In 2007 during a spring break in LA, I stumbled upon the most magnificent bakery. After one bite of Sprinkles’ red velvet delicacy I knew they were onto something special. Fast forward nine years, and this once tiny cupcake shop has now migrated to the East Coast. Last weekend we finally made it out to Disney Springs, and I’m happy to report that their confections are just as tasty as I remember.
Sprinkles Cupcakes are handcrafted from the finest ingredients and are available in a variety of flavors including Banana, Carrot, Salty Caramel, Strawberry and Sprinkles’ bestseller, Red Velvet. The Orlando menu will also feature cookies and ice cream, both of which come in a range of flavors such as Butter Pecan, Rocky Road and Cap’n Crunch; and Snickerdoodle, Salted Oatmeal Cornflake and Peanut Butter Pretzel Chip. Sprinkles also keeps an eye towards customers with specific dietary needs, offering vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free cupcake, cookie and sorbet options. During our first visit we, of course, ordered their Red Velvet cupcake along with their Sprinkle flavor and a cupcake sundae – layers of chocolate cupcake and buttery coffee ice cream. Sprinkles offers a sweet experience and one that’s worth driving across town to enjoy.
We recently spoke with Sprinkles founder Candace Nelson about her process, inspiration and her favorite flavor.
How did you get started with Sprinkles?
I worked in investment banking and after the dot com bust, I decided to follow my passion and go to pastry school! Upon graduating, I began a custom cake business out of my home. I soon came to realize that special occasion cakes were, by definition, reserved for special occasions. Raised in the tradition that dessert should be a daily indulgence, I conceived the idea for Sprinkles. After two years of recipe and brand development, I opened the world’s first cupcake bakery in Beverly Hills.
What’s the greatest and hardest part about owning your own business?
I would say the greatest and hardest part is the same: growing the business! We started as a single shop and now have 20 locations nationwide. It’s so rewarding to see my dream grow. Of course, with growth comes challenges like hiring and training hundreds of people, sourcing ingredients in different markets, and building the perfect store in each location to reflect our brand and the city’s local culture perfectly.
Tell me a little bit about your ingredients, what makes your delicacies extra tasty?
We bake fresh from scratch daily, all day long using the finest ingredients we can get our hands on. All our ice cream is made with organic dairy. We use rich European butter in our cookies. We use ingredients like Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, Callebaut chocolate, sprinkles from France and fresh produce. We also take the extra – often more time consuming – steps to create delicious desserts. For example, we hand zest and squeeze tiny key limes for our Key Lime cupcakes and we stir every single batch of German chocolate topping on the stove for 45 minutes.
How did you choose Disney Springs for your Orlando location? Any plans to expand to other parts of the city?
We have been wanting to come to Florida for years. We’ve received countless customer requests and wanted our 20th location to be as momentous as the milestone. Disney Springs is a magical place that welcomes families from all over the country – and world – to create special moments. We couldn’t think of a better partnership!
If you had to choose, which cupcake flavor is your favorite?
Sprinkles Dark Chocolate is the flavor I created for myself. It’s ultra-rich and decadent and our dark chocolate sprinkles are made of fine Belgian chocolate which melt in your mouth!
So grab a friend and drive to Disney Springs ASAP, Sprinkles will be open daily from 10 a.m. to midnight. The Cupcake ATM will operate daily from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Delivery will also be available within a 100 mile radius via online and phone ordering. For more information on location, menus and pricing visit sprinkles.com.
Photo Credit: Sprinkles
