Going beyond the cupcake

Even as the now-public Crumbs cupcake chain was making its debut on the Nasdaq last week, pastry entrepreneurs already were predicting the trend’s demise, saying American consumers are ready to move on.

In Los Angeles, for example, where arguably the gourmet cupcake craze began with the debut of the first Sprinkles in 2005, two new pastry concepts aim to steal cupcake market share with innovative sweets that break new ground, such as exotic mini tarts and a more healthful baked d