We have lots more exciting interviews coming soon. And yes, there's a backlog, but if you want to be interviewed, drop us a line at cupcakestakethecake at gmail.com with your URL and details and I'll be in touch soon.
Very excited to meet Brandon in October and to see my personal favorite size, the mini cupcake, thriving. Photos are from Mission Minis on Flickr
Name: Brandon Arnovick
Age: 37
Location: San Francisco
Occupation: Music Producer/Cupcake Baker
URL: http://www.missionminis.com
How long have you been baking, and how did you decide to go into the cupcake business?
I love being in the kitchen, cooking and baking. Always having bands and artists coming into the studio/house, I found myself being more and more excited to make meals for people. About a year ago I became obsessed with the Food Network. I went through this stage where I was cooking and baking whatever recipes I could get my hands on. Making food helps me contain my OCD because there are so many things going on at once, it's somehow relaxing. So one day I came across a mini red velvet cupcake recipe and I made them and they were just magical and amazing. I totally realized then that mini cupcakes were the perfect combination of everything that I loved about food.
When did you get the idea for Mission Minis and how long did it take you to open? Why did you decide to focus exclusively on cupcakes and specifically mini cupcakes? And why the Mission?
Cupcakes are like sex, money or chocolate - everybody loves them a lot. I just started experimenting with recipes and ingredients and I would sell my creations at the corner coffee shop when I had enough or I stumbled upon a great recipe. I started getting feedback and more and more people just kept commenting and inquiring about them. I started to bake more and bring samples around to other coffee shops in my neighborhood and almost overnight I had 12 prominent coffee shops all throughout the mission, selling the cupcakes with empty trays by early afternoon.
I found myself going from baking occasionally to baking 7 nights a week and delivering every morning between 6 and 8am to all these spots. The business model has always been the $1 mini cupcake made from fresh, local ingredients and that's it. I wanted to keep it simple, especially with the economy tightening up these days. We are now baking 300 cupcakes a night and delivering to coffee shops, frozen yogurt parlors, taquerias and whole foods everyday of the week. I have lived in the Mission for almost 15 years and the neighborhood is small and very condensed.
Everything is within biking or walking distance, there are great affordable restaurants, there are parks, there is culture, music, theaters etc. It’s a perfect neighborhood to support a small mini cupcake shop especially since I am the only one. There are many other great local dessert options but Mission Minis will be the first cupcake shop in the Mission.
You bill your cupcakes as organic. Can you tell us more about the ingredients you use and why that’s important to you?
Our biggest focus is on ingredient traceability - knowing exactly where all our ingredients come from. We use fruit and spice purveyors and dairies that are local to the bay area, we always do our best to get organic ingredients when available and if local. The quality can really be tasted when you eat something that doesn't see a factory or a freeway. I would rather get fresh fruit from a Petaluma farm without organic certification than get "organic" fruit from New Zealand that has been boated, flown and trucked to California.
What cupcake flavors do you offer and which are most popular? Which is your personal favorite?
So far, our roster includes Swiss Almond Coconut, Pink Lemonade, Blueberries and Cream, Banana Maple Glaze (vegan), Vanilla Bean Hazelnut, Cinnamon Horchata, Ruby Red Velvet, Mexican Chocolate, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Blackberry Buttercream and Apple Cinnamon Crisp.
My personal favorites are the Swiss Almond Coconut and the Red Velvet.
You’re selling a horchata cupcake at some local taquerias. What’s in that one and how did this come about? Are there any other specialty flavors in the works?
Horchata is a cinnamon rice milk drink sold at the taquerias in the Mission. I had the idea to make an Horchata mini one day and they have since ended up being one of our best sellers. People say they taste like snickerdoodles or cinnamon french toast which is great! The taquerias don't really have many dessert options so they are a great compliment to a market that rarely sees fresh gourmet desserts. We want to continue making cool flavors and maybe more that are inspired by the Latin community. We already do a Mexican chocolate and will probably experiment with more South American fruits and definitely a dulce de leche in coming months.
horchata cupcakes by Mission Minis
Your cupcakes are currently for sale at 15 local cafes and are soon coming to Whole Foods and several others. Which ones sell the most?
