Mara's Baking Bites
Categories: Specialty Food, Bakeries [Edit]
San Jose, CA 95126
- Price Range: $$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
20 Reviews for Mara's Baking Bites
Mara-
When I get married I want you to do my wedding.. DON'T MOVE OUT OF THE AREA!!
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Mara is the undisputed cupcake queen!
At the risk of having Mara hurt me if I ever see her in a dark alley - I've never been a huge fan of cupcakes. Mara's cupcakes are so damn good that I have started to see the light. Maybe all the other cupcakes I've had were just being done wrong? Whatever the reason for my previous dissatisfaction Mara's cupcakes have won me over. I am now preaching the gospel of Mara's cupcakes.
I first tried them at a cupcake sale and then last weekend at a friend's birthday party.
For starters, they are visually appealing (aka pretty). They are also moist and fresh. Ummmm, tasty.
You know what? Just try them. I can't DESCRIBE cupcakes.
Mara is also super friendly and I'm gathering she is incredibly organized.
You REALLY should order cupcakes from her. You'll be happy you did.
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As some of you may know, our very own favorite San Jose Cupcake maker entered a tiny, little, contest that you may or may not have heard of. It's called the 2nd annual Yelp Cupcake Bake off.
Competition was very fierce and super sweet...from what I was told.
As I imagined, our girl did not disappoint. She won 3 of the 7 categories!
THAT'S HUGE!!!! To contact Mara: marabakes@yahoo.com
AND...TO ADD REAL ICING TO THE CUPCAKE....
SHE WON BEST OVERALL....that's like saying best in show if we were showcasing dogs.
Prettiest Cupcake - Mara T. for her Lemon Marscapone cupcake
Most Ambitious Cupcake - Mara T. for her Chocolate Mint filled Cupcakes (tasted just like a Thin Mint!)
OVERALL BEST CUPCAKE - Mara T. for her Vanilla Peanut Butter
Congrats to Mara T, from her master taster! Here's to more baking and the petition to open up your very own shop!
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
04/09/2008
First to Review
Take one glance at her avatar picture....and you are hooked.
Hooked I tell you....hooked. We all… Read more »
Mara is my cupcake soulmate and she doesn't even know it. I can't bake (well), but if I did, I would aspire to Mara's baking philosophy - the best ingredients, flawless presentation and attention to detail. She's constantly looking for pretty cupcake decorations. She's a vanilla cupcake purist, I'm a vanilla cupcake purist. She doesn't like super sweet frosting, I don't like super sweet frosting.
When I saw her vanilla peanut butter cupcake, I thought, did she bake it with me in mind? I'm sure that she didn't but the result was the best vanilla cupcake I've ever had. I could tell just by looking at it that it would be off the charts. Unlike the vast majority of vanilla cupcakes, you could see vanilla bean flecks in the frosting AND the cake. The vanilla frosting was thick, soft and creamy but not too soft and not too sweet. Best vanilla frosting ever. The cake was moist and vanilla-y, just like I like it. And I like mini peanut butter cup surprise center too. And it was gorgeous too with tiny pearls and pink sugar disc decoration.
Her lemon mascarpone cupcake was unbelievably luscious. The frosting was softer, sweeter, and creamier than the vanilla frosting and richer. The lemon cake had lemon rind and wasn't too sweet. It tasted natural. The cupcake was adorned with a lemon drop candy. I prefer the vanilla cupcake because I love vanilla anything (my favorite flavor & my favorite scent) but I have high praise for the lemon cupcake too.
I don't think other bakers put in that much time, energy and love into each cupcake. Mara rules the cupcake universe.
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Here's one thing we must all thank Yelp for: Mara's baked goods.
I'm not much of a sweets person. I could easily live without cupcakes...or well, SO I THOUGHT until one day Ms. Mara, the angel, brought me one of her outrageously scrumptious cupcakes when we met up for lunch. She knew I had never tried it before (my UYE attendance rate had been low), and figured she'd deliver me one instead so I wouldn't feel so left out... (Oh I love you, Mara.)
