2009.07.01
Bubblecake update
Jeanna Duerscherl/The Roanoke Times
Today's Front Burner column is about a new cupcake bakery, Bubblecake, that is opening in the white house on Crystal Spring Avenue in South Roanoke. Several callers and e-mailers have asked when the bakery is open, but until today I did not know for sure.
Now, I can report that Lisa Lusk says they are having their grand opening at 11 a.m. on Monday. The new telephone number for the business is (540) 343-2253.
High end cupcakes at $2.25- 2.50 in Roanoke...basically the same price as in New York City...which certainly has way higher overhead.
Is this the same Roanoke that won't shell out $2.00 for parking to eat at a great Roanoke restaurant downtown?
Did I miss something?
I'm sorry, I wish her the best of luck, but this doesn't sound like a successful endeavor.
Comment by Rich — July 1, 2009 @ 3:29 pm
Is this the same Roanoke who won't support a struggling grocery store (Ukrops)? will they be willing to pay 2.50 for a cupcake? They better be good!
Comment by Kathy — July 1, 2009 @ 4:02 pm
Maybe it's because I'm used to the higher prices of some of the downtown restaurants, but 2.50 doesn't sound that high to me for a dessert. I mean if you get a cookie somewhere, it's going to be over a buck.
Comment by Debbie — July 1, 2009 @ 5:55 pm
I agree with previous posters. Also, I love cupcakes but prefer mine without gobs of icing. Surprisingly, I think the best cupcakes in the Valley are available at Sam's (altho sometimes they, too, load up on the icing).
Comment by Kimberly — July 2, 2009 @ 12:53 am
I'm super excited about Bubblecake. I love cupcakes (who doesn't?) and don't mind making them but I usually don't need to have 12 cupcakes sitting around in my house waiting for me to eat them. $2.50 really doesn't seem like such a huge extravagance for a sweet treat once in awhile. Especially if they are good.
Comment by Bailie — July 2, 2009 @ 8:20 am
Oh Lindsey - I think you should buy your sister one of those Key Lime cupcakes.
Comment by Kim — July 2, 2009 @ 9:20 am
i agreee with kimberly , i think sams has great cake and cupcakes the icing is a perfect mixture, not too sweet not too weak.and a doz only costs 11.00 at the most i love cupcakes but i cant see paying 2.00 or more for each one, esp since if i was to take my kids i have already dropped 10.00 before i walk in the door at that price, and with the current economy im not sure that many people can afford too.
i wish them the best and i hope they prove all of us wrong .
Comment by opal — July 2, 2009 @ 9:29 am
This drives me crazy about Roanoke. It's super-cheap to live around here, but does that mean people have to be cheap too? People complain about the lack of good places, but as soon as there is something good, everyone complains about the price. Take Ukrop's, and now Bubblecake, for example. $2.50 for a cupcake isn't going to kill you every once in awhile. You pay more for McDonald's drive-through meals.
No wonder good restaurants people want in Roanoke -- Chipotle, Rita's, Bookbinders, just to name some recent known ones-- go to Blacksburg. It's not just about student populations, it's that people recognize and are willing to pay for it. Why go to a place where people are going to complain about your stuff when you can go to a place you'll get business-- i.e., the NRV? If you're willing to pay for junk, that's all you're getting.
And by the way, Ukrop's isn't expensive. It's good quality, and I find Kroger to be more expensive and the products lesser quality.
So that's my two (maybe three or four) cents. Agree or disagree, I just had to get it out there.
Comment by Amy — July 2, 2009 @ 11:04 am
"Once in a while" doesn't keep stores open.
Comment by Rich — July 2, 2009 @ 12:12 pm
I think they'll do great. I've seen many Roanoker's fork over $6 for one ice cream at Cold Stone, no sweat!
