As a child, Lisa Clark would conjure up chocolate cakes for her mother through an Easy Bake Oven. While the first batch had mixed results, she was diligent about perfecting her cake recipes. This dedication came in handy later in life when she left her career in the customer service industry to establish Cupcake Á La Mode. Since then, the boutique cupcakerie has grown from a home-based business to a brick-and-mortar location, decorated with hot pink hues and contemporary black baroque chandeliers.

Believing that presentation is just as important as taste, Lisa and her team handcraft cupcakes from a vanilla or chocolate batter base before artfully decorating them with homemade buttercream frosting, candies, and fruit. The decorative cupcakes—which come in flavorful variations such as marshmallow fondue and bella nutella—are best enjoyed with a blended coffee or tea amid the boutique café setting, though larger batches can also be made for weddings or as bribery gifts to sweet-toothed monsters. When not baking up sweet treats in her shop, Lisa and her team are giving back to their community by supporting local charity events such as Dolls and Desserts for Down Syndrome.