The banana cupcake - which she claimed was "too mushy," but was actually perfectly moist in my opinion - made me dangerously jealous of her husband. It was original. It wasn't unnecessarily sweet, but so darn SATISFYING and AMUSING as it had bits of coconut on top and contained a little surprise filling (Reese's, perhaps?) inside.
Ya, I LOVE THIS WOMAN.
P.S. If Yelp could set up a cupcake tasting event, featuring Mara and Scott L's baked goods, I might turn into a sweets person after all.
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M - ost
A - mazing
R - ighteous
A - ppetizing
CUPCAKES!
I was so friggin' surprised when Anna walks in with a box full of cupcakes by Mara! After my graduation, Anna tells me that she's got to go to pick up something. I thought to myself, "Hmmm, what is she up to?" What a pleasant surprise!
Thank you Mara for making the Kahlua cupcakes and the Coconut cupcakes with cream cheese frosting! My friends and family all got a taste and they were blown away, even my husband who is not a sweets person. If you are not into sweets, you will be converted by Mara's Baking Bites!
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I have not had the pleasure of having one of Mara's bites yet but just looking at the pictures makes my mouth water........
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DRUM ROLL Please!
It's official. Mara's got it going on like Betty Crocker but better!
Ahem.... I just want to announce that I am THE FIRST official paying customer for Mara, so maybe I can get the unofficial first review for this one?
I convinced Mara to hook up some surprise cuppies for Jen S's graduation party for her Masters degree (yipee) and also for an upcoming work event (updates and pics will be posted in the next week).
Jen was pleasantly surprised and delighted by all the cuppies (Kahlua Chocolate, and Coconut cuppies with coconut cream cheese frosting). Let's just say, the frosting is where its at. Finger Frickin Lickin Good! I still have a small stash in the fridge. (wink wink)
The work ones are going to be Peanut Butter Chocolate, Lemon Almond with lemon frosting, and Vanilla cuppies with Strawberry frosting. I am anxiously awaiting the day...
UPDATE: I was able to snag one of each! Peanut Butter ones were so cute and tasty but, the lemon and strawberry ones were amazingly moist and the frosting was extra creamy. OH so good! The staff at my work devoured them. Mara had several new fans (non-yelpers) and future customers in the making!
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amazing! who doesn't love cupcakes? a little bite and you feel less guilty than a half gallon of ice cream! miss mara made me some sweet strawberry cupcakes with strawberry cream cheese frosting for my friend's daughter's 2nd birthday! they were a huge hit! everyone loved them!! the cake was soft and spongy and the frosting was light and absolutely perfect! mara is so sweet! i ordered 24 mini cupcakes on friday and they were ready on sunday! thank you mara! i will get cupcakes from you next time i want to be everyone's favorite person! hehe i can't wait to try more of your cupcakes!! they are little bites of heaven..
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All hail Mara -ruler of the cupcake universe!
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Mara is a sweetheart, so it only makes sense that she would take the time to bake such yummy, sweet little treats!
The flavor I tried (strawberry with light, not-overwhelmingly-sweet frosting, and a fresh sliver of strawberry on top) was moist and delicious!
I always hate it when bakeries put so much frosting that you have to scrape off half of the frosting to even taste the cake...but Mara's didn't have this issue at all; great cake-to-frosting ratio! :o) I want to try the snickerdoodle next, for sure.
Simple.Small.Scrumptious.
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I was introduced to Mara's sweet treats at the UYE at St. John's. These cuppies were so beautiful and professional looking that I hesitated to jump in and grab one! Mara does a fantastic job of decorating. They were simple, yet elegant, and more importantly- THEY DA BOMB YO! You can tell that Mara puts a lot of love into her work.
The peanut butter and the strawberry with cream cheese frosting were my favorites. My daughter Victoria loved the chocolate cuppies. She cannot stop talking about how cute, pretty, and yummy they are! My little Mateo ate two cupcakes before dinner and then at least four of them afterward. Mara- if you ever need an assistant or a taste tester- you can borrow my kids!
