Cupcakes, a Sign of the Times

By Jason Frye, local writing instructor

I love cupcakes. Brownies are my favorite, but cupcakes are a close second. For a long time, to get a cupcake in Wilmington you had to head to one of the chain grocery stores or know someone with a killer recipe, and even then you were limited to the ordinary flavors: chocolate, vanilla, and the occasional variation on the theme. It seemed Wilmingtonians placed little value on these miniature confections, which is why I was so surprised when Coastal Cupcakes came along. Operating out of their tiny storefront on Princess Street, they introduced us to interesting flavors (their red velvet is awesome and the coconut is always tasty) and people responded. Wilmington’s cupcake culture was born.

Flash forward a couple of months and Coastal Cupcakes has opened another location at Wrightsville Beach.

Flash forward a couple more months and another cupcakery, Hot Pink Cake Stand, has opened at 114 Front Street.

Has Wilmington followed Charlotte, Charleston and Savannah and broken out of the mold of the mundane, moldering southern city? Are we finally trying to do things in a new and interesting way here? Does the fact that we have not one, not two, but three cupcake confectionaries signal that we are moving in a positive direction economically?

I think it does.

I’ve thought for a long time that one of the things Wilmington was missing, one of the things it needed to push it into a new era of growth and prosperity, was the entrepreneurial spirit you find so often in a city like New York or San Francisco.

Which brings me to Jody Carmichael, owner, baker and head decorator at Hot Pink Cake Stand. She’s got the spirit, and everything from the name of her bakery to her offerings (vegan cupcakes, people) to the chic, New York feel of the interior of Hot Pink Cake Stand shows it.

It’s hip in there. Vibrant colors everywhere—the requisite pink, a beautiful blue tile countertop, colored teapots gleaming on the shelving along one wall, and turquoise table tops at the front. She plays great music via Pandora, her stations seeded by whatever inspires her that day—Bob Marley one day, French Noir soundtracks the next. A cluster of tables by the front door provides a place for a more intimate conversation, or belly up to the bar that runs the length of the open kitchen. From your place at the bar, watch Jody and her crew mix, bake and decorate while they watch you eat. Because of the open kitchen, you can have a conversation with the kitchen staff. What’s this song? What’s your favorite flavor? Vegan cupcakes? The whole place is inviting and comfortable, like a friend’s kitchen, but bigger.

One of the things I think she’s doing right is listening to the community. There’s a growing population of vegans and vegetarians in Wilmington, and they’re often forgotten at our eateries. There is also a growing contingent of people interested in eating local foods and supporting local businesses rather than the chains. Because Jody listens, Hot Pink Cake Stands offers vegan cupcakes. By her own admission, it took a while to fine-tune the recipes, but after a few cupcake explosions, she’s now offering a vegan cupcake du jour (lime and coconut, chocolate coconut with mocha frosting and pistachio and rosewater, to name a few).

She also serves Old Wilmington Tea Company’s tea and coffee from Carolina Coffee. Both of these businesses are local and their products are fresh, better than what you’ll get off the shelf at Harris Teeter and for sale in Hot Pink Cake Stand.

Hot Pink Cake Stand isn’t just about the cupcakes though. Jody’s taking orders for celebration cakes she decorates with fondant, which she calls “fun, like Play-dough, but tastier.”

And she’s looking to the future with an innovative eye. She’s looking into the requirements to hold wine tastings, where she would pair her own cakes, cupcakes and muffins with wine, making for a truly decadent evening.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, stop by and sit at the bar for a while, see if I’m right about the entrepreneurial spirit there, try a cupcake and some tea, talk to Jody. Hot Pink Cake Stand is having their grand opening celebration on Saturday, January 30; maybe I’ll see you there, I’ll be the one with the beard and the cupcake.