These mini cupcakes are my big favorite! I have a bag sitting here which is why I am doing the review now. They are called "brownie bites" by Maine Cottage Foods, but they are really little cupcakes that come 12 to a bag. I typically eat one or two at a time. They are *very* filling so I have never been able to eat three. I checked out the ingredients and they are good ones, nothing weird.

Maine Cottage Foods ( http://www.mainecottagefoods.com ) is a low carb home bakery. So the food is made just when you order it by a real person. There's no preservatives and they taste really fresh since my cupcakes were not sitting in a warehouse somewhere waiting to be sent. And they look homemade - logically, since they are homemade - so they would be nice to set out for company or bring to someone's house.

I also like that shipping is included even for one package, so I don't feel pressure to buy a bunch at one time. Every time I make a big order to get the most for my shipping cost, it is a disaster. Either the stuff goes bad or I end up eating way too much.

Maine Cottage Foods currrently sells these cupcakes and a brownie plate (which I haven't tried). The site says they have other items coming, like madeleines. Oh, and another thing that is cool is that you can customize them with various add-ins, and even pick what kind of chocolate you like. My favorites so far are the plain dark chocolate and the milk chocolate with walnuts. Both are extra delicious if you microwave them about 10 secs. Not too much else the big chocolate chunks will melt away.

The mini cupcakes cost $14/bag of 12 (11 oz net weight) and the plate is $12. Each mini is about 1.4 impact carbs depending on the add ins. Add-ins and flavors are free of charge. The bag I have now (dark chocolate with almonds and coconut) is total carbs 10.1g, dietary fiber 4.0g, sugar alcohols 4.7g.

Ingredients: cream (yay!), dark chocolate coating, almonds, egg, erythritol, unsweetened baking chocolate, wheat gluten, ground almonds, cellulose, whey protein booster, dried coconut, inulin, lecithin, guar gum, glycerol, vanilla, coconut extract, cream of tartar, concentrated fruit juice, baking soda.

Yum, they look great, but $14 for one bag? Seems a little pricy. Maybe for a special treat. Hey, sounds good for Valentines day!!!

TFS,
Melissa

lissy007: you are totally right, 14 bucks is a lot, but they are really worth it. And, like you said, I use them for a special treat. The price helps me not overdo them too - I'm sometimes a little low on the willpower. Yes, I admit it. And Valentine's Day, what a great idea. I already have my "bag of minis for the month", but there's definitely someone I can send one to for Valentines. Hmm, and hopefully they will share.....

I just ordered the brownies, and they have a special until the 11th:

The concentrated fruit juice concerns me, but it's the last ingredient.

DarkLotus: Like you, I was concerned about the fruit juice too, so I emailed before my first order to ask about it. "concentrated fruit juice" is what the FDA requires companies to call "lo han quo" in their ingredients. Lo han quo is a natural extact from a kind of Chinese melon. It is extremely sweet so it is used in the most minutest of amounts. Maine Cottage Food picked it since it is naturally derived and has an interesting taste. I think it is going to be one of the top lc sweeteners.

BonoLover: Hey, and a Valentines special! Thanks for letting me know. I'm off to make an order!