My Journey through the Cupcake World

Is United States the pioneer in bringing about the Cupcake craze?
I would like to think so. Cupcakes started here long, long back and the fad soon turned into something more permanent. From what I hear cupcakes have now been around, in their current form, for at least 8 years. This is why I started the journey to discover what works and what doesn't.

We've been making cupcakes as part of our business since the very beginning, but what we were doing was what was instinctive to us - taking a part of a cake, shaping it differently and then icing it. But the question I always wondered about was whether this was the right way? Weren't cupcakes supposed to be more moist, iced differently with a yummy filling inside?? Well, I did finally discover the answer after visiting at least 20 different famous cup-cakeries around the States.

The answer - we were pretty much doing it right all along. Our top two cupcakes - the Red Velvet and the Chocolate Fudge were bang on. The others, hmmm, not so much.

Its been a journey, discovering everything the US has to offer. From the West Coast to the East Coast, each cupcakery had a different look, feel and attitude. Some were local and others global, but they all had the same underlying theme - presentation was as important as the taste and if we are to sell cupcakes, they not only have to taste delicious, they have to look amazing too. Each place had their unique style of icing and their signature flavour. They all had different looks, but all of them were super appealing to the customer. Some were easily found, while others you passed through and had to make an effort to find. But the designs that appealed to me the most were the subtle colors mixed in with a bright shade - something like could be seen at cupcakeries like Sprinkles or Magnolia. Little bakeries in many cities were good, but not great and the undiscovered ones, were undiscovered for a reason. I noticed that Americans value good talent and skill and most importantly, they promote and nurture good talent so it can grow and succeed to it's maximum ability. So if your business hasn't grown in the US there is a reason for it, and its not because you don't have the "right contacts".

Moving on to more important topics, name -- taste! While in the US, I tasted some unbelievable flavours, that you would want to go back and eat again and again and again. Some of the best stuff I had was in New York, the culinary hub but then there were also places in California that could beat even the best in New York.  There is a flavour that I can still remember and that is of the Red Velvet Cheesecake @ Magnolia Bakery in Chicago or New York. Unbelievable texture, amazing icing and something of which, not one but several bites are not enough. So much so, that my lactose intolerant cousin (my taster in this evil bake world) risked getting an allergy for this icing. That's how good this cupcake was -- it was soooo worth it! However, the BEST RED VELVET CUPCAKE I had was not here, it was in a chain known as Susies Cupcakes. It was something that we drove half an hour for, not once but twice and in a city where all I had was 3 measly hours each day for sight seeing!!!!

So if you are visiting America anytime soon and want to know the best places to go, hit us up at www.fortheloveofcake.in and check out our album "Bakeries from Around the World " on your Facebook page and you'll know all there it is to know.

Thanks!
Avani
For the Love Of Cake

Ref Link for BAKERIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD : https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.371049832943162.77099.218809414833872&type=3

Have we arrived?

I’ve been a quiet blogger recently and what is the reason for that? Well, its simple, blogging for me comes from the heart. It needs time and thought and a flow of events that would keep you guys entertained. And even though we had plenty of thoughts in our heads and events taking place, we've just been running short on time to communicate them to you. 

But as God would have it, I’ve been put on bed rest due to a strained knee (nope I'm not 70, only 26, but these things still happen). Thus, this is where I’m finding the time to write my blog. 

Lots has been happening at FLOC these days. And each day seems like a mini achievement because our aim nowadays is to do something we’ve not done before by the end of each day. To innovate, to push ourselves and to go beyond our wildest dreams and achieve those.

At FLOC, we are a team. Mostly well oiled but many a times, in need of an oiling. I’m the impulsive one, willing to believe that anything and everything is possible and plunging head on into it. My sister on the other hand, is the strong one, the one who understands the limits yet pushes beyond them and tries to achieve what I’ve imagined. I have complete faith in the fact that she can do this, even when she doesn’t. There is nothing at FLOC that we say no to (unless there would be a serious possibility of a disaster for the client). We love to change the way people see cake decoration or even cake. We love to create the impossible and what we love more, is when our clients challenge us.  And these days, clients love to challenge us. They throw one challenge after another in, and we love to accept them. After a year, we have many clients who just call us up, tell us who the cake is for and ask us to create something and this is probably what we love the most - THE FAITH.

Yesterday, we were featured in HELLO! magazine. A year and 2 months after starting, we finally got featured in a magazine. It was a mini achievement. No, not because we were featured in a magazine but because Akriti and I both had been very sure of one thing – when the time came, the media would feature us, and we wouldn’t have to pester them to do so. Till date, we have never approached the media (despite various “CONTACTS” telling us to) and even after this we would never do so. Thank You HELLO! magazine for setting a precedent.

You know you’re doing some good work, when you enter a club at night, and hear someone say “ Isn’t that the FLOC chick?" You enter a party and people unknown to you are talking about your business. When your brother sees random peoples’ facebook picture as a cake you did and your mother hears from the world how well her daughters are doing. And you truly know what achievement means, when the father who was least interested in something as mundane as baking, is overheard telling his friends at a party, “ You know today my daughters sold a cake worth Rs ***** “ in a super proud manner."

Thank you guys because everyday I feel so grateful for all the support that we are given, constantly. 

Avani for

For the Love Of Cake

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