Cupcake heir

If, as Jennifer 8. Lee recently suggested in the New York Times, the cupcake is going to go the way of Krispy Kreme, what, dear God, will replace it? Here are five worthy contenders.

Sandwich cookie
Why? It's different from an ordinary cookie. Duh, it's twice the fun. Plus, whatever's sandwiched in the center has the same sugary appeal of a cupcake's frosting. It could be caramel (Treats Truck), peanut butter (Bouchon Bakery) or your basic vanilla cream (Milk & Cookies).

Brownie
Caky, fudgy, transportable, easy to eat, decadent, classic, a throwback to childhood... really, what doesn't the brownie have going for it? Especially when you think about Baked's amazing specimen with caramel and fleur de sel, or dried cherries inside a chocolatey Fat Witch brownie.

Marshmallow
This retro throwback is getting gussied up with all kinds of gourmet flavors and labels. Three Tarts makes sublime treats ranging from rosemary to espresso, master chocolatier Pierre Marcolini offers chocolate-covered marshmallows and, yes, even Trader Joe's is on it, serving up vanilla and peppermint varieties of the fluffy snack.

Chocolate chip cookie
Ah, where to begin. A good old American classic, like the cupcake, the chocolate chip cookie never gets old. Never. I prefer them in their purest form (hel-lo, Jacques Torres), but I won't turn one down if it has nuts (Petrossian), champagne (Ruby et Violette) or double the chocolate (Levain).

Red velvet cake
Like the cupcake, red velvet is basically cake dolled up differently. Instead of personalized pieces of a whole cake like the cupcake, red velvet claims its stylish independence with food coloring (Amy's Bread, Sweet Revenge) or, in the best samples, beet juice (Daisy May's).

Who should inherit the declining cupcake's adoration? Weigh in with your opinion.