Ruby Red Velvet, Mexican Chocolate and Cinnamon Horchata.
Do you find that mini cupcakes have a different appeal than regular-sized cupcakes?
Definitely!! Mini cupcakes are great for a million reasons...to name a few...Committing to a full size cupcake can be too much. The mini is a small treat, the perfect size for 1 or 2 bites. You can sample more flavors, they look cute, they can be made available for $1 which is great for kids or people watching their wallet, they go great with a cup of tea of coffee. The mini cupcake is perfect for snacking, dessert or just anytime.
You’re now serving doing cupcake deliveries from a golf cart! Can you tell us more about that?
I have driven the golf cart since 2006 as my primary vehicle. It's the perfect way to get around San Francisco considering the city's tight alleyways and crazy parking. San Francisco has no freeways going through town so it totally works. I make deliveries in a car when I need to and I mainly use the golf cart for close and quick stops.
Can people place custom orders? If so, how far in advance should they book and do you do custom flavors?
$15/dozen - 2 dozen minimum includes delivery in the Mission, outside the Mission add $10 more. 24 hours notice to include you in the next day’s route.
What are your favorite and least favorite parts of running Mission Minis?
My favorite is the way everyone has embraced the idea and the joy of people coming back with that 'cupcake' glow. It's great when you can provide someone something they truly enjoy - and when you put this much love into the process and the flavors - it's a rewarding feeling. My least favorite part is the extreme hours of baking. When you have morning deliveries to make, and only operate out of your kitchen, it can get a bit hectic getting all the elements together and finished. Thankfully I have a very dedicated group of 'kitchen engineers' to help me bake, clean, prep, and stay on top of it. oh yeah - all my clothes are always covered in powdered sugar.
What’s next for Mission Minis?
We are opening a storefront at 3168 22nd Street between Mission and Capp Street - perfect location!! We are all really stoked to hit the ground running once the doors open. It will bring a new aspect to Mission Minis with the opportunity to serve people from our own retail space as well as the ability to make ourselves way more available in terms of numbers, deliveries etc.
Why do you think cupcakes have become so popular?
Cupcakes are a quick break. They're relatively portable desserts and can be extremely varied in taste and presentation. There also seems to be a universal sigh of relief when people see a cupcake. It kind of makes you feel like a kid. Peeling the wrapper, licking the icing, and shoving it in your mouth. Adding the fact that they are minis just makes all that better and more accessible.
And now for some personal questions…
How often do you eat cupcakes?
Many times every day.
What's the best thing about eating cupcakes?
The before, during and after. It's just a well-rounded experience to me.
What's your favorite type of cupcake?
I like cupcakes that have some texture dynamics to them, the Swiss almond coconut has the crunched almonds and toasted coconut shavings on top and that compliments the silky Swiss meringue frosting and the subtle and airy coconut cake. That whole combo thing is what I really like.
How do cupcakes compare/contrast to other baked goods for you?
I like creme brulee, banana bread, scones, cinnamon swirls all just the same. I have just spent so much time engineering the perfect cupcake recipe that they are unfairly customized to my taste.
Is there any innovation you'd like to see made to the cupcake that would improve it for you?
I actually have some insane new ideas that I can't really tell you yet because they might be a first. Basically, I want to use the same pans and liners to make savory cakes for the late night crowd and I will give you way more details into that once I have some recipes brewing...
Do you bake your own cupcakes? Or (even better) have someone who bakes them for you?
I am directly involved in baking the cupcakes 7 nights a week. I want to stay as close to the product as I can for at least the first 6 to 8 months so I can really iron out any problems or question regarding taste, appearance, piping, flavors etc.
What's your first cupcake-related memory?
Reading your blog - I'm serious.
What's the most fun you've ever had with a cupcake?
Watching my 4-year-old son Tristan eating them. He gets so into it and really loves all the flavors. He tells all his teachers and friends about them, that's the most fun for me.
Do you have anything else to add?
I'm kind of going into the this without a lot of conservative planning, i know it's a little stupid not to have everything worked out but I just feel like it's the right thing to be doing and its the right time to do it. Come see us anytime and we will be sure to make your visit worthwhile...
