The small sign on the inside of the window spanning the front of the chocolate brown building at the corner of 5th and Broad Streets entices pedestrians with a simple proposal: “Life is Short. Eat a cupcake.” Not “cupcakes.” Just “cupcake.”
It’s a sweetly deceptive ploy. An innocent passerby looking past his reflection at the mouthwatering displays inside might be fooled into thinking he can stop at one. But once tasted, those velvety treats become a Siren’s call that lures the hungry and weak-willed back for more.
Or, maybe I’m just projecting my experience on you.
The large, loosely hung banner on the side of the building beckons with the slogan “Cupcakes and more.” The brick edifice once housed “Chattanooga Cupcakes,” which closed in November, to the disappointment of its many fans. Now, with a new coat of paint, a refurbished interior and expanded offerings, Cupcake Kitchen has risen in its place.
Cupcake Kitchen is the offspring of Helene Grzybowski, an Italian firecracker with a flair for creating pastries that tempt the eye as well as the tastebuds. Although a fairly new business owner, she’s loved baking ever since she played with her Easy Bake Oven as a child. From there, she graduated to Catholic School bazaars as a mother of five and community yard sales. Wherever people tasted her work, they told her she should open a bakery.
Kids don’t come cheap, though, so she labored in secretarial positions for years. Then, in 2010, after she and her husband had moved to Chattanooga, she took a leap of faith, opening the first Cupcake Kitchen in Hixson. It was a hit. When Grzybowski learned the owner of Chattanooga Cupcake was bowing out of the bakery business, she quit her job at SunTrust and opened store number two.
If your timing is right, Grzybowski’s broad smile will be the first thing you see as you enter her shop, as it was on the chilly January morning of my first visit.
I’d been shivering outside and waiting for ten o’clock to roll around when Grzybowski raised the blinds on the front door and beamed through the glass, the clack of the lock heralding warmth and refuge from the cold. I forgot all about my discomfort the moment I stepped into her Hansel and Gretel-esque realm of sugary delights.
My eyes beheld baked wonders too numerous to account, each molded by an artist’s hand: red velvet cupcakes topped with real rose petals; banana cream pie cupcakes filled with pudding and capped with creamy white icing; and key lime pie cupcakes rimmed with graham cracker crumbles.
The capolavoro, however, was the cappuccino cupcake, a frothy creation whipped up to look like the real thing, complete with a plume of sugary steam and a chocolate coffee cup handle.
I moved on, impressed by the decorative flourishes on the Aphrodite Almond Raspberry cupcake and the Venus Chocolate Raspberry cupcake, both placed in ebony and white contrast on the same tray. I made a mental note to someday try the Salted Caramel, with its single crunchy pretzel drizzled with sticky caramel. The S’mores cupcake, with its graham
cracker crust bottom, also intrigued me.
Lemon drop, orange bundt, carrot cake, Italian cream and countless other delectables beckoned me like silky temptresses, making me wonder if God in His mercy had stayed His hand as He inscribed the Ten Commandments and left off an 11th edict dealing with the consumption of too many cupcakes.
As I wrestled with the impossibility of selecting one item to try, Grzybowski lifted a tray of strawberry shortcake cupcakes for me to photograph, a light dusting of flour from her early morning labors still on her fingers. Fashioned to trigger immediate cravings, the cupcake was a work of aesthetic virtuosity. A base of vanilla cake served as the foundation for a squeeze of sumptuous whipped cream. Four sparkling red strawberry slices bloomed out of the whiteness and supported more cake and another dollop of the creamy stuff. A fifth strawberry slice and a stick of chocolate crowned the royal indulgence.
My choice was clear.
As I lifted one to my mouth, I remembered how good Chattanooga Cupcake had been. By setting up in the same building, Grzybowski is inviting comparisons to what many people believe were the best cupcakes in the city. Clinging to what amounted to shreds of objectivity, I took a bite.
The icing was light, but not quite whipped cream. It existed in a state somewhere between traditional icing and the weightless fluff used to top real strawberry shortcake. The cake was moist and sweet, but not heavy. Rather, it had a good balance of texture and flavor, and it complemented the icing perfectly.
The tasty confection also had the right ratio of cake to icing; there was neither too much nor too little of either one, and neither overwhelmed the other. The strawberries were juicy, and had a slight tang that stood out in contrast to the sweetness of the other ingredients. With a single bite, I knew my first strawberry shortcake cupcake would not be my last.
My mouth was so pleased, I’d forgotten about the “and more” on the sign outside. Grzybowski jogged my memory as she brought a tray of freshly made orange and lemon bark out of the kitchen and placed it on a stainless steel table located behind her displays. Next, she picked up a sheet of white chocolate flecked with orange and cracked off two jagged pieces. She handed one to me and then popped the other one into her mouth and bit down, a sharp edge poking her cheek. I did likewise. My eyebrows raised as the orange bits hit my tongue and the white chocolate melted between my teeth. Although I prefer milk chocolate, I enjoyed my sample.
Grzybowski is no one trick pony. In addition to her candies, which include chocolate covered pretzels, tiger butter, peanut butter filled chocolate nuggets and more, she makes and sells all manner of cookies, cannolis, chess bars, truffles and slices of cheesecake. A person could lose all sense of time while trying to make a selection.
As I stepped back out into the frigid air, a box of goodies for co-workers and loved ones in hand, I took comfort in knowing Cupcake Kitchen will be around long enough for me to try everything else that caught my eye. The line forming as I left bore witness to that.
Life is short and should be savored. And a cupcake is a good way to do it. But don’t take my word for it. The next time you’re on the corner of 5th and Broad Streets, step into Cupcake Kitchen and try one yourself. You might see me in there, too, savoring every bite.
Email David Laprad at dlaprad@hamiltoncountyherald.com.