Cupprimo at the Lake

An 18-year-old Austin cupcake institution opens a second home with espresso, quiche, and seven flavors every single day

Lakeway now has its own outpost of an Austin cupcake name that's been around since before most of us had Instagram. Cupprimo at the Lake sits on RM 620 South, and it's less a satellite bakery than a full coffee shop that happens to have one of the best cupcake cases in the area.

Why it's this week's craving. Fall means pumpkin-everything at most bakeries, but Cupprimo's pitch is consistency: the same seven cupcake flavors every single day, plus a different rotating special depending on which day you walk in. That's a reliable reason to swing back more than once a week — Monday's case isn't Friday's case.

The story. Cupprimo's first location at 8650 Spicewood Springs Road in Austin opened 18 years ago. Cupprimo at the Lake opened in late January in Lakeway, marking the second location for the bakery, locally owned by Amy Closson. The brand has some national pedigree behind it, too — Cupprimo is an Austin Original that opened its doors in 2008, and has since been featured on television, in local publications and even introduced itself nationally on Food Network's Cupcake Wars. Closson, who is the brainchild behind Cupprimo, wanted to create a unique family-friendly environment with best-in-class cupcakes and amazing coffee with a sassy vibe, runs the Lakeway shop day to day with her team.

The vibe. This isn't a grab-a-cupcake-and-go counter only — it's set up as a legitimate coffee shop, with espresso drinks sitting right alongside the pastry case. Everything's baked fresh each morning, and the drink menu runs the full range: coffee bar, Nitro, frappes, Italian sodas, and smoothies, with milk alternatives at no extra charge. It reads as a spot for a quick morning coffee run just as easily as an afternoon cupcake detour.

What to order. The daily lineup covers red velvet, blue velvet, tuxedo, strawberry, birthday cake, double chocolate and primo vanilla — the seven flavors you can count on no matter what day you show up. Beyond that, the case rotates: lemon raspberry shows up on Mondays, whiskey brownie on Fridays, and the bakery's own posted weekly flavor sheet adds things like Reese's Ripoff, Brownie Sundae, and a Boozy Lemon Drop depending on the day. Pair whatever you grab with the quiche and coffee — mornings here lean into a breakfast-quiche-and-latte combo as much as dessert.

Good to know. Vegan and gluten-free options are available, and Cupprimo also bakes and serves 6-inch and 8-inch round cakes, including gluten-free and vegan versions, for anyone planning ahead for a birthday or event. The shop also handles custom desserts such as cakes and cupcakes, party platters, and catering services if you need something bigger than a single cupcake run.