Baker Spotlight: Clarabelle's Cupcakes

Baker: Jessica of Clarabelle's Cupcakes
*Contact information: 9800 SW 77th Avenue, Miami, FL 33156. info@clarabellescupcakes.com, 305-270-5600
*Flavors & Fillings: Selection includes Golden Vanilla, Devil's Food Chocolate, Cookies N Cream, Tie-Dye Vanilla, Chocolate-covered Pretzel, and Cubalibre. For the rest of the selection go HERE.
*Pricing: Mini $1.00 each, $12.00 per dozen. Large $2.50 each, $30.00 per dozen.

1. Meaning behind bakery name. I NAMED THE BAKERY AFTER MY DAUGHTER, CLAYRE (NOW 15 YEARS OLD), WHO WAS BORN WITH GALACTOSEMIA - A CONDITION WHICH PROHIBITS HER FROM EATING DAIRY. SHE WAS MY INSPIRATION TO DEVELOP DAIRY-FREE DESSERTS THAT ACTUALLY TASTED GOOD! ONE OF MY NICKNAMES FOR HER IS "CLARABELLE".

2. How did you get started in cupcakes? CUPCAKES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE DESSERTS! SOMETHING ABOUT THEM JUST MAKES ME HAPPY. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, TO THIS DAY, I CANNOT WALK BY A CUPCAKE SHOP WITHOUT SAMPLING A FEW. I MUST'VE MADE MY FIRST CUPCAKES WHEN I FIRST STARTED BAKING - AROUND 7 OR 8 YEARS OLD. WHEN MY KIDS WERE YOUNG AND I WANTED TO BRING BIRTHDAY CUPCAKES TO THEIR (JEWISH) SCHOOLS, THERE WERE NO KOSHER CUPCAKES AVAILABLE, SO WHEN I DECIDED TO OPEN A BAKERY, I JUST FIGURED I'D OFFER A FULL BAKERY MENU, BUT FOCUS ON CUPCAKES.

3. What is your signature cupcake? OUR BESTSELLING CUPCAKE IS ACTUALLY VANILLA WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM, FOLLOWED BY OUR RED VELVET IN CLOSE SECOND PLACE....BUT I THINK OUR "SIGNATURE" CUPCAKE IS PROBABLY OUR CHOCOLATE CREAM-FILLED CUPCAKE WITH GANACHE FROSTING...A LA the "HOSTESS CUPCAKE".

4. What is your personal favorite cupcake? FOR ME IT CHANGES DEPENDING ON MY MOOD. SOMEDAYS, I REALLY FEEL LIKE A PINKALICIOUS BUBBLEGUM CUPCAKE. OTHER DAYS IT MIGHT BE A TROPICAL HUMMINGBIRD CUPCAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. RIGHT NOW, I COULD EAT A BAVARIAN CREME-FILLED GLAZED DONUT CUPCAKE!

5. What inspires you when it comes to your cupcake creations? I AM INSPIRED BY MANY THINGS - MY CUSTOMERS ESPECIALLY. I LOVE WHEN THEY CHALLENGE ME AND ASK IF I COULD CREATE THEIR FAVORITE FLAVOR. I ALSO GET A LOT OF INSPIRATION FROM ALL OF THE NEW CUPCAKE SHOWS ON TELEVISION. LASTLY, I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO CREATE FUN FLAVORS THAT MAKE US STAND OUT AS A CUPCAKE SHOP.....SMORES SUNDAE CUPCAKE, VANILLA-ORANGE CREAMSICLE, MINT MOJITO CUPCAKE....

6. One reason why cupcakes are awesome. CUPCAKES ARE AWESOME BECAUSE IF THEY ARE MADE RIGHT (AND EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT CRITERIA FOR WHAT "RIGHT" IS), YOU GET A SINGLE PORTION OF THE PERFECT CAKE-TO-FROSTING-RATIO AND YOU DON'T NEED TO SIT AT A TABLE OR USE A FORK TO EAT THEM!

7. What do you think is the future of cupcakes? I THINK CUPCAKES HAVE BEEN AROUND FOREVER AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE AROUND FOR A LONG TIME. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE PEOPLE LOOKING FOR CRAZY FLAVORS AND THOSE WHO WANT A CLASSIC FLAVOR....CUPCAKE STORES WILL MOST LIKELY PLAY AROUND WITH SIZING AND NEW WAYS TO PRESENT CUPCAKES (ON A STICK, IN A CONE, CUT IN HALF WITH FROSTING IN THE MIDDLE) BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVERYONE LOVES A QUICK, FRIENDLY, FUN DESSERT AND CUPCAKES FULFILL ALL OF THOSE QUALITIES!

8. What do you think is ‪funkiest cupcake creation‬? I GUESS YOU ARE ASKING ABOUT MY FUNKIEST CUPCAKE CREATION? MAYBE CINNAMON FRENCH TOAST WITH MAPLE BUTTERCREAM AND CARAMEL DRIZZLE?

9. What has been your biggest cupcake disaster? I THINK MY BIGGEST DISASTER WAS WHEN I TRIED TO MAKE A NON-DAIRY BLACK-BOTTOM SWIRL CUPCAKE WHICH IS TYPICALLY MADE WITH CREAM CHEESE IN VANILLA SWIRL PART OF THE CHOCOLATE BATTER. I WAS EXPERIMENTING WITH DAIRY SUBSTITUTIONS AND THE CUPCAKES LOOKED FINE WHEN THEY GOT OUT OF THE OVEN, SO I SOLD ONE TO A CUSTOMER WHO WAS WATCHING ME (WE HAVE AN OPEN KITCHEN) AND INSISTED SHE WANTED TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO TRY IT. AFTER SHE LEFT THE STORE I CUT ONE OPEN AND IT WAS RAW AND GOOEY INSIDE. YIKES!

10. Share one cupcake making tip. AN ICE CREAM SCOOPER IS THE BEST WAY TO PORTION BATTER INTO CUPCAKE PAPERS IN ORDER TO ASSURE AN SIZE CONSISTENCY AND A CLEAN PAPER CUP BORDER. I AM CONTINUALLY AMAZED BY HOW MANY PEOPLE WATCH ME USE A SCOOPER IN THE BAKERY AND TELL ME "I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT!".