Don’t believe the hype about the cupcake craze ending. Verona residents Joanne and Edwin Medina, will tell you there are still plenty of people who love cupcakes, liked those who love their business, Baked In A Cup.
Joanne Medina, a casualty of pharmaceutical downsizing, used to spend weekend family time driving around much of New Jersey in search of the perfect cupcake. When she found it at Baked In A Cup in Ramsey, she also found a replacement for her pharmaceutical career. Medina had often dreamt of having her own business, so when the opportunity arose to open a franchise extending from the Ramsey Baked In A Cup store, a new business was born.
Baked In A Cup opened in December 2013 just as a very snowy winter was approaching. Despite the weather, and challenges with road and school closures, the Medinas have been busy. Every season, there are a minimum of 30 cupcake varieties available for purchase. On any given day, there are at least eight flavors available with five to six signature flavors. Sundays are welcomed with special Sunday Brunch varieties such as Maple Bacon and Carrot. During the week, two of their best sellers are Red Velvet and Peanut Butter Cup but if you’re looking for something really unique, the Cocktail Cupcake varieties may be the way to go with flavors like Bailey’s and Strawberry Champagne.
While the closing of Crumbs Bake Shop, a once fast-growing national cupcake chain, made headlines this summer, the Medinas have focused on what makes their cupcakes different from any other chain. They use exotic ingredients such as special order chocolate peanut butter, they do not use shortening, and stay away from food coloring.
But, as parents of two children, the Medinas know it’s not just about the cupcakes. The Cedar Grove store has a resident pastry chef who works wonders with fondant for cakes as well as in-store options for birthday and cake decorating parties. And while kids may have their favorite flavors, for those who are up for experimenting, Joanne Medina does a lot of experimenting with flavor combinations of her own.
The Medinas have been busy since opening the store and much of their success has been unpredictable. Mother’s Day, which they expected to be busy, turned out to be much quieter than Father’s Day when they sold out within an hour of opening. Being surrounded by cupcakes all day aside, Medina says her favorite part of owning this business is “sharing celebrations with people. We get so excited at the opportunity to share their happiness.” For the Medinas, this is truly a family-run small business. They love to see familiar faces of neighbors in the store and take pride in supporting local community teams and events.
Baked In a Cup is located at 549 Pompton Avenue in Cedar Grove, just south of Foodtown and Major Hardware. Regular-size cupcakes are $2.75 each or $29 a dozen. The store opens at 10 a.m. every day except Monday and closes at 8 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 4 p.m. on Sunday. The store phone number is: 973-655-0011 and they can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
