I first encountered these adorable mini cupcakes at this past year’s Taste of Atlanta and haven’t been able to stop thinking about them since!

Minis by Maria is a cupcake stand located in North Point Mall up in Alpharetta, Georgia. They specialize in mini cupcakes and do logos, fondant, platters, design cakes, cake pops and more! The cupcake stand (and the cupcakes) may be small, but the flavors are HUGE! I think I was guilty of eating five little cupcakes in one sitting. Oops.

I had the chance to speak with Maria Lawson, the brains behind Minis by Maria, and ask a few questions about her cute little cupcakes.

When did you open Minis by Maria?

We opened December 23, 2013. It was nuts–the height of Christmas! We could barely bake and decorate them before they sold. The case never got filled those first few days…We just sold them as fast as we made them.

I worked with the manufacturer of the kiosk to design the Minis by Maria kiosk that’s up in North Point Mall. Everything is made there and we turn out thousands of mini cupcakes, mini pies and cake pops.

So what about “Maria”? What’s your story?

You can actually only find me there on the weekends. I work in corporate America as an Electrical Engineer–imagine that! I began baking with my mom and grandmother, and then I worked in bakeries all throughout high school and college. I’m a self-taught cake decorator!

My husband is the main operator of the business and we have two young children–both great taste testers! I wrote the business plan for the mini cupcake shop as part of my final project while acquiring my MBA and decided to put it into motion! After graduating with my BSEE, I continued to decorate cakes out of my home (and still do for my loyal customers who I’ve had for years).

What inspired the mini cupcakes?

I wanted to differentiate my business in the marketplace, and no one else in the ATL makes only minis! Plus, you can do so many things with them–as you can see from my designs. I guess you can say I have become a cake engineer!

What is your favorite Minis by Maria flavor?

The classic vanilla was always my favorite flavor, but I think salted caramel is my favorite now! I have an addition to them. But I will tell you, I go through phases…I like a different one form time to time. Quality control of course!

What has been the coolest cake design you’ve created?

I actually had a bride and groom ask me to draw cartoon-like characters of them on their wedding cupcakes! I’ve also done a rendering of the Alltel building in Alpharetta. The architects gave me their drawings and I made a cake in the shape of the building. It was 8 ft. long!

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Minis by Maria offers 15 flavors daily, with a rotating “Mini of the Month” flavor. In addition to the cupcake minis, cake designs, cake pops and mini pies, Minis by Maria does corporate orders and corporate gifting! With the holidays coming up, I definitely suggest checking them out.

And for all of you who love these minis as much as I do, follow along with Minis by Maria on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest!