Be sweet to mom this Sunday

Sure, you can send Mom flowers. More than 72 percent of Americans will call a florist, according to the National Retail Federation.

Yes, you can go to brunch. The National Restaurant Association says it's the single-most-popular day for dining out.

But if Mom lives nearby, we suggest showing up at her door with a box containing something sweet, preferably an outrageously-over-the-top dessert guaranteed to get her attention.

Dessert is served at just 14 percent of home meals, according to Harry Balzer, who has studied American eating habits for 25 years.

But Mother's Day is different.

"It's a time of great comfort," says Balzer, vice president of the New York-based NPD Group, and author of the annual Eating Patterns in America. "People will come together and either time or money will be spent on the meal. It will be one of the meals that we prize."

With that in mind, we found 10 of South Florida's best specialty bakers and confectioners.

Almost every sweet maker has a cut-off day for Mother's Day pickup. Some won't be open on Sunday, so call ahead.

Sweet Things

Key lime bundt cake

Back story: Owner Lori Karmel was shocked as anyone when Oprah Winfrey called her Key lime cake one of her "favorite things," thereby guaranteeing success. Karmel has since been featured several times on the Food Network, mostly recently on Road Tested. Last year, Karmel shipped 10,000 cakes and sells her cakes and cupcakes to Neiman Marcus, Dean & Deluca and Florida Whole Foods stores. Her moist Key lime cakes contain no preservatives and are topped with Key lime cream cheese frosting.

Splurge: $26 for an 8-inch cake, which serves 10 to 12.

Buy it: We Take the Cake, 1021 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, 954-764-2253. To reserve a Key lime bundt cake to pick up by noon Saturday, orders must be received by 4 p.m. Friday. Other flavors will also be on hand. The bakery is closed Sundays.


Deep-dish Key lime pie

This Key lime pie has been made the same way for the past 30 years.

Back story: Raul Quintero, now mostly retired, passed on his pie-making skills to son Rudy, who makes more than 30 kinds every day. They're sold in the family pie shops or at restaurants and markets, including Woolbright Farmers Market in Boynton Beach and Ta-boo in Palm Beach.

Splurge: $10.75 for a 9-inch pie that feeds six to eight.

Buy it: At Quintero's Upper Crust Bakery, 2015 N. Dixie Highway, Lake Worth, 561-586-5456. To reserve a pie for Mother's Day, orders must be received by 6 p.m. Friday . The bakery is closed on Sundays.

Sensati

A new confection that looks like a dark chocolate-covered apple on a stick. Instead of an apple, you bite into an apple-shaped Rice Krispies treat.

Back story: Invented by Lee Epstein of Plantation, whose family owned Joseph's Pastry Shop in Miami Beach, and later Gallagher's Restaurant in North Miami. Epstein says his Sensati is a decadent alternative to the high-end candy apples sold in department stores. Splurge: $29.95 for one 14-ounce Sensati, which feeds 10.

Buy it: Palm Beach Confections, Town Center, 6000 Glades Road, Boca Raton, 561-395-7611; Coral Square Mall, 9469 W. Atlantic Blvd., Coral Springs, 954-753-1888 ; Sawgrass Mills, 12801 W. Sunrise Blvd., Sunrise, 954-846-2280.

Red velvet cheesecake

Two layers of classic red velvet cake surrounding one layer of New York-style cheesecake topped with raspberry cream cheese frosting.

Back story: Steve and Jacqueline Mosely, owners of S&J Catering, have catered romantic dinners for two and a 4,000-person Super Bowl MVP tailgate party. Steve, a chef who coordinates the apprenticeship program at Atlantic Technical Center in Coconut Creek, has been fine-tuning this cake for years.

Splurge: $35 for an 8-inch cake.

Buy it: Orders must be received by 3 p.m. Saturday and picked up Sunday at S&J Catering, 2001 S. Palm Ave., Suite E, Miramar. Call 954-962-0979.

Chocolate Temptation

Caramel popcorn with whole walnuts, pecans and cashews drenched in dark Belgian chocolate.

Back story: While Sherri and Barry Rothberg produce more than 35 flavors at their Popcorn Zone, Chocolate Temptation is the most expensive. Like all of their products, it's pareve kosher, meaning it contains no animal products. Since it contains no butter, it works for vegans as well as those who observe Jewish dietary laws. The popcorn was featured at President Bush's last inauguration. Splurge: $9.95 for 10 ounces, $15.95 for 20 ounces or $24.95 for 27 ounces.

Buy it: Popcorn Zone, 7044 Beracasa Way, Del Mar Shopping Village, Boca Raton. Open 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday. Closed Saturday. 561-447-9655.

Strawberry shortcake

Three layers of vanilla cake with two layers of strawberry filling and whipped cream. Decorated with fresh strawberries or other seasonal fruit.

Back story: Guy and Angela Ng have been making this cake since opening in 1993. Guy honed his pastry skills for eight years at the Boca Raton Resort & Club; Angela does the decorating. Free samples are always available.

Splurge: $18 for a 7-inch cake, which feeds eight.

Buy it: Fontaine French Bakery, 2057 N. University Drive, Coral Palm Plaza, Coral Springs, 954-344-6210. Strawberry shortcake orders must be received by 6 p.m. Friday and picked up by 3 p.m. Sunday.

Mom's Chocolate Fudge Cake

Three layers of chocolate cake filled and decorated with chocolate fudge icing.

Back story: A staple since Stork's Bakery opened in 1997, it's best served at room temperature with a glass of cold milk.

Splurge: $17.75 for a small cake that serves six to eight or $27.75 for a large cake which serves eight to 12.

Buy it: At Stork's Bakery, 1109 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, 954-522-4670 and 2505 NE 15th Ave., Wilton Manors, 954-567-3220. Orders must be received by noon Saturday for Sunday pickup.

Fruit cake

A delicate three-layer sponge cake called pao de lo. Each layer is filled with Bavarian cream, peaches, pineapple and strawberries.

Back story: Isaias and Silviane Arruda ran a similar Brazilian-style bakery and cafe in Port Chester, N.Y. before moving south a few years ago. Their second location recently opened in Coral Springs.

Splurge: $25 for an 8-inch cake, which serves 15, or $35 for a 9-inch cake, which serves 20 to 22.

Buy it: Casa do Pão, 22829 N. State Road 7, south of Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, 561-852-8390. To reserve a cake for Mother's Day pickup, orders must be received by 9 tonight.

Cuban buñuelos (boon-WAY-lows)

Friedpastries made with cassava flour and soaked in an anisette and cinnamon-flavored syrup.

Back story: While buñuelos are popular in many Latin American countries, Cubans make theirs in a pretzel shape. Melba Acosta -- aka Tati -- has been making them since November when she opened her bakery. Acosta, who worked for more than 20 years in medical technology before turning her hobby into a business, also makes pastelitos (75 cents), pudin du pan (80 cents), pan de Gloria ($1) and rum cake ($1.50). While other bakeries produce a commercial-tasting product, Acosta retains the homemade taste of her pastries and breads by baking just a little bit every day.

Splurge: $1 each.

Buy it: Tati's Bakery, 16367 Miramar Parkway, The Shoppes at Silver Isles, Miramar, 954-438-6324. Mother's Day orders must be made by 6 tonight.

Truffles



Back story: While truffles are relatively new to the Kilwin's chocolate and ice cream repertoire, the Michigan company has been making candy and chocolates for 70 years. The truffle assortment includes hazelnut, raspberry, amaretto, coffee and Irish crème. But a trip to any Kilwin's is a step back in time as visitors peer inside the fudge-filled candy cases.

Splurge: $21.95 to $25.95, depending on location for a 10-ounce assortment. 18 different truffles.

Buy it: 2758 N. University Drive, The Walk, Coral Springs, 954-227-5599; 402 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, 561-278-0808; 809 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, 954-523-8338; 117 E. Commercial Blvd., Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, 954-267-8991; 4580 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, 561-296-6226 and 1727 Main St., Shops at Town Center, Weston, 954-385-9033.

John Tanasychuk can be reached at jtanasychuk@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4632.