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Each one is like a fluffy, moist, delectable canvas with dollops of sugary satin dream-stuff whisked atop.
Art.
Short-lived or savored, Mara magically conjures little unforgettable moments of DELICIOUS works of art...
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The carrot cake cuppies with cream cheese frosting and pretty sprinkles are so yummy. Looking forward to one day trying the Kahlua Chocolate.
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Yeay to Mara the cupcake baker! So cute she brought some to her St. John's UYE--felt like I was in grade school again and it was someone's bday. :-)
Highlights:
- They're mini: so cute and bite sized. Perfectly sized for a small sweet ending to a meal--way better than gum or a mint! And if you can't stop there, makes you feel less guilty eating multiple. ;-)
- Frosting: Super light and not too sugary. Loved the peanut butter and the chocolate!
- Decorations: Very nice touch with a little tidbit on top. Peanut butter ones had a itty bitty peanut butter cup, chocolate had a little swirly hollow chocolate stick (I'm sure it has a name but I don't know it), strawberry has a little strawberry slice, and vanilla had an outline of a chocolate heart. Almost too cute to eat, but you get over that. She's such a pro already!
- Mara's dedication: She makes these sweet treats at least twice a week! I can't commit to anything twice a week that takes any effort. :-O Well, ok besides planning my meals.
Lowlights (my flip side to highlights):
- I'm not a dessert person but makes me want em now. ;-)
- Unexpected sugar rush to the head.
- Scheming with fellow yelpers as to how best to combine the cupcakes together to make different flavors: smooshing peanut butter and chocolate together to make a oreo-styled cupcake or taking the vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ones to form some sort of Neapolitan trio. 8-)
Yeay to my first Mara cupcake experience. Can't wait to try other flavors. I may have to defect to her office to get regular doses.
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I had 4 of them. If I wasn't busy talking and getting to know other Yelpers, there would be none left for people to review. I'd be popping them in my mouth like M&M's, wrapper and all.
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Ten bucks says you can't eat just one!
"Once you pop, you can't stop..."
...sadly, in the name of cupcakes, the same probably applies to my waistline.
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I tried the Strawberry one at St. John's UYE. Each cupcake had a small sliver of strawberry on top. Moist mini cake covered in creamy fosting that does not overpower the strawberry and the cake. It feels like a symphony inside your mouth! Delicious!
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I cried a little when Mara busted them out at St. John's. I'm not ashamed.
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DISCLOSURE: Here is the deal - I am not a yelp-er - as you can see this is my first review and probably the last. I do love to read them and get ideas on places to visit but I am just too lazy to write them. Plus, last thing I need is for the whole world to know that after all these years in this great country of OURS I still mess up my definitive articles. But I had to write something about Mara's baked good as I am a self-proclaimed authority on the subject.
PART 1: Mara is my next door neighbor; my friend (she like me the best of you all - so there) and I am her guinea pig. I am also a total foodie and my drug of choice is anything sugar.
PART 2: I have had it ALL. Every cupcake, every piece of pie; even the last week's ice-cream sandwich. Don't tell my husband but the peanut-butter-chocolate-super-creamy-and-delicious cake-y thingy that she brought for both of us just couple days ago was all gone before my husband returned from his trip (that will teach him to go on business trips). It was just so crazy good and delicious (just like heaven - without the awkward dying part) and I just had to have it all instead of dinner ... who needs vegetables anyway? And I am not sorry either.
PART 3: I was originally going to reduce a star or two because I am pretty sure Mara's goodies just may be the reason why I am still in my fat pants even though my son is now 9 months old. But then again I thought - crap, if I do that she may cut me off and that would just not be good for anybody.
CONCLUSION: I am here to pledge to all of you that I am willing to continue to sacrifice my waste line for the good of you all. And as you taste Mara's creations and think "this is getting even better and better "; think of me and all those evenings I am opening a wrapper from the next delicious thing Mara brought by as I am breaking my diet once more. And your all welcome!
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