They hit it big with a cameo on Sex and the City. An invasive species, they traveled coast to coast in a reproductive whirlwind. They've been touted as symbols of Creative-Class-style economic development (and angst). By god, they've even got their own blog.

I'm talking about cupcakes, and there's no one better than James Gray to discuss these diminutive delights. Owner of the Squirrel Hill bakery Dozen, James was one father of Pittsburgh's cupcake renaissance in December 2006.

Dozen sits on Murray Avenue near the intersection with Forbes in the heart of Squirrel Hill. On opening day last year, three people were waiting in Dozen's tiny foyer to buy cupcakes... or at least, that's what James thought. He couldn't see the line of people snaking around the block to get a taste of Pittsburgh's newest baked good.

Those lucky customers were the first to experience Dozen's country-cool store front, which features old-fashioned egg beaters among its simplistic decor. Dozen manages to be intensely cute without being frilly. It's a testament to James' more swanky culinary past and to the benefits of starting a new kind of business here in the 'Burgh.

"We aimed for a home-style feel in the bakery and in the food," said 33-year-old James, who opened the bakery instead of becoming an English teacher. "We want Dozen to be a inviting place where everyone feels comfortable."

Dozen's claim to fame is its innovation in cupcake flavors, which take draw from confection classics, breakfast cereals, happy hour, potpourri and celebrity combinations. As we discussed how Dozen got its start, James offered me my choice of the day's flavors. Up for adventure, and of course, second breakfast, I went for the Elvis: a banana cupcake filled with chocolate ganache and topped with peanut butter buttercream frosting. I'll admit, I was skeptical, but I have learned enough to know that you can usually trust a baker. True to his namesake, Elvis was a hit.

Dozen features more than 20 other chart-topping flavors weekly, like lavender lemon, ganache-covered Mint Meltaway, Cosmo (cocktail, not Kramer), and key lime pie. Dozen's rotating menu is posted online and is updated seasonally. Just imagine what they're doing with holiday flavors like pumpkin and pecan when they get the chance.

But even with these unique flavor combinations at his disposal, James comes back to the basics. Premium ingredients are the basis of any great baked good, and Dozen doesn't scrimp. For instance, bakery's goods feature a variety of top-shelf Nielsen-Massey vanillas, the exact selection determined by the vanilla's role in the recipe. You can even see tiny flecks of vanilla bean in James' classic vanilla buttercream (check out the photo above, courtesy of Matthew).

"Our most popular cupcake is vanilla with vanilla frosting," he explains, "and I'd have to say that it's my favorite, as well. There's something pure and timeless about a simple vanilla cupcake, and that's what Dozen is all about."

Dozen Cupcakes
1707 Murray Avenue
Squirrel Hill