I knew the first time I entered La Dolce Divas Bakery  in downtown Englewood, NJ  a year ago that I was in trouble. I threw caution to the wind as I gazed at the scrumptious cakes enclosed in glass domes along the counter, teasing me to try a slice of their moist, decadent goodness. I could hear the excited “oohs” and “ahhs” as customers stopped into the shop, followed quickly by their silence as they perused the shelves behind the glass counter trying to narrow their decisions on which luscious cupcakes and sweet treats to order.

Who can’t help but smile standing amidst the delightfully charming ambiance of the bakery with its customer moldings and chalkboard menus? It’s become a must-stop shop for us every time we visit the area, and is a great treat to dangle in front of my son while we’re shopping for clothes, gifts or furniture downtown Englewood. He rushes in to look at the latest theme-decorated cupcakes (currently back-to-school and baseball) and excitedly watches through the window to the kitchen where the concoctions are baked from scratch and decorated, then relays a play-by-play to me as I pay for our tasty treats.

La Dolce Divas celebrates a “back-to-basics” approach to baking. Native Jersey gal and co-owner of La Dolce Divas Bakery, Danielle Maschuci describes her baking philosophy as “butter, sugar and old school recipes.” Which explains the half-inch think buttercream frosting that indelibly winds up dotting the chins and cheeks of every child in the place as they cheerfully bite in and chew away.

Customers flock to the shop for their carrot and red velvet cupcakes (named best cupcake in Bergen County), though they offer others like peanut butter and jelly, mint chocolate, pistachio, strawberry, coconut, and cream-filled ganache. The cupcakes sell for between $2.25 and $2.80 a piece. Other cookies, bars, whoopee pies (three flavors – including red velvet!) and tarts range in price from $1.50 to $3.50 each. Cakes cost either $26 or $80 depending on size, and they can accommodate special orders for weddings or parties. La Dolce Divas serves bottled water, oragnic juices, tea, coffee and hot chocolate if you’d like to leisurely enjoy your treat at one of the bistro tables. (I can never wait long to bite into dessert, especially the vanilla-y, peanutty scent wafting from a chocolate peanut butter cupcake.)

Maschuci was inspired to open her own bakery while attending law school in NYC during the famed cupcake boom in Manhattan. Together with her aunt, Ava Okuniewicz, the two chose to open La Dolce Divas in Englewood when they were searching for a town near New York City in need of a sugary haven. While they prepared for the April 2008 launch of La Dolce Divas Bakery, they opened Ocean Grove Bake Shoppe on the Jersey Shore in 2007. Ocean Grove Bake Shoppe is a more traditional bakery retail shop offering breakfast breads and donuts in addition to the desserts found at La Dolce Divas.

La Dolce Divas Bakery is a charming dessert shop that caters to the kid in all of us, and is worth a visit if you find yourself along that part of Route 4 and in need of a smile.

La Dolce Divas Bakery is offering NY Metropolista readers an exclusive deal: purchase three cupcakes, and get one free when you mention this article on NYMetropolista!

La Dolce Divas Bakery

44 E. Palisade Avenue

Englewood, NJ 07631

201-871-1230

Ocean Grove Bake Shoppe

55 Main Avenue

Ocean Grove, NJ 07756

732-774-8235