The Cupcake Bar Spreads Smiles
By Lauren Everitt 
June 28, 2010 
13 Comments
Cupcakes have taken the nation by storm. Shops, trucks and even the occasional Airstream trailer are dedicated to their distribution. Cake’s sweet little sister is replacing the Popsicle as the American treat of choice. It’s hard to find a unique twist on a classic delight, but The Cupcake Bar has managed to do just that.
Founder Lori Schneider decided to put her catering business on hold to pursue a passion for “making people smile.†Enter The Cupcake Bar. Covering everything from birthdays to Bar Mitzvahs the cupcake crew takes their sweet spread directly to your doorstep.
Clad in aprons crisscrossed with pink and brown checks, the smiling baristas set up shop with a table of possibilities: tiny turrets of icing-less cakes, bulging tubes of frosting, squeeze bottles of filling and a full toppings bar (my personal favorite). The combinations are endless and the ability to exercise administrative control over your creation is heady to say the least.
I chose vanilla for my blank canvas. The patient Cupcake Barista generously dressed it with chocolate raspberry frosting and (this is the best part) injected a squirt of caramel into the cakey center.
Ok, I have to take a brief moment to salute this development in cupcake philosophy; for those of us icing snobs that lick off the top and dispose of the rest, there’s finally a form that allows us to eat the entire morsel! I’m just waiting for the paradigm shift to follow.
I topped my own personal Picasso with a scoop of Reese’s Pieces. I’m not great with themes, but I think the term “smorgasbord†would fit nicely here. Luckily The Cupcake Bar compensates for those of us who lack a sense of culinary cohesion by the deliciousness of their ingredients. The experience can best be summed up by my 9 year old counterpart consumer who bit into a hot pink creation with blue sprinkles: “Can I have two?â€
My biggest complaint was the sheer abundance of possibilities: 75 toppings and 20 flavors…not to mention the fillers. Math has never been my strong suit, but I’d imagine an attempt to conquer them all would add up to the same thing: sugar coma.
The friendly and (thankfully) non-judgmental gals of The Cupcake Bar are used to dealing with those of us overawed by the choices and are happy to accommodate the most bizarre concoctions. They’ve gone so far as to produce a zucchini cake which could potentially be coupled with Pixie Stix (not that anyone would attempt it *awkward cough*). In fact, it’s more likely your insulin levels will signal you to quit before they do.
Lori doesn’t take her mission to spread smiles lightly and The Cupcake Bar has supported numerous charities throughout the Austin area. As Lori explains, “it was just important for me to give back to a community that gives so much to us.†The beneficiaries of their savory spread include: the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the Mexican American Cultural Center, Texas Advocacy Project, ZACH Theatre, SafePlace and the Michael J. Fox Foundation, to name a few.
I had the pleasure of indulging in their delicious assortment at the Cupcakes and Cocktails event where Lori and her team supplied a full cupcake bar, their time and all donations to Project Princess, a charity which provides gently used prom dresses to lower income teens.
For those of you who missed this delectable event, don’t despair! You can book The Cupcake Bar for a party (of one if necessary) on their website or catch them on October 15 at Four Seasons where they will be co-sponsoring the Black and White Ball benefiting Texas Advocacy Project.
When it comes to delivering a tasty treat for a good cause, The Cupcake Bar quite literally takes (or makes) the cake.
Photos courtesy of The Cupcake Bar.
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The Cupcake Bar sounds great, I wish I had an event they could cater!
What an awesome idea! I wish I’d thought of it!
this looks so fun! who wouldn’t want to make their own cupcake! yummers. great job, Lauren on your first article. Great writing style and pics.
I’m going to have to swing by next time I’m in Austin!
Overwhelmingly choices! Is it bad to want to eat two a day?
Great post…will check it out:)
I want the cupcake bar to come to my doorstep! Will they travel to San Diego?
thanks for checking out the post and commenting everyone…it was the sweetest writing experience I’ve had to date
mmm I could use a little cupcake action now in fact.
Love the idea of a cupcake bar! That first one with the pink frosting looks soooo delicious… Great post.
That’s a great idea (and a great piece)! They should have a Random Cupcake Generator to make things easier for people like me who can’t make food choices.
Gorgeous! I can totally see that is a cupcake that spread smiles.
I”m not usually a fan of cupcakes, but this article could change my mind!!
I love this idea and would love to go to a party hosted by these ladies. It would be so much fun to sample lot’s of little cupcakes rather than having one big piece of cake or dessert. Even better if they served lattes.