I don’t have a storefront…yet. When the perfect thing at the perfect price comes around, I’ll jump all over it. My house is unique in that it has two kitchens. I use one for Little Apple Flour Shop exclusively, and the other for my family. Right now, it’s working well. I’m anxious to find a space where I can set up shop, but until then, we are thrilled to be displaying and selling our cupcakes and muffins at Ann A Lee’s, here in Manhattan. The owner is a wonderful advocate of local businesses, and we feel our cupcakes are a perfect match for the classy, modern, and irresistible “flavor” of Ann A Lee’s.

What events do you cater to?

LAFS cupcakes really work for events of all sizes, and we’ve made cupcakes for all kinds of events. Baby showers, Graduations, and not long ago, we had our first cupcake wedding! Cupcakes are such a great solution for weddings…no cake cutting, and every guest has a perfect, beautiful cake with which to help the bride and groom celebrate.

What’s your best selling flavor?

That’s a tough call. Even though we have a very large menu, I get quite a few orders for the classic vanilla Wedded Bliss and Double Chocolate Decadence. Purple Velvet, our signature K-State cupcake with ginger buttercream is a big seller. You wouldn’t believe how purple a cake can be, and it’s so much fun to make. The one people can’t stay away from, however, is the Pumpkin Spice. I can’t tell you how many repeat orders of pumpkin spice I’ve had!

What is YOUR favorite flavor?

I love them all, or I wouldn’t put them on the menu! It’s kind of seasonal for me. I love the Peaches and Cream right now, because it’s so springy. Summertime begs for the Strawberry Daiquiri, I can’t get enough of the Pumpkin Spice in the fall, and Winter…Peppermint Schnapps’ Hot Chocolate! For every time of the year, though, I love love love the Chocolate Stout, made with Tallgrass Brewing Co.’s Buffalo Sweat Stout. Their stout has such a rich smooth chocolately flavor to me, and it really works beautifully in my stout recipe. When you add roasted peanuts and a pretzel rod on top, it’s pretty irresistible.

What was your biggest order?

My biggest order was 12 dozen large cupcakes for a really fun wedding. 7 dozen were for the reception, and 5 dozen were individually boxed as favors for the guests to take home. Another unique order served 7 dozen for a local business that used LAFS cupcakes as gifts for their employees. Each cupcake was individually boxed and tied with ribbon. It made a great display, and a really nice favor. Who needs another coffee mug? Give me a cupcake! I regularly have orders of 10-12 dozen mini cupcakes for events where it’s easier to have bite size treats.

How far in advance does a client need to book with you?

I can do a fairly quick turn around. I have had as little notice as 4 hours, but that’s not something I can always do. Since it’s out of my home and I’m a mom of two beautiful and very active girls and the wife of a handsome and very active man, it’s best to give me as much notice as possible. A good rule of thumb is a week, so I can plan.

When did you start your business?

Beth Klug and I started talking about LAFS in August/September of 2010, but we started baking in May/June, 2011. It really got going, though, in January of this year. Since then, Beth has chosen to back off her involvement in order to pursue her career, and I have taken the lead in the business and the baking, so right now, when you call LAFS, you’ll get me, and when you eat something from LAFS, I created it.

What do you feel separates you from competitors?

The great thing about LAFS is that we are small, local, and focus on great taste. My goal is not to make the most beautiful cake in the universe. I like to make my cakes pretty, but my main concern is that they taste wonderful. I use real butter in my cakes and in my buttercream frosting, and it makes a huge difference in the way frosting feels in your mouth. LAFS doesn’t do fondant. I admit, it can be gorgeous, but honestly, it doesn’t taste very good. I want people to become addicted to our cupcakes and keep coming back for more because they taste great, and because we offer great customer service!

How can potential clients go about contacting you?

The best way to contact me is to visit our website www.littleappleflourshop.com, click on the Contact Us tab, and either zip me an order or any questions you might have. The e-mail comes directly to me, and I try to respond right away, but definitely in the first 24 hours. I can take orders directly from the site. There, you can find the menu and pricing, too.

Andi Washburn
785.410.8944
www.littleappleflourshop.com
littleappleflourshop@gmail.com
facebook: The Little Apple Flour Shop

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