My family has become big fans of cupcakes. We’ll drive around the metro area to feed our habit. We’ll debate about whether our current favorite is Buzz, Crumbs, Sprinkles, Georgetown Cupcake or Baked & Wired. Or whether we prefer the Curbside Cupcakes food truck to Sweet Bites. So we were glad to welcome Fraiche Cupcakery to Bethesda.

Located in Wildwood, Fraiche promises cupcakes that “are made with mostly natural ingredients in an eco-friendly environment.”  Although if I could offer a little marketing consulting for free, the phrase “mostly natural” only makes me wonder what is included that isn’t natural. And while who can be against being “eco-friendly,” I’m not sure I know what that means.

They opened on January 13th, and we visited them on the 14th. They are still in soft-opening mode, with the grand opening coming this weekend. We found a shop that still had inventory in the afternoon, whose interior is inviting and whose employees are friendly. These are all good signs, especially right after opening.

Most impressive was the taste of the cupcakes. The cake was extremely fresh and moist. The cupcakes have a good balance of icing and cake, and aren't huge like some places, so your little indulgence doesn’t also wreck your diet. They should be eaten quickly, however, as their freshness declines quickly.

My only other bit of free consulting would come from pricing. The cupcakes are $3 each, with the only break coming if you buy one dozen. For the small size and the high price, they might have trouble getting the volume needed to afford rent in Wildwood.

I wish Fraiche good luck. It will be nice to have another source for cupcakes, especially one where parking won’t be so challenging.