The muffin may sometimes seem like the cupcake’s less sexy cousin, but Donnie Simpson Jr. wants to rescue it from the back of the display case. Simpson (the son of the famous D.C. radio personality) recently opened Uprising Muffin Company in Shaw, where he has as many gourmet permutations of the breakfast pastry as shops like GBD have doughnuts. Here are a few muffin flavors you won’t mind contributing to your muffin top.

Savory

Try bacon, egg, and cheddar cheese or tomato, spinach, and parmesan muffins. One recent Friday, both were sold out before 9:30 a.m., so get there early if you want one.

Maple Pancake

This Saturday and Tuesday–only staple is one of several breakfast offerings disguised as a muffin. You can also find coffee cake, espresso, and cream cheese streusel muffins at various points throughout the week.

Black Bottom

With chocolate cake and savory house-made cream cheese, this everyday offering is about as close to a cupcake as the muffins get. Also check out dessert doppelgangers snickerdoodle and piña colada.

Uprising Muffin Company, 1817 7th St. NW; (202) 630-8140; uprisingmuffins.com

Photos by Jessica Sidman