By Megumi Kitamoto

Photos by Megumi Kitamoto

Let’s admit it. The first trimester was stressful, and the first day of the second trimester was just chaotic. So after the power outage and early dismissal, I hauled my starving self to Scratch Cupcakery to satisfy my empty and stressed stomach.

Scratch Cupcakery is already popular in the Cedar Falls area after opening a store in 2010. The new Coralville store opened on November 5 of this year, and this is their fourth store in Iowa. This is the first Scratch Cupcakery in southeastern Iowa, and it is destined to be very popular because of its convenient location near the thriving Von Maur area right off of I-80.

Finding close parking was actually quite difficult, because all of the spots closest to the cupcakery were taken. However, the ample parking options near Von Maur that were only a short walk, two minute walk to the cupcakery.

After a short walking session, another tough decision awaited me. What in the world should I get? There were so many options. And they all sounded good or they were something that I have not heard of before. I scanned each of the options carefully. Gingerbread, sweet potato, vanilla vanilla, peanut butter cup. Nope, it didn’t look like I would be arriving at a decision soon. Pacing up and down the aisle of cupcakes, I finally decided to get a Dough-licious cupcake for two dollars and a red velvet cupcake shake for four dollars and seventy five cents.

I took my prized cupcake items to one of the counters that show a view of construction, and began eating. The Dough-licious Cupcake was delicious (no pun intended). The cookie on top, the wonderful frosting and the tasty filling on the inside made me very indecisive on where to start, but as I ate the cupcake, it tastes good wherever you start or end.

The red velvet cupcake shake was a very difficult selection for me. A cupcake shake was a very foreign thought to me, and I was worried if I would like it or not. After a hesitant sip, all of my doubts melted away. It was something very new. The top did not have as much of a distinct flavor, but the chocolatey goodness comes after five or six sips.

Overall, I loved Scratch so much. The interior of the store is a very cozy and friendly atmosphere, lighted by the sunlight pouring through the windows. The spotlessly clean interior and the friendly staff also contribute to the nice atmosphere. A plethora of flavors to choose from at Scratch is a similar feeling to picking out candy at the grocery store, and it makes you want to come back again to try that flavor that you wanted last time.

The next time you are hungry, I would highly recommend a trip to Scratch. Or maybe even when you’re not hungry. The cupcakes, or anything on their menu will definitely taste delicious either way.