DON’T we all love cupcakes?
I found some by chance, specifically white chocolate ones that got me with texture and taste so good I’m going back for more – ha-ha.
Cupcakes come in all flavours, with lots of smooth, luxurious butter cream on top, so the challenge is choosing your favourite.
At a recent charity event I ate a particularly yummy, moist, not-too-sweet vanilla cupcake and wanted to know who was responsible.
I soon tracked down Sweet Designs by Claire.
The prices of owner Claire’s beautiful cupcakes start at $3.50.
Interestingly, I learned that her parents had been cake bakers for the past 20 years, owning Merles Cakes, which they sold two years ago. Claire followed them into the business a couple of years ago.
“Mum basically taught me everything I know”, she said.
The first thing I noticed at her shop was the divine smell of cakes baking.
Claire makes cakes in white chocolate, chocolate mud, caramel, Jaffa, peppermint, choc caramel, white choc with fresh raspberries, red velvet, marble, carrot, choc raspberry, hummingbird, banana and pineapple, moist fruit cake, and chocolate flourless. Phew!
The shop’s theme colours looked fresh and pretty in white and pink.
There were lots of beautiful cakes on display showcasing Claire’s talent, and a lovely dining style table from where customers could browse her broad portfolio of cakes.
Claire said she used the same cupcake mixture in wedding cakes, with many buyers commenting on how good they tasted.
“Everything is home-made from scratch and I use real eggs, flour and butter – we don’t use any pre-mixes.”
Sweet Designs by Claire bakes everything from birthday to wedding and novelty cakes.
“I normally open up the shop about 8.30am but during wedding season I can be here until two or three in the morning,” Claire said.
She’s been known to make up to eight cakes a weekend, which was “pretty full on”, during the six-month wedding season.
Sweet Designs by Claire also makes gingerbread houses, fruit cakes, plum puddings and Pavlovas at Christmas.
Happy cake shopping.
