Before cupcakes, the only vehicle for frosting consumption was the bare hand, and the only place to load frosting onto that vehicle was the neighborhood frosting bucket. Eat frosting the evolved way with today's Groupon: for $18, you get one dozen gourmet cupcakes at Bittersweet Cafe, a bakery in the heart of Old Town Alexandria (a $36 value). Groupon customers may phone an order for one dozen of one flavor or phone in for the "Baker's Choice" combination dozen, a prearranged box of cupcakes baked that day. Walk-in customers can mix and match the current day's selection.

All of Bittersweet's enormous cupcakes undergo a delicate upbringing from roots of real butter and other gourmet ingredients. Flavors range from classic chocolate to more inventive tastes such as PB&J, which is loaded with a strawberry filling core and given a top hat of peanut butter buttercream. If you prefer to paint your own cakesterpiece, customize a creation by pairing a cake flavor, such as lemon, coconut, or spice, with a buttercream flavor, such as orange, mint, or cream cheese frosting. Whether you phone in or drop in, be sure to peep through the bakery window on North Alfred Street and say hello to executive bakery chef Angel, who is known for melting the buttery hearts of swooning passersby by reciting romantic passages from the encyclopedia. With a dozen chances to spread your confectioned love, you won't have to play favorites with all the jury members.

Reviews

Yelpers give Bittersweet an average of three stars. Eighty-five percent of Urbanspooners like it, and TripAdvisors rate it an average of 3.5 owl eyes:

• Great food! Dont miss this gem in old town. Try their carrot cake cupcakes! Yummy!! – 1401bean, TripAdvisor
• …I can't forget the cupcakes there either - they're huge! – Eric, Urbanspoon
• I ordered a strawberry cream cupcake that was fairly good. I'm not big on sweets so "fairly good" is a compliment. – Suki C., Yelp