Comment by Michelle — July 2, 2009 @ 5:33 pm
The cupcake recipe that was given in the newspaper for one of her cupcakes used a boxed cake mix and canned frosting with some flavoring added to it. I am not paying 2.50 for that. I don't know if that holds true for all of her cupcakes, let's hope not.
Comment by Anne — July 3, 2009 @ 7:19 am
Well I do not live in Roanoke, and I am excited for this little place to open up. I plan to visit there the next time I'm in town and sample the wares. I think if people will blow $5 on an overpriced coffee, they should certainly spend a couple bucks on a little piece of yumminess. Get over yourselves people; it is something new and exciting.
Comment by Julie — July 3, 2009 @ 10:56 am
Anne, I should have mentioned in the newspaper that the frosting recipe, which does call for a can of storebought frosting as the base, is not the same recipe Lusk uses. She just thought it would be easier for home cooks.
Also, she does use the boxed mix for the Key lime cupcakes but said that's the only cupcake recipe she uses one for, she just did not get a better result from scratch recipes she tested. Her chocolate cupcake is in fact a brownie recipe. She uses what she feels results in the right consistency, I guess.
Comment by Lindsey Nair — July 5, 2009 @ 6:08 pm
I was by there on Friday and they were doing a trial run before the grand opening. I got an orange and a strawberry cupcake, my husband got 2 chocolate. They were seriously the best cupcakes I have ever had. I really hope they will do well. I plan to visit them often.
Comment by sarah — July 6, 2009 @ 4:25 pm
I ate a "blue coconut" cupcake here yesterday and bit into what was DEFINITELY store bought frosting. I can recognize that chemically vanilla anywhere. Won't be going back!
Comment by Molly — July 7, 2009 @ 1:27 pm
I e-mailed Lisa Lusk and told her to check out these comments. We'll see what she says about whether the coconut cupcake frosting was store bought.
Comment by Lindsey Nair — July 7, 2009 @ 2:07 pm
You'd be surprised by how many bakers (home and storefront, famous and infamous) use box mixes. There is an endless variety of recipes that utilize a box mix as a base with other ingredients added.
I guarantee you would not be able to tell the difference between a box mix and scratch made. GUARANTEE!
Comment by cakingitup — July 7, 2009 @ 7:41 pm
It's a little ironic that people think Sam's/Wal Mart/Kroger cakes are *better* than what you get when you go to someone who does it custom for you. I have no problem paying more for a cake that was made fresh rather than off a machine, frozen, packaged, shipped across the country, thawed and then had fake, synthetic icing gobbed on it.
You should look into your local bakers instead of commercial, corporate products.
Comment by cakingitup — July 7, 2009 @ 7:46 pm
I was there today. The selection was awesome! The coffee was good too (I had a cappuccino.) I had a red velvet, which was the best I ever had, and I've eaten a lot. The cream cheese frosting was literally oozing off the cake. You can't get that from store bought icing.
The place was a lot of fun, my kids loved it.
Comment by Bruno Scarp — July 7, 2009 @ 11:08 pm
I went yesterday too, while the cupcake was good, it was average to small sized and not the moistest cake I have ever eaten. At $2.50 a piece / $25 a dozen, I expected at least something the size of a large muffin. It will be my last trip to Bubblecakes....not because they weren't good, but I just can't see spending $15 + tax on 1/2 dozen normal sized cupcakes.
Comment by Lynne — July 8, 2009 @ 1:26 pm
wow, went there yesterday......WILL NOT be going back!
$8.00 for a water and two over-iced, dry cupcakes!!
You got my money once....enjoy it, you won't be seeing us back any time soon!!
Comment by ripped-off — July 11, 2009 @ 6:26 pm
Get a grip people. We should rally around Bubblecakes. We should be supporting our local business owners instead of bickering online. We are so lucky to live in a neighborhood like South Roanoke. We have so many wonderful and unique things right under our noses. After you have dinner at Fork in the Alley stop off and have a cupcake or two for dessert. Live a little!!
