Popular cupcakery establishes a Norfolk address

In April, Carolina Cupcakery opened a second location in Norfolk’s Five Points Community Farm Market at 26^th and Church Street. They are offering an abbreviated version of their full menu, baked fresh and delivered daily, plus an exciting new line of fresh-milled breads.

 “When I realized that 80% of our phone calls in the last 6 months came from downtown zip codes, I knew we had to move closer, to serve our customers better,” says owner Dawn Eskins, “and the atmosphere of the Five Points Community Farm Market is a perfect fit for our goodies.”

“Health-conscious customers really ‘get us’, they understand Amish butter and Fair Trade chocolate — they understand that real food is important, even when they are indulging” says Eskins. “We are especially proud of the tasteful cupcakes we’ve devised for folks with sugar-free, gluten-free and vegan restrictions. This underserved segment of the population seeks out natural options in places like farm markets. Now they will find us there, too.”

Diet-specific baking is possible because their Chesapeake bakery has a dedicated kitchen equipped with special appliances and gluten-free ingredients. Having a specialized kitchen also makes it easier to service large-scale wholesale customers like grocers, schools and nursing homes. For information on opening a wholesale account, call Anne Hall at 757 375-0614.

Hours of operation are the same as the market, Wed.-Fri. 11am-7pm, Sat. 9am-5pm with Sunday hours, 11am-5pm, beginning May 2. Cupcakes start at $3.59, fresh bread at $3.29 and “pupcakes” (for Fido) are $2.99 for a half-dozen. Custom orders, or any order over 2 dozen, may be called in to the bakery at 757 204-4775 and picked up from either location.

About Carolina Cupcakery: Founded in Chesapeake in 2008 by Dawn Eskins and her two daughters, the bakery has become wildly popular in a very short time. Known for local, scratch-baked cupcakes available in over 140 flavors, varieties include cupcakes that are; spiked with liquors, stuffed with pie or mousse, and stacked with things like cookie dough and brownie dough. They regularly appear in local publications, were nationally featured in Modern Bride magazine, and have been approached for television by Discovery Channel and the Food Network.

About Gluten Allergies: According to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics there was an 18% increase in children’s allergies between 1997 and 2007. Gluten allergies are often diagnosed as Celiac Disease, and considered to be the most under-diagnosed disease today, which leads to malnutrition if left untreated. Since gluten is a byproduct of wheat, traditional cake and bread products can be especially toxic to their systems.