PINK SUGAR CUPCAKERY
Location:
Hours of Business:
Phone:
Web Address:
D2-1284 Gladstone Ave. (in Fernwood Square)
Tue-Sat 11am-6pm; Sun 12-5pm; Closed Mondays
250-590-8055
www.pinksugarcupcakery.com
Chosen for:
Leading edge business
Welcoming owner/baker
Dairy-free cupcakes (gluten-free by special order)
Despite black clouds threatening the horizon, 17 Grapevine members gathered on a particularly mild October 4th, 2008 morning. Founders led the group down Gladstone Avenue and into Fernwood Square, turning into the open door of PINK SUGAR CUPCAKERY.
Owner Adrienne Jopp instantly spotted our bouquet of purple balloons. “Are you going to a party?” she asked. “Sort of,” we replied. And when everyone had traipsed down the stairs into the shop, Barbara said, “It’s a party for you!” and explained The Grapevine concept. Adrienne had never heard of The Grapevine and was delighted to be chosen “Best of the bunch for the month of October”.
Owner and baker Adrienne Jopp wants to be
known as the world’s best cupcake maker!
All photos by Barbara McDonell
Pink Sugar Cupcakery is a confection itself, painted in shocking pink and embellished with five crystal-like chandeliers. Most mornings, Adrienne arrives at 7:00 a.m. to prepare and bake ten varieties of cupcakes in either minis (3 dainty bites) at $1.55 each, or regular size at $2.75 each.
With so many choices it was difficult to make a decision. Some people didn’t choose; buying instead a box of several different kinds (we wonder how many actually made it home before being devoured). Selection includes the signature Pink Sugar cupcake (chocolate cake with strawberry icing), A
Lime-y Bunch of Coconuts (coconut and lime), The Anything But Plain Jane (vanilla cake with vanilla butter cream icing),
The Dirty Blonde (vanilla cake with chocolate butter cream icing), Lemon Drop (Adrienne’s favourite, made of lemon cake with lemon butter cream icing – she swears she eats only one per day), Dessert at Tiffany’s (chocolate cake with vanilla butter cream icing), Sin-A-Mint (chocolate cake with mint butter cream icing), and The Elvis (banana cake with peanut butter frosting), and the self-explanatory Chocolate Orange.
October’s feature flavour is the Pumpkin Spice cupcake offering a hint of cinnamon and topped with cream cheese icing. Yum yum.
Debbie Yorke, one of The Grapevine
founders,
indulges in Pink Sugar’s
signature chocolate
cupcake with
strawberry icing.
Are you allergic to dairy products? No problem. Adrienne’s cupcakes are dairy-free and totally vegan through the use of vegetable shortening, powdered sugar and icing sugar, with butter substitute “Earth Balance” used in the icing.
With eight hour’s notice, Adrienne will prepare special orders: a minimum of six regular sized cupcakes without sugar and glutens, using tofu and “Agave”, a natural sugar substitute. When a customer requests a special order, cookies are also available. When you purchase more cupcakes, be sure to return the recyclable cardboard cartons for a fifty-cent refund.
When Adrienne shared her background story we were amused to hear her refer to the many “accidents” along the journey that led her here. When someone suggested, “there are no accidents”, she quickly admitted it was “meant to be”.
At the University of Calgary, Adrienne trained in Kinesiology. A native of Victoria, she returned to our fair city in 2006 and worked for a while at Lulu Lemon, a company she loved. But her dream was to own her own business. With a love of sports, she considered opening a gym ... until someone made a joke about baking cupcakes and she found herself experimenting with recipes and enticing friends to sample her wares.
While she was trying different recipes, Adrienne changed her diet to no dairy/no sugar... but she still craved something sweet. When her hard-core vegan sister told her about alternative ingredients, Adrienne was doubtful. Once she tasted them, however, she was sold.
"Quite by accident”, the Fernwood space appeared in mid-June. Adrienne grabbed it and spent two months dry-walling and painting before launching Pink Sugar on August 26, just five weeks ago!
Rub the belly of the pink buddha for good luck. How can you resist tasting something named The Dirty Blonde?
Adrienne has found the Fernwood community very welcoming. She loves the strong sense of community support exhibited by other shop owners, citing in particular Cornerstone Cafe which is run by the Fernwood Community Association. Cornerstone gives back the major part of their profit to the neighbourhood.
Although cold drinks of bottled water, soda, juice or Rock Star Energy Drink are offered at the cupcakery, we noticed there were no hot beverages. Adrienne explained that the community is all about partnerships so she and the Cornerstone Cafe have an agreement so as not to be in competition. The deal is that people can buy tea or coffee at Cornerstone Cafe and drink it at Pink Sugar with a cupcake – or buy a confection at Pink Sugar and eat it with tea or coffee at the Cornerstone Cafe.
The shop is a work in progress, Adrienne says. Currently she has one employee but her long-term goal is to become a larger company and be known as “the world’s best cupcake maker”. An investor plans to "expand" the biz.
Feeling in the mood for something a little sweet? Head down to the friendly up-and-coming Fernwood neighbourhood to satisfy your sweet tooth!