Comment by becky — July 12, 2009 @ 9:30 pm
I stopped in for my first visit today and all I can say is the bloggers above wouldn't know good food if you shoved it in their face. The cupcakes are very moist and the icing delicious but not overpowering. I waited in line patiently to order my cupcakes so I think business is doing well. $2.50 for a cupcake sure beats the $10 for a slice of cheesecake at Trio and Trio wasn't even making the cheesecakes. Wonder why they went out of business?
Comment for Rich - You need to get over the parking issue for downtown. I know you are upset that parking is an issue but the fact is the parking situation downtown does not entice your casual diner/shopper to visit. Even if parking were free it wouldn't help. Half the garages look like either a construction zone or a homeless shelter. The lighting is poor and security lacking. It's just doesn't entice people to come down and visit.
Comment by Greg — July 14, 2009 @ 12:46 pm
My co-workers have gone bonkers over BubbleCake so obviously I thought they were crazy! lol Today I had my first, but definitely not my last I hope, and it was amazing. I had the Key Lime and it didn't taste like any boxed cake mix I've ever had although I see in the above comments that it started out as a boxed mix. I would say there was a lot of improvements made to that mix. It was about the moistest cake I've ever eaten. I thought my Mother was the best baker I've ever encountered but, sorry Mom, this was better than yours. I was a skeptic....what, pay 2.50 for one cupcake???....but in my opinion after having one, definitely worth it. I will buy a dozen (or more - hee hee) for my daughter's birthday.
Comment by Debi — July 21, 2009 @ 3:35 pm
My Stalker Greg-
I have no issue with parking downtown, and I am very much so a casual downtown shopper and diner. We frequently come downtown to eat, avoiding the cookie cutter offerings that abound. One can find free lots, street parking, at most times after hours. Its the $3 Tightwads and now people afraid of parking lofts who have problems with the 'parking situation'.
The farmers market entices plenty of people downtown...i guess they carry their cars in their pockets? Brilliant.
Comment by Rich — July 22, 2009 @ 12:27 pm
The cupcakes seem good but I cannot imagine a business model based on convincing kids - and their parents - to shell out $2.50 for a cupcake on a regular basis can be successful for long. Exactly how many $2.50 cupcakes do you need to sell before you even pay your rent? Maybe if she can get a good stream of birthday business it will help.
Comment by Kristen — July 22, 2009 @ 2:55 pm
I stopped by yesterday for a cupcake and it was delicious! I got the Banana Fluffernutter and it did not taste like any store bought cake or box cake I've ever had. It was unique and not overly sweet like many store bought cupcakes. I'll definitely go back when I want a special sweet treat.
Comment by Bailie — July 23, 2009 @ 11:54 am
Kristen,
I too enjoyed my cupcake, as I mentioned above, and have been back a few times. I'd say the business model is about the same as any ice cream shop? Though the cupcakes are less expensive than what I spend on ice cream at the those specialty shops. So I'm confident they'll make it.
Bubblecake is awesome!
On quick comment for Rich, how often do you eat at McDonalds? I'll assume "infrequently," or "once in a while?" If so, it seems to work for them....and their specialty right now is the .99 menu. Though try getting out of there for that!
Comment by Bruno — July 26, 2009 @ 1:27 am
I wandered in there one day with my kids after eating at Fork in the Alley. WOW! The kids went nuts, it was the greatest thing to see them that happy. I'm a pharmaceutical rep, so I bought a few dozen to take on appointments. The Doctors and staff were ecstatic! I've done this a few times since then and have no trouble getting appointments with the Doctors and their staff have been very appreciative.
As far as how they are made, who cares? They're good!
Comment by Gina — July 26, 2009 @ 10:46 am
I just learned of Bubblecake through Facebook, I am just happy new places are opening with the economy in such a mess, not a good location for me but I will be making the trip to check it out! And one last thought, you will never please everybody so don't even try!
Comment by Caroline Young — November 16, 2009 @ 4:36 pm