BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT:

When you’re craving a margarita and a cupcake at the same time, Yummy Cupcakes is the place.

The local pastry shop sets itself apart from other cupcake chains that have popped up by offering a wide range of flavors, including frozen banana, chocolate creme pie and margarita, co-owner Brogan Faye said.

A 94-year-old woman’s Italian creme concoction is one of 140 flavors available.

“This 94-year-old lady just wrote us and included a recipe for an Italian creme pie that she used to make for her children, so we altered it a bit and included it in our menu,” Faye said.

“We get a lot of great ideas for new flavors from our customer requests.”

Faye’s daughter, Executive Chef Tiffini Soforenko, came up with the idea one day, and it took off from there.

“We had seen bakeries in New York that had a lot of different flavors of cupcakes, and we thought why don’t we come up with something like that, so we started a catering business, and there was such a big interest,” said Faye, who opened the shop in December 2005.

Faye, who now owns the business with Soforenko and her husband, Nik Soforenko, make their batter from scratch with whole milk, butter and without any lard or shortenings, she said.

The cupcake craze, which began about the time they started the business, has spurred the opening of several Southern California chains such as Sprinkles and Crumb in Beverly Hills, Faye said.

The treats have become so popular that clothing and beauty companies have created cupcake-inspired products that Faye now carries in the store.

Customers can buy Juicy Cupcake-Couture sweat shirts, oil paintings of cupcakes, cocoa-buttercream-frosting hand cream and cupcake luggage tags.

“I think cupcakes are going to end up being more than just a trend because they have already had a longer life than other fads,” said pastry chef Jennifer Rose, who has worked at the shop for a year and a half.

“Everyone likes the idea of having this one single cake. It brings people back to their childhood. It is something comforting. It is also a lot easier to serve.”

Rose helps whip up the treats on the shop’s daily menu, which includes 14 regular combinations like vanilla and four special flavors such as cinnamon roll.

“I think Yummy Cupcakes is the best out there. I really like the variety,” said customer Eric Williams, who was hooked after trying a red velvet cupcake at their second location in Santa Monica.

“They have a really good combo. Most places the frosting is too dry, but here, the cake is moist, and the frosting is really good.”