When a new bakery opens, it always sparks our interest. So when we read about That Takes the Cake's opening in San Francisco, we knew we had to get on the scene with due haste. We assigned our Bay Area Cake Gumshoe Bridget to brave those daunting San Francisco hills and try out their cupcakes; here's what she reported:

Cake Gumshoe Bridget: As I started my trek from Potrero to Fillmore I started questioning if this cupcake was worth the grueling series of steep hills (you know the ones halfway up you stop and look both ways deciding to continue or walk back down, but feel like you rule when you do make it to the top). Well, I fought off the negative thoughts and continued on my mission with a pit stop at Crossroads for some cute shoes (ankle boots)! Anyway I finally get to That Takes the Cake, which was small and that hospital-white clean. Then I saw the mother load-- shelf after shelf of cupcakes! They were all flawlessly decorated, which made my decision even harder. The staff was patient with my indecisive behavior which I think they are probably used to and the one counter girl even explained each cupcake and rated them. When it came to the red velvet she told me they sell out every day well before closing time. My mind was made up and I took it to go, thinking I could take a taste then save the rest for later. Yeah right--2 blocks later that cupcake was so gone. The cake was perfection and the cream cheese frosting was the perfect amount of sweetness. It truly lives up to the bakery's claim of being the reddest red velvet cake you ever had. Also what I thought was pretty there menu changes every day, but of course always having the staples (chocolate/vanilla buttercream, red velvet and devils food cake).

In short, we think it's worth a visit!

That Takes the Cake is located at 2271 Union St., b/t Fillmore and Steiner Sts.; online at saralynnscupakes.com.