Fall/ Winter Holiday Newsletter

The Holiday newsletter is finished! I have been e-mailing them out for a few days now, and have decided to post it here as well! I'm excited for all of the fun flavors and decorations and you should be too! Now I am only posting photos and content here. For the full effect of the newsletter, e-mail me and I will e-mail it back to you. Don't you just love being green? lol

Malted Chocolate cupcake with Peppermint Buttercream, 

topped with "Melted" Marshmallow snowmen 

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays everyone! I would like to thank you for helping this year become so wonderful by placing cupcake orders with Little Bridgie Cakes. Your patronage and kind words have truly made this year fantastic! I hope that together we can make next year even better! Please keep Little Bridgie Cakes in mind for your next event or special occasion!

How It All Began

Little Bridgie Cakes started out as just a hobby. While I was in college I would bake for the many meetings I would attend through the week as a Greek leader on campus. After I graduated, my love of baking breads, cookies and cupcakes was still a part of me, but I could not push all of the wonderful things coming out of the oven on my parents alone, so I began delivering to my brother's work, the University of La Verene College of Law Library. The staff there was very kind and enjoyed my cupcakes so much that they  insisted I start a business. I am so glad that I took their advice.

Little Bridgie Cakes has grown significantly since first starting in February 2011. Cupcakes are now sold at Theo’s café in Montclair, and many friends and family members have invited me to their homes to help celebrate significant occasions.

A Special Thank You

I would like to thank several people, whom, without their encouragement and faith, Little Bridgie Cakes would never have come to be. First, I would like to thank the amazing staff at the University of La Verne College of Law Library, who encouraged me to take on this journey. Also, thank you Barbra Barney for placing my very first order. Lastly, thank you Erin and Steven

Squires for having Little Bridgie Cakes as a part of your wedding weekend.

 Thank you all, for your contributions to help makes Little Bridgie Cakes a successful small business. I wish all of you the happiest and warmest holiday season, and please let me know if I can be of any service to you during the last few months of the year!

New Flavors Perfect for Giving, Sharing, and Enjoying!

Now for the good stuff! As you already know, cupcakes are perfect for any occasion. Here are a few ideas for some tasty options for your events this holiday season.

• Pumpkin cupcake with Cream Cheese frosting

• Maple cupcake with Maple Buttercream

• Chocolate Malted cupcake with Peppermint Buttercream frosting

• Ginger and Molasses cupcake with Whipped cream frosting

• Candied Sweet Potato cupcake topped with mini-marshmallows and candied pecans

• Gingerbread cupcake with fluffy Vanilla or Cream Cheese frosting

• Apple Cider cupcake with Caramel Brown Rice Glaze (Vegan)

• Mexican Hot Chocolate Cupcake with Spiced Whipped Cream frosting

• Spiked Eggnog Cupcake with Bourbon-Caramel-Cream Cheese frosting

Decorations:

• Pumpkins

• Marshmallow and coconut Turkey

• Turkey and mashed potato dinner

• Scarecrow

• Marshmallow Snowmen

• Melted Marshmallow Snowmen

• Holiday lights

• Holiday ornaments

• Holly

• Holliday Wreath

• Star of David

• New Year’s clock.

• Candy Canes

• Cinnamon Sticks

Don’t Miss Out On These Great Deals!

Mention this newsletter any time between now and December 31^st so when you order 24 cupcakes, you get half off the next two-dozen.

Remember year-round, when you buy four-dozen cupcakes, the next two dozen are always half off!

Top: Mexican Hot Chocolate

Middle: Spiked Eggnog

Bottom: Pumpkin

To order cupcakes: e-mail me at LittleBridgieCakes@gmail.com or call me at (909) 938-4826. Also, I'm on Facebook! So drop by and become a fan today! 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-Bridgie-Cakes/101768203237810

My last Oregon Winter

When people ask me why I started a cupcake business, they often look at me like I’m crazy. They try to reason me out of it with facts: the market is saturated, it’s a trend that will eventually pass, and I have a BA in Literature. Well, I can say with confidence, I never thought I’d be here.

