Viral crunchies make Lilla Vanilla Cake Shop a destination in Hamilton Twp., NJ

HAMILTON TWP., N.J. (WPVI) -- Venture into Lilla Vanilla Cake Shop, and you'll find a sweet collection of cupcakes, French macarons, and jumbo cookies.

There are croissants baked fresh daily, a collection of cakesicles, and gorgeous glazed cakes filled with French mousse.

But it's the so-called viral crunchies that put Lilla Vanilla on the map.

It's a mousse dessert filled with cake and jams or compote, then covered in a crunchy chocolate shell, and they're made in an ever-changing variety of flavors.

There are also mini frozen crunches - fruit-flavored, bite-sized Italian Semifreddo.

Lilla Vanilla was opened six years ago by Liliya Ethridge. She was born and raised in Moscow and came to the U.S. in 2013 with plans to just visit, but says she fell in love with the American way of life.

She opened the bakery in memory of her older brother Nik, who died in a tragic accident in Romania in 2016.

When he died, Liliya was still in the process of getting her US citizenship, so she was unable to attend the funeral. She poured her grief into home baking, and friends started placing orders.

When she decided to open her own bakery, it was with her brother Nik's constant advice in mind: to do something fun in life.

Liliya's daughter, Emma, is her most enthusiastic taste tester, and Liliya knows her brother, Nik, would be proud.

Lilla Vanilla Cake Shoppe | Instagram
4607 Nottingham Way, Hamilton, NJ 08690
(609)528-0631