CupCakeBite Delights

Since it opened nearly a year ago, people in and around Fuquay-Varina have been getting their fill of sweet treats at CupCakeBite, the town’s first cupcake shop.Located in the picturesque Varina Station, CupCakeBite represents the fulfillment of a dream for local proprietor Gina Pettaris, a New York native and former graphic designer who had been baking cupcakes out of her home for the past several years.

The shop features distinctive varieties of cupcakes baked fresh daily and sold for $2.50 each. Additional items include cake pops, cookies, espresso-based coffees and European hot chocolate. Custom cakes and cupcakes also are available.

No doubt what sets CupCakeBite apart from similar cupcake shops is that Pettaris makes her products with all-natural ingredients and no preservatives. She's passionate about using quality ingredients like dairy products without growth hormones and no artificial food coloring.

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Fredin/S&A Cherokee

During the holiday season, CupCakeBite will feature a gingerbread spice cupcake (pictured above), which according to Pettaris is a cupcake version of the traditional gingerbread cookie. It is covered with cream cheese frosting and sanding sugar, and on top there's a fondant disc embossed with a snowflake.

Open five days a week, CupCakeBite is closed on Sundays and Mondays.