It’s a cupcake with a twist. Or a splash.
“Baking Under the Influence,” a partnership that produces and markets artisan baked goods, produces homemade cupcakes made with a craft beer or a fine spirit or liqueur.
Ryan Bartlewski takes care of the baking while Violet Skinner handles marketing and promotion.
Since November 2010, the partners have been creating new flavors of cupcakes that they sell at First Wednesday Art Walk and deliver to clients who want custom flavors.
The cupcakes are a regular dessert item at the weekly members’ lunch at CoWork Jax on the floor above Perdue Inc. on Forsyth Street.
“Our market is foodies and people who are tired of the same old thing,” Skinner said.
Even though the recipes sometimes include alcoholic beverages in addition to fresh fruit juice and other ingredients, Skinner said the alcohol content of the baked goods is negligible.
“It’s only a few drops in each cupcake — about the same amount of alcohol as in chicken Marsala,” she said.
One of the most popular creations is a beer cheese cupcake with bacon frosting.
“We like using creative ingredients. There are no limits on colors or flavors. We enjoy being challenged,” said Skinner.
In addition to special orders and catering, she said plans include expanding the baking operation to sell cupcakes to commercial accounts and restaurants.
Over the long term, the partners would like to open a restaurant that would specialize in burgers, craft beers and cupcakes and they’ve already decided where they would like to have the restaurant.
“We will be Downtown,” said Skinner.
For more information, visit bakingundertheinfluence.com.
356-2466