Shockley's Sweet Shoppe, Virginia Beach

Husband-and-wife team Tim and Jennifer Shockley draw together the influence from both their baker mothers to tackle impressive feats in confectionary innovation. Shockley's Sweet Shoppe's architecturally and aesthetically sound creations have earned the shop mentions in several press outlets, as well as Weddingwire.com's Bride's Choice Award for 2010–2012. Their signature half-and-half cakes are divided into two hemispheres with related, yet disparate themes, such as traditional white wedding swirls juxtaposed against a tropical golf course. “The bride’s side is covered in white fondant,” a writer for Food Network UK noted of one such cake, “and the groom’s side is smothered in rich chocolate fondant. Smart.”

Past custom cake creations bring together frosting, batter, and fondant into impressively realistic works of sculpture. The bakers have crafted a semi-truck, a roulette wheel, and a bucket of beers for various celebrations. The shop’s cupcakes are equally artful, and they come in the same flavors as full-sized cakes and dentists’ hands, including maple-caramel, cinnamon, and root-beer float.