This Magnolia Bakery offshoot takes the cake--all the way to Midtown.

The Scene
Midtown's Buttercup is to the sweet-toothed what pre-Rudy 42nd Street peepshows were to pervs. From the second you enter the close-quartered shop, you're enveloped in a relentless, sensual maelstrom of heavenly scents, ooey-gooey icing and eye-popping frosting swirls. However, just as in the aforementioned establishments, all the goods are ensconced safely in cases--and it's still bad form to press your nose up against the glass.

The Goods
Ex-Magnolia bakery partner Jennifer Appel's specialty is down-home desserts that caress all the senses. Red Velvet cake and the shop's trademark cupcakes pack a wallop on both the tongue and the eyes (not to mention the thighs). Pre-order custom cakes or try to re-create the magic at home--Buttercup has claimed enough devotees to warrant its own glossy cookbook.