Cupcake Craze

HAYDEN - TCBY owner Marla Hill had some extra retail space in her shop. She wanted to diversity the offerings from her mainstay, hand-scooped frozen yogurt.

So the question was this: What product could she sell that people would want?

She pondered.

She asked.

She researched.

And she found her answer.

Cupcakes.

The decorated dessert has continued to climb in popularity in a nation of people who can't seem to satisfy their need for sugary sweets.

"People still need a treat," Hill said. "We've seen that in our own business. People may forego movies, dinners, they need a treat. They're still coming in for a treat."

Hill, who has owned TCBY at 105 W. Prairie Ave. for six years, recently opened CupCake Creamery inside her store as a secondary venture.

Since, she has found a following for the "Orange Dream" topped with buttercream topping, the "Snickerdoodle Oodle" and the "Red Velvet" topped with cream cheese frosting.

Most days, she offers 3-4 kinds of cupcakes and hopes to have eight soon.

Hill believes she has found a food that people young and old will buy, no matter any monetary maladies.

"It's kind of a nationwide rage right now," she said.

For sure, some called 2010 the "Year of the Cupcuke" as hundreds of cupcake-only bakeries opened around the nation. That trend is continuing this year.

According to Mintel, a market research firm, cupcake sales are projected to rise 20 percent over the next five years.

But wait a minute? What about all that talk of a need in America to lose a few pounds, get healthy and eat more fruits and veggies?

Forget it come cupcake time.

Hill did some checking and found that consumers and cupcakes are a match made in baker's heaven. She brought sample of her work to a few local businesses and they couldn't eat enough of them. And money, it seems, is no object.

"Because of the economy, people might think that's something they could cut out, which they could," Hill said. "But nationwide they have not seen a decline in sales because of the economy."

Hill begins baking between 7-9 each morning Tuesday through Saturday, and is done before her shop opens at 11:30.

Only what she calls "the finest ingredients" like Madagascar vanilla and Dutch chocolate are used, teamed with family recipes "we know and love already."

They're only sold fresh. Day-old ones go to nonprofits that help the homeless like Fresh Start.

Cupcakes are made from scratch.

"It makes a difference in the taste of the cupcake," Hill said.

These are no ordinary cupcakes, either. Hill displays one considered average side, then compares it to one of her creations. No contest. CupCake Creamery's are larger, fatter, plumper.

"We make them big," she said, laughing.

Hill doesn't make them cheap, either.

A single is $2.79. Half a dozen, $15. A dozen, $28.

Response so far, she said, is what she hoped.

"Our customers are excited and so are we," she said. "We've had really positive feedback."

Right now, Hill operates TCBY and CupCake Creamery with help from husband Jeffrey and five employees.

"We're hoping as the business grows, we'll be able to grow along with it," she said.

As for the baker herself, Hill's personal favorite is Orange Dream.

"I've tasted a lot of cupcakes in the last month," she said, smiling.