photo: Jessica Claire
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TELL US ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS PARTNER. HOW AND WHEN DID THE TWO OF YOU JOIN FORCES TO START CUPCAKES COUTURE? I met Jenine Cravatt in September 2009 through my sister. She was looking to open up a Cupcake Shop and had a business and marketing background and was looking for someone to partner with to handle the pastry and kitchen side of the business. We met and knew instantly we were a perfect match - we got along great and had the same vision of what we wanted Cupcakes Couture to become. We work very well together; she brings her business and fashion savvy outlook to the shop and I take that vision and create it into edible works of art. GREAT JOB ON CUPCAKE WARS! TELL US HOW YOU LANDED THAT AMAZING EXPERIENCE AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE. It has always been my ultimate dream to be on Food Network, I watched it growing up and it was definitely a huge factor in making me become the DIGITAL. ISSUE 02 . 2012
. www.munaluchibridal.com
pastry chef I am today. They called and told me they were casting for the show and I immediately knew I could win this. Filming seemed to be way more stressful and nerve wracking then I ever expected but it was a great experience that I will never forget, not to mention the winning title! WHAT ARE YOUR SOURCES OF INSPIRATION? I get inspired from everything around me, most of it I get from fashion, lifestyle trends, seasonal colors, floral arrangements, wedding dress designs and patterns. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE CAKE FLAVORS? My favorite cake flavor would have to be our milk and cookies cupcake, which is a vanilla chocolate chip cake topped with rich chocolate frosting and a homemade cookie. I also love our Bailey’s Blackout cupcake - a chocolate cake soaked in Bailey’s filled with a milk chocolate praline crunch center and salted caramel frosting.