W.O.W. Cakes, Wichita

Named Best Bakery in 2013, for the fourth consecutive year, by The Best of Wichita, W.O.W. Cakes' expert baker and decorator, Pam Pletcher, concocts artful gourmet confections slathered in copious quantities of house-made toppings and homemade buttercream. Bakers craft more than 50 flavors of cakes and cupcakes–including 12 gourmet cupcakes–easily accommodating requests for coconut wedding cake topped with chocolate fondant or red velvet birthday cake filled with bavarian cream. Alternative recipes turn treats into gluten-free and sugar-free of time-tested favorites to accommodate special diets or throw dessert-sniffing detectives off track. Imaginative bakers transform cakes into pieces of art with hand-piped chocolate, sculpted frosting, and strategic props, and have used their skills to transform a simple sheet cake into everything from a ski boat to a flame-licked barbecue grill.