Things are about to get a little bit sweeter in Waxhaw with the opening of The Cupcake Queen in the heart of downtown. From specialty cupcakes to designer cakes, this bakery will serve as a convenient and local stop to pick up both a quick treat or a custom order for whatever event you’re celebrating.
Owner Tara Smith has been operating The Cupcake Queen as a mobile business since April of 2017, where she’s achieved a loyal following, many of whom remember her earlier business venture, Sweet Bliss Cupcake Bakery, started in 2012, as a kiosk within Concord Mills Mall. The recipes are all the same in Cupcake Queen, but she’s thrilled to now be realizing her dream of a brick-and-mortar store.
That dream of hers began soon after the passing of her beloved mother, Pauline, in 2011. Feeling the void of her loss, Tara took to the kitchen as a way to feel connected again, in a place her mother had always devoted so much time and passion, long-satisfying the sweet tooth of many of their family and friends!
“I’ve always wanted to have a brick and mortar [store]. I want to have multiple locations, eventually having one in Maryland, where it all started and to pay homage to my mom,” says Tara.
The Cupcake Queen has previously ventured into the Waxhaw market when they provided cupcakes for The Town’s annual Halloween Fright Night. When they sold 100 cupcakes in 30 minutes, Tara recognized there may be something worth exploring in the quaint downtown.
Busy at work, preparing for a March 17th opening, The Cupcake Queen will feature cupcakes, of course, but also specialty cakes, cookies, and brownies. And while their best-sellers are Chocolate, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, and Red Velvet, they’ve also been getting some more unique requests from the Waxhaw market, like Lavender and Honey, so stay tuned for the official menu unveiling!
One menu item that will surely be included is their “Joy in a Jar” offering. Prepared and sold in a mason jar, these use The Cupcake Queen’s traditional flavors, but adds a twist, filling them with homemade cheesecake filling. Grab a jar for a quick fix or take for later as they keep for up to three weeks in the fridge!
Tara is beyond excited to open their doors and give a new batch of customers an opportunity to get The Cupcake Queen experience! And while they’ll continue to operate their mobile bakery, as well as field online orders, the Waxhaw store will be truly groundbreaking for them.
“We can get to know our customers more on a personal level and build more of a relationship with them. It’s more than just giving baked goods, it’s knowing who we’re giving those baked goods to.”
