Secrets of the Bake Shop

The time has come to reveal all my recipes and tricks from my four years of running a cupcake shop.   If you are thinking of starting your own shop or just have questions about baking let’s hear it.  Feel free to ask me anything………………….

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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }

Ken June 23, 2011 at 11:08 pm

Will you be sharing the Juliana Banana and Salted Caramel recipes? We visit your shop every time we are in Walnut Creek. Yours are definitely the best so far!

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Karen June 24, 2011 at 12:52 am

You bet I am. I just have some big changes coming up so it’s been very busy around here. Stay tuned for the news next week.

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Kathleen September 6, 2011 at 10:28 pm

A friend and I are looking into starting a business, we have a wonderful recipe (handed down int he family). What are the first things we need to do?

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Karen September 7, 2011 at 7:13 am

First make a good business plan. After that location, location, location. How much competition is there already? Remember the baking is fun but this is business, and I can’t stress this enough. What city would you be looking at?

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Kathleen October 13, 2011 at 8:46 pm

We will be focusing in Kankakee.. Right now we are working out of our kitchen and delivering everything.. It started with making for friends, bake sales etc.. The cupcake shoppe we want to do is something that would be new here.. there are no other shops like that around here.. We are trying to keep our overhead low.. What do you suggest.?

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Karen October 16, 2011 at 8:11 pm

Kathleen I don’t know where Kankakee is located? But I would suggest you find a space where you can teach adult and children classes. Or big enough to have kid birthday parties. Everyone loves that. You can also get into selling the products that you use. Always good to diversify. Cupcakes will always be here but its good to have other baked goods. Hope that helps.

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Kathleen October 17, 2011 at 8:51 pm

Thank you so much, for the advice and wonderful idea re: classes and birthday parties…. i had an idea re: that too… thanks

Karen November 28, 2011 at 7:56 pm

Kathleen,
I’d have to see the whole recipe. As you know in baking just a little of something can make a big difference. Can you get it to me.
We also had a dreamsicle cupcake we offered at the shop. Show me.

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Kathleen November 29, 2011 at 9:51 pm

Hi Karen, okay the recipe is:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 lg eggs
2 1/4 all purpose
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp grated orange zest
1/2 c freshly squeeze orange juice

this is the recipe,for the creamsicle cupcake.. can u pls help me w/lightening it up & getting it thinner & moister!

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Karen November 29, 2011 at 10:15 pm

Kathleen,
What I have found is that the butter based batter is not as moist as using oil. At the bake shop 99% of the recipes called for oil not butter.
So switch that butter to 3/4 cup vegetable oil. Then you need some baking soda in there and the sour cream will make it react and be fluffier. So instead of the 2 tsp baking powder use 1 tsp each of baking powder and soda. Also go up to 2 1/2 cup flour. I think that should help. If not you might have to reduce the orange juice cause it’s adding to much water to the recipe and that will make it heavy. Let’s see what you get with this first before we take out some of your orange flavor. Last resort you could boil down the orange juice to a syrup and get the water out but it’s a big pain in the but. Let me know how it goes.
BTW we used orange oil to flavor ours you can get it at Lorann’s oil. Check my vendor page under secret’s of bake shop. No water in that one.

Good luck

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Kathleen November 30, 2011 at 1:00 am

thank u iwill try ur suggestions & let u know!! ty

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Karen October 17, 2011 at 9:03 pm

Let me know how it goes and good luck.

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