Very excited to meet Brandon in October and to see my personal favorite size, the mini cupcake, thriving. Photos are from Mission Minis on Flickr
Name: Brandon Arnovick
Age: 37
Location: San Francisco
Occupation: Music Producer/Cupcake Baker
URL: http://www.missionminis.com
How long have you been baking, and how did you decide to go into the cupcake business?
I love being in the kitchen, cooking and baking. Always having bands and artists coming into the studio/house, I found myself being more and more excited to make meals for people. About a year ago I became obsessed with the Food Network. I went through this stage where I was cooking and baking whatever recipes I could get my hands on. Making food helps me contain my OCD because there are so many things going on at once, it's somehow relaxing. So one day I came across a mini red velvet cupcake recipe and I made them and they were just magical and amazing. I totally realized then that mini cupcakes were the perfect combination of everything that I loved about food.
When did you get the idea for Mission Minis and how long did it take you to open? Why did you decide to focus exclusively on cupcakes and specifically mini cupcakes? And why the Mission?
Cupcakes are like sex, money or chocolate - everybody loves them a lot. I just started experimenting with recipes and ingredients and I would sell my creations at the corner coffee shop when I had enough or I stumbled upon a great recipe. I started getting feedback and more and more people just kept commenting and inquiring about them. I started to bake more and bring samples around to other coffee shops in my neighborhood and almost overnight I had 12 prominent coffee shops all throughout the mission, selling the cupcakes with empty trays by early afternoon.
I found myself going from baking occasionally to baking 7 nights a week and delivering every morning between 6 and 8am to all these spots. The business model has always been the $1 mini cupcake made from fresh, local ingredients and that's it. I wanted to keep it simple, especially with the economy tightening up these days. We are now baking 300 cupcakes a night and delivering to coffee shops, frozen yogurt parlors, taquerias and whole foods everyday of the week. I have lived in the Mission for almost 15 years and the neighborhood is small and very condensed.
Everything is within biking or walking distance, there are great affordable restaurants, there are parks, there is culture, music, theaters etc. It’s a perfect neighborhood to support a small mini cupcake shop especially since I am the only one. There are many other great local dessert options but Mission Minis will be the first cupcake shop in the Mission.
You bill your cupcakes as organic. Can you tell us more about the ingredients you use and why that’s important to you?
Our biggest focus is on ingredient traceability - knowing exactly where all our ingredients come from. We use fruit and spice purveyors and dairies that are local to the bay area, we always do our best to get organic ingredients when available and if local. The quality can really be tasted when you eat something that doesn't see a factory or a freeway. I would rather get fresh fruit from a Petaluma farm without organic certification than get "organic" fruit from New Zealand that has been boated, flown and trucked to California.
What cupcake flavors do you offer and which are most popular? Which is your personal favorite?
So far, our roster includes Swiss Almond Coconut, Pink Lemonade, Blueberries and Cream, Banana Maple Glaze (vegan), Vanilla Bean Hazelnut, Cinnamon Horchata, Ruby Red Velvet, Mexican Chocolate, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Blackberry Buttercream and Apple Cinnamon Crisp.
My personal favorites are the Swiss Almond Coconut and the Red Velvet.
You’re selling a horchata cupcake at some local taquerias. What’s in that one and how did this come about? Are there any other specialty flavors in the works?
Horchata is a cinnamon rice milk drink sold at the taquerias in the Mission. I had the idea to make an Horchata mini one day and they have since ended up being one of our best sellers. People say they taste like snickerdoodles or cinnamon french toast which is great! The taquerias don't really have many dessert options so they are a great compliment to a market that rarely sees fresh gourmet desserts. We want to continue making cool flavors and maybe more that are inspired by the Latin community. We already do a Mexican chocolate and will probably experiment with more South American fruits and definitely a dulce de leche in coming months.
horchata cupcakes by Mission Minis
Your cupcakes are currently for sale at 15 local cafes and are soon coming to Whole Foods and several others. Which ones sell the most?
Ruby Red Velvet, Mexican Chocolate and Cinnamon Horchata.
Do you find that mini cupcakes have a different appeal than regular-sized cupcakes?
Definitely!! Mini cupcakes are great for a million reasons...to name a few...Committing to a full size cupcake can be too much. The mini is a small treat, the perfect size for 1 or 2 bites. You can sample more flavors, they look cute, they can be made available for $1 which is great for kids or people watching their wallet, they go great with a cup of tea of coffee. The mini cupcake is perfect for snacking, dessert or just anytime.
You’re now serving doing cupcake deliveries from a golf cart! Can you tell us more about that?
I have driven the golf cart since 2006 as my primary vehicle. It's the perfect way to get around San Francisco considering the city's tight alleyways and crazy parking. San Francisco has no freeways going through town so it totally works. I make deliveries in a car when I need to and I mainly use the golf cart for close and quick stops.
Can people place custom orders? If so, how far in advance should they book and do you do custom flavors?
$15/dozen - 2 dozen minimum includes delivery in the Mission, outside the Mission add $10 more. 24 hours notice to include you in the next day’s route.
What are your favorite and least favorite parts of running Mission Minis?
My favorite is the way everyone has embraced the idea and the joy of people coming back with that 'cupcake' glow. It's great when you can provide someone something they truly enjoy - and when you put this much love into the process and the flavors - it's a rewarding feeling. My least favorite part is the extreme hours of baking. When you have morning deliveries to make, and only operate out of your kitchen, it can get a bit hectic getting all the elements together and finished. Thankfully I have a very dedicated group of 'kitchen engineers' to help me bake, clean, prep, and stay on top of it. oh yeah - all my clothes are always covered in powdered sugar.
What’s next for Mission Minis?
We are opening a storefront at 3168 22nd Street between Mission and Capp Street - perfect location!! We are all really stoked to hit the ground running once the doors open. It will bring a new aspect to Mission Minis with the opportunity to serve people from our own retail space as well as the ability to make ourselves way more available in terms of numbers, deliveries etc.
Why do you think cupcakes have become so popular?
Cupcakes are a quick break. They're relatively portable desserts and can be extremely varied in taste and presentation. There also seems to be a universal sigh of relief when people see a cupcake. It kind of makes you feel like a kid. Peeling the wrapper, licking the icing, and shoving it in your mouth. Adding the fact that they are minis just makes all that better and more accessible.
And now for some personal questions…
How often do you eat cupcakes?
Many times every day.
What's the best thing about eating cupcakes?
The before, during and after. It's just a well-rounded experience to me.
What's your favorite type of cupcake?
I like cupcakes that have some texture dynamics to them, the Swiss almond coconut has the crunched almonds and toasted coconut shavings on top and that compliments the silky Swiss meringue frosting and the subtle and airy coconut cake. That whole combo thing is what I really like.
How do cupcakes compare/contrast to other baked goods for you?
I like creme brulee, banana bread, scones, cinnamon swirls all just the same. I have just spent so much time engineering the perfect cupcake recipe that they are unfairly customized to my taste.
Is there any innovation you'd like to see made to the cupcake that would improve it for you?
I actually have some insane new ideas that I can't really tell you yet because they might be a first. Basically, I want to use the same pans and liners to make savory cakes for the late night crowd and I will give you way more details into that once I have some recipes brewing...
Do you bake your own cupcakes? Or (even better) have someone who bakes them for you?
I am directly involved in baking the cupcakes 7 nights a week. I want to stay as close to the product as I can for at least the first 6 to 8 months so I can really iron out any problems or question regarding taste, appearance, piping, flavors etc.
What's your first cupcake-related memory?
Reading your blog - I'm serious.
What's the most fun you've ever had with a cupcake?
Watching my 4-year-old son Tristan eating them. He gets so into it and really loves all the flavors. He tells all his teachers and friends about them, that's the most fun for me.
Do you have anything else to add?
I'm kind of going into the this without a lot of conservative planning, i know it's a little stupid not to have everything worked out but I just feel like it's the right thing to be doing and its the right time to do it. Come see us anytime and we will be sure to make your visit worthwhile...
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