From an article on Santa Barbara's Crushcakes Cupcakery:
Photo by Matt Misisico
With flavors like chocolate bliss, lemon drop and peanut butter cup, Crushcakes owner and Santa Barbara local Shannon Feld is not afraid to bake outside the box. These aren't your grandma's cupcakes.
Crushcakes opened February 2, 2008 and has sold out every day it's been open. There are three sizes of cupcakes that range in price from $1.50 to $30.
"A lot of the flavors are based on drinks that I like or desserts I love," said Feld of her inspiration for cupcake flavors.
On the wall is the menu with 10 flavors that are there every day. You know, regular flavors, like "Buttermilk Crumb Cake," "Strawberry Blush," and their signature "Crushcake" - a red velvet cake topped with sour cream frosting and a chocolate heart.
"I just love cupcakes," said Feld of her popularity with people in Santa Barbara. "I had no idea people would love cupcakes as much as me."
"Trendy Treats," Altoona Mirror
Photo by Gary M. Baranec for the Altoona Mirror
Rick Conway, owner of Taddei’s Cookies in Gallitzin, said he’s done cupcakes for four or five bridal showers in the past year. He said the grab ‘n’ go nature of the dessert, along with its ease of customization, make it popular.
“Most of them want them done in the colors of the wedding cake,” Conway said.
For adult affairs, traditional flavors can be replaced by liquers. Garlick suggested amaretto flavored cupcakes with ganache topping.
“You can really get creative,” he said.
Cupcakes lend themselves to fillings, especially those with lots of moisture, such as apples and cinnamon or pineapple, Garlick said.
The creativity doesn’t stop when the cupcakes are for kids. The petite treats can be shaped into anything from a kitty face to Cookie Monster — with a little practice.
‘‘It’s like anything else — you have to practice. Start with a basic cake decorating kit and practice,’’ he said. ‘‘Appearance is everything, because they’re so small.’’
Cupcakes are a creative outlet for Joy Shannon and her daughter, Becky Ritchey. Shannon operates Cakes by Joy out of her Hollidaysburg home; Ritchey is her assistant.
‘‘Whatever the mind can think of, you can do,’’ Ritchey said.
Their cupcakes are often ordered for children’s parties, but they’re also a kid-pleaser on a personal level.
Ritchey said her children love to make cupcakes.
‘‘The kids have so much fun,’’ she said. ‘‘Give them some icing, and they’ll play for hours.’’
Most of their designs — ladybugs, bumblebees, lions and caterpillars, to name a few — are simple strokes that are quick and easy to design. To make the fur on animal-faced cupcakes, Shannon said she uses a grass-tip for her frosting tubes, which dispenses frosting in small strokes. Different frosting tips, she said, can be purchased at craft stores for $2 to $3 each.
And another cupcakery's coming to Tennesee:
Cities Cupcake Boutique is a new, novelty bakery and gift shop that will open mid-May in Bearden in a 1,250-square-foot space at 5201 Kingston Pike.
Linda Hurst, who worked on the idea with a friend who started one in Baltimore, said her cupcakes will have a theme. You guessed it: cities.
Each flavor will be represented by its own city. For instance, Knoxville will be a light orange chiffon with orange sugar on top.
Photo by Matt Misisico
With flavors like chocolate bliss, lemon drop and peanut butter cup, Crushcakes owner and Santa Barbara local Shannon Feld is not afraid to bake outside the box. These aren't your grandma's cupcakes.
Crushcakes opened February 2, 2008 and has sold out every day it's been open. There are three sizes of cupcakes that range in price from $1.50 to $30.
"A lot of the flavors are based on drinks that I like or desserts I love," said Feld of her inspiration for cupcake flavors.
On the wall is the menu with 10 flavors that are there every day. You know, regular flavors, like "Buttermilk Crumb Cake," "Strawberry Blush," and their signature "Crushcake" - a red velvet cake topped with sour cream frosting and a chocolate heart.
"I just love cupcakes," said Feld of her popularity with people in Santa Barbara. "I had no idea people would love cupcakes as much as me."
"Trendy Treats," Altoona Mirror
Photo by Gary M. Baranec for the Altoona Mirror
Rick Conway, owner of Taddei’s Cookies in Gallitzin, said he’s done cupcakes for four or five bridal showers in the past year. He said the grab ‘n’ go nature of the dessert, along with its ease of customization, make it popular.
“Most of them want them done in the colors of the wedding cake,” Conway said.
For adult affairs, traditional flavors can be replaced by liquers. Garlick suggested amaretto flavored cupcakes with ganache topping.
“You can really get creative,” he said.
Cupcakes lend themselves to fillings, especially those with lots of moisture, such as apples and cinnamon or pineapple, Garlick said.
The creativity doesn’t stop when the cupcakes are for kids. The petite treats can be shaped into anything from a kitty face to Cookie Monster — with a little practice.
‘‘It’s like anything else — you have to practice. Start with a basic cake decorating kit and practice,’’ he said. ‘‘Appearance is everything, because they’re so small.’’
Cupcakes are a creative outlet for Joy Shannon and her daughter, Becky Ritchey. Shannon operates Cakes by Joy out of her Hollidaysburg home; Ritchey is her assistant.
‘‘Whatever the mind can think of, you can do,’’ Ritchey said.
Their cupcakes are often ordered for children’s parties, but they’re also a kid-pleaser on a personal level.
Ritchey said her children love to make cupcakes.
‘‘The kids have so much fun,’’ she said. ‘‘Give them some icing, and they’ll play for hours.’’
Most of their designs — ladybugs, bumblebees, lions and caterpillars, to name a few — are simple strokes that are quick and easy to design. To make the fur on animal-faced cupcakes, Shannon said she uses a grass-tip for her frosting tubes, which dispenses frosting in small strokes. Different frosting tips, she said, can be purchased at craft stores for $2 to $3 each.
And another cupcakery's coming to Tennesee:
Cities Cupcake Boutique is a new, novelty bakery and gift shop that will open mid-May in Bearden in a 1,250-square-foot space at 5201 Kingston Pike.
Linda Hurst, who worked on the idea with a friend who started one in Baltimore, said her cupcakes will have a theme. You guessed it: cities.
Each flavor will be represented by its own city. For instance, Knoxville will be a light orange chiffon with orange sugar on top.
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