Well that didn't take long. A rep from the new Sprinkles bakery in New York just dropped off two dozen BlackBook-branded red velvet cupcakes at our offices, and within ten minutes every one of those bad boys has found its way into our collective bellies. Every one except for this one, that is, which I set aside for myself and will commence munching ... now.

● Palermo Bakery (Gold Coast) - Old Town Italian bakery with 75 different cookies. ● Sprinkles Cupcakes (Gold Coast) - The cupcake trend is alive and well in the Gold Coast. ● Paciugo (Lincoln Square) - Lincoln Square's best espresso shot in a gelato shop.

Everything in Los Angeles seems to be on wheels -- including some of the best places to eat. Sadly, east-side favorite Taco Zone is out of commission following a fire -- no one was harmed, just the tacos -- and we look forward to returning to the Silver Lake staple soon. Meanwhile, today's top contenders.

1. Yummy Cupcakes (Santa Monica) - With 140 cupcake flavors, Yummy offers a rotating daily menu in jumbo, classic, and mini sizes; recent specials include cupcake biscotti and cupcake-in-a-jar for Valentine’s Day. 2. Famous Cupcakes (Hollywood) - Start your day off right with Famous’ Good Morning Cupcake with vanilla beans and a sprinkled blend of brown sugar, cinnamon, and graham crackers. Custom cupcake bouquets cover everything from weddings to Jewish holidays. 3. Sprinkles Cupcakes (Beverly Hills) - Possibly the most popular cupcake in the class with ingredients including bittersweet Belgian chocolate, pure Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, and natural citrus zests. Sprinkles made the cupcake trendy again; their “modern dots” on flavors -- including mocha, pumpkin, and red velvet -- make them the leader of the pack.