            While I was baking last night, with the house to myself, except for the cats, I was reminded of when I was going to school in Oregon. I rented a tinny apartment across the street from campus with enough room for the cats and me. I would bake cookies and cupcakes in the evening to avoid silly things like homework, and would bring the treats with me to meetings or work. It was really nice in the winter when it snowed. I would fight off the cold by running the heater and baking, while homemade hot chocolate simmered on the stove.

            The last winter I was in Oregon was a really hard winter. It snowed a lot and was so cold, I felt like I would never get warm. One night I was talking to my mother on the phone and she warned me that my pipes might freeze. Now being a young adult on my own, I thought that I had everything under control and that if my pipes freezing was going to be a problem my landlord would have told me since he knew that I was from southern California, and the coldest I had ever been was probably when I went to an ice skating rink. So I didn’t listen to her or call my landlord to inquire about the possibility. The next morning, sure enough, my hot water pipes were frozen. To make matters worse, my car was snowed into my parking spot in the ally behind my apartment.

Kicking myself, I went about my morning routine, minus anything needing water, when my boss called to check on me.

            “Celeste just picked me up for work. Do you need a ride?” Stacie asked.

            “No I think I can make it.” I said pulling back my curtain to a white world of snow dumping from the sky. “Wow, it’s really coming down!”

            “Yeah, We are going to close early today. Just come in when you can and we will talk.”

            “Okay. See you in about an hour.” I assured her.

            I got dressed, put on my floor length wool coat, hat, scarf, gloves, boots, kissed the cats goodbye and went stomping through the snowy campus to the bookstore.

The snow came up to my knees and my glasses fogged with my breath as I trudged on. People were walking around with skis, throwing snowballs, building snowmen and making snow angels. It was like walking through a movie set. My ten-minute walk to work took half an hour. When I finally arrived, the girls were just opening the store, and discussing closing back up in four hours.

            “You made it!” Celeste shouted as I clocked in.

            “Yeah, you are lucky you just live upstairs!” I laughed, shaking off the snow.

            We made coffee and watched the snow fall, wondering if anyone was brave enough to venture out, when John, the local homeless man, came in for coffee and slumped down by the fireplace, and instantly fell asleep.

            When two o’clock rolled around we closed up shop. It still hadn’t stopped snowing. This time, it took me 45 minutes to get home and it was already dark when I got there. I was waking in the door when my landlord called.

            “Hi, Bridgett. How’s it going?” Bob asked with fatherly concern.

            “It’s a little cold, but I’m managing. ” I laughed. “I’m not used to this kind of weather.”

            “Well, that’s why I’m calling. You should leave your water on so the water heater doesn’t freeze. There isn’t anything we would be able to do to fix it until it thaws out, so make sure you leave a steady trickle coming out.”

            “Oh, okay, thanks.” I hung up, disappointed in myself. What an awesome learning experience.

            Two days later, the snow stopped, the sun came out and my water cranked back to life. I still couldn’t drive, but I was able to get friends to drive me to the store. I learned a lot that winter about having plenty of food when the snow starts, to leave your water on, but mostly, to listen to my mother.

            Last night, in honor of my last winter in Oregon, I made Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcakes with Spiced Whipped Cream frosting. Also, since Starbucks and the craft stores have decided that fall has begun; I made Pumpkin cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting as well. Lastly, because I wanted to play with some decorating techniques featured in my holiday newsletter, I took my Applesauce-Pecan cupcakes out of the freezer and played with those.

            The Pumpkin cupcakes I dressed like pumpkins.

            The Applesauce-Pecan like Scarecrows.

            The Mexican Hot Chocolate, like hot chocolate.

Shannon 25th Wedding Anniversary Party

            I would like to start this post by congratulating William and Sandra Shannon on 25 years of marriage. Sandra, or Sandy, as my family has come to call her, was my brother, Bryan’s RSP teacher in elementary school. She is an amazing woman and teacher who does everything in her power to make sure her students achieve all they can, even while struggling with learning disabilities. Not to mention, she did lend a helping hand, and her fax machine, to help get my car out of impound a few years ago; but that is a different story. ;-)

            I was very excited to have the honor to help the happy couple celebrate 25 years of marriage by proving dessert for the large party! I knew from the start that this order would be challenging because I was making not one, nor two, but three different cupcake flavors for the event (and if you have missed my last few posts, all orders are place by the two dozen. 72 cupcakes for those who, like me, don’t do math lol). Lucky for her, after the first four-dozen, the next two are half off.

