 10 people. Cakes can be decorated with chocolate candies and multicolored sprinkles, which sends out a festive vibe—much like hitting a piñata with a folded Ouija board does.

Located in the heart of the French Quarter, Mr. Apple is the place to go to savor crisp granny smiths coated in creamy caramel and other dustings such as nuts, cookies, and holiday-inspired decorations. The shop also outputs inventive concoctions, such as chocolate-dipped bananas and strawberries, pralines, almond clusters, and practically anything a witch would use to spackle her gingerbread drywall.

Despite Batini Brown’s belief that “taste trumps design,” the chef, owner, and pastry designer at SweetCakes & Candy Emporium turns her delectable treats into miniature works of art, crafting everything from butterflies to shark fins out of sugar and chocolate. As a baking class once changed Ms. Brown’s life by showing her a new career path, she pays it forward by offering both group and private workshops that cover baking, decorating, and the most poised way to extract one’s face from a cake at a party.

Local police officers Dennis Gibliant, Ronald Laporte, and Brandon Singleton spearhead Blue Dot Donuts, an emporium of decadent doughy confections that caught the attention of reporters from Fox 8 and WGNO. The cops hand-sculpt fried dough into a rotating selection of more than 50 types of donuts, twists, long johns, and bowties each day, including singular flavors such as maple with bacon, peanut butter and jelly, and cinnamon-sugar cake. A selection of chocolate and glazed donut holes serves as both quick snacks and makeshift foosball replacements, and signature donut ice-cream sandwiches embrace innards from New Orleans Ice Cream Company and a choice of toppings.

Baking since the ripe age of 13, KC of KC's Babycakes tantalizes taste buds with decadent homemade treats made daily from all-natural ingredients. Feed a squad of linebackers or three four-square teams with a boxful of KC’s special-occasion treats, each festooned in Louisiana State University’s signature purple and gold hues. The cupcakes intoxicate senses with flavors from the tried-and-true chocolate cake topped with Madagascar-vanilla frosting, to the vanilla cupcake topped with chocolate buttercream richer than the Monopoly man's 24-karat-gold spleen. Those who prefer not to mix and match can delight tastebuds with chocolate bedecked with chocolate, or vanilla paired with vanilla frosting. Sweet seekers should call at least one day in advance to ensure their chosen flavors will be available.

Two adages motivate naturopath and sports nutritionist Catherine Wilbert: “You are what you eat” and “If it tastes good, it’s not good for you.” The first is her philosophy, but the second is a stereotype she aims to shatter at The Nutrition Company, where she creates delicious, health-promoting drinks from fresh-squeezed juices and wholesome supplements such as wheatgrass. Smoothies come in more than 30 varieties, such as the tropically themed Rainforest Cherry and the citrusy mélange Spunky Monkey, each fortified with between 25 and 40 grams of protein. The shop’s 100% organic coffee can also be supplemented with mix-ins such as ginseng and acai berries, making it more energizing than a lightning bolt shot from the eyes of a drumming bunny. Stuffed with whole grains and healthy proteins such as free-range turkey, sandwiches and wraps stave off hunger while eschewing additives such as MSG and sulfites.