Story by: Lauren Lewis
Photos provided by: Jennifer Gates
Multimedia by: Alex Huebner
The strangest cupcake made at cakeplacid is the Chocolate Dipped Chip… “a chocolate cake topped with chocolate buttercream, crushed potato chips, and a chocolate-dipped potato chip as a garnish,” owner Jennifer Gates says.
Cupcakes come in all shapes and sizes, not to mention flavors. From cupcakesmade at home with a box of mix and a can of frosting to the gourmet cupcakes made by professionals, cupcakes are accessible to everyone.
cakeplacid
263 Station St., Lake Placid, N.Y.
“I made my mom a birthday cake, and it all started from there,” says Jennifer Gates, owner of cakeplacid. Starting from the ground up and determined to make a name for herself, she started baking out of her own home for weddings, and then moved on to farmers' markets.
“As I grew in clientele, I went on to rent commercial kitchen space to expand my sales of wedding cakes and baked goods.” Gates says. She opened her bakery in Lake Placid in November 2011.
“Cupcakes are an affordable treat,” Gates says. “In this economy, consumers are looking for something sweet, something gourmet, but do not want large quantity either.”
As for flavors, a baker’s creativity knows no bounds. The most popular cupcakes at cakeplacid are peanut butter cup and blueberry pancake. Then there’s the Mallow Cup Cupcake, fashioned after Gates’s favorite candy while pregnant, and the Hostess Cupcake, made to resemble the treat she loved as a child.
“In this economy, consumers are looking for something sweet, something gourmet, but do not want large quantity either."
The strangest cupcake Gates has ever made? Gates says it’s the “chocolate dipped chip… a chocolate cake topped with chocolate buttercream, crushed potato chips, and a chocolate-dipped potato chip as a garnish. (It’s) salty and sweet.”
Cupcakes are also starting to replace full-blown wedding cakes. “It is a fantastic way for the guests to get up, mingle, choose their cupcakes, and talk about them.” Gates says. “Great conversation piece.”
Cakeplacid sells cupcakes individually for $2.50, 6 packs for $14, and a dozen for $27, but they can be ordered in any quantity.
Just Call Me Cupcake
Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Sarah Belser-Ehrlich has been baking all her life. A cupcake cookbook and supplies sparked her craze.
“I’ve loved making cupcakes because you can be so creative with the different flavor combinations,” Belser-Ehrlich says.
Just Call Me Cupcake has been selling cupcakes at the Plattsburgh Farmers' & Crafters' Market since May 2010, and also started selling them at the Great Adirondack Soup Company in October 2011.
“I love the individualized aspect of cupcakes,” says Belser-Ehrlich. “Everyone gets their own, and each one can be personalized in terms of flavors and decorations.”
Like with cakeplacid, one of the most popular cupcakes at Just Call Me Cupcake is
Cupcakes are starting to replace gourmet cakes at weddings. They offer a wider selection of choices for guests and can be a great conversations starter.
the chocolate peanut butter cup. Another favorite is red velvet with cream cheese frosting.
“I’ve loved making cupcakes because you can be so creative with the different flavor combinations.”
Belser-Ehrlich’s favorite cupcake is the strawberry cheesecake. “It has a baked graham cracker bottom that is topped with a cheesecake-flavored vanilla cake, with white chocolate, strawberry buttercream and topped with graham cracker crumbs and a fresh strawberry,” she says.
No dessert is safe from being turned into a cupcake.
“Anything that is sweet runs the risk of me trying it out in cupcake form,” says Belser-Ehrlich. “For example, I’ve made cupcakes out of flavors of candy bars, Girl Scout cookies, and different desserts such as crème brûlée.
Belser-Ehrlich says that having cupcakes replacing wedding cakes is definitely a rising trend.
“People get to try more flavors than they would if there was just a regular wedding cake,” she says. “Also, the displays can become very ornate and festive.”
Just Call Me Cupcake sells cupcakes in any amount, but most people buy them by the dozen or half-dozen. Cutie cupcakes (2-bite size) are $1 each or $12 per dozen, Classic cupcakes are $2.25 each or $24 per dozen, and Colossal cupcakes (which have extra frosting in the middle) are $3.75 each.
“Anything that is sweet runs the risk of me trying it out in cupcake form.”
my little cupcake
4 Carmichael Street in Essex, Vt. and 217 College Street in Burlington,Vt.
Stephanie Lacayo, co-owner of my little cupcake, has not been classically trained in the culinary arts, but has been baking
Cupcakes at cakeplacid can be bought individually for $2.50, in 6 packs for $14, and in dozens for $27. However, they can be ordered in any quantity.
alongside her mother for her whole life.
my little cupcake opened its first store in January 2011 and its second in October 2011.
“Cupcakes are popular because they are fun and whimsical, people love dessert but don't always want something huge,” Lacayo says. “I think that people generally don't ever feel guilty about eating one cupcake.”
The favorite cupcake at my little cupcake is a tie between red velvet and salted caramel. While Lacayo prefers the simplicity of vanilla with vanilla frosting, the strangest cupcake would be the Maple Bacon cupcake.
“We get our inspiration for cupcake ideas from everywhere.” Lacayo says. “The staff here loves to come up with new ideas for flavors, and we love to make and experiment with different flavor combos.”
Also, it appears to be a general consensus among bakers: “Cupcakes are great for weddings because it's something fun and different,” Lacayo says. “Lots of brides combine cupcakes with a dessert bar or candy bar.”
my little cupcake specializes in mini cupcakes, and they can be ordered in any amount, or they sell individually for $1.50.
Bakeries are popping up all throughout the North Country, many of them specializing in cupcakes, and it’s clear why: everyone loves them. Store-bought or homemade, with flavors limited only by your creativity, there has to be a cupcake out there for everyone.
What kind of dessert would you like to see made into a cupcake?