            After playing phone and e-mail tag for a few days, Sandy and I decided on Red Velvet with Cream Cheese frosting (my most popular flavor), Chocolate Devil’s Food with Chocolate Ganache, and Yellow Buttermilk with Chocolate Buttercream frosting. After a quick trip to the store, I set to work baking up a storm.

            I started with the Yellow Buttermilk because I have never made these before and want to be fresh with the unfamiliar recipe. I quickly mixed the ingredients and popped them in the oven, however, panic struck when my oven suddenly shut off half way through the second dozen.

            “Dad….” I called wide-eyed, hoping it was just an issue with the fuse box. It is summer, the air conditioner is on, the mixer is running, the lights are on. I reasoned with myself deciding that there were too many things going on at once. As I look around to see what else had shut off, I suddenly realized that the oven was the only thing to stop working! The air was on, the lights, and my mixer filled with Red Velvet cake batter, was still mixing away.

            “Yes, dear?” My father asked coolly as he walked in with his friend Jeff.

            “The oven stopped working. Can you fix it please? I have cupcakes in the oven.”

            My father went outside, flipped some of the breakers, turning off the lights, the mixer, and the air condition, only for a second before they all cranked back on as if nothing had happened. All except for the oven, which stayed dark, receiving no power. He strolled back in smiling.

            “It didn’t work.” I said pulling my cell phone from my pocket and dialing Bryan.

            “Oh, well it’s still under warranty.” He said, concern spreading over his face.

            “Can they bring us a new oven today?” I said grinning, trying to lighten the situation, as I was sent to Bryan’s voice mail.

            “The oven stopped working. Can I bake at your place, please?” I texted to Bryan as I walked to my computer to send a distress call out on Facebook.

            When I walked back into the kitchen, the oven had been pulled away from the wall and Jeff had determined that the outlet behind and next to the oven had stopped working. Dad got an extension cord and plugged the oven into another outlet and it blinked back to life.

            “Thank you so much!” I said delighted, clapping my hands.

            “Your welcome, make sure you call Chris, he’s an electrician.” My dad cautioned.

            “Okay.” I smiled ear-to-ear as I pulled the golden cupcakes out of the oven. The oven had remained hot enough to finish cooking them, so I didn’t lose any time, or batter.

            The next two flavors, thankfully, baked smoothly. Now I am thankful to be off my feet, in the now cool kitchen. Also, I am excited to join the Shannon family for the celebration!

Chocolate Devil's Food with Chocolate Ganache 

Yellow Buttermilk with Chocolate Buttercream

Red Velvet with Cream Cheese frosting

Citrus-Coconut with Low-Sugar French Vanilla Frosting

With graduation around the corner, I decided to head out into the rain this morning in search of the perfect toppings to make graduation themed cupcakes. I think I stumbled upon something good!

Since I was only making cupcakes to take pictures of, I cheated a bit and decided to use canned frosting and a box mix. That idea, however, was short lived when I dumped coconut into the lemon cake mix, and was further demolished when I licked frosting off my finger and lost all will to bake for a moment. So I tossed the frosting in the trash and put my own spin on pudding frosting recipe I found a while ago.

The result was not only beautiful, but also delicious! I added some food coloring to match the University of La Verne colors. I will be sure to add these tasty creating to the menu (but with a homemade citrus-coconut cake, of coarse!). 

Allergy Menu

Little Bridgie Cakes

Allergy Free Menu

To place orders, please e-mail Bridgett with the following information:

Name, Delivery Address, Phone Number, Deliver Date and Delivery Time.

All cupcake orders must be placed at least one week prior to delivery. All order quantities must be placed in two-dozen increments for each flavor ordered (ex. 24, 48, 72… etc). Delivery fees may apply. Customized decorations are extra and may include sugar.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Cupcakes~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chocolate*aY       $40  Green Tea with Glaze*$40          

   

Vanilla*aY         $40     Chocolate Ginger*     $40

Chocolate with *aY  $40     Lemon and                 $40

Peanut Butter Mouse Filling     Cherry*aY

Chocolate Orange*        $40      Red Velvet*a     $40

Cookies ‘N’ Cream*     $40      Carrot*aY       $40    

                

Margarita*                    $40      Honey Lemona       $40

 S’Mores*                    $40      German AppleaY  $40

Frosting:

Vanilla Cream CheeseaY  Fluffy Vanillaa

Creamy Chocolatea      Chocolate Buttercream*Y

Peanut Buttercream*Y     Raspberry Buttercream*Y  

Vegan Buttercream*Y     Blueberry Mousse*aY

Chocolate Mouse*Y      Chocolate ganache*Y

 *= Vegan   a= Sugar Free      Y= Gluten Free

Customized decorations

What really makes Little Bridgie Cakes so different from other cupcake shops are the customizations. Here are a few ideas of how to make your cupcake order entirely yours! However, if you have the perfect idea for how your cupcakes should look, let me know and I will help your tasty vision come to life! Also, most of the decorations include sugar and gluten. Please talk to me about how we can alter them to fit your needs!

Floral            5.00                       Sports            5.00

Roses, Sunflowers, Leaves, etc    Baseballs, Basketballs, etc.

Animals            10.00                  Insects            10.00

Cats, Dogs, Owls, Horses,           Butterflies, spiders, caterpillars

Bunnies and more      

Beach Day            10.00             Pirates            10.00

Sand, Umbrellas, sharks, fish      Treasure map, sand, palm trees

Princess            10.00                Holiday/ Seasonal            Vary

Crowns, jewels, etc                   Ask about our holiday 

                                                 and seasonal designs!

Cupcake Toped            30.00    Joke Cupcakes            Vary

Mini cupcakes on top of the      Some cupcakes are not what  

original cupcake!                      they look like. Ask which  

                                                designs are available!

Little Bridgie Cakes

(909) 938-4826

LittleBridgieCakes@gmail.com

“Like” us on Facebook for promotions and discounts!

Order Form

Here is the current order form for little Bridgie Cakes. Please Send all orders to LittleBridgieCakes@gmail.com

Name:  ____________________________________

Delivery Address:   ___________________________

   ___________________________

Phone Number:   (_______)________-_____________

E-Mail:    ___________________________________

Delivery Date:   _____________      

Time:  _____________

All cupcake orders must be placed at least one week prior to delivery. All order quantities must be placed in two-dozen increments for each flavor ordered (ex. 24, 48, 72… etc). Delivery fees may apply.  Customized decorations are extra.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Cupcakes~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Orders come in quantities of two dozen

Circle

Malted Chocolate             $40.00        Red Velvet                        $40.00

Vanilla Butter Cream       $40.00        Ginger and Molasses        $40.00

Chocolate Peppermint      $40.00         Yellow Buttermilk           $40.00

Peanut butter and Jelly      $40.00         Triple Citrus Glazed        $40.00

Pumpkin Patch                  $40.00        Carrot                               $40.00

                                                             (With raisins or pecans if desired)  

Blueberries and Cream     $40.00

Zucchini-Spice                  $40.00        Strawberry                        $40.00

Frosting: (Pick one)

Cream Cheese, Butter Cream, Chocolate, Peppermint,     

Peanut butter, Vanilla, Maple Butter cream,  

Boozy Cakes:

Margarita            $50.00           Blackberry Chocolate Cabernet $50.00

Cadillac Margarita infused        Dense chocolate Cabernet cupcake 

lime cake,topped with               with Blackberry Cabernet Icing

tequila-lime butter cream 

frosting

Pineapple Amaretto   $50.00          Irish Car Bomb            $50.00

Gooey pineapple sautéed in           Guinness Chocolate Cake, 

Amaretto between two halves        Chocolate-Whiskey Ganache 

of moist cake,topped with              filling, Baileys Irish Cream 

whipped cream.                             butter cream frosting

Allergy free cupcakes are available. Ask about Gluten free, Sugar free and Vegan Cupcake options!

Customizations:

What really makes Little Bridgie Cakes so different from other cupcake shops are the customizations. Here are a few ideas of how to make your cupcake order entirely yours! However, if you have the perfect idea for how your cupcakes should look, let me know and I will help your tasty vision come to life!

Floral            5.00                                  Sports            5.00

Roses, Sunflowers, Leaves, etc             Baseballs, Basketballs, etc.

Animals            10.00                            Insects            10.00

Cats, Dogs, Owls, Horses,                    Butterflies, spiders, caterpillars

Bunnies and more      

Beach Day            10.00                       Pirates            10.00

Sand, Umbrellas, sharks, fish               Treasure map, sand, palm trees

Princess            10.00                            Holiday/ Seasonal            Vary

Crowns, jewels, etc                              Ask about our holiday and seasonal designs!

Cupcake Toped            30.00            Joke Cupcakes                  Vary

Mini cupcakes on top of the              Some cupcakes are not what they look  

original cupcake!                              like. Ask which designs are 

                                                         available!

Little Bridgie Cakes

(909) 938-4826

LittleBridgieCakes@gmail.com

“Like” us on Facebook for promotions and discounts!

Blueberries "N" Cream

My brother, Bryan, has started dating the sweetest girl I have possibly ever met. He brought her to our family’s annual St. Patrick’s Day party and we all fell in love with her. Some time into the evening, as our guests were getting sloshed off of my Irish Car Bomb cupcakes, Bryan pulled me aside.

            “Hey, I was wondering if you would be willing to show Evelyn your cupcake book. Her dad’s birthday is on Saturday and I am going to dinner with them and would like to bring dessert.”

            Of coarse I was up for the challenge! I must say, at first I was under-whelmed by the Blueberries and cream cupcake recipe she chose. I feel that blueberries belong in muffins and pancakes, and that this cupcake would just be an overly sweet muffin, but I was pleasantly mistaken!

            I spent Friday morning tracking down blueberries, since it was still I tinny bit early for them, but was thrilled when Trader Joe’s announced that they were in stock! I quickly drove down, picked up all of my supplies and rushed home.

            As the cupcakes baked, the kitchen was filled with the delicate aroma of white cake and blueberry; it was delicious! Each cupcake was lightly browned and quietly steaming, as they puffed out of the wrapper. I cut one open, and a sweet, delicious blueberry oozed out.

Perfect.

I left the cupcakes to cool, and planned to make the frosting on Saturday morning.

Saturday morning came around and I was slow to get out of bed. I fed the cats, put some laundry in the dryer and pulled out my mixer, powdered sugar and heavy cream. I shook the cream, for good measure, and that was when the cap fell off. Heavy whipping cream splashed on the door to the garage and the wall. It covered the granite counter, spilled in the sink, slopped on the floor, dripped onto the stove and left me soaking, in the middle of a huge mess. It was 10:00AM and Bryan and Evelyn were coming to pick them up in half and hour.

I ran from the kitchen and jumped in the shower, reeking of sour milk. I then threw on yoga clothes and set to work, dumping cleaner on the floor, scooting around with a small towel under each foot, spraying the walls and sink and ferociously wiping the spilt milk away.

            Ten minutes later I poured the last of the heavy cream into the mixing bowl. There was just enough left. I threw on the mixer to whip the cream into soft peaks as I continued to wash the ripe smell out of my once clean kitchen. At 10:20, Bryan and Evelyn were at the door, graciously explaining that all was fine, they were in no hurry. I added the sugar and the mixer continued to churn… for too long. The frosting separated and was a coagulated mess. Oh no.

            I handed Bryan my wallet and begged him to go to the store so I could start over. Within another fifteen minuets he was back and the cream was poured into the mixer for whipped cream frosting, round two. That was when the whisk attachment for my mixer broke. Thank goodness I still had a set of beaters!

            I am proud to state that by 11:00AM the cupcakes were frosted, topped with succulent blueberries and out the door. This just goes to show that there is no use crying over spilt milk; next time, just be sure to hold the cap, and watch the frosting!