Jahmin AssaBest Sweet-Tooth Fix
Some people go on daily missions to get their cupcake fixes from Violet’s Cakes in Old Town Pasadena. Denise and Chris Weber, the mom and pop of this shop, frost their creations daily alongside their daughters on summer break. They opened at the beginning of May, hoping to expand a booming custom-cake business that was outgrowing their home. They thought business would begin slowly, with the custom cakes taking up most of their time. But, to their surprise, they have been slammed from the get-go. They have a regular clientele of moms, dads, cops, lawyers, kids and hipsters, and sell out their killer cupcakes almost every day. Their motto, tried and true, is “Everybody loves cupcakes.”
People call in the morning to reserve favorites like the French Toast & Maple Syrup, the (Girl Scout–inspired) Peppermint Patty, the Oreo, the Fresh Strawberry (where a fresh purée of strawberry is folded into butter cream), and the classic Vanilla Vanilla or Chocolate Chocolate.
They only use the finest ingredients — sweet-cream butters, Tahitian and Madagascar bourbon vanillas, seasonal fruits. The Webers love to remember customers’ favorite flavors, and pride themselves in attaching a face to a cupcake. They say the fun is watching adults become kids as they choose. The delicious smell hits you instantly as you walk in. Denise Weber says the greatest compliment came last week from a mother who called to say her 6-year-old son told her that his Oreo cupcake “was just like heaven.”
Violet’s Cakes 21 E. Holly St., Pasadena, (626) 395-9821
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.