Like a female emperor penguin, cupcakes are tiny, contain eggs, and are almost always cuter when covered in icing and sprinkles. Nibble natural wonders with today’s Groupon: for $12, you get one dozen gourmet cupcakes at The Cupcakery of Elizabeth City (a $24 value).

Helmed by mother-and-daughter team Sharon Hundley and Heather Fletcher, The Cupcakery of Elizabeth City spawns more than 10 varieties of fist-sized cakes each day. Classic flavors such as chocolate, carrot, and marble join newfangled delights—from red velvet to white almond—in artfully arranged boxes. Filling fans can indulge in creamy-centered Oreo, chocolate-mocha, and white-raspberry cakelets, each of which comes standard with a generous dollop of frosting. Although the bakery plays host to a full spread of cupcakes on any given day, customers craving 12 cupcakes of the same flavor are encouraged to phone in an order at least 48 hours in advance.