Baking Along....(full speed ahead!)

 

This week, Crumbles is in the process of some exciting developments! We’re going to check out commercial kitchen space and our hope is to have it secured by the end of the week. The facility we’re looking at seems like a perfect fit: they’re local, friendly, and seem flexible in being able to accommodate our needs as well.  Best of all, they seemed really supportive of the idea of leasing out their space to a small business. If all goes as planned, we’ll then be scheduling an inspection from the Department of Agriculture to obtain our food license, at which point we can go officially public! This week is also our appointment to meet with a friend who will be helping us set up licensing and all the other legal good (and necessary) stuff we need to know.  We’re also in the process of booking and have been approached for several events for the summer!

Over the Memorial Day holiday, we parted ways and agreed to report back any cupcake  developments or new ideas during the time with our families. While out east visiting mine, I also took a little field trip to New York City to do some cupcake R & D. After consulting with a local friend from the city, I ended up going to a cupcakery smack in the heart of mid-town. This place is a pretty impressive operation – they ship nationally and have stores in four states; not necessarily the aspiration of our shop, but interesting to visit, nonetheless.  

Sara and I have also continued to try out new recipes, experimenting with different flavors and ideas. So…our favorites of the past week?  By informal vote (i.e. taste-testing by our co-workers, a most loyal and willing crowd!) Rum cupcakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream (Sara’s delicious creation) and Vanilla-Barfi cupcakes. (I know, I know……we’ve gotten a little pushback on the name, but the result was pretty awesome and well received).  Also discovered a new love for raspberries, chocolate ganache and a fleur du sel combo. This week we’ll be trying out something new, the results of which I’m sure you’ll be informed of soon! Keep checking our twitter and Flickr  accounts for the latest updates.  

So that’s all for now…stay tuned as we bake on full speed ahead!

 

 

Piece of (Cup)Cake!

Crumbles Cupcakery had a most eventful week. It was a smashing success (if we do say so ourselves).

It's exciting, reaffirming, and invigorating how fast all of this is happening. Just this week we found a friend to help us with branding and a logo, met with another friend who talked told us

 about her recent experience with GROW, and made an appointment with yet another friend who volunteered to help us work out all the legal matters that go along with starting a business. It really does pay to know people! Even though it's only been a few weeks, I think Allison and I can easily see this dream turning into a reality. 

We also rocked out our first large order this week and would you just look at that Boston Cream Pie cupcake?! So. Darn. Cute!

I was a little nervous about getting the timing on these cupcakes right - I wanted everything to be fresh without spending 24 straight hours in the kitchen! As usual, I worried for nothing. We were organized and efficient and with a little teamwork we got everything done. No problem! We cannot wait to hear how the cupcakes went over at the shower. Hopefully there was nothing left at the end but crumbles!

Oh, and Allison made these to-die-for placecards to describe the cupcakes. Aren't they perfect?

There is so much joy in cupcakes. Allison and I agree that every 

moment of baking, filling, mixing, beating, whipping, and tasting is a pleasure but nothing beats seeing others enjoying our little labors

of love. 

With a little good fortune, a lot of hard work, and pinch of dedication there will be much more of this fun to come!  

A Cupcakery is Born

This is the story of two girls, a dream, and a blooming cupcake business.

It all started on a Tuesday when those two girls, Allison and Sara, began to daydream while working in a trendy new coffee shop in downtown Grand Rapids (Madcap Coffee Co. in case you're wondering... sadly they don't have a website). We worked together for over a year, sharing an office but more importantly our culinary adventures, both sweet and savory. We both love to cook, we both love to bake, we both love to see the joy our food brings to the people we love, we both envision a bigger future for ourselves. We can so, totally, do this!

So we got to work and are beginning to build a cupcake empire (or at the very least a cute little bakery that produces beautiful, delicious, and blissfully delightful cupcakes). We're pleased you're here to follow along as we chronicle our journey.

This weekend we are making one of our first official orders for a wedding shower. The cupcake menu will include:

- boston cream pie - a golden vanilla cake sliced and filled with velvety vanilla custard and topped with a rich chocolate ganache and bright red cherry (look out Boston, Crumbles in on the scene now)

- strawberry cupcake - a light, fluffy vanilla cake filled with homemade strawberry filling and topped with a smooth strawberry cream cheese icing

- Irish Car Bomb (or, the famous Irish O'Cupcake) - this cupcake is very special and tastes out of this world. We'll make a chocolate stout cake filled with a whipped Irish whiskey chocolate ganache and stopped with a creamy Irish cream icing. It definitely tastes as good as it sounds!

Much, much more from Crumbles Cupakery is sure to come. For now, find us here, here, and of course, right here where you are!

